The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-10-16
LOUISVILLE.
Southern Commercial Convention
observation-disclosures Adopted
Cincinnati the Probable Point
for Holding the next Convention.

I
The Convention met at ten o'clock
this morning.
The first report presented to the
Convention was that which provides
for the improvement of the Missis-
sippi River and its tributaries.
A memorial to be presented to Con-
gress was read, and resolutions IN
favor of the improvement of the said
river were read to the Convention,
and unanimously adopted.
The Committee on Agriculture
made their report, and requested that
copies of this report be furnished to
the Secretary for distribution. One
Of the resolutions requests that Con-
| gress repeal the law in regard TO the
land tax in the Southern States. The
report was adopted.
The Committee en- Agriculture re-
ported as follows:
For want of access to public documents,
| the committee cannot give an account Of
the amount OF land under cultivation.
The committee beg leave to report that
after the adjournment OF the Convention
the report wifi be printed and distributed
among the members OF this body. They
recommend that sufficient supply of
labor be obtained through enigrating So
cieties. They also recommend the re-
mOval OF the cotton tax and the uni iuSt
taxation of Southern lands, and that the
Secretary be requested to send copies OF
these resolutions to the members OF the
United States Congress.
The report was adopted with but
little debate.
On motion, Mr.. VIM. B. Wait was
recognized as delegate of the Ar
kansas delegation to this Convention.
The report of the Committee on
Continuous Water Line, from the At
lantic Ocean to the Mississippi River,
was read, and the resolutions en-
bodied therein were separately read
The resolutions, eight in number,
were adopted. "a
A request was made by Mr.. Monroe,
Of Iowa, that copy of these. resolu-
tions be forwarded, by the President. n
of the Convention, to the President of
the Senate and the Speaker of the
House of Representatives, with the
request that they be laid before their
respective houses. Adopted
ResoECed, That committee of nine be
appointed to memorialize Congress in
hehaIf { { these resolutions.
The resolution was adopted.
The report of the Committee on
Taxation, which provides for simpli
flying, equalizing, and reducing taxa
ton, was also adopted.
The Convention is rapidly pushing |
the business in order to effect an ad-
journment at five o. clock this evening. |
It is probable that Cincinnati will |
be selected as the point for the m eet-
ing of the next Convention.
LOUISVILLE, Oct. 15.-The Com
mercial Convention met oday at $3.50
this morning, with President Fillmore
in the chair.
After some preliminary matters the
Convention proceeded to callfor the re-
ports of the different committees. The |
most of these were so voluminous that !
it would require several days to trans
NIT them by telegraph, and it is next |
to impossible to give general idea of
them, owing to the great confusion |
which existed at times in the Con- |
vention.
The Chairman of the Committee on |
River Navigation, Canals and ether |
improvements, submitted a lengthy |
and very able report. The report IS /
based upon a memorial to Congress, /
which was prepared by committee |
raised at the New Orleans and Keo- I
kuk Conventions, and the memorial IS /
given as part of the report.
The memorial Is IN reference to /
the improvement Of the Ohio, Missis-
sippi and Missouri Rivers, and in
cludes a recommendation of the pas Il
sage of the bill now pending before
Congress, to authorize the construc-
ton of bridges across the Ohio, Mis-
sissippi and Missouri Rivers. A4 "a
In connection with the report, Mr..
Stanant read letter from j n. Ma
NoIoo1 e Eao5uanrz naI Su
perintendent of United States snag
boats and Western river improve
ments, In regard to his operations,
which throws some light upon the
subject Of river improvement.
After some slight objections, which
were not sustained, were made, the I
report Of the Committee was adopted.
The order of the day was postponed
to hear the reports of the standing
Committees. The Committee on
Agriculture submitted their report,
which was adopted.
The committee believes that the
true policy of the Government IS
general prompt relief from the IN
equal taxation imposed upon the cot
ton-growing sections, and urges
Congress to repeal the act imposing
land tax upon the Southern States.
They believe that liberal policy on
the part of the Government towards
agricultural interests is desirable.
Mr.. Thomas III. Monroe, of Iowa.,
Chairman of the Committee on a Com
tinuous Water Line of COmmunica-
ton between the Mississippi River
and the Atlantic Ocean, submitted
preamble and resolution which, with
the omission of one Objectionable par
agraph, was adopted.
The report shows the importance Of 4
cheapand easy transportation betKeen
the Mississippi Valley and the eastern
and southern portions of our own
country as we'll as the markets of the
world; that to meet this necessity, a
continuous water line is demanded /
between the Mississippi and the sea
board; that a connection OF Lake |
Michigan with the Upper Mississippi, |
the completion of the water. line |
from the mouth of the Ohio to /
Hampton Roads, and the removal Of
distractions to an easy and cheap /
outlet to the Gulf. by way of the /
Mississippi River, VIII Constitute this |
system. A system of central water !
line is most important, as it furnishes |
healthful competition with both the !
Northern and Southern routes, and /
is not liable to interruption in time |
of foreign war. 1t is not antagonistic |
TO the railroad system connecting the |
Mississippi Valley and the Ocean. bat |
is auxiliary to it. These improve
ments are of national importance, |
and must be accomplished By national
enterprise. 1t belongs wholly to the |
Government to do the work for the |
benefit of all. The improvements |
should be completed at the earliest |