The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-03-19
The Future OF the United States
Lecture by Henry A. Wise, OF Vir-

ktulH.
Ex-Governor Henry A. Wise, OF
Virginia, delivered a lecture in Wash
ington on the evening OF the 18th inst,
subject-"The Future Of the United
States" Governor Wise examined the
physical conformation Of the country
and the natural resources Of the several
sections. He found New York to be
the natural port for all the belt OF States
extending westward along the lakes and
northern boundary to the Rocky
mountains. But he insisted that there
must be second seaport for the belt OF
States lying south of these, the central
belt. He said:
George Washington in this, as in
everything else, was foremost in con-
ceiving and commencing the first and
most important artificial lines. With
that almost preternatural prescience
which was to be looked for only from
such wisdom and virtue as God gave
him, eminently, he foresaw the
necessity OF connecting the mouth of
the Ohio midway the Valley Of the
Mississippi, and midway between the
lakes and the Gulf of Mexico, with the
mouth OF the chesapeake Bay, midway
the Atlantic coast, on the same parallel
of latitude. We can hardly imagine
that then he contemplated the great
artificial belt of transit which is now
begun between the Pacific and Atlantic
coasts, passing through the whole in-
terror of the continent But he did see
the true eastern terminus of that belt,
and projected the Chesapeake and Ohio
and the James river and kanawha
canals; and they are now the most
important works in this country yet to
be constructed to reach the great in
terror by the shortest and cheapest
routes OF trade"
In the course Of further examination
of the subject, he said another and a
new commercial city on the Atlantic
terminus of the great artificial belt
must and will rapidly rise up 10 control
that part of the trade OF the great in
terror which meets the commerce with
the West Indies and with South
America. Its site is due east from the
mouth Of the Ohio, is midway the
Atlantic coast, is on the same parallel
with San Francisco; in a climate Of
medium temperature; is near the very
pillars OF Hercules, the Capes of the
Chesapeake bay; at the mouths of
two magnificent rivers, the York and
the James, which look out upon the sea,
in near proximity to the Gulf stream,
which passes off Cape Henry, 400 miles
nearer from South America and the
West Indies than it passes Sandy Hook.
And the same natural causes which
compel the Eastern commerce to turn
in at Sandy Hook will compel the
commerce OF the South Atlantic and Of
the Cult TO turn in at Hampton Roads,
to the deepest and broadcast harhor on
the Atlantic coast. Much OF the trade
of the interior bound to New York in
the winter months must pass through
the Hampton Roads; and city there
will have to import largely from Europe
for its own supply and that of its own
immediate back country. Do you ask
this humbling question, "Wby such
city, at such a site for commerce, Sec
ondary only to that Of New York, has
not risen up heretofore in the past
The answer is a fair confession that the
plantation interest has always here
torore controlled the mouth OF the
Chesapeake, and that interest was ever
and ever will be anti-commerclal and
auti-manutacturing. But now that con.
troll has ceased by the abolition Of
slavery, and Capes Henry and Charles
can and will be linked to the Ohio river
by both canals and railroads.