The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-03-19


Corresr on iencs of Tho True Northsrner.
During the past week the Senate has been
chiefly occupied with the Fits John Porter bill;
the executive and q congressional committee
with NJ. De Lesseps and his canal; and politi-
clans generally with Presidential booms. The
booms are gradually emerging from On amor
phous condition, the smoke 10 clearing away,
and the naked booms may now be seen pretty
clearly defined in the horizon. On the repub
llcan side it is Grant or Blaine on the demo-
cratic side II is Tilden or - Seymour. At the
present time there is much talk about the sud-
den re-appearapce OF the latter IN the field.
Ii is earnestly asserted by his intimate friends
that, notwithstanding the many reports to the
contrary, he will not decline nomination tend
cred with unanimty, and it is believed by many
long range politicians that the personel OF the
candidacy for the chief magistracy in 1880 viii
be identical with that or 1863. Governor Sey-
mour is sixty nine years old, but it is said by
those who intimately know him that his health
is pc riect, and that from physical standpoint
he is far more able to undergo the fatigues OF
Office than the other prominent candidate.
Those who are urging his candidacy argue that
IN view OF the bitter fight between the Tilden
and Kelley rings OF the party, he Is the only
democrat who can certainly carry New York.
The President has sent in a message to the
Senate laying down rule that the canal must,
when made, be under American control. II
treaties with foreign powers, or rights OF prop
erty,or sovereignty, interfere with this control
they must be got rid of by "just and liberal
negotiation. The needful protection to the
capital invested In it must be given by the
United States alone. The canal will be "a
great ocean thoroughfare between the At
lantic and Pacific States, and virtually PSF
Of the coast-line OF the United States, and any
other great power would, under similar cir
cumstances, not fail to assert rightful con-
trol over it, He therefore alleges that it is
the right and duty Of the United States to
assert and maintain the necessary Supervision
and authority over the enterprise. This would
seem, in plain English, to be an intimation
that the corporation which undertakes its con-
structon must be organized in the United
States and come to terms Of some sort with
the United States Government.
NJ. he Lesseps has been before committee
of Congress to which he explained at consider
able length the comparative merits Of the
NICARAGUA and Panama routes. The Panama
canal, he said, would cost S168OOO,0O0, would
take eight years at the outside to construct,
would be forty five miles long, and one humid
red vessels day would pass through it, The
Nicaragua line on the other hand, would call
for the construction OF harbor at Brito, and
would require either seventeen or twenty locks.
Each lock would detain vessel two hours,
il would not be possible to rend her through
the line under fva or SIX days, and not more
than ten or twelve steamers could pass In day
besides which the locks would probably be
injured ,by earthquakes. The Panams route,
too, had a good harbor to start with, and
would use the bed OF the Chagres river as part
OF the canal, and the extraordinary floods ef
the river would be held in check by an i'm
mense dam. He denied that any official con-
troll of the canal by any Government was con-
templsted, and SAID the administrative head |
quarters would be wherever the majority OF
the stock was held--f IN America. IN New
York, II in Europe, Paris.