The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-06-04

Following Is correct copy of the resou-
tons unanimously adopted at the Hennepin
canal convention at Davenport last week:
The committee on resolutions made the fol.
lowing report through their chairman, Gen
eral T. j. Henderson:
This Convention, representing the people OF
the Mississippi Valley and of the Northwest,
IN pursuance of the call OF the convention and
IN turtherance of the purposes thereof unani-
mously declare:
First-That the Congress of the United
States should devise by law, and sustain by
liberal and efficient appropriations, system
OF cheap transportation by a water route con
Meeting the Mississippi River and its tribn-
tarl,s with the Eastern Atlantic seaboard and
the Cult of Mexico.
Second-'rhat 1t has been the policy of Con
gress and the desire of the people of the North
west for many years to inaugurate and com
plete q system of water channel improvement
having the Mississippi for its base; that to
give greater efficiency to this policy there
should be constructed from the Mississippi
River, on the most direct and feasible route to
the Illinois River at IIennepn, and Thence to
the lake at Chicago, a canal adequate to the
present ana future transportation needs OF that
great part of the Northwest to whose people
such work Of internal improvement Is an
imperative necessity for their relief from ex.
cessive freight rates on the produce and com.
merce of the country, and that the work. so
long needed, should be Immediately com.
menced
Thid-That the continued Improvement of
the Mississippi River under the auspices OF
the Mississippi River Commission, created by
act of Congress, is work Of great national
importance; that the Congress of the United
States ought to promote that scheme of I'm.
provement by the most liberal appropriations
in a separate appropriation bill therefor, that
we emphasize and enforce the united and
earnest demand Of the people of the entire
Mississippi Valley, that Congress shall make
prompt and adequate appropriations for the
Improvement of the river and its navigable
tributaries from the Falls of st. Anthony to
the Gulf of Mexico, and that this Convention
has no sympathy with any policy that would
depreciae or hinder this great enterprise of
making fully navigable and building up a
great commerce upon this central river-na
lures great highway OF the continent.
FouWh-That we hall with peculiar salts.
faction the increasing success of the barge
line system of transportation on the Missis
slppl and its tributaries and the relief it gives
to the producers and shippers of the Misss-
slppi Valley in the cheapenlng of freight.
Fifh-That we heartily favor the proposed
cession Of the Illinois and Michigan Canal
and the improvements on the Illinois River
by the State of Illinois, and declare that the
Erie Canal should be made free Of tolls. We
therefore hope for the early success OF the ef.
forts inaugurated to secure these results.
.Siyth-That the commission, under the au-
spices of which this Convention has been
called, be continued with the proviso that Its
membership be enlarged by the selection OF
an additional member from each State repre-.
scented in this body, which additional member
shall be named by the delegates of tie respect.
i've States. Said commission to afterward
elect It's own officers and mature Its own or.
ganizaton.
.Screnh-That the commission, when reor.
ganized as contemplated herein, be requested
to select two gentlemen from each State to
present to Congress the appeal for support to
the work of Internal improvement which is
contemplated by the foregoing resolutions.
The report was unanimously adopted, amid
cheers