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Memorial
To the Honorable, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Wisconsin.
The petition of your memorialists, citizens of the County of Niagara, in the State of New York; respectfully represents, that the natural facilities for communications between the Eastern and North-Western States and Territories, afforded by Lake Ontario, Erie, Huron, Michigan and Superior, constitute one of the most efficient causes of the rapid advancement and unexampled prosperity of this important section of the Union. The widely extended territory, bordering on the waters of these great lakes, has passed, from a wild and uninhabited condition, to a state of improvement, cultivation and productiveness, within a space so brief as to be almost incredible, and the same improvement, cultivation and productiveness, within a space so brief as to be almost incredible, and the same improvement, which has characterized the settlements of Lakes Erie, Huron and Michigan, is now in a state of progression in the neighborhood of Lake Superior. The rapidity of the transition is without example in the history of nations. Powerful States have sprung up in a region where but very recently appeared a boundless forest or a waste prairie. A vigorous and enterprising people, by the energies of industry, have converted, and are rapidly converting, our western domain into fruitful fields and busy towns. Although the country is yet in its infancy, the western lakes have become the high-way of a commerce, which already nearly equals the whole foreign export trade of the United States. When we consider the extent of the region ffom which this commerce is derived, the elementary sources of wealth in which the country abounds, and the constant increase of population, which, for many years, must be going on, it would seem that no huan calculation can adequately anticipate the amount of trade, hereafter to be performed, between the Western States and Territories, and the commercial markets of the East. In the past, we find ample indications of its future importance. That this trade should have, witin our own borders, a perfect channel to American markets, and thus go on to increase the foreign and domestic commerce of the nation; and that all the profits and advantages arising from it should be secured to American citizens, is a proposition which high considerations of national policy unite to establish.
The rich profits to be derived from a trade with Western States, at an early day, excited the attention of our Canadian neighbors. To secure to themselves so inviting a prize, they proceeded to the adoption of effective measures. By the construction of the Welland Canal, thus opening a ship navigation between Lakes Ontario and Erie, which has since been transferred to the British government, and extensively and permanently improved, a direction has been given to the Western commerce, which is as advantageous to the interests of Canada, as it is injurious to the States. The official statements of the revenues and business of the Welland Canal show, that large and constantly increasing amounts are drawn from the industry of our people, to build up a foreign interest, hostil to the interest and prosperity of the American nation.
As your memorialists believe, the only method by which British policy, so prejudicial to the interests of our own citizens, may be successfully counteracted and resisted, is the construction of a channel suitable to ship navigation between the Lakes Ontario and Erie, in conformity with the government survey made in 1893 by Capt. William G. Williams, of the Topographical Engineers, and reported to Congress on the 16th of April, 1836, (see Excec. Doc. 1 session, 24th Con. 1836). Such a construction would complete and render continuous a chain of water communication several thousand miles in extent along the frontier, and would connect, by a commercial tract, seven important States and Territories of the Union. We do not deem it necessary to enter into a discussion of detailed length, with regard to the many commercial advantages which must result from the accomplishment of the recommeded project. These advantages are so obvious as to need no illustration. As among the chief of them, it amy be mentioned that the construction would secure to American citizens the exclusive benefits of a commerce which is created and sustained by American industry and enterprise. In every point of view, the proposed work which is created and sustained by American industry and enterprise. In every point of view, the proposed work appears to your memorialists to be strictly of a national character. In no sense, can it be considered as a local undertaking. The advantages of its accomplishment, so far from being confined to any particular State, or an insulate portion of the Union, would be enjoyed by, and would give a new impulse to the prosperity of several States.
A short Ship Canal in addition, around the Sault de Ste Marie, will open to commerce one of the largest lakes in the great chain, with its extensive fisheries and boundless minerals, will induce the sale and settlement of these mineral lands with rapidity, and probably in a few years increase the business of the Niagara Ship Canal to its utmost capacity, without lessening the business of other avenues to Eastern markets. The unprecedented increase in the amount of wheat and flour, shipped from the West to Eastern markets, by Lake Erie, has proved the inability of the Erie Canal and the Harbor at Buffalo, to furnish the necessary facilities to perform, without great delay, the carrying trade between that point and tide water, which shows still further the necessity of opening this channel of commerce. The total amount of what and flour exported in the year 1845, from the States and
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Territories bordering on the upper lakes, and which passed west by way of Buffalo, was equal to 992,890 barrels of flour. In the year 1848, the exports by the same route of the same articles were equal to 3,800,530 barrels of flour. The imports into the port ow Oswego of wheat and flour during the same years, will show to some extent the business of the Welland Canal; as the principal part of those imports come from the Western States by that route. In 1845, the imports into Oswego, of wheat and flour were equal to 400,044 barrels of flour, and in 1847, to 873,293 barrels of flour, besides a large amount which came by the same route to the mills at Rochester.
This enterprise will open a continuous navigation between the six collection districts on Lake Ontario and the river St. Lawrence, and the eight collection districts on Lakes Erie, Huron and Michigan: it would withdraw the transit of American produce and merchandise from the Welland Canal, which would thereby eventually sink into disuse. The Territory, that would be sensibly benefitted by the proposed plan, would be, principally, New York, Ohio, Michigan, a portion of Pennsylvania, Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri and Wisconsin. The Illinois Canal, uniting the waters of Lake Michigan and the rivers Illinois and Mississippi, which will be opened for navigation in a few months, will very much enlarge the sphere of the usefulness of this great improvement; and will open a new era in the destinies of the South-Western States of this confederacy. The length of the Lake coast, which would be connected for mercantile purposes by this improvement, exceeds the whole extent of the Atlantic coast from Passamaquoddy Bay to the mouth of the Rio Grande, by about 1500 miles.
Although it would exercise a favorable influence upon the internal wealth and condition of several millions of people; - yet its necessity arises directly from the external situation of the country. When we consider the work, in connection with the common defence of the Union, it assumes a character peculiarly National. In the incidents of our last war with Great Britain, we may find the most conclusive reasons in favor of a water communication between Lakes Ontario and Erie. An avenue, of suitable capacity for the passage of ships of war, would create one of the most perfect safeguards for the protection of our frontier. Our naval forces on the Lakes would be enabled to act in concert; to relieve each other; and the protection of our frontier. Our naval forces on the Lakes would be enabled to act in concert; to relieve each other; and the protection of the frontier would require a much smaller force than must otherwise be necessary. Supplies and munitions of war would be transported to distant points, with increased celerity and safety. As a proof that your memorialists are not singular in these views, it may be well to allude to the acts of our Canadian neighbors. The Welland Canal was constructed by private individuals under an act of incorporation, granted upon highly favorable terms by the government. Large gratuities were given and loans were advanced by the colonial authorities for the consturction of the work. Under the guidance of individual interests, it is natural that the affairs of a company should be conducted more with reference to private benefit than the general good. The Britishgovernment therefore extinguished the interests of the stockholders, in order to give it a more perfect and durable character, and the chief reason, assigned for this arrangement, was, the importance of the communication between the lakes, in case of future hostilities between the Canadas and the American government. If the Welland Canal, in this light, is important to the governmentof the Canadas, it cannot be less essential to the American frontier, that a similar channel should be opened within our own Territory. The report of the Engineer Department shows conclusively the practicability of the proposed communication, at an expense moderate in comparison with the magnitude of the object in view.
In soliciting, to this subject, the earnest attention of the Representatives of the Nation, your memorialists act under a deep sense of the importance of the measure which it is proposed to accomplish. They conceive moreover, that it comes strictly within the scope and jurisdiction of the general government, - the Legislature of the State of New York having by resolution, given their consent to its construction. It is a work, one of the great purposes of which will be "to provide for the common defence" of the country. It will also be one of those enduring monuments of the prosperity and enterprize of a free people, which render governments immortal in memory, if not in duration. Public improvementsof this character, including benefits which are widely spread over the face of a vast extent of country, tend to draw the States together in a more indissoluble bond of Union.
By a joint resolution passed at its last session the State of Michigan has attracted the attention of Congress to this subject. Your memorialists therefore pray that your Honorable body will cause to be passed a joint resolution of instruction to your Senators and a request to your Representatives in Congress to use all honorable means to obtain appropriations of money from the general government to accomplish the objects as expressed by your memorialists.
And your memorialists, as in duty bound will ever pray
Calvin Hotchkiss Rufus Spalding Van Epps Hotchkiss S.B. Piper Henry Hotchkiss Franklin Spalding Seymour Scovill Lothup Cook Amos Tryon P.P. Barton P.C.H. Brotherson Ashael Lyon Leander Scovill
