1846.] Mineral and Agricultural Resources of JX'ew York. 171 



The Mohawk and the Champlain and Hudson valleys, then, 

 are without doubt the great channels for commerce and agricul- 

 tural products of the west and north. Even in the former direc- 

 tion it may well extend beyond the rim of the great basin of the 

 Mississippi, for great as the river of this valley is, foreign export 

 had rather, or had better pass through the Mohawk valley, as it 

 is brought to a port nearer the shores of Europe than if it travels 

 by the great river and valley of the west. 



In consideration of these great channels of communication with 

 the Atlantic, the great highway of the nations, it seems that it is 

 wise and politic to extend it as far as is practicable, to make the 

 inland highway as broad and deep as possible, to send off from it 

 branches wherever the circumstances of the country require it. 

 The future wnll approve of this policy, for the increase of men 

 and the increase of the production-^, will be found to justify this 

 view. It is true many talk as though the state was full, and 

 that the height of its productions were already reached; still, 

 it goes on and still increases, and every census return overruns 

 the estimates of the previous calculations. 



It is doubtful however, whether it is wise and politic to seek 

 for revenues in the artificial communications of which we have 

 been speaking. They should be pa-id for and kept in repair by 

 their own earnings; but after that let them be open to the use of 

 the world. Like other great channels of intercourse, the seas, 

 the rivers, the lakes, the foundation of those great works were 

 laid when the depths of the sea were made. They belong to the 

 country as much as ihe Mississippi and the great lakes; and the 

 commonwealth is merely an agent to open and complete a work 

 which was made feasible in the original structure of her terri- 

 tory. It is for the interest of agriculture that it should be so. 

 It is for the interest of the many that it should be so, as it will 

 cheapen food and clothing, and make the necessaries of life more 

 abundant. Bread should go to market with the least possible ex- 

 pense, and th.it liberality which benefits the many aids civiliza- 

 tion in its progress, and harmonizes and subdues those fcelirig^ 

 which may under ordinary circumstances become discordant be- 

 tween the rich and poor. 



