493 [Assembly 



per, thus embarassing the President, and constraining him, as has been 

 the case, to veto bills, the most important parts of which met his en- 

 tire approbation. The Maysville road may be cited as a case in point, 

 requiring the exercise of the veto power. 



These are difficulties which must and will be obviated, when there 

 shall be more distinct manifestations of the public feeling in favor of 

 such internal improvements as are necessary to the success of domestic 

 commerce. 



It would be a painful task to state the dangers, difficulties and great 

 destruction of life and property in navigating our great lakes and riv- 

 ers for want of harbors and other improvements, which would require 

 but moderate appropriations, compared with those made for like har- 

 bors and improvements upon our Atlantic coast. These may be un- 

 derstood, by reading the proceedings of the Chicago Convention. 



It is mortifying to compare what has been done by the British go- 

 vernment in favor of the commerce of their American colonies, and 

 what has been done by our government in favor of that of our Wes- 

 tern States. There is a safe steamboat navigation from the mouth of 

 the St. Lawrence river to the head of Lake Huron. 



The difficulties and dangers of passing the rapids between Mon- 

 treal and Kingston are overcome by the deep and broad canals of 

 Lachine and Cornwall. The Niagara Falls are surmounted by the 

 Welland Canal, leading directly from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie ; 

 a canal 56 feet wide, 8 feet deep and 53 miles in length, made at an 

 expense of more than four millions of dollars : and a like communi- 

 cation will soon be made from Lake Huron to Lake Superior, by a 

 canal on the British side of the Sault St. Marie; so that the produce 

 of our copper mines on Lake Superior will find its way to market 

 through British canals and over British territory. Even the Rideau 

 canal, of comparatively small importance, has cost more than four 

 millions of dollars. All these improvements, and many more, have 

 been made, chiefly by the aid of the British government, for the be- 

 nefit of their colonial commerce ; and also, with a view to military 

 purposes, in contemplation of a war with this country, whenever they 

 shall fail to gain the advantage over us in all our negotiations and 

 treaties, as they have never yet failed to do since 1783, except al- 

 ways as to the right of search, for which they fought us once, and 

 for which they will fight us again when their convenience will per- 

 mit. 



