{"newspaper_name": "The Arkansas banner.", "edition": "01", "page": "p2", "byline": ""}
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The eommlttle appointed to consider and report what acton should be taken, or what means should bs adopted by this convention to present befoIe the country, and secure, in the future, the great interests of the West and South, felt constrained to pause at the threshhold of the labors and duties before them to survey he brief, past history of the West, and its present condition.

 Less than halt la century ago, and within the recollection of many that are now living, the Mississippi valley was almost an uninteg- rupted wilderness, Few and far remote from each other were the spots then, which marked the dwelling place of the white man, and be- tokened the useful works ofart, and the bene-

 fits and blessings of civilization.

 But little more than quarter of century since trip from Louisville or Cincinnati to New Orleans, in a keel-boat, was pre- ceded by all the ceremonies and business preparations incident to three or four months voyage, involving great uncertainty of ever returning.

 What is the present condition of this great valley2

 The convention is now assembled and transacting business in the city of Memphis, surrounded by population of 8 to 10000 people on this bluff, which, but few years since, was only known as the site of an old Fort. Here we now behold daily, and hour ly, passing up and down the great Mississip- Pi river, instead of the dimnutive keel and flat boats offormer years, the present floating palaces propelled by steam, performing their trips from port to portin but few days more than the number of months once required. The iey,, I | -f i together with the vast number of flat boats. now ln use upon the western waters, afford some idea of the present amount of the pro- ducts-the commerce and the population of the west

 Without enumeratng, therefore, the popu- lous cities or particular reference to the gene ral improvements and settlements of this sec ton of country, for the impression and effect ] they would necessarily produce, we have deemed it prope;r to refer i2 the leading sta tistical data, furnished by lhfse last census to show the comparative amount of poP9latloni products, and commefce-their increase, Slc., in that portion of the United States bor- dering on the Atlantic, and that forming the Mississippi valley.

 The last census showed the population of the eastern portion of the United States, which we call the Atlantic strip, to be 8,627, 990, and the population of the Mississippi valley to be 8,434, ,759, giving the former l i2 and the latter III members ol Congress. In the last 50 years the Atlantic strip is estima- ted to have increased in population about 76 per cent. In 10 years, from 1850 to 1910, the Mississippi valley increased about 80p cent.

 With this disparity in the ratio of increase, in 1850 the population of the Mississippi val ley will probably be about l5,000,000, and the population of the Atlantic strip will be about I0,000,000, and the number of repre- sentatiyes in Congress from the Mississippi valley will be to those ofthe Atlantic strip i'll the proportion of l5 to 10.

 The whole products of the Mississippi val Icy in 1840 were estimated at S754 4,095, ,929, the products ofthe Atlantic strip al p837, ,098,- l 776, since then inc disparity of the increase has turned the scale decidedly in favour ofthe Mississippi valley

 In Mr. Barrow's report made in the Senate of the United States, in February 1843, the downward trade on the Mississippi river is estimated at Sl20,000,000, the upward trade at 100000, GOO, making S220,0 0,000, only l o30,000,000 less than the whole export and import trade of the United States.

 The Secretary of the Navy in his report, made in 1843, shows that the stalisticts of the country prove, beyond doubt, that more than two thirds the exports from the United States are produced in the Mississippi val

 ley.

 L.. This immense yallcy-changed in about ! I l., now the chief source of the productions for the foreign export trade of the United States t-having but one great southern emporium |-haying but one natural outlet for its out ward and inward trade--having a common interest in the improvement of its great thor

 oughfares for transporton, and the defence

 of its outlet to the broad sea-having just ,, claim to participate in the Naval employment her large export trade affords, and especially in those Naval preparations and means nec- essary for her defence-havng the sceptre

 of power, if her numerical strength was now

 represented, her people all tied together by

 common interests will not, should not, lon- ger be bowed down exclusively to the ardu-

 ous tolls of changing forests into productive

 fields and pasture grounds-bulding com

 iiiClCidl tiucS1 SNI' pAs IlCy must anu Will

 awake to the consideration of their position,

 their interests and their rights. To what must this consideration lead With unparalleled rapidity have their num-

 bers increased, together with their products

 and their commerce, until surprised by the contemplation of their postion--their re- sources and trade-they are compelled to look abroad for their market and return sup plies, and forced to look to the improvement of their great highways for transportation, and to the protection and defence of their outlet to distant markets.

 Whilst thus contemplating what must be done in the future, may they nor1ook bacl, with astonishment upon the past--may they not in justice look across the mountains and reproach their mother States, whence they

 in part sprang, for neglect of that foster care and aid which their early difficulties and tolls so much required-may they not now ask Q where have been dsbursed inc millions that