Whereas, The State of Illinois, containing within her limits, millions of acres of the most fertile soil, and inhabited by a population exceeding two hundred thousand souls, the large mass of whom, are engaged in agricultural and commercial pursuits, annually export immense quantities of produce, and therefore, while she would justly rank high as an agricultural State, could she receive credit for all she deserves in this particular, she would confer upon her industrious and enterprising citizens, the wealth that their toil so richly deserves.

Whereas, She cannot, under existing circumstances, receive her meed of Justice, as all the produce shipped by her at any point must, through her entire destitution, throughout her whole extent of territory, of ports of entry, undergo foreign inspection, and thus while it assumes the impress, bears the character of foreign pork, beef, flour &c. &c.[etc. etc.]; and consequently, not only does she suffer an unjust depreciation of character by credit being given to some foreign State, for raising and exporting the products of soil; but that produce itself, being unjustly depreciated in value, thereby commands in foreign markets, smaller prices than its true character, if known, would entitle it to; and thus not only are the profits of her citizens, engaged in this species of trade, greatly lessened, but as a necessary consequence, their spirit of enterprize is dampened.

Whereas, many of our merchants, large importers from Eu-

---

<Page 2>

rope, are, through their inability to pay duties in their own State, growing out of the same cause, compelled to pay an annual tribute to foreign States.

And Whereas, As a necessary consequence to the foregoing propositions, the exigencies of the State of Illinois imperiously demand, while her commercial character, extent of territory, and magnitude of population sanction the claim, that a port or ports of entry, should be established at some point of points within her territory; and finally,

Whereas, The towns of Alton, situated upon the Mississippi River, and Chicago, upon Lake Michigan, are peculiarly eligible to this distinction, from the fact that at these points respectively, many individuals of large capital have located themselves, and are now extensively engaged in commercial enterprise—that situated contiguously to these points of the State, in which the above mentioned articles are extensively furnished, great conveniences for their embarcation, and that consequently, a great amount of produce is annually exported from both these points, and that in short, they each possess a rapidly growing trade, and are fast increasing in commercial importance:—Therefore,2

Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Illinois, That our Senators in Congress be instructed, and our Representatives requested to use their utmost exertions to procure the passage of a law at the present session of Congress, declaring the aforesaid3 towns of Alton and Chicago, ports of entry;4 as a measure calculated in an eminent degree, to exalt the character of our state to that point which the great quantity and excellent quality of her products justify her in aspiring to—to increase the facilities of her merchants in their pursuits—to secure to her farmers the just reward of their labors, and by its beneficial effects upon the operations of all her citizens, to promote general prosperity.5