Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-09-29

turns round and asks, by what authority the Po-
lice did il,
| ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC CANAL.
Several contradictory statements have appeared
IN the public papers relating TO the contract which
mas been recently formed with the government Of
central America by company of citizens of the
United States, for uniting the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans, By means of canal TO be opened across
The isihmus, through Lake Nicaragua. As an OPP
portunity has been offered us, 81 the roliteness
| oil A IL Palmer, Esq. the general agent of the
" CentroI .4ancTicdn and United States Atlantic
ma Pacific Canal CompGny,' of reading the
contract itself, well as Some of the discussions
concerning 1t, which took place in the Legislature
Oh that republic, we have thought il would not be
undressing to our readers, TO lay before them a
brief abstract of the terms and the conditions OF
me contract. We understand tina il has been sub
United 10 the inspection of the Secretary of State
.nd Secretary of the Treasury; and that they have
oo'h expressed Their decided approba,ion of the
great OBJECT OF uniting the TWO oceans by means
OF canal Tor ship navigation, and their great salts
faction that, ii work of such transcendant i'm
por'ahce 10 the commerce of the world, should be
eAeeu'eu ny any company, that company should be
composed OF citizens OF the United States For
ourselves we entertain no doubt of the practical ILL
~ OIL tie enterprise and al an expense that NAV he
considered insignificant, when compared with the
Incalcuahle advantages which must be derived 10
commerce In general, and particularly 10 that OF
We Uhited States, from The ship channel across
me isthmus. 1t was probably to such dir ect com
municatIon as this between the Atlantic and Pa
cinc, that the Secretary OF the Treasury alluded in
nis very interesting and able report of the 18th
feoruay last IN which he discusses the interests of
our foreign commerce, with the principles that
should govern it. AS our readers may not have
mat report at hand, we extract the following pas
sage, which may be regarded as almost Prophetic
and which supersedes the necessity of our adding
another word on the subject:
whilst regulating for ourselves all claim TO
special iavours, we must not be insensible TO, by
iali'hg 10 improve the tTanscendant advantages
which nature and providence has placed before us
Amongst these most specially to be ranked at the
present uncture, is that of the physical position as
signed 10 US upon the globe. Besides the ascendan
ry which this, IN conjunction with the physical a.
mount and perfection OF our camille marine, is
calculated TO give US over the chief mercantile one
rations OF this continent, vista is opened by the
recent emancipation OF the latter from European
lhraldom, 10 new era in oriental trade AMONGST
the consequences bound up in this great even, that
OF increasing TO the United States the commercial
II not The geographical facilities of intercourse with
Ihlna and the East Indies, may safely be looked tn
as one Placed as middle point between A sia and
Europe, with some Of their ports stretching almost
to the southern Atlantic, others opening on the
uu'i oi MeNlco, Whllst new ones may be expected
10 rise up even upon their maritime border al the
remote West-the coast OF the Pacific, i, ma rea-
sonably be believed, that they will become laro DIV
The connecting link of trade between the new re-
puOIcs and the East, besides greatly extending
through these increased faculties the trade with the
East, more properly their own, and that also which
consists In carrying the productions of the East TO
Europe The enterprising and experienced naviga-
lofs oil the United aie- already familiar with all
he anil sla de e 81
not be SLOW to avail themselves Of every new one
ming, 10 traffic with regions so enrcbing
eXhaustless from their fertility, and The population
with which they teen; that have sweled the tide
OF wealth TO ancient Kingdoms and empires, as 10
nodern Venice, Portugal and England; their own
wealth seeming TO be perpetual, the foundations of
II stall continuing TO exist, they were originally
lad, as ell IN The costly and exquisite fabrcalions
OF art, ever distinguished hpye regions as in their
immense natural riches. If the channels of inter
course with the Oriental world were once through
The interior seas and gufs Of Asia, aud afterwards
round the southern promontOry OF Africa, there il
nothing unreasonable IN The belief that The next
great change, cblnge spingiog out Of the force of
natural, no les than political causes, will be
through this continent; At al events, that new and
inviting channels TO Ibis intercourse are determined
TO run II in this direction.
s"Under every prospective AMI future view, there
fore, Of the resolution submitted to he House IN
der every anticipation Of it, effect, whether imme
date aud certain, or probable though more remote
% is believed that that effect upon the commerce
and navigation of the United States, will be propi
lous; and that the present moment Is that AZ which
wise forecast recommends it 10 the highest degree
Of favor and attention There are epochs liz ma
tons that form great AMI Fundamental divisions in
tnen history, moral, pol teal, commercial. The
discovery Of this continent itself was scarcely fol-
lowed by greater results upon the condition Of ma
tions, than may be expected 10 flow, in due time,
from its emancipation from Europe; reflection,
with at least Sufficient semblance of truth 10
heighfen our conception Of the tue tone and cha
rac.er Of the commercial proper 10 be put
IN train by the United a'es, IN connection with a
political revolution 30 awakening, so momentous. +"
The following is an outline oftbe contract re.
feued 10