The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-17

his leisure moments, may plan ship-canas in the in
| terror, or appropriate, on paper, Queen Victorat
own means of defence aggression which lie in tina
tempting peninsula, which would make the other side
OF the ,adde-6ags for New York or Michsan; and We
too may be amused; but when the commercial power
OF New York, sustained by vast wealth and enterprise
taking advantage of a firm determination ofthe pub
lie mind or popular impulse 40 have the whole
of Oregon or none" proposes the readiest, cheap
est and most profitable, and least warlike method
to settle the question, railroad from Michigan to
The region Of the Willamette, then is the time and
the occasion for alarm. Then is the time to inter-
pose the sovereignty of repubcansm which lies in
veto OF the President and in the principles Of his
party.
From the eastern line Of Missouri to Long
Island sound, or to Delaware bay, or Cape Henry,
| or to the mouth of Peedee, is forbidden ground
the inhibition of the Constitution every line
| Beyond the western line of Missouri the general
government may have power to appropriate her
money, to grant her lands to exercise uncontrolled
her jurisdiction Of persons and OF soil. From this
point them to the Oregon 1.-THE questions of author
Gallon would be opened up to the ship navigation of
the Columbia, have never donbted; that il
should be opened up, | have never denied.
The rapidity which is given to all the accumulations
of trade by the use Of steam, and which will be de-
rived from other more powerful agents which are
indicate that the straight line from Liverpool to Can
ton, from London to Pekin will be the channel OF
commerce; and that that nation who stands firmly
the American continent, and makes herself the key.
stone of this arch, the empress of the world and
will command its wealth, and. for the FUTURE its
mighty and illimitable public opinion.
Steam is already excluding the canvass from the
Atlantic; and will the sailor tempt the dangerous
seas, visit the Fata Morgana which surround Cape
Horn; will European vessels run down the long,
nhospitabe, and deadly coast Of Africa, when there
shall be ship-canal from the mouth of the San Juan
through Lake Nicaragua to Realejo, or to the bay
of Nicoya, or railroad further north, shall thun-
der with the burdens of the trade of two hemi-
spheres' Will England stop at her interference witt.
the Argentine government Will France withdraw
her doctrine of balance of power the American
continent when that balance means limitation OF
territory, confinement Of jurisdiction, which is to
prevent republican America from holding in her hand
the balance Of the world giving direction and course
10 its trade, and shaping the issues Of its mighty
mndf
Let the republic at once, and firmly, plant herself
upon every foot of earth, and upon the sustentaon
of every principle which will give her the proud
and legitimate dominion over the interests Of this
continent, and over the awakening energies of the
human race 1t is in the line of her interest and
her duty; and, than ALL tits, under the limi-
tations expressed, within her constitutional jurs-
diction. The issue is a plain one. 1t is no longer
contest for the carrying trade around Capes Horn
and Good Hope, by "the bcllying sails made preg.
by the lascvous winds but it is at what point
it shall cross this continent and 60 down and meet
the calm Pacific, which the Almighty has glassed TO
evenness, that human ingenuity may ply its skill
upon its placid bosom.
A mere possession Of the route Of transit will not
settle this matter. England must have something
more than this, although this she has sought with
wearied zeal, amid the diseases of tropical sun,
and the horrors of northwest passage 1t is not
this alene which give her the dominion of the
future which she desires. II must be such possess
sion Of the southern portion Of the continent, that
she can build her workshops, and introduce all the
immense machinery of her servitude. Before she
can succeed over US, she must stand upon this con-
tinent in position for competition in production
and manufacture America will triumph; but the
contest is worth the collected skill and energy
Of tyranny on the ono side, and repubicansm the
other.
In seeking to limit any action Of the general gov
eminent upon this subject within the range have
indicated, have been actiiated by desire to pre-
serve unimpaircd the creed which has become dear
to me for the battles have fought in its defence, by
all have done and suffered in its cause. But
have other motives at this time, in which honest
selfinterest, and not unworthy sectional feeling
and unbending pride for my State, harmonic with
the doctrines laid down. Why should this road be
three Staes' Why should Boston or New York
be placed at once, by the favoritis of the general
government, nearer the Pacific than Philadelphia, or
Baltimore, or Norfolk. or Charleston' At the
western limit of Missouri all the intermediate lines
from New Orleans to Boston open to COMPETE
ton. While the railroad would give us Oregon, the
competition of which speak would make our
country the garden, the granary, and the clothing
store Of the world. desire the tempting prize to
be left open, that the South, which has long hus-
banded her powers--which she has so long surround
ed with more than Chinese wall-her machless
treasury of field and forest, of waterfall and mine,
may arise at once and dropping the bridal ring be-
tween Cape Charles and Cape Henry, ,ced the At
lantc; and then, standing on the banks of the Ohio
hold her firm eye fixed on the same parallel of ati-
tude on which the car Of future commerce. breaking
through the pass of the distant mountains, shall
ry the wealth of the continents and of the isles of
the seas, in the same line of communication on
which she stands, to that deep and spacious harbor
Of her own, never CONCEALED by FROST and where the
navies ofthc world might ride in the breeze repose
in the storm.
WASHINGTON.