The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-02-01
on his motion, was referred to tho Committee on
Railroads and Canals.
NATION AL RAILROAD, CONNECTING THE
ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS.
MEMORIAL.
To the Senate and House Of Representatives. ofths Un
ted States "a Congress assembled.

your honorable body that, by rivers railroads, and
canals all the States east and north OF the Potomac,
connect directly with the waters Of the great lakes
That there is chain OF railroads in projection and
being built from New York To the Southern shores |
Of Lake Michigan crossing all the veins of comu,u-
nicalion TO the ocean, through all the States south
and east Of the Ohio river, producing commercial,
political and national results and benefits which must
be aud felt through all our vast cunitderscy.
Your memorlalist would further represent 10 your
honorable body that he has devoted much time aud
attention Ia the subject Of railroad from Lake Mi
chigan through the Rock Mountains TO the Pacific
Ocean, and that he finds such route practicable, the
results from which would be Observation-Disclosures be-
yond the imagination of man 10 estimate. To the
interior Of our wide spread country, il would be as
the heart is to the human body Il would, when all
completed, cross all the mighty rivers and streams
which wend their way TO the ocean through our vast
and rich valleys, from Oregon to Maine-a distance
OF more than three thousand miles.
The incalculsble Importance OF such a chain Of
roads will readily be and appreciated by your
honorable body II would enable US, in the short
sp Of eight days (snd perhaps less) concentrate
all the forces OF our vast country al any point from
Maine 10 Oregon, In the interior the coast such
easy and rapid communication, with such facilities
for exchanging the different products Of the different
parts, would bring all our immensely widespread po-
pulation together a. IN vast eitythe moral and
social effects Of which harmUnize all together
as one family, with but one Interest-the general
good OF all
Your Memorialist respectfully represents further
to.your honorable body, that the roads from New
York to Lake Michigan, distance Of eight hundred
and forty miles, will doubt be completed by the
States through which they pass by private ndiyid-
uals That from Lake Michigan TO the mouth Of tie
Columbia river the Pacific, Is two thousand one
hundred and sixty miles making from New York
TO the Pacific three thousand miles, aud can be per-
formed in eight days. From Columbia river 10 the
Sandwich Islands is two thousand one hunered miles
making from New York TO the Sandwich Islands 1--WE
thousand one hundred miles. From the Columbia
river 10 Japan, is five thousand six hundred miles
making from New York TO Japan eight thousand sir
hundred miles. From Columbia river TO Annoy, in
China, he port nearest 10 the tea and silk provinces
is six thousand two hundred miles making from New
York TO Annoy, only niue thousand two hundred miles
which, with railroad to The Pacific, and thence ~
China by steamers, can be performed in thirty days.
being sailing distance Of nearly seventeen thou
sand miles, and requiring from one hundred 10
hundred and fifty days Tor its performance. Then
the drills and sheetlngs Of Connecticut, Rhode Island
and Massachusetts, and other manufactures Of the
United States may be transported to China in thirty
days and the teas and rich silks of China in ex-
change, come back to New Orleans, to Charleston
TO Washington, to Baltimore, To Philadelphia, New
York, and to Boston, IN thirty days more.
Comment Is unnecessary. Your honorable body
wall readily see the revolution TO be wrought by this,
IN the entire commerce Of the world and that this
must inevitably be its greatest channel when the
rich ireIghts from The waters Of the Mississippi and
the Hudson will fill TO overlooking with the products
OF all the earth, the store houses OF New York and
New Orleans, the great marts dividing the commerce
OF the world, while each State and every in
vast conederacy would receive its Just proportion
Of influence aud benefits, compared with its vicinity
to, or facility TO communicate with, any of the III
yers, canals, or railroads crossed BY this great
road.
Your Memorlalist would respectfully represent to
your honorable body the political importance Of the
prcjset-thai, all jrding communication from Wash
IDgton to the Columbia river in less than eight days,
naval depot, with a comparatively small navy
would command the Pac ic, the South Atlantic and
Indian Oceans, aud the Chinese seas.
Your Memonalist begs respectfully TO represent
further to your honorable body, that he no
ways or means by which this great and important
object can be accomplished for ages to come, except
by grant Of sufficient quantity Of the public domain
and your Memorialst believes that from the pro-
ceeds of such grant, he will be enabled to com.
plete said road IN reasonable time and at the same
Time Settle this vast region Of country, far the
lands may be found suited to cultivation with am in
dustrous and frugal people, thus, in comparatively
short space oil time, accomplishing what would other
wise require ages, and thus at once giving the pow
er Of dicaton to those who will long remain sa-
ushed without an attempt 10 dictate to us.
i Our system Of free Government works so we'll
diftusing so much intelligence, dispensing equal jus
tce, ensurnS safety to all, and producing much
comfort and prosperity that its influence must like
mighty Hood, sweep away all other systems But,
let US not hatter ourselves that this overw helBing
current is not TO meet resistance for TO us directly
VIII that resistance be applied; and your Memorial
lst believes that We must yet meet the desperate and
hna struggle which shall perpetua,e our system aud
religious and civil liberty.
i Your honorable body aware Of the over popu-
lation OF Europe and your Memorialst would re-
spectiully represent that by the application of ma
chinery and It's substitution for manual labor, the lat
ter no longer receives IFS just sufficient reward
and thousands, in the fear Of starvation at home are
driven to our shores, hoping, from our widespread
and fertile soil, to find a rich reward for
their Iabors Many of them ignorant and all
inexperienced, having been herded together in
large numbers at home dread separation even from
misery-fcar the wilderness or the prairie and re-
fuse to leave the city. Their small means soon ex-
hausled, they see abundance around them, almost
without price; but that small price they can no long
er pay. Necessity plunges them into vice. and per-
maps crime; and they become burdensome to our
citizens all which evils increasing to an alarm
ing extent; and your memoralist believes they must
increase, unless there be some great and inpor-
ant point in interior to which such EN- grants can
be attracted Immediately their landing and WI ere
their little means, with their labor can purchase
lands where they will escape the tempting vices of
our cities, and where they will have home and
their labor from their soil will produce, not only
their daily bread, but, il time an sfluence of which
they could never have dreamed in their native land
Your memorialist believes that this road will be
the great and desirable point of attraction that il
VIII relieve our cities from vast amount of misery
vice, crime, and taxation; that it will take the poor
uniortunates TO land where they will be compel led
to labor for subsistence and as they will soon find
that their labor and efforts receive Just and suf-
Gent reward, finding themselves surrounded with
comfort and plenty the reward Of their own toll
their energies will kinde into flame of ambition and
desire and we shall be enabled 10 educate them TO
our systemic industry, prosperity, and virtue.
! Your memoriast would further respectfully repre
sent to your honorable body, that, from an estimate
as near accurate be made short Of an actual
survey, the cost of said road 10 be built in a safe
good, and substantial manner, will be about $50 600
OOO and as the road cannot from the situation of the
unnhabned country through which it will pass, earn
any thing, or but little, before its completion then