The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-07-17

Rood proof that from 81. Louis 10 the loot Oh the
Rocky Mountains, the distance is most favorable
for the construction offs railroad; and that of
the terrific obstacles that have so appalled, the COM
mittee, have existence on this part of the route at
all events As regards the rest of the distance we
have the evidence Of Peter II. Burnett, q men,
Der OF the Oregon Legislature, who went the
route in 1913. Capt. Fremont speaks still more
favorably of the feasibility of constructing reil-
road on this route. Between these points must be
the gorges and defes that the committee Law so
much stress on, and in which drifts of snow must
fall of mountain magnitude, and which, it is said,
lie unmelted the greater part of the year. Now,
Messrs. Smith, Jackson and Soublette, say tina,
on the 4th of August the valleys were green with
grass, and that wagons with 1900 pounds weight
were drawn with ease. This is heavy load for
a wagon, and if the drifts of such magnitude, as
the committee mention, occur, they certainly
could not be melted, and the ground settled so
much as to allow these wagons to pass in less
than five or six months.
But we have no evidence ofthese heavy drifts
at all.
The committee say, it is said that such
things occur. Who has said so The per-
sons who have travelled these regions have not
said SOL We believe it was, and that celebrated
individual has never been found. How do the
committee know Of the existence of'those terri
BILE storms. 1t was said that the Western or
Atlantic Ocean was bounded by eternal darkness,
and covered with devils and hobgoblins, but Coz
lumbus proved the ialsi'y of the statement 1t
was said that the Aleghanies were perpetual and
impossible boundaries to the spread of civiliza.
ton, on account of their altitude, and the accu-
mutation of snow on their SUBMITS. That like
wise has been proved to be without foundation
We believe the obstacles presented by the COM
mittee will be found to be equally SO. The COM
mttee likewise say that they are safe in report
ing that the work could not be accomplished for
one hundred millions of dollars. What Of that
Suppose it cost three hundred millions! What
of that! The thirteen colonies, at the end of the
revolution, were in debt some hundreds of mil
lions, and yet it was paid years since, to the utter
most farthing, and that too before the resources
of the country were developed to one half the
extent that they are now. But we have facilities
for paying the amount it would cost to construct
this road, and which would not exceed at the ut
most one hundred and fifty millions, that we did
not possess then. The public lands along the'line
would be eagerly purchased the moment the
work shall be undertaken.
We are sorry, extremely sorry, that the com.
mittee have made the report. We are sorry, for
many reasons, the principal ofwhich is, thatit may
defer the construction of this great work, which,
when constructed, as it will be, will make the
United States equal in power, in wealth, in re-
sources, and national greatness, to the rest of the
world combined.
History OF THE PAST ALEXANDER HAMILTON.
Our readers aware that the venerable and
estimable widow Of the celebrated Alexander
Hamilton, has for number of years been urging
successive Congresses to appropriate a sum of
money for the purpose of gathering and publish
ing the private letters and dispatches Of her late
husband, who bore an honorable and conspicuous
part in the war of the revolution. There is large
amount of these letters and dispatches in the pos
session of MIR. Hamilton's descendants, manyAof
which have never been in print; and the whole of
which, if compiled and published to the world,
would illustrate in graphic and interesting man.
ner, the times in which he lived, and be valuable
addition to the works that have already been pub
lished on the revolution.
While living, Alexander Hamilton was second
to Washington alone in the affections of the Ame-
rican people. The value Of this correspondence
may be estimated by recurring to the history of
this distinguished patriot. He was born on the
Island of Nevis in 1857, and entered the American
army as captain Of artillery when he was only
nineteen years old. His valiant conduct and
amable department soon attracted the notice of
Gen Washington, who made him one of his aids
de-camp in l777 He acted a conspicuous part at
the battles of Brandywine, Germantown, and
Monmouth, and also at the siege of Yorktown. In
1872 he was elected member of Congress from this
State. In l7S6 he was elected to the New York
Legislature. He was elected member to form
the Constitution of the United States, and in con-
nexion with Madison and Jay contributed largely
to the columns of the Federahst newspaper On
the organization of the Federal Government, he
was selected as Secretary Of the Treasury on
account OF his great talent financier, and on I
the death of Washington, was appointed Com
He died on the 18th of July,
1904, from wound received in duel at Hobo
ken, the day previous, with the notorious Aaron
Burr
This is a brief biography of Alexander Hamil-
ton, and the public will at once perceive that his
private correspondence and dispatches are of the
highest importance to the country, and should be
published. His descendants have carefully pre-.
served these precious documents in the hope that
the peoples representatives in Congress would,
sooner or later, give favorable answer to their
entreaties, and have them published for the bene-
fit and instruction of tn, American people. Mr..
Hamlton's widow and descendants could have
disposed OF this correspondence to publishers
thousand times, but the have preferred to wait-
IN the hope that they would become the property
OF the republic. With this view, lis venerable
widow has, as we have already stated, continually
brought the subject to the notice of Congress, but
until very recently, her entrcaties have not re-
ceived attention.
We are pleased to find that the Senate has at
last, given ear to her demands, and periodically
passed bill appropriatng $4,000 for the publ
cation of these papers The House of Represen-
tatives has now to do its duty in the matter. and