The New York herald., 1846-03-14


land in the Asiastic trade, and in opening an inter-
course with China, which this projected railroad is
calculated to effect and then dwes on the facility
OF construction from the fact of his having personal
y inspected over 700 miles of the proposed route dur
ing the last summer, in which he gives detailed
and interesting account of his own explorations,
and those of others, commencing al the borders of
Lake Michigan, thence to the Mississippi, Milwau-
kie, Prairie du Chen, the Cedars, Council Bluffs,
TO the terminus Of the proposed route on the bor-
ders Of the Pacific, after penetrating through tue
Oregon territory. Mr.. W. next points the attention
OF Congress to the progressive movements OF New
England, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and
Virginia-whlch States are all pushing their rail-
roads INTO, in the State of Ohio, where they will
all meet, and form one grand line, to JOIN this road
where il proposes to cross the Mississippi, or be-
tween that river and Lake Michigan. And when
South Carolina shall have completed her road to
Memphs, or through Nashville to the Ohio, the
web will then be completed" and the country could
be brought together, at the grand CENTRE the short
space Of :" four days." and from the Pacific to any
OF the above cities in "eight days." and to China in
"twenty days" MIR. w next states, that his pro-
ect would bring the extremes Of the globe together
in thirty days, and that cargo of teas could in that
event be delivered any OF the Atlantic cities in
thirty days, or in London in forty five days Such
project would revolutionze the entire commerce
OF the world, placing US directly in the centre of
all, and be a means OF civillzing mankind. The
total estimated cost OF this road when completed
and in operation, will be $65 5000, ,000 and to accom-
psh this, Mr. w. proposes grant of 90 l6O 900 acres
Of the public domain, and the appointment of COM
missioners, give titles and receive money for the
sales OF lands, or labor equivalent, thus hold
ing out an inducement to settlers to fill up the vast
unpeopled regions Of country along the proposed
line. After further speculatlng upon the immense
advantages that must result from the successful
rying out OF such project, Mr. w. details the par
ticulars Of the terms upon which he would under
take such an immense work, as an individual enter
prise, which he would undertake to complete in
period not exceeding fifteen years.
There is no question as TO the vast advantages
which such project is calculated to confer upon
this rapidly rising country. The great deslderaum
Is, the supply OF hands TO accomplish such under
taking; but who can doubt that, from the continued
influx OF emigrants, who flock periodically to our
shores and the great facility which the project pre-
sents OF acquiring lots upon the public domain, that
such an undertaking weuld succeed The foreign
emgrant, In landing upon our shores, is often
obliged TO roam about the Atlantic Cities in want of
employment, and eventually becomes pauper Our
poor-houses are, as a consequence, filled annually
by hordes of the poor adventurers who flock to the
American continent lured there by the representa-
tions OF interested speculators But such an under
taking as this would have the effect TO empty the
poor-houses, and woule afford an outlet for the ac-
cumulated overpus that chokes up the avenues of
trade and industry in our Atlantic cities, and hold
out strong lnducement TO the aboring classes of
Europe TO settle upon the public domain-upon the
great and salutary principle, that labor is capital"
To view the project in all its aspects both affecting
our foreign and domestic tradethe internal improve
ments and commerce OF the country-its stimulating
influence upon agriculture-lts advantages 10 the
artlzan-to the penness laborer, who is at once af
torded safe and a secure market for the sweat of
his BROWN fact placing the entire project uxta-
position with the spirit of the age, and the onward
progress OF the nations in the "march of improve
ment" we cannot too earnestly press il upon the at
tention of Congress, as the salutary effects of the
undertaking will be felt from the uery start. The
advantages will be gradually increasing, year after
year, and month after month, until the arteries of this
whole region of country are thrown open to the en-
terprlzing and industrious This is the destiny Of
our vast unexplored regions, sooner later and,
though skeptics may sneer at the undertaking, and
look upon the contemplated project Of a railroad
across the lsthmus of Panama, which proposes to
connect the Atlantic with the Pacific, as an argu-
ment against such work, we look upon such an
oolecuon as perfectly groundess and untenable-
ana, independent Of every other consideration, the
great improvements which our territory would de-
l...s 49, l..