The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-15

L.
the Atlantic and Pacific waters To the right and
ieH the mountains rose high but the Pass Itself
Is depression IN the mountain, sinking 10 the level
OF the country at their base. From this Pass TO the
Great Falls ofthe Missouri, and nearly east from II,
IS sixty miles--in all, one hundred and fifty miles
from the forks of Carks river 70 the Great Falls OF
me Missouri, which, added TO sixty miles from
Clark's river TO the Upper Falls of the Columbia,
gives Two hundred and ten miles Of land carriage be-
tween the large nayigable waters of the Columbia
and Missouri.
This is the sum of my best information on the
subject the result Of thirty years inquiries and be-
lieved to be correct but an accurate Typographical
survey OF the country between the two rivers, and
prohle, as well AS a superheies map, with barome-
trical, geological, botanical astronomical and me.
genealogical tables and observations would solve
every question, and be large contribution TO the
science OF the age and TO the future transaction OF
business. IL snow, during some months, should be
found to impede the steam car in this elevated re
Bioni Guessed 10 be thousand feet above the
level OF the sea- that snow becomes the basis
for the next best land conveyance after the steam
ear-the sleigh. So that this little Intervention OF
dry ground between Canton and New York will
prove TO be no obstacle either in summer or winter.
Arrived at the Great Falls Of the Missouri, the
East India merchant may look back and say, my
voyage Is finished! lie may look forward and
say, thousand markets lie before me, of all which
l may take choice. A downward navigation OF
two thousand five hundred miles carries him To ST.
Louis, the centre Of the valley Of the Mississippi
and the focus 10 which converge all the steamboats,
now thousands, hereafter to be nIyriads-from all
the extended circumference Of that vast valley.
Long before he reaches 81. Louis he is running the
double line Of American towns and villages seated
on either bank Of the river. The Missouri river is
said TO be the best steamboat river upon the face OF
the earth-the lOngest-retsining its water best al
all seasons, and periodically flooded at known day
free from rocks, and for nearly two thousand
miles, free from sunken trees; for IL is approach
| ing the heavy forest lands Of the lower Missouri
that this obstruction occurs. All above is clear Of
this danger. The river is large from the Falls
down; the mountain streams, almost nnumenbe,
pouring down such ample contributions At the
Mandan villages, and after the junction with the
Yellow Stone, itself equal in length to the Ohio, 1t
presents the same majestic appearance To the eye
that It does towards lis mouth. Coal lines its bank
in many places fertile land abounds. A military
post will doubtless soon be established at the Grea
Falls, as also on this side at the Yellow Stone and
beyond, in the valley Of Clark's river, and thu
Columbia, at the Upper Falls every post will be
the nucleus of settlement and the future site OF q
great city. The East India merchant, upon tn
new North American road will find himself a
home and among his counlrymen, and under the
flag and the arms Of his country, from the moment
he reaches the mouth Of the Columbia-say within,
fifteen days after leaving Canton! All the rest, t.
the remotest market which he can choose either in
the vast interior Of the Union or on its extended
circumference, will be among friends. What a con-
trast to the time and the perlls the exposure and
expense Of protection, which the present months
voyage involves
Arrived at the Great Falls of the Missouri, the
East India merchant, upon this new road, will see
a thousand markets before him, each inviting his
approach, and Of easy, direct and ready access.
A downward navigation of rapid descent takes him
to st. Louis and New Orleans, and to all the
places between. continuous voyage, without
shifting the position Of an ounce of his cargo will
carry him from the Great Falls to Pittsburg; a
single transhipment and three days will take him
10 the Atlantic coast; omnipotent steam flying him
| from Canton to Philadelphia in the marvellous
space of some forty-odd days! only mention on,
line and one city, as a sample of all the rest.
What is said Of Pittsburg and Philadelphia may
be equally said Of all the western river towns to-
wards the heads Of navigation, and of all the At.
lantic, Gulf, or FAKE cities, with which they COM
municate. Some sixty days, the usual run of a
| bill of exchange, will reach the most remote: so
that merchant may give sixty days bill in his
own country, after this route is in operation, and
pay it at maturity with silks and teas which were
| in Canton on the day of its date.
| This is the North American road TO India, all
| ready now for use except the short link from the
mouth of the Columbia to the Great Falls Of Mis-
souri, all the rest now ready-made ready by
nature, aided by private means and individual en-
| teFpfl5e, without hlu, even COunte0hnCe OF
government And will government now refuse
its add nav, more, obstruct the enterprise of indi-
| viduals, and Illustrate the designs Of nature by
leaving the Columbia where it improvidently placed
it, in the year l8l8-in the hands of foreign pow
err and that power Great Britain Forbid it, every
principle of right and iustice-every consideration
of policy and interest. Now is the time to decide
this great question, add to redeem the error of 1918
NV voice denounced the error then and was un-
needed. 1t was solitary, and received no response
A nation demands it, and it is not for a nations
representatives to disregard a nations call. But
even if it should be so, it may defer but cannot
defeat the great event. There is an order in the
march of human events which the improvidence OF
governments may derange but cannot destroy. In
dviduals will accomplish what governments neg
ect, and events will go forward without law tc
guide them. SO it has been already with this Co
umbia. In 1892, private individual of Boston
discovered this river: he revealed its existence to the
world: government took no notice of his splendid
revelation. In 1906 Lewis and Clark returned from
the Columbia: government sent troops there n
occupy and retain the domain which they had ma
tionallzed. The seat Of future empire lay a dere
lict the coast of its rich and tranquil sea. Al
individual administered upon the vacant domain
A man of head-Mr. John Jacob Astor--sent
colony there. During two years his batteaux carry.
up goods, and bringing down furs, traversed every
water of the Columbia his ships visited Canton
New Archangel, the coasts of California, the Sand
wch and the Poynesian islands. Astoria was il
communication with the commercial world. The
name of the young Tyre-future queen Of the New
World-was known to nations. Then came the
acts Of government to baulk, delay, defer the grea
commencement | do not mean the war-that wal
brief and necessary event-but speak Of the acts
of government after the war. The commissioner,
did their duty at Client: all posts, places terrific
res taken from the United States during the war
were, by TIE first article of that treaty, to be re
stored. The posts or places of Astoria the Okla
nag-an, the Spo-kan, the Wah.lah-math asd tn,
whole territory of the Columbia river and its valley
came under the terms of the treaty, and were bount
to be restored. The fate Of the restoration of al
western posts attended the pos's on the Columbia
After the peace Of 1888, the northwestern post
retained British traders, backed by their gov
eminent, retained them: the Indian wars of 1891
1893 and 1894 the fruit Of that retention; ant
the war of 1912 found one of its roots in the sam
cause. This was the fate of western posts after tn
r war OF the revolution After the war of 1872 fa
worse fate awaited the western posts on the Coum
ba. A fictitious restoration of one post was trans
: acted-to be accompanied in the very moment
the transaction by the surrender Of the whole conn