The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1848-12-19
THE PANAMA RAIL R0AD.-No. 1.

telligent and enterprising citizens of New York,
to effect what may be called junction OF the At
lantic and Pacific Oceans, at the Isthmus OF Pam
ANA. An enterprise that should accomplish
this object has long been looked for as one that
would achieve great and permanent benefit to
the world.
In the long stretch of the American continent
from the Arctic sea to Cape Horn, through 125
degrees of latitude, or 1900 miles, the Isthmus
of Panama has seemed to be the only spot where
the barrier of nature could be penetrated, and
door opened for the ready communication of the
most distant portions of mankind.
The practicability of such an enterprise is now
no longer problem. That such work will be
effected long, many considerations give strong
assurance. The skill and energy of the age, its
earnest and widely diffused spirit of emigration,
the impatient necessities of commerce, the grow
ing dependence on each other of remotest nations,
the ssust of gold,'' and the increasing regard of
Christian nations to a world. wide neghborhood,
are firm guaranty that what is thus practicable
will not be long delayed. The speedy compile
ton of the work will not be SO much OF wonder
as the past neglect of it. That the active COM
mercial nations of the civilized world have SO
long endured the cost, the embarrassments, and
the dangers, of acknowledging a continent
through which nature had almost opened GEN.
trail gateway, does not comport with the general
spirit of improvement which has characterized
the first halt of the current century.
An enterprise is now begun in such circum-
stances, and by such men, that belief extern
sively prevails of its being fully accomplished in
the space of four or five years, under their aus.
ices and in the way m arked out by themselves
Messrs. Aspinwall, Stephens and others, com
pany in New York, have obtained, from the gov
eminent Of New Granada, charter which Sc
cures to them the following privileges, viz:
l. 'The exclusive right of way across the Islhmus,
with the light to use gratuiously all the public lands ~.
ing on the route of the road"
g IAN absolute gift of 800 600 acres Of public lands
u an '''0 rru 'leO~ '~' nrS
fects OF persons employed thereon declared free OF
Duty
4. 1.-TWO ports, viz: one on the Atlantic and one ON
the Pacific Oceans, which shall be made the tetmnj of
the road, ale declared free ports"
Having obtained the foregoing liberal grants
from the government of New Granada, the com.
pany now ask the Congress of the United States.
"Tu empower and direct the Secretary of the NAVY
enter into contract with your memoriass for the
transportation on said road, for a period of twenty
years, OF naval and army supplies, including uoops
munitions of war; provisions naval stores the mails of
the United States and its public agents at sum not ex
ceedng the amount now specified by law be paid for
the transportation OF the mails alone from New York 10
Liverpool provided that your memoralsts shall within
year commence, and within three years complete the
construction of railroad across the lshmus of Panama
connecting the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans"
Whether Congress should or should not grant
the prayer OF the petitioners refrain from saw
ing, but entertain the hope that our national legls
lature will duly consider the occasion and nature
of such grant, together with the immediate
and prospective bearings of it on the great and
growing interests, of not only this nation but the
world, in the question they are to decide pro.
pose merely to throw out few extemporaneous
hints and queries that may lead more competent
minds to mature consideration and safe decision
on what all must regard as a matter of more than
temporary mere national concern.
II nature had left entirely open SO short CEN
trail thoroughfare lin barrier OF 1900 miles. be-
tween two oceans occupying more than half the
surface of the globe, and thus made an easv
avenue for the vast commerce and social i'm
provement OF at least three continents, probably
no one would entertain doubt that petty com.
pany should not control it for ninety nine years,
on any consideration whatever. But nature has
only left that communication not quite complete.
So nearly did she perfect the work, that hand
full Of men, with an insignificant capital, propose
to finish it within three years.
Is not the work, then, one which nations
should secure permanently for themselves and
the world without further delay,-one which
should be constructed in the most thorough. am
pie and commodious manner, whatever the ex-
pense, and which should be regulated by the
most enlightened and liberal principles, instead
of being left TO the control, uncertain direction.
and monopoly, of an uncertain corporal on for the
term OF a century, in which the progress of man.
kind will be rapid beyond precedent, and whose
advancing civilization and settlements will f.r
outstrip the most daring estimate authorized h.,
the past experience Of the worlds
CosMoPoLIrR,