The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-08-04
WASHINGTON, August 2, 1915
Fire 1,Udy.

Colonel Benton To- day executed another victim
One day Lass week he extinguished the magnificent
project of Whitneys railroad; great enterprise,
If it could ever be carried out but which we have
always maintained never could be done. The
route from Chicago to the mouth of Columbia
river would be about $500 miles, more or less
The first 500 miles would pay dividend, and
afford the timber for the road-then you would
have 500 miles over the plains to the Rocky Noun
tains, without a stick of timber-then five hun
dred miles around the bases or through the noun
tain gorges, route all rocks canons, chasms,
or sterile sands, without timber. The timber for
the bed of the road, at half the distance to Astoria,
would have to be transported nearly thousand
miles. These are our objections TO that long con-
tnental railway II ever built, II would be OBJ
structed by SHOWS, for three four months in the
year, among the mountains. The feasible route
is from Matagorda Bay in Texas, across to
the Paso del Nore, or the North pass In the
Rocky Mountains, Just across the Rio Grande,
near the 32d parallel thence to the Gila River
thence down the same to the Gulf of California
thence across to San Diego on the Pacific, dis
tance perhaps of 500 miles. The route, to be
sure, is mostly through desert, destitute of TIM
Der; but it is the best route and the most feasible
of any north of the ishmus of Tehuantepec.
But as we Were M saying old Bullion cruelty
day last week, and to-day he was the executioner
in ar other case. Mr.. Aaron II. Palmer, recon-
mended 10y the Secretary of the Treasury, surely
had ground to believe that his item OF ten thou,
sand dollars for a commercial exploration of
Japan, and all those islands and countries con-
tiguous to China, and including the Central Flow
cry Kingdom itself, would 60 through. See your
report of the Senate for the result. Mr.. Palmer,
"a 81, was laid alongside of Mr. Whitney; and
the labor OF long years, and perseverance, I'M
shaken and never-tlrlng, especially IN the case OF
Mr.. Whitney, are extpguished at blow. Uncer-
taln,-oh how uncertaln-are all reliances upon
Congress. They sometimes do liberal thing, as
In OF the steamers but In such cases, the
success OF the experiment almost always depends
upon adrolt movement on the last night OF the
sion, wien time is more important than resistance
TO AN amendment that was the way the steamers
succeeded.
The Oregon bill, with the proviso, passed the
House to-day, decidedly. We are constrained to
say that il would have passed the Senate a year
ortwo ago, in this form, but for Mr.. Berrlan and
Mr. Calhoun. 1t is their extreme JUNCTION for
the eongaon of the area of their peculiar institu-
ton thai has tended in small degree to
concentrate public sentiment IN the North, In such
startling determination OF resistance, as that
which is now manifest, from Its reaction upon the
House We are at loss TO anticipate the action
of the Senate upon this bill. There are fifteen
Southern States represented IN the Senate, includ-
ing Delaware. Fourteen Northern States. Qowa
not represented, or there would be fiiteen) We
are inclined 10 believe, that upon the naked propo-
sition. in separate bill for Oregon, associated
with the pressing necessity for government, that
one Senator from Delaware, Mr.. Bell. OF Tennes-
see, WI, Dagger, Vi NOiiI anu wv ,ocuu-
tors from Missouri, would go with the North for
the proviso, with any plausible excuse for the
South: and that, II any sort OF concession or I'M
Outstanding could be had with the South, in
reference TO New Mexico and California, Mr..
Dickinson, Mr.. Douglass, Mr. Breese, Mr..
flanagan, and Mr.. Bright. would also go for
the ordinance for Oregon. They have thus far
gone 10 all lengths to uphold and strengthen the
chances of General Cass in the South, we mean
the Northern democratic Senators just indicated.
They have gone as far as men could 60 to compro-
mise to the satisfaction of the South, transcendng
the wishes of their constituents to prove the good
faith of General Cass.
We think then, there is a chance for the House
bill for Oregon III the Senate-a rare chance but
If Congress could hold over its action until after
the State eecuons there would be no doubt upon
the subject We believe that the sentiment OF the
popular mind of the South is not hostile TO the
proviso for Oregon If the North would only iudi-
cate good temper on the matter the people of the
South would accede cheerfully, We may yet nave
another night-long session in the Senate on this
Oregon bill. In any event, the question will no
be shifted again upon the Supreme Court. The
responsibility will be met, or deferred to more
convenient season. The DocToR.