Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-03-05
MISCELLANEOUS.


rom Inc Baltimore American.
THE MISSISSIPPI AND The PACIFIC.
The bill proposed by Mr.. Benton, in the Senate Of the
United States provide for the construction ola railroad
from the Mississippi TO the Pacific, GOES directly to lis
object and assumes at once for the Government all the
responsibilities IF tile undertaking.
This is bold and stafesman-like. The time has been
when strict constrnctousn would have started back
with horror at tile auda,y Of such proposal but hap
rly the progress Of nationality has far advanced
to anariz4 the public mind with the idea that the
Constitution is something more than summary Omega
lions.
great national work il is ndeed-'hs projected
road ~ which the great Valley Of the Mississippi
lay hold upon the Pacific, and thus gain enother tributary
ocean.
National il all lis aspectsn The grand scale Of its pro
lection in the soil which it 10 run in the
lions which it is TO form; and, above all, in the
suits it cuntempates.
Not many years ago the opinion advanced in TIE
very chamber where this bill recently advocated,
ana BY tile very Senator who introduced it, that the Or
pgon country woudbe and ought 10 be independent of the
United States; that a separate Republic would be eSab
shed there ana that all we had to do ascertain
and establish the just limits Of claim in that territory,
in order that it might be handed the inhabitants,
il due time free from all dispute with England The
same opinion was declared by Mr.. Webster How 1t
tie some distinguished statesmen know Of geography !
To what little purpose did grave Senator read Hum
bodl forty years ago!
HE next generation will look back with establishment
at the sangeness Of such opinion on the part Of emf
uent men, and will regard it in such light at
this day would regard the opinion that the country be-
tween the Aeghenes and The Atlantic ought to be indie
pendent aud the seat Of separate Republic The Val
ley Of tie Mississippi, lying between Two great oceans
must have its connections with boh-beng related 10
both by equal aflines: Not only is Oregon ndispensa-
BE to it, commanding the coast Of the Pacific and the
means Of to from the Interior but California also
because California occupies the relative position
wards The lower portion Of the Mississippi Valley which
Oreron holds towards the northern
Both Oregon and California, then, and must be in
tegrai parts Of the Republic. Every that goes 10
either territory feels it and knows it, The last memorial
from the peopleof Oregon, praying fora government, ex
pressed everIsh impatence for the coming Of the time
when they would be Living under and enjoying the pro-
lection of the stripes and stars Of our loved country"
The construction Of great national highway from
the Mississippi the Pacific, with breadth Of one
mile Of land reserved and apart for such purpose
running all the way through the heart Of the national
domain, would flow. quickenng every impulse Of Vitality
and imparting continually renewing vgor 10 every pur
ton Of the sysiem-The time to begin this great enter
prise is now Lei the public lands be made to enhance
their vaue by furnishing the means for thecon-
templated improvement They could not be applied to
better purpose.