The Arkansas banner., 1849-01-23
COmmunicasidn between tho Atlantic nua
 Pacific f9ceam~

The public misl sf the United States IS ns,ural,, much excited at ths time on the suhiec, of sons | rapid and easy meuHs of communication between | the two great octans which wash our eastern and | western shores, growing out of the vast iuporsane- which the whole cant now attaches tn tts srnsi. slison os CsiitoESinot only on account of i,S ana zang mineral weaish. bat also on account af inc | nTight PTosPectiea advsaagea which are antieinatea rom II ioi our inaaa, Chins, and South American tFad"-one Of the most brilliant and soiid achieve nenss of the pssent eveHtfal administration ami whseh has been tFasniy accomplished by the Presi- dent and his ahie cabinet almost ia spite of eovr eEful sHd re ke& opposition which has not failed to condemE rom the beginning that whole course of policy which has led 10 results Of which every American at hears is pronds and which es,nmands the admiration Sad lezoasy ef the wosld Since the tnandaslon Of cae goFeinneaf we may eha,IensA | history so point ont .. sAgsnis,rasicn mose un. | retirng e private 1le SAy soady say, in the Ian- gmagE @t8sa- JsNksns1s v5ledictogy, sf leave ths Pe9gAa Rsosgefessea1 h4fnbti' IAs Rsa9ses v ssting the tN%o oerans. which mera leas aspseadid visspn daxasar inc ipe s.;,.. ten with the msgnkeence of the eot..e,sione hss under the influence ot the charaeteristh ssr.s;,r ot our people, asswmRd practical shape ssnd z, l requires moi the spirit of pTephsey to predict chs,
 its realization is now at hand, fo9 the fixed law ss necessity itnperiously demands t. The afeessits Of rapid means ol communicating with our rich west. ern province Is admitted aud this is sufficient, Ia speedy coRsummation.
 The question now is What are the means be,, calculated to secure the desired end-wth the Ieas, expenditure Of time and money--of satisfying our immediate and pressing wants not that which may be ultimately needed by our incre asing wealth com
 meree, and population; requiring, however. vast sum ct money, and an indefinite period for It's com | plfhon. Ia word. we lock to present neces- sIty, rather than our future wsDts, to secure the substantial advantages now offered, rather than 10 | an fhd.& .k | promising and brilliant they may apeear A shin canal admitting the largest class of vessels engaged m the China trade, to avoid the stormy voyage around Cape Horn and at the same time rendering uansiiPS'eats annecysary, by offering an an'nter- 1 Tupted water passage between the oeeaas would no doubt. best subserve the interests or the com mereisi world and, with money enough, such work may be executed either through the lsihmus oi Panama or the lake of Nicaragua. The Tehaan. tepec route IS understood t be quite practicable fer a small canal; but anything short of a canal of the largest proportions would rossess but htle intrinsic value. as the 'ranshipment Of merchandise would still be required; and it would be for all general purposes inferior 10 weconstI ueted failway and but httie bitter than good turnpike road, except for the mere local and cossting trade Evan if ii were practicable for ship eaoal, there must exist with us many grave objections 10 i,; among which,
 not the least is ihs fact ina, the right of wsy fOr its construction has been conferred on Goreigner-a British eonsut-whose bitter enmity towards this eoantTy, its citizens, and government Is well known
 for he has never prelended conceal it even when 1 common decency and official courtesy would have renoered! It necessary and deeorous This man.
 whe1 be learI ed that the United States had mani tesea disposition to secure the right of way over that tne, by treaty stipulation, avaied himself by
 in,rgle, of his official position and influence with
 the Mex can government to procure it for himself (and sctaslly commenced his survey darinx the
 pendeney ot the snegt ation between the two pow. ets,l DO douht wltA the landAhie object of making
 the YaakfEs pay wei Tor f. Disappointed. perhaps.
 in the supposi ion flat we aftacbe 10 it an exag.
 geTa;ed conseQuelce be desires mot kc Gsave exps.
 ses," or to "turn an honest penny." by prevailing
 oa our government either to purchase his grant, or
 to assist him in ile undertaking; but in ths too it
 s greatly 10 be hosef, he will bs equally dsappoin- ted.
 Public opinion &ems 10 have settled upon rail. f road as the presegf deidrdium, but has Lot been
 fully eoneentratedupon any particular route There |, have been three proposed exclusively within our own terrtory-ote al tke north, another through
 the middle and sosthern States and the third b. the way of Texas, New Mexico, and the valley of the Giia river. All .iesr vastly important projects, pregnant with grsat future results, but involving
 for their execution an immense expense, not only
 10 overcome the physical, but other die uliies of . weighty chaiaetef, "ih which they TT i1ve sted
 amongst which may be enumerated theif exiraordi-
 nary length the sHhsnced cost of transportation ct
 materials of construction. the want of population Of subsistence, tand consequent increased raies of
 iabor,) and deiirsbey of building materials and fuel ftD Ioc btclHliY or Efli some
 one of them tor perhaps alp may be bu within ihe
 century, bu cannot be rendered available for
 mediate aad urgent necessities.
 After acareinl consideration ofthe whole subject
 there appears to be. far has been ascertained
 but one lire that promises 10 fulfil conditions that of route surrounded with no formidable diff culties of any kind over which a railway may be
 qsickiy made al reasonable expense. and that is,
 across the sthnus ot Pandaa.
 Judging fron inc debates in Congress tl,e b,gl nff with certain gentlemen for the transportation of public stores, &e., oh the road vb'cb they propose to construct wtfGn the is,hmus oi Panama, wrong impression has apparently been made m regard to the privileges secured to the United States by MT. Bidlack's ready with New Grenada. The
 government of Bogota has not conveyed to our gov
 ernment the vl9h of tcay, as many pose io make road or to delegate the authority to iDd vduals 10 make one. within its jurisdiction; but has granted
 (tcr certain consderattonsl the rsg of asssk to citizens over all aad any roads now existing, or
 hereafter he made the isthmus. the sane terms with those enjoyed by it's own ctizeas; that
 s, we are pseed m all respects, as h regsrds the of the Toais, precisely the same footing with the New G. G5enadans, but New Grenada retains the
 sovereign light of constructing such roas as she ma
 think necessary et convenient. This right charter
 (such ststs legislatures frequently confer tndiyidaals or Incorporated eompsniesl she has, through kec diplomatic representative heTe, seea T proper 10 trapsfef 10 Messrs Stephens ASpinwali. and their associates or this no ono m reason complain. it was tbe exercise oi her sovereign
 will aud pleasure. She has chosen to select what
 seemed 10 her the best of ehsetBg gIea, and
 most desirable object. In lhis ol the case II
 would appear that no other persons ihaB bose Ds'ns
 not even the government, ol the United StssS--ean claim the right ot constructing this railway and therefore the naked question is. will Congress al
 thos1e snct contract 10 be entered lho w,th those gentlemen will render certain the spaedy e"n- struction of the road 7- Washington UiliOr
 l
 II Innocent BiSamy.