Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-11-09

the construction OF railroads along tho Atlantic
seaboard has, in a great measure, put an end 10
the drafts upon the treasury Tor lining the coast
with forts and castles In conlemnlat;np the
changes which tie introduction of sea m on the
ocean, and Of railroads on the land will make
in the system Of warfare, We, as military men.
are almost ready TO ezclalm with The Moor in
the play: I" OlholIo's occupations gonen In tie
first war, in which this country shall be required
10 put forth her energies, il will be lound that
railroads are The strosest Notifications. and the
magnetic telegraph tie most powerful battery
that has ever been brought into play in military
operations. BY treaty with Mexico, this nation
is bound 10 prevent Indian depreda,ions upon
that country, and this great national railway to
the Pacific would greatly facilitate the Govern.
menl OF The Uniicd States 10 preserving the pub.
lie faith as pledged by treaty stipulation. We
build fortihcations and they remain mere piles
OF stone and mortar, OF which the public can
make no practical Use until wa are over, aiken
BY the emergencies Of war. Aud what, though
this railroad 10 the Pacific in lime Of peace.
should be Of great advantage in promoting The
welfare The Union. in subscribing The interests
| Of commerce, and in advancing the prosperity
Of The people, should it on thi, account b. re
galded the less as ratification
Gentlemen have assembled here 10 consider Of
this measure %ih single eye 10 the good ol The
couniry, OF The whole country, and no hinr but
the country; party spirit, sectional feeling and 10.
cal PIE JUDGE, am assured from The characte OF
the delegates here pr. Sent, are 10 have no pau in
the proceedings ul this convention. We are not
in possessiun oil Information sufficient 10 Justify
US IN saying al present where This railroad shall
begin, what route II shall take, or where il .ha II
end We want IL 10 take The bcs. Route that tul
and complete examinations and surveys shall
point ouI. We want il 10 begin and We want il
10 end al those points which shall be found most
convenient lur The great national obiec.s md ends
for which il shall he CONSTRUCTED. II after such
examinations all! explorations il shall be onnd
that 81 Louis iG The best point Tor The eastern Ter
minus, LEI II begin ihcrc-ii Memphis, lei il be-
ein h.re-or II al any other point bc, Wsen the
Two, cr any other point north or sJu!h OF both,
IN The name OF Ihe people OF The Uailei 5 alcs,
aud in consideration OF their nalunal des;inirs
there lei il begin.
IL has been urged as an objection 10 Ibis rails
road, that IL cannoi support itself. Pray does the
navy support itself Do our Qualifications SUI
parl them elves and make diyiiends2 Where is
The work connected with The national deisnrcs Of
!nese uniled States That supports itself Or makes
dividends2 lfIhuse VINO lake this view Expect
dividends vi cent per cent. wrong frota rassrr-
gers and merchandise 10 5s ,rortrd over this
national york, hope II aeoer ,ciA make dlyl.
deads. Il will bnHg forth fruits lar more valua.
lie Than it is T..sibIe iof The largest d.rtecnas
ever 10 DC. Il will b: 10 III. immense region
oi ths country bewtcn ias and the Pacific
ocean what the Mississippi is to This valley. /!
will spread out lis branches 10 lhr North and The
South. IL Will enrich the people and increase
The capaclIie; oi lie country u sustain pnpua>
zion, and il will give 10 this Government, the pow
CT 10 laI and 10 raise revenue from that wealth,
and from that Increased population and lis pos
lerlIy lor ever. These are cone Of The peaceful
fruits dIr.Gcaa. II YOU please-ol this great ma.
lona work Vi defence
The articles besides troops and munitions OF
war which are 10 tc transported over this road
arc that class known n railroad tAri1s as Inc
light and bulky, CT lie nore valuable articles of
merchandise. We may expect branch roads 10
be built by private enterprise from it into North
ern Mexico. and they will extend down into the
heart of the country until the expense Of irans-
portation by the iron horse from the North, uhaIl
meet on equal terms with tho ca,goes brought
over The mountains en- toe backs OF mules aud
as2cs fso11 the ports Of Mexico. all inc Mexi>
cans ah.ve this line will 10 supplied with foreign
merchandise over his railway They will
amount 10 several millions OF dollars, and this
country will have The monopoly Of that ccm-
metce. We may expec. each tsiex loan to cons
sumo OF The goods Of Lowell aud other yankee
notions" al the least, Two or three dollars per
head; and We shall receive in return therefor
the produce OF tho Mexican mines But there
are other articles OF commerce -.suah az the
great agricultural prcda4is Of this country which
cannot aroTd 10 pay The expenses Of lransporta>
lion from ono end OF Hi. road 10 the other.
have examined the tariff oil .rcighls en- mcrchau-
disc as per fifty odd railroads in this country
McIchentiac 10 di'ided generally BY thom into
three classes. The frJ class consists Of those
heavy articles, such 90 Soal AMI iron, which re-
quire The ildesi open cars for transportation
which do not require houses for storage and
which are not liable 10 loss or injury By weather
on tie road.
The second class consists OF such articles as
gram, provisions, &c. and The third class cons
sisis oil light aud bulky articles, which are chaTg-
cd by measurement AMI not 10y weight, and which
consists oI the more valuable articles OF com.
meIce, such as clio his and manu,ac; grsi gur,is -
Inc average tate ot .misll charged by these tlily
odd roads oa tne ir,t ami cheapest class vi Ii sc
Articles IL iOnr and ha cents per Ion per mile
and the average rate on the third ant. deares,
class IS eight cents per Ion per mile. Now sup>
pose that we take bu. oae-third rory the cheapest
class, and say thai hi. .ailicdd which has no III
vldends 10 Se, can ford TO carry all articles
ot merchandise al the tate Of three Gems per ION
per mile, the dis'ance OF the length OF the load
by an air line will be about 1900 nautical miles,
which increased hy necessary daour, would give
us The length Of lit road, say 20ua salute miles,
which al three Gems per TOT PER mile, would re.
qulre toll Of sou per ION from one end Of The
road !o The other. appeal then 10 tho gentlemen
present from Illinois, Missouri, Ohio kentucky,
Tennessee, and liz Southern S2e3, and asa il
their hemp, their wheat CT ih:ir four, their pork,
aud beei their ooacco corn, their collor, their
sugar or their rice. il any one ol these articles
pay can af1uld Ia $50 per ton is part u The ex-
penses only ri Elding market among The six
hundred millions 1t people who inhabi The coun.
tries washed by IA: PacifCl To find market
there Tor any OF hese articles, requires The con-
s:ructi0n vi commercial thorougntare across
The islhmus which joins The Two Americas. Ii
can be shown that all these articles ca pay
The expenses OF sea voyage 10 the lsthmus o.
Panama, and oil OF len cents per ton per mile
10 railroad there and be delivered in the markets
OF Peru in les than onc-hird The lime, and al
one-hall the c1st that il now axes by The way IL
Cape Horn.
LII US LOT moment CONSIDER he commercial
advantages which VIC derive ION The course Of
our rivers apG from line geogre phical position
Of thai wonderful ocean basin, which is cumpus-
ed Il the Gull OF Mexico and The Caribbean sea
They are in unih The Mediterranean oil The New
Word A river which runs north or soulh
crosses parallels OF latitude, aGd consequently
Tasses through va.ioa. climates; therefore va
riety Of FraGaciions is 10 be found along lis
banks, aud assorlmenls vi produce are delivered
al / mouth, 10 b. borne acIcss The ocean 10y .ac
wings OF CONNIE c. Tn. Mississippi liver
osses more parallels Of lai'uic han AM river
in The world, ana therefore we find in lis valley
greater variety OF agricultural staples Than TN
the banks OF any other river. We have wheat
and corn, hemp ana tobacco, provisions, Coffin
sugar and rite, with vast variety Of articles Vi
minor Importance. A river which runs east OF
west, crosses no parallels oil latitude; The same
cllinao wnich exists al It's mouth is found a, IL
source, and there is no variety OF agriculiura II
productions along lis bahks. In this lac. @r
see one oi he g;eai sources o! commerce aEc
wealth afforded b. liz Mississippi 'i9er. A sea,
commercials sp,akins, is important in prop"I>
licn 10 The cIloui and climate 81 The back conn
lry hy which i. Is drained Ant in his point o.