Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-02-06

Se,r n,l.ans do $50 do 2652
And from rom The Pacific 10 China bal 5,4OO or but
about 600 from any Atlantic city 10 China, and
less than 10000 Japan.
| Can il be expected that route could be found
SO equally distant from all the Atlantic cries
| equally spreading lis vast beneAs over all the
Union2 II is true that South Carolina and all
the States south would have srea! advantas III
the grade OF those roads connecting WIN II, De-
inc able 10 ioin i, on a maximum grade Of thirty
three tee, 10 the mile, while all norm, (e1cePnns
your Stale, the maximum grade through when
would be but tory live ieeD would he comPelieu
10 oyeccum. a gfa.e 81 over eighty ieet per mile,
which would add immensely 10 The cost Of lrahs'
pnria!iun. A locomotive OF same power on tne
| later could not propel one-halt The numOer OF
tons of freight as on The former.
Il has been said that the States must all lrsi
run IL some point on ne Mississippi, as a centre
between The extremes ii North and South, ana
make ha The s,artins-point !or TINS roac; onl
Can see no object in, or necessity Ior, a grand
GENRE 10 star from. o. me contrary, sea many
objections 10 it, Ia n frs place, il Is 10 the Pa
ciic we are bound, and il is very important that
an uninterrupted intercourse may be had from
each AMI every Atlantic city, SO as 10 avoid de-
LAYS, expenses OF ranshipmenl, &c, which are
often more expensive than freight itself, and be.
sides, sutjcc, 10 decay, waste, and damage OF
merchandise; and, besides, any grand centre
would draw some ui he Atlantic cities lar Out of
their proper and natural course, and in the whole
distance 10 The ocean would mol materia y bene-
fl any.
There ar Two great objects which we aim al
in this proposed work; ami without strong pro-
bab,li,y OF ultimate success, The work could De
Of no further benefit han hal OF settling and rem.
derins productive and useful i large amount Of
~ 1. pic h.r,r - uSrlPSS
One OF the gfea, objects is 10 change the route
Tor the commerce and intercourse oil Europe with
Asia, and force il from interest 10 pay tri5ue TO
US. The other, also va.lly important, is 10 es-
lablish transit So convenient and cheap as
would enable US 10 take our vast products from
the soil and MANUFACTURES, 10 all The markets Of
Asia, SO thar the grea, Mississippi basin would
have the Atlantic coast and Europe, with Two
hundred aud fifty millions OF souls. on the one
side, and on ne other side The PACING coast and
all Asia with seven hundred millions Of souls,
fer markets. Unless We can secure these Two
incalcuaby important Objects any communica-
ton between The two oceans could mol Iesalt in
any good 10 eli her slope of lhe continent, because
each PRO .uciLg the Sd me could moi exchange with
the other and mus, seek markets uppoSte-lhe
one in Europe, ami The other in Asia and the
islands Of the Pacific; Inc avails OF labor reurn-
ing TO each where protuced, and there consumed
A communication across a, Panama or Tie.
huanlepec could not produce The results we de-
sire, because il would increase the distance from
Europe 10 China and h" important AsiaIic cities
beyond what il is now around The Cape OF Good
Hope and the climt,. would exclude or destroy
almost all the articles which form The Asiaiic
commerce. Teas, particularly, would De subject
10 great injury; and the producis both animal
and vegetable, O! the Mississippi basin, could
not be taken TO any part Of Asia, or 10 the islants
in the Pacific, lhroush such climate.
have devoted several years exclusively to
this subject and believe have examined every
par. Of il, with no other object or motive than
that Of the full accomplishment of the work;
and believe there can be no other route across
our continent that would insure to US the great
results we desire from it.
Ii would shorten the distance from what II
now is, and give other facilities, which would
force the intercourse and commerce Of Europe |
with Asia over it. The distance from London |
to China would be reduced 10 about eleven
thousand miles, and at the present rate of speed
could be performed in thirty-seyen days. 1t
would secure to US forever, at low tolls, the
safe transit Of our vast products to the markets
of all Asia, through climate which would pro- |
tect them from injury at oil seasons And
there is no other route which could secure these |
grea, results. And every man practically &C.
auainted with the commerce Of the world must |
see that am right.
There i. no other route where the public
lands could be made to produce the only means
for the accomplishment of the work. And |
am fully persuaded that if the bill does not be-
come law at this session of Congress, the |
lands, with the timber on the first part OF the
route. would be SO far taken up by settlers be.
fore another year, that it would be utterly inn
possible 10 accomplish the work, and must lie
abandoned forever; and The Pacific slope must
become a separate distinct nation. commanding
and controlling The commerce OF all Asia.
shall abandon it after that period, being fully
persuaded that il can never after oe accom-
plished.
1t would seem that the decided action by |
nineteen State Legislatures, generally by unani-
nous votes, should encourage Congress TO speedy
action.
Most respectfully, your obsdient servant,
A. WHITNEY.
His ExcelIency JOHN 3. FLOYD
Governor OF Virginia.