Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1849-04-21
NO. IL.
COLUMBUS MISSISSIPPI, SATURDAY, APRIL II, 1870

pie which inhabt that great empire. They wish
more expeditions communication with the Gull
and with the Atlantic scaboatd. Hence We hnd
in every portion Of that region schemes, and paHs
practically 10 shorten the Mississippi. PubEe
meetings are being held, and companies being
formed 10 connect by railroads the upper portion
of that vas, valley with the Atlantic and the Gulf
of Mexico. Now we have two great national
lines OF commercial communication, running par.
anel 10 each other from the northeast 10 the south
west, nearly seven hundred miles apart. The
one may be represented by the Atlantic shore, the
Other Nv the Mississippi river. Between them is
the barrier Of the Allegheny mountains, which is
now turned towards the North by the uncertain
communication of the Ohio and the northern
lakes, and towards the South Ey TN dangerous
navigation Of he Gulf OF Mexico. Both of these
routes are too circui,ous. The people OF the Mis-
sissipp valley wish TO be brought nearer to The
markets OF the world and the States bordennt
or the Atlantic striving To grasp the trade OF the
vast and fertile and growing empire which lies
beyond tho mountains. Pennsylvania is striving
To draw it to her territories by rail roads running
towards the Ohio river Maryland, by the Bati-
more and Ohio Rail road; and Virginia, by con.
Meeting the James river with the waters which
flow into the same river, aud hy rail road 10
communicate with Tennessee roads, IN the d,
reclon of Memphis, on the Mississippi. II can
not be dosbted but that some expeditions and sat
islactorv connection between the two great lines
which we have mentioned will result from this
eager competition.
The third division of our country lies on the
d. ,,,Il ,.,V.,n1 tho Rn.ly
The whole ofths territory, with the exception OF
Oregon, was acquired by the treaty with Mexico,
aud that has been in our sole possession but few
years. The discovery Of the California mines
has made this portion of our Union, perhaps, the
most interesting part Of it for the present. There
is no communication, in the mercantile sense of
the word, between our new territories aud the
States, shorter than that through the isthmus OF
Panama. And this route cannot in its present
condition, answer the purposes of commerce.
Tho long aud tedious voyage around Cape Horn,
and thence norhwardly along the Pacific, has TO
be resorted to. To avoid this long Journey, il has
been proposed to connect by railroad across
the sthmus, the Pacific and Atlantic oceans But
this is not the only scheme having the same oh.
iect which agates the public mind. Many per.
sons think that "A railroad should be constructed
from the southern part of Lake Michigan run.
ming westwardly through Oregon towards the
mouth Of the Columbia. Others think that the
communication across the Rocky mountains should
be made, il at all, further towards the south and
exertions are being made to connect St. Louis, in
Missouri, with Monterey in California. Fur.
ther yet TO the SOUTH 10 route which has been
recommended to public favor and convention is
soon to assemble in Memphis for the purpose Of
taking the subject into consideration. We do moi
Of course with our limited information, mean to
express any preference between the different
routes which we have mentioned, Nor do we
deem this proper occasion 10 express our views
as to the power of Congress, under the consitu.
ton, to give its aid in carrying out the Object
The idea is certainly grand one, TO connect the
Pacific with tho Atlantic BY railroads running thro'
the heart Of the continent, and bringing China as
near to US as New Orleans was fifty years ago
But il will require time 10 carry out such great
undertaking. II will require much consideration
to devise the best route and the hes, mode OF ma.
king the communication, No man can tell wheth.
er it will ever be accomplished. But even II il is
not, wo have already, in the infancy Of our gov.
eminent, accomplished enough to be source Of
honorable pride. Oar people, aided alone by their
State governments, have shown themselves equal
to the task which fortune has imposed upon them,
They are rapidly subduing the forest, and bring.
ing the wilderness under the dominion Of man.
Let our government 60 on as it has begun, secu.
ring equal rights to all, and the future will be
worthy 1.-THE past and Of the present.
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