Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-03-03
MN. BENToN's PLAN or A ROAD 70 THE
PACIFIC, t.

plates q magnificent enterprise II COM
mences al St. Louis, and runs TO San Fran
cisco. -' 81 '''''. '''''a
! A breadth of one mile from the frontier
of Missour to the Pacific is 10 be reserved
for the purpose Of laying down, at once,
one track of Iailroad--room being left for
other tracks hereafter, and for other sorts of
reads. A per centum of the proceeds of the
public land sales is to be applied 10 the con-
slruelion ofthe work. 1t is TO be an under
taking by the Government, without the CO.
operation of individ ual stockholders The
Government is TO build the road. and to own
it when built A branch road is TO run to
Oregon and 10 connect with the Columbia
rlver 'i#l.v Deg
In submitting this plan, Mr.. Benton made
IA most eloquent speech, of which the follow
ing is an extract: t 9 7,. .'. 1r
"The road lpropose is necessary 10 us, and
now We want it now The state of our
possession OH the Pacific demands it. The
time to begin has arrived. Al the necessa-
ry information is OH hand. The means are
| II
government established there, and population
is growing up. California is acquired peo.
pie are there, and government must follow.
We have fleet on that coast troops there,
and going. Streams of population are con-
centrating there. Since the discovery of the
new world by Columbus there has not been
such an upselling Of the foundations Of socie-
ty. Not merely individuals and companies,
but communities and nations are in COM
motion, all bound TO the setting sun-to the
glded horizon Of western America C.0
''For want Of an American road, they take
foreign routes, far round, by sea, and land, TO
reach, by an immense circuit, what is part
of their own land. Until we can get road
of our own, we must use and support TO-
reign route, but that is temporary resource,
demanded by the exigency of the times, and
and unfit we can get our own ready. Never
did SO great an object present itself to the ac-
ceptance OF nation. We own the country
from sea TO sea, from the Atlantic 10 the Pa
ctic, and upon breadth equal TO the length
of the Mississippi, and embracing The whole
temperate. zQnG, Three thousand miles across
afaiItellogra of our domain. We can iun a
rational central road, through and through,
the whole distance, under our flag aud under
our laws. Military reasons require US TO
make it: for troops and munitions must go
there. Political reasons require as 10 make
it; it will be chain Of union between the
Atlantic and Mississippi States. CONNER
cial reasons demand it from us; and here
touch boundless field, dazzling and bewil-
dering the Imagination from its vastness and
importance. The trade of the Pacific, of the
western coast of North America, and of cas-
tern Asia, will all take its track; and not only
for us but our poster,y. That trade of India
which has been shifting it channels from the
time Of the PhBnicians to the present, is des.
tined to shift once more, and 10 realize the
grand idea of Columbus. The American road
to India will also become the European track
to that region. a..ial,er j.r- efT .-f
'.The European merchant, us well as the
American, will fly across our continent on q
traight line to China. The rich commerce
of Asia will flow through our centre. AnC
where has that commerce ever flowed with
out carving wealth and dominion with it
Look at its ancient channels and the cities
which it raised into kingdoms, and the pOpu
la,ons which upon its treasures became res
plendent in science, learng and the arts
Tyre, Sidon, Balbec, Palmyra Alexandra
| among its ancient emporums attest the pow
, er of this commerce TO enrich, TO aggrandize
and TO enlighten nations. Constantinople, il
, the middle ages, and in the time OF the tim
of the crusades, was the wonder of wester
r Europe and all because she was then
l lhoroughiare of Asiaiic commerce Geno
: and Venice, mere cities in later time, becam
+; the match of Kingdoms, and the envy of tn
a kings, from the mere divided streams of tn
: trade, of which they became the thorough
: fare Lisbon had her great day, and Portr
t gal her pre-eminence during the little Will
y that the discovery of the Cape of Gcod HOP
: put her in communication with the east Am
e terdam, the city Of a little territory rescue
d from the sea, and the Seven United Province
not eunal in extent 10 one of our lesser Stat,
p became great in arms in letters, in wealt
/ and all upon the East India trade.
+ And London, what makes her the CONNIE
IS cial mistress Of the world-what makes an
u land, no larger than one of our first ella
= States, The mistress of possessions in the 10
Is 's quarters Of globe, match for half of Europ
v aud dominant in Asia What makesall II
ss or contributes most TO make il, but this san
!. Asiatic trade In no instance has il fall
!; ; to carry the nation OF the people which Pc
~ sessed it, to the highest pinnacleI of veal
. and power, and with it the highest atlainmer
Of letters, arts, and sciences. And SO it "
: continue to be. An American road to Ind
: through the heart Of our own country, will
= vive upon its line all the wonders Of viii
.o we have read--and eclipse them. The VI
10 tern wilderness, from the Pacific TO the NJ
a sissippi, will ssart into life under its toue