The New York herald., 1849-02-04

PANAMA RAILROAD --Om readers are, no doubt
aware that Messrs Howiand aud Aspinwsll, oi
this city, have obtained the right of way for the
construction Of a railroad across the Isthmus OF
Panama, hom Chaeres TO Panama, and that they
despatched, a short time since, company OF
scientific men to explore aud survey the route
The securing of this right from the government
oi New Granada, was attended with great ex- |
pendiiure Of time and labor, aud accompanied with
a vast dea Of expense Those difficulties and that
expenditure, are, however, OF no moment when
compare TO the immense advantages which this
county directly, and in proportionate degree the
whole commercial world, will derive from the
construction OF railroad that will brlng Asia and
our re mote territory OF California within u mode
rate distance Of both Europe and this country
The subject Of connecting the waters of the
Pacific with those Of the Atlantic has occupied
the attention of the world for more than two hau-
dred years past. The benefits which would GER
tainly flow from It have not been exaggerated,
aud the great wonder that the work has not
been entered upon and completed long before this
The right Of way is. however, at length, secured,
and it is tier OF cOngratulalOR that is in the
hands of our own citizens, and that the trade and
commerce of Asia, the western shores of the
American continent, and also of Europe. must
pass through American hands Indeed, the i'm
poItance of railroad across the continent can
not be pver-estimated.
Ii has always been the practice, as 1t certainly Is
the policy, OF all governments, to favor projects
of great public beheht-such as the enc to
which we have rtiened. Thus, all our ocean
steamship lines have been patronlzed, not
by way of elit, however, but by securing to them
portion of government business, such as the
carrying of the government mails, &c. AS coon
as Mr.. Asplnwall and his assoc iates had secured
the right to construct railroad across the Isthmus
of Panama, they applied to Congress for some
encouragement in carrying out their great under
taking, not as a gratulty, but as compensation
for services of valuable and important nature to
be performed They propose to make contract
with government TO carry the mails, and to con-
vey across the Isthmus, from ocean to ocean,
everything that might be required of them-stores
tor the national vessels in the Pacific, arms and
munitions OF war, United States troops, naval
stOres-in fact, evefything--tor two hundred and
| fifty thousand dollars per annum, sum which
| certainly canaot be considered too large; and to
submit, in consideration Of reveiving the contract
to allow Congress to affix the rates of toll which
they should charge on merchandise and passen-
| gers. 1t would be supposed, when we consider
the fact that these gentlemen are the exclusive
owners of the right OF way-that they have COM
pete monopoly Of transit across the lsthmus-that,
In consequence of the discovery of gold IN Cali.
fornia 1t Is matter OF great importance to have
easy access to 1t; and that, in commercial
point OF view, It is a matter OF great moment to
have a railroad across the Isthmus. II would be
| supposed that Congress would have at once en-
braced the offer made to them. Instead, how
ever, of doing so, they have thrown obstacles and
impediments In the way of Mr.. Aspinwall and his
enteIprsing associates. We are positively sur
pised at the course which cerain members OF the
Senate have thought proper to pursue in the mat
ter. We expected better things from them.
Now this is business which concerns the
whole American people; and il the contract which
Mr. Aspinwall proposes be not entered into, it
will be lasting disgrace to Congress. That body
has been in session for many weeks, and as yet
they have done nothing Their time has been
occupied in debating about distractions that tend
only put one section of the country in opposition
to another, and stir up feelings Of animosity and
hatred that may lead TO the worst consequences.
Let them, even at this late period of the session. do
| something for the interests of the country, and,
among other beneficial measures now before them,
empower the proper officer Of government to enter
into the contract with Mr.. Asplnwall and his asso-
clates, so that we can have, at as early period
as possible, an almost direct communication with
not only our Californian territory, but the whole
Aslatic continent. Do not, Tor goodness sake, let
the whole session pass over without anything
beneficial to the country being done.
CURIOUS CHARACTERISTICS OF ORTHODOX CATHo-
Epou eka a., l..