The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-25

C0Is BoUt0M-s h81Aro40 70 tuo F1ChMcs
| Some Of the citizens Of 81 Louis recently invited
Col Benton 70 public dinner, with special refer
ence 10 his prophetic foresight thirty years ago OF
ruil way route from the Atlantic to the Pacific. We
subioin his characteristic reply; 49,. n.va ,aaa
Messrs, RIoE, HowAap, HAreHr, and others
Gentlemen - Your kind invitation to accept Q
public dinner from my friends In this city, VIII have
heretofore received from me, and be declined. A
public dinner TO public man carries along with II
an obligation for public speech and when I make
such speech-tand expect TO make several Of
them in the course OF this summer)-I always wish
TO speak TO larger audience than could be found at
dinner table
The immediate object Of the compliment which
you now offer me, cannot be otherwise than agreea-
bic TO me, and II any opportunity shall offer for get
ting at the object without the compliment, shall
be happy to embrace II. The American road to In
da Is the object and In every movement for the es.
tablishment OF that. great highway Of nations,
shall always be found ready assistant.
Thirty years ago, as you are pleased 10 remind me,
did something TO start the Idea Of this great
mnncation, then deemed visionary now on the point
Of realization Poor human vanity finds some graf
ifcatlon in such consummaiion; but assure yon
Il Is very secondary, and very transient grafca-
ton with me; and unless followed up by the sue
Of The object viii turn to bitterness and NORTH
cation. Forward ia the word! Let the thing be
done, and done quickly and 10 do II, we all know,
requires the concurrence OF many Wills and the e-
gislatiye action Of the government. Action Is now
wanted and every thing Is ripe for action. young
man. sprung FROM the ranks Of the people, obeying
some high Impulse, and accompanied by The children
| Of the mountain has accomplished this work.
| Tho sealed book OF remote western geography has
been laid open From the Mississippi 10 the Pacific
It's leaves have been nnfolded and its pages written
| upon with the pencil of light. What the adyentu-
rous hunter following the trail of the buffalo, and
vexng the home of the beaver had unknowingly dis
covered science has digesied into knowledge redac-
ed 10 exacttudf, and made known TO the world. Be-
fore the light of science and Illusions have
! vanished The impossible mountain has become
| passable--the nnnhabltable desert has become in
| habiiable-the Siberia Of America has become I
promised land and the exalted facts stand reyenled
that, from The Father Of Floods, 10 the Mother Of
Oceans, the rolling tide of American population mny
go on spreading It's wide and lofty wave; and, from
San francisco 10 ST. Louis in strait line with Can
ion and London the rich stream Of oriental com.
mercc, after wandering Tor forty centuries upon I'M
stable and devious routes 70 find Its last its great
| est, and its everlasting channel
| These grent facts IRE now revcaed--estabhshed-
fixed; and all thar have do Is to act upon them
All is ready. The knowledgei is acquirsd--he means
are at hand-the spirit of The people is up All that
s acking 10 the action Of the government and that
fbur government that |, should follow the lend, OF
wait the stimulus OF the people. In this case the
people have been leading long enough. They have
literally red the government and that through tnt
wilderness, to Oregon and California; lis time now
that the government should give them road 10 The
empires which they have added 70 the Republic
The central highway Is the grand national object
and the first months Of the next session Of Con
gress is the time TO try the question of its location
and construction So far as my efforts can 90 this
question shall then be decided but TO enable me e
| work with hope and heart must have help anc
backing; must be seconded by the move
menf, and backed by the power Of the people, 81
! Louis has spoken-thc Missouri Legislature ha
si,oken--some cities and counties have spoken Oh
the zine east but speaking and scattered voices
fnr i, I'd wide between will not do. The massive
rock is not split nor the royal oak felled by one lick
| Still less IL Congress moved by one voice. To b.
felt there m any voices must concur and continue
central contne vt must send forth It's voice from al
lis recesses from the boarders Of Missouri 10 tn
shores of the Atla,~tic. Respectfully, gentlemen
| NJ Four obliged fellow. citizen,
THOMAS II. BENTON.