Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-12-10


ington 10 Louisville. The construction of a
railroad from tide-water TO Louisville upon this
route has been Il favorite idea with me for many
years, and is one which will challenge the APP
probation OF all rellec,rg men, who will take
the trouble to investigate the subject.
The surveys of competent engineers have
shewn that Coyington is of easy access from tide
water. From thence 10 Louisville, although no
engineer has surveyed it, venture the opinion;
is route Of more easy Accomplishment, than any
other now proposed, lying between the Northern
boundary Of New York and the valley Of Ten
nessee. The great barrier of the Allegheny is
upon this line, in the county of Monroe, depress-
ed into gentle ascent, scarcely perceptlble to a
/ traveller on horseback The inslrmountable OBJ
stacle which the Cumberland mountains present
every where else, sinks down between Virginia
and Kentucky, at the hcad-waters of the Sandy
river in the county of Tazwell, into low and
narrow ridge. The residue Of the line to Lex
inston, Kentucky; lies along easy and accessible
| valleys and plains. From Covington TO the Ken
lucky line is less than $50 miles, and the dis
lance from thence TO Lexington, is still shorter,
so that when the united efforts of Virginia and
Kentucky shall haze accomplished the constrnc-
ton of less than three hundred miles OF railroad
the falls of Ohio and the falls of James river
will be united by railroad and canal, in bonds Of
eternal fellowship.
The advantages of connection at Louisville
are numerous and very striking. The navigation
! of the river below that point is seldom, for any
length of time, impeded by ice i'll winter or the
| drought ofsummer and fall. Not so above
With this connection, the merchandise, intended
for the winter and early spring supplies OF very
large portion of the West, would most certainly
be distributed from Louisville, having reached
there from the Northern cities by this unimpeded
Southern route whilst the water communication
at the North would have been closed, SO 10 re-
main for months afterwards. Nor is there any
railroad North of us which could compete sue
cessfully; with this combined water line and rail
road in the transportation of merchandise or pro-
duce The diminished distance and the mild
climate must settle in cur favor, beyond
doubt, the question of competition But this
link of railroad from Covington TO Louisville is
but very short one in the great chain, OF which
it will certainly form part, stretching from the
Atlantic ocean 10 the shores of the Pacific
The energy of The American people IS aroused
on the subject OF this work, and it's accomplish
| ment has already been determined upon in the
public mind. It cannot be believed that an I'M
provemcnt from which are TO flow the most
momentous results, consequent upon amy enter
prize since the discovery Of the passage around
the Cape Good Hope, will be long neglected by
this create prosperous nation. The fruits OF our
glorious war with Mexico will be imperfcct-the
l,nlomunent which the valor of our jnvincible
apnits has erected 10 our national grandeur and
reuown, will be unfinished, without the construc-
ton of this most stupendous work.
| From the earliest history of the world down
10 this day, the commerce OF India has been the
prize for which the nations of the Garth has eager
| " contended From the time when Hiram King
of Tyre, sent his ships to bring gold from Ophr
to decorate the temple of Solomon, down 10 the
last arrival Of British merchantmen at the East
India docks in London, theIe has never failed a
stream, bearing upon its bosom spices and rich
silks, jewels and pure gold, to give wealth, ele-
sance, refinement and power to the nation OF
people fortunate enough to be its recipient
Great cities have sprung up under its Hlvigorat-
ing influence, and won for themselves an i'm
mortal fame. But commerce changing into a
different channel, has left these once opuent
marts s'desolaion and repToach.i The same
consequences which have followed for thousands
of years upon given cause, cannotn now failin our
day and country By means of our possessions on
the Pacific, the obstacle which this continent pre-
sen.s to the direct line CT vessels from India to
Europe is not only removed, but made to afford
means OF a more rapid and safe intercourse than
the ocean 5tseEf could secure.
If the East India commerce can then I've
brought across cur continent nron railroad, that
road seeking the best route, must pass through
thernidst of our Commonwealth. From Norfolk
the best Atlantic seaport, or from any other tide
water city in Virginia. there is no difficulty in
reaching the city of Louisville. At this point
the Ohio can be easily bridged, aflording, as it
does, a rock foundation across the entire chan
mel. From thence, through the States of lndi-
ana and Illinois, the ground is favorable for a
road, and the Mississippi itself furnishes a rock
foundation for bridge across its bosom, at ssthe
,ot frr a1oyn no pofi IF fbe,
Ohio From this, if am rightly informed, no
wafer courses interpose barriers 10 the construc-
ton of railroad, until the magnificent Bay of
San Francisco shall be reached There is moth
ing, then TO hinder a car laden with the rich
silks and aromatic spices OF India on the shores
of the Pacific, from pursuing its continuous and
uninterrupted course, until its journey is compile
ted, and il rests upon the banks of the Chesa-
peake. To complete This line to the frontiers Of
the United States, Virginia; Kentucky Indiana,
Illinois and Missouri, are all equally interested
These five great central States are unequaded for
fertility of soil and variety of product, mineral
and agricultural. That their united efforts could
achieve the completion of the work to our from
tier without materially feeling the burden, is be-
yond cavi or dispute. This view is not chimeri-
cal The object can be attained--the enterprise
will be accomplished.
There is already greater length of railroad in
the United States, than would, 1t IN single line,
connect the two great oceans-and the stock of
all is profitable. Bat The combined commerce off
all these roads is but 1.-THE of that which would
pass across our continent from india-how then
could the road fail to pay such profit as would am
ply compensate capital for its construction?
We cannot msnnderstand or fail to appreciate I
the value Of the prize; and the construction ofthe
road to Louisville. is most powerful
means of securing it to ourselves.
The Legislature has been munlhceat towards
the City of Alexandria, since its remuneration to
the commonwealth; and it is pleasing 10 know
that this course is equally approved by the die
,ates Of wisdom aud justice. This liberality has
expedited the completion Of that great work, the
Chesapeake and Ohio canal, as far as Cumber
land, in the State of Maryland Upon this canal,
now nearly ready to be opened, presently will be
coal trade, inferior to none in Ameri
ca, either in the Quantities carried down upon it,
or in the quality Of the mineral itself Alexan-
aria will be the chiefmart for it, and the com
MERGE. thereby brought to her wharyes. will not