The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-08

'io o"iihS Hle elevation here
feet and sill the pine forest continued and grass
was good. Diameter of the Middle Park go miles y" -
And thence into the
So,ah Park
son the next day descended the by an excel
lent buffalo ua along the open grassy bottom Of river
On right Gas called by the early French hunt
ers) 6ordered by range, crested with
rocky and naked peaks; and below had beautiful park
like character of pretty level prairies among
low spurs wooded openly with pine and quaking asp,
contrasting well with the deser pines which swept round
had been plainly in view before us and from our en-
camPment, bore north 81 deg. east by compass The
next day we len the river which continued its course to-
wards Pixies Peak; and taking southeaserly direction
in about ten miles we crossed gentle ridge and, issuing
from the SourH PARK found ourselves involved the
broken spurs OF the mountains which border the great
Try interesting, being watered by au-
ents OF the Arkansas river, and covered with aud
streams ouud always abundant pas,urage and a
Wild nxnranee OF plants and trees Diameter Of tho
Another pass remains 10 be described in this section of
the mounainone at the head of the south fork of the
Great Platte, and which, like the others, though
great elevation practicable and easy, and Astounding
with gassthat index to country OF fertility. 1t
is thus described
Pass at the head Of South Fork of Platte
In the afternoon Juno 22) we continued road
oscs0Hy h1"gn open p"es S wh very graal
shade at small distance among the pines and they made
In ride of about three quarters of an hour and having
a.cended perhaps 500 feet reached the of the
of 1890 feet. Here the river spread itself into small
branches and springs heading nearly in the summit of the
was green valley, through which stream and
short distance opposite many mountains whose sum-
after satisfied immediately beyond these
mountains was the main branch Of the Arkansas river
most probably heading directly with the little stream be-
low us, which gathered its in the snowy mountains
near by In about quarter OF hour we descended into
the creek below, onr road having been very much con-
troed and interrupted by the pines and springs the
nan GOOD d aaS hS bs
crest OF the Rocky mountains BY the observations OF tho
min ii and south OF which therefore, head of
the Arkansas river The years expedition found tho
20 min 50 seq longitude los deg u min Is sec and st
an elevation OF 8, $50 feeto
Thus there are less than three different passes IN
about two degrees and half from about Al deg 30 min
down 80 deg, aversed and described by Mr. Fremont
in his return from his second expeditions and these not
only easily accessible but run through country suitable
for the habtations OF civilized man.
A third expedition took place. Still pursuing the idea
of finding route further south, Mr.. Fremont went
out upon, the line of the Arkansas river, and found
straight quite TO the Bay of San
Francisco In hls map that route is Land down, and
the barometer elevations given. In his memoir there
is at page Sc, table of ATTITUDES and longitudes,
without more than variation of degree each
sde through seventeen degrees of longitude. All the
great points from ST. Louis to the head of the Arkansas.
thence the pass in the Sere Nevada and to the bay
of San Francisco, 3ye is nearly the line throughout; and,
point of dreclness, nothing better could be asked but
able to Judge between them The head of the Arkansas
was found at an elevation of $50 feet but was the
head of the river, and not pass which then the
object.
The whole upper half Of the Arkansas lies on the
right line for road to the bay OF San Francisco. few
degrees west of the Missouri frontier the river bends
north latitude $50 and the parallels of $50 800 cut
the rivers from thence to its head
Returning from his third expedition and being no lon
ger in the public service, Mr. Fremont has undertaken
fourth one, at his own expense. Attended by the devo
ted men who had been with him SO long, and unwilling
TO leave incomplete work in which he had been
gagged for years. he has gone far south
he head of the Rio Granue del NOre. EXPLORE the
passes the head of that river and the approximation of
the of the Colorado of the West. Though with
comrades, he will complete the examination OF the noun
tain passes, and of all the country between the MissIs-
spp and Pacific and thus fulfil the original purpose for
which he sought and obtained this distant and perous
work. in preference to being employed about the cities and
frontiers.
have been Providence that man with head and a
heart for this work should, upon his own application
have undeak seven years that ne should have
attached to his person thirty men, the children OF the
mountains who were able TO show him everything, and
who did show him everything; who still adhere TO him,
and by their Joint exertons they have, at the very mo.
of need, at the very instant when the public mind
has ripened up to the point of commencing the work,
we have all the information upon hands which the
occasion requires
Without disparagement to any one, may be allowed
to say that young man, who solics this work, who
takes these bardshps and dangers in preference to the
work of the frontier or the city-who goes into it as
matter of love- of choice and of duty and obligation
who carried with him spirit OF exploration much greater
than could be found the execution OF an Order
with thirty such with him-would give to his ex-
p!ora,ions thooughness of examination which is not
to be expected from any detailed officer with his detail OF
soldiers
The great point upon which now rest, MIR. President.
is, that there nothing to be learned or known;
that by kind of Providence there has been brought to
knowledge everything that is necessary to be known
enable and that the great idea which has pos
sessed every power which has ever been dominant IN
North America, that of an inland communication across
the continent is ripe to be realized 1t Is IN view
of the fact that ripe Tor action that ask
leave to bring in bill for action.
The leading idea'of the bill, Mr. President is nation
all central road, highway not merely for ourselves.
but for our posterity, for all time to
The road which propose will be national IN It's char
ac,er-in ali its features and parts; NATIONAL because no
private resources equivalent to such work, nor mt
for it. Nothing but the authority OF nation Is equal
TO the opeaing of a road through some 900 miles of
country occupied by savages, with right of domain
over it, which requires national authority to extngush.
such road fit to be trusted with it, No private
thorty is equal to the question resulting from the obga
ton of procuring the title from the Indians, and OF pro-
tectng the road after it was made.
look upon it, Mr. President that all propositions to
have this road made private road by individuals or
companies utterly condemned by the magnitude OF
the undertaking, by the question of Indian title and
ing individuals TO treat with Indians. All these things
require national means, national authority; and no
individuals could be competent 10 undertake H. even
if there proprley IN putting such road INTO ne
hands of Individuals, to become their private properly
| entirely, sir, from the beginning, repudate Al
schemesof private projectors with respect 70 .nt al
Nor have | seen any scheme presented wncn dln hol
bear upon its face the evidence of total OF
the part of the applicants TO carry out the en.erpe %
design to make il great stock jobblng BUSINESS 10 %