The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1849-12-12
Address OF the National Railroad Co,,ven
ton, Assembled ut St. Louis.

To the People Of the United Stuies
The Convention Of Delegates from fourteen
States fthe Union, which assembled at St. Louis
on the 10th day of October last, being unanimous
ly favorable to the construction of a Central Ma
tional Railroad from the Mississippi river to the
waters of the Pacific Ocean, authorized the I'M
dersigned, members of a committee appointed for
the purpose, to address the people of the United
States, and to urge their cooperation in procur-
ing such action on the part of Congress as may be
necessary to carry out the views Of the Convcn-
ton.
We bcspeak, therefore, fer the voice of the
convention, National audience. We ask for
their proceedings, the serious consideration of the
whole country. The subject addresses itself to
the whole people, as elevated above parties, above
sectional divisions, and personal attachments and
as one III country, IN government, and in destiny.
Inc spirit OF Columbus, after the search of CEN
turlcs points to sthe secret strait which brings
Europe and America in direct communication
with Asia, by the Western route, through the
hcart OF North America, and invoices us to avail
ourselves of its unspcakablc advantages.
he great and leading idea to which the Con-
ventlon gave its cordial and unanimous assent
was, that Central National Railroad from the
mississippi river to the waters of the Pacific, is
OF eminent and overriding necessity; necessity
duty to sustain our country in its mission Of free
dom and clviliZat on and in its material progress,
and OF preserving our union Of States, whose ex-
lchNon from ocean to ocean is practicable only
through tho achievements Of modern science,
which assure us Of easy intercourse with al its
parts, however remote
But tie Convention did not undertake t. die
tate to the country the plan or the route to be a.
dopted. Nor did they enter into the questions
ofconstltutiona power, or attempt to dem onstratc
the prospects Of through freight and travel or the
probable value and increase of way patronage, or
ailectto know more than is already in possession
OF the Government in regard to the great coal
fields and other mineral deposits of the Western
plains and cfthc Mountains, or Of the other quail
ltles OF the Central region, as they relate to the
question OF economy and practicabilty in the
construction Of the road. Satisfied that practical
bic routes exist-practicable for construction and
operation. referring to the adaptation of the sur
face as we'll as to the accessibility of fuel and wa
ter, and practicable in respect 70 the patronage
which Will support a railway, especially Is con-
nccted with the interest of the Government as o
land proprietor, and with the political, military,
and social reasons which Justify tall doubts and
questions were waived in the expression Of the
emphatic opinion, that it is ''the DUTY of the Gov
eTnnent to construct the road.
iie pune NINA IS eVlCcntly prepared FOR the
consumlnation ofthis great measure. The hume
rouS Conventions which have assembled in vari-
o1s parts of the country, the expressions Of more
than half IL" Stat" Legislatures and Of many
other respectable bodies, indicate the readiness
and d@clsIvenoss OF the general will. II make
these indications more co2lpiete and indsputabIe,
1t IS only necessary to awaken our countrymen to
sense otthc glorious responsibility that is rest
ing upon their age and generation, and to give
them opportunity to indicate their claims to in
telllgence and patriotism, by submitting to them
the alternative OF Apr oval or rejection. Clear il
IS, tl2t hoWcVcrm Gn, according to their knowl-
edge, may have favored or condemned particular
routes, or specific tcrmini-though they may
have differed i'll regard to the mode of cons.ruc-
conflicting may have been mems
interests, and thou gh remote from n tier and
variant in character may have been the assem-
hlagcs OF the people, all have unit to swell with
one voice the universal reclamation in tuvCr of a
crnt7at n0t,0,,a! railroad across the c0ntinent.-
And they have made still further progress in the
general union. They have Unlimited but one o.
pinion as to the auspices and authority under
which the road should be built. They have re-
ferred unanimously to the Fedaral Government
should be constructed pcedIy, aid that that The i
lim:naTy steps ilr that purposc should be tahc.
The establishment Of line of military post
from the western confines of the Western States
to the Pacific Ocean, in all proper places, not far
distant from each other was deemed by the Con-
vention an important preliminary step in the pre-
paralon of the railway. These posts, although
they need not be permanent garrisons, yet would
serve to maintain peace among the aborigines,
would lay out and open military roads, assist in
the erection and protection of the electric tele-
graph, offer present guide and refuge to the en-
grant, and give aid and security to the various
parties of engineers which may be sent out by
The Government to locate the best route farthel
railroad, while settlers, by a liberal policy exer-
cised towards them, might be- induced y cluster
rapidly in the neighborIo odofthe posts, soon, by
heir own numbers and strength, superce ding the
of the military There seemed to be |
40 argument in favor or stablshing this line oil
posts along the Mexican frontlsf on the South,
hat would not be good in behal II of Essmilarlne
llong the British frontier ON the Nosti Ehe
Convention, therefore, contemplated only such al
inc as would lead directly through the heart afl
our Western territories ,on or near the route whc
nature seemed to indicate, and copMercia and
political convenience seemed to require as the
most suitable location of National Railroad
And the Convention, not fearing physical DIFF
iculties sofhuch as those which might be inter-
,exed political pnd sectional feelings-lo looking
~ Tile Lakes
. Oregon, ~ q SOUTHERN route through Texas
Q San Diego, n re each strongly urged upon the
public considered 81, md we'll knowing the fatal
hangers Of the 62ay which the threatened dis
putes would besali$ u Involve indicated Cen
raj route betHe theae two extremes for the
main stem, branches to the Northern, to the
liadleg KS the Southern States This offer
ate the lams % nationality, will, it is
nope 6e g sat sfactory 1.-The extreme sections
. Aee4edsto be to their Respective representa-
~ the Conve ntions 1t is that fraternal spir-
u cpncession and compromise, in which our
&overnn1eYt itself Was founded, and has been
lfely conducted through many portentous storms
which the Convention consulted, and to which
The country must look for speedy solution of all
the difficulties which sectional selfishness will
nterpose against the construction of the road
Sectional jealousy without patriotism, like ava
rice without benevolence, sinks to vice that,
I'to be hated, needs but to be SEEM, and in rela-
ton to this great measure, whose influence and
whose benefits will be co-extensiye with the I'm
ion, cannot be tolerated, and we trust will not be
seen. l5esys s.sg B Il u d 81 ~
Elevating ourselves above the preiudices oil
party, the passions Of persons, the jealousies OIL
sections, let proceed to the execution Of this
work with the singleness ofpurpose which distin.