Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1849-03-01

VIII soon furnish the means OF support to
them all. Then, Mr.. President the wires
can be stretched. AS soon as this route is
established and this protection given, the
wires can be stretched upon the whole
route. Then standing upon the shores Of
the Atlantic, you shall hold conversation
with him who stands upon the shores OF the
Pacific ocean. You shall talk to one anoth.
er three thousand miles distant.
| Nothing Mr.. President. is more essential
than roads. 1t is an old theme. sir; but it
will bear the suggestion that no civilized
people can live without roads, and that it is
the indispensable duty of every nation
which has acquired any new possession to
open communication with it. We know
that the ronans-from whom we borrow so
many Of our ideas, nseful or grand--never
considered conquered territory added TO
the republic or the empire until it was per.
forated by road. There was no annexa-
ton in their idea until there was commu
nication. The idea was well founded, sir,
aad one which we can practically carry
out. Large and grand as our project of
roads seems-from the Mississippi TO the
Pacific, and a mile in width reserved for
many tracks-it ia almost insignifcan, com.
|
Her territory was not greater than ours
not 30 compact-her population not so HON.
ogeneous as ours, nor at the greatest as
great as ours will be in the lifetime of the
child now born; and yet her roads far
transcribed in length and number any
thing that we now propose. Here is wha,
Gibbon says. After enumerating the four
thousand cities belonging to the Roman
empire in Europe, Asia and Africa, he goes
on 10 say.
All these cities were connected with each
other, and with the capital, by the public
highways, which, issuing from the forum
of Rome, traversed Italy, pervaded the
provinces, and were terminated only by
the frontiers of the empire. five careful.
ly trace the distance from the wall of An
toninus to Rome, and from thence TO Jeru.
salem, il will be found that the great chain
OF communication, from the northwest 10
the southwest point of the empire, was
drawn out 10 the length of four thousand
and eighty Roman miles. The public roads
were accurately divided by mile stones, and
ran in direct line from one city TO anoih-
er, with very little respect for the obstacles
either of nature or private property, noun
tains were perforated, and bold arches
thrown over the broadest and most rapid
streams. The middle part Of the road was
raised into a terrace which commanded the
adjacent country, consisted of several strata
of sand, gravel, and cement, and was paved
with large stones, or in some places near
the capital, with granite. Such was the solid
construction of the Roman highways,
whose firmness has not entirely yielded TO
I,h IL
the subject of the most distant provinces
by an easy and familiar intercourse; but
, their primary object had been to facilitate
, the marches of the egions; nor was any
country considered as subdued, till ii had
been rendered, in all its parts, pervious TO
) the arms and authority of the conqueror.
The advantage of receiving the earliest in
) telligence, and conveying them orders with
celebrity. induced the Emperors to eslab-
lish throughout their extensive dominions
the regular institutions of posts. Houses
were everywhere erected al the distance of
only five or six miles; each of them were
, constantly provided with forty horses, and
: by the help of these relays it was easy to
: travel a hundred miles in day along the
r Roman roads. The use of the lots was al
r lowed TO those who claimed it by an impe-
r rial mandate; but, though originally inten.
ded for the public service, it was sometimes
J INDUCED to the business Of convenency of
private citizens.
: Such was the extent and solidity Of the
! Roman roads--a single line of road above
+, 1000 Roman, and equal to 3,740 English
miles-and the 1000 cities of the empire
all connected with roads of equal solidily
besides. The road which we propose is
= only half the length of one chain of theirs
I mention them for their magnifcence-
: their grandeur--and as presenting anex
ample worthy of our imitation. The road
S propose is necessary TO us, and now. We
= want il now. The state Of onr possession
on the Pacific demands il. The time 10
! begin has arrived. All the necessary infor,
. nation is on hand. The means are ready
{ The title to Oregon is settled, and gov
, eminent established there, and population
q is growing up. California is acquired
e people are there: and government mus
$ follow. We have a fleet on the coast
y troops there, and going. Streams of popu
y ation are concentrating there. Since tht
G discovery Of the New World by Columbu
there has not been such an unsettling of tn
= foundations of society. Not merely indi
e viduals and companies, but communi,ie
l. and nations are in commo,ion, all bound t
l. the setting sun--to the gilded horizon O
o western America. For want of an Amer
% lean road, they seek foreign routes, ia
round, by sea and land, to reach by an i'm
,fl roaneo circuit what ia mart IF thar oxp