The Arkansas banner., 1849-11-13
llRrT. HlHRrS sPEECR AF MENPHIs.

,n,p my hearty thanks for the kiadness you have done me- and the distinguished honor you have conterrei upon me.
 Why ha ,e I, an officer in the United States Navy met you in council here to-dayf We are met ls deliberate on the most proper means ot bcginning carrfiag on, and completing great national work
 ntuaIely connected with the defence of ilie coun- try in :tme of war, aud its prosperity in peace. That rfeas work--a railroad connecting the Pacific Ocean with te waters of the Atlantic, will do more 10 the defence and for6caiion of tue country than a the arsenals and standing ar,nies that could be raised, Modern improvements In weapons and iii the arts of destruction have changed the whole sys tenn of warfare. In these days of scientific invcn- lions, railroad through our broad country Is its most inlpreRnabe fort, line of telegraph its most powerful battery Unless we military men can travel as fast as steam or lightning we may well say for us, "0thellos' occupation Is gone"
 For many years past Congress have made large hppFoprations of the public money to increase the Navy and to make it more efficient. In times of peace ships have been built or begun and not 6n- ished, and left in the Navy Yard to Tut--they have not been used, and when called forth by the exi- veucies of war; they are found behind the age in improvements, in model, in building, ke. These same large appropriations are annually made to build srsenals, forts, block houses, and the im- provement of the harbors. The public money Is thus spent--wasted amost-for the ships rot ia the yards many times before necessity of launching them arises.
 Another thing: Gentlemen, we are bound by treaty stlpulations to defend Maxico against the hostile Indians located in New Mexico and our other territories. This railroad will be the only and most certain means by which we can hope to carry out these treaty stipuiaiions Build the road, and the country will, in great part, become settled at any moment, and in few days send sol diers to any part of the country west, and thus eternal barrier be raised to all hostile ncursons of Indians.
 But this road will also greatly prosper and ad- vantage us, aside from it's connection with the de- fence of the country. do cordially hope. and l earnestly solicit this Convention to lay aside all sectional and local lealousies in regard 10 tho wes- tern teTminns of the road. We all know that there are conflicting views as to the most proper teFm- la the Mississippi river Doubtless various pro- positions will be made to the convention, and all will receive its grave attentions but let all deter mine before hand that we advocate that route and that terminus which will pTove most advantageous for the whole country, whether that terminus be at St. Louis, Memphis, or any other point, or all of them by connecting branches.
 We are told, an objection to the building of this rOad that it will not be protabethat it will moi pay dividends in the sense and to the amount supposed to De meant by the objection. The pro- per object of this road should be the defence of the country, and the increase M it's general wealth and l know these can be effected by the road, without the necessity Of wrcnchiBg and screwing large div- dends from ihe emgrants and passengers who may be transported over it The wealth of the whole country will be sufficiently increased by improved and enlarged commerce with all parts of the world, and by having much of the public land settled and cultivated lying between the States and California
 have, gentlemen, compared with each other and examined into the operations. dividends, freights, &c., of more than 50 railroads in the Unified States have found that their profits arose principally from three sources: from passengers, from heavy articles, such iron and coal and such other heavy articles as those whose freight is measured by the ton, and from the smaller parcels aud lighter, but more bulky, articles whose freight Is estimated at so much per square fot. An average estimate of the freight on the eastern railroads for heavy ar ticles is about cents the mile per ton, ia such as iron, coal, &c Now say that in the road proposed to be built to the Pacific it were placed at cents per ton per mie aud say that the road will be O00 miles long, it would make the freight on one ton, from the Mississippi to The Pacific Ocean over s D Hence II is evident, gentlemen, that 1t will be im- possible 10 transport the proposed road any such articles as cottoh. sugar tobacco. hemp and flour, except such small quantities of them may find market on the wayside, al a short distance om the producer. But for lighter goods, and the iner fabrics Of the manufacturers such tea and silk for instance, the road will be only great thoroughfare
 Gentlemen. this brings me 10 another point. We are met, think, 10 devise the way for opening commercial intercourse with the Pacific Ocean by the shortest route And the question arises how are we 10 attain this communication for such ar- tices as csanet possibly be carried over ihe rail road across the continent. 1 answer, at once, by railroad or canal across the Isthmus England In the route round Cape Horn, has the advantage of us, by 10 l2 days, in all the markets of the East. This is caused by the fact that vessel in going round the Horn from the United States, is obliged to cross the Atlantic Ocean to the wind, which arc to take her to ths Cape But give us tht road or canal across the lsihmns, and we should have the advantage of England by exactly so many days as it would take her ships to cross the Allan. tic. 1 happen to know that, several years ago, French company proposed to build road or cana across the istbnns, and that company sent agent 10 London to procure assistance from English capi. talists. But the Englishmen refused 10 assist them for the very reason have stated, that the Amer would be always before them iu the eastern markets. The trenchmen then proposed to impos, donbie tolls and duties all American vessels anG cargoes--and so the matter ended-aad il is now left for us 10 do that great work
 The Gulf of Mexico is the most important inland sea in the world, The great basin which it drains crosses nearly every producing parallel ot latitude The basin turns through more climates, and con tains greater variety of productions, and mort natural resources than any other. 9he Gulf o Mexico Is the Mediteranian of the New World. IL: basin exceeds in dimensions that of old Mediterat nian and of all the seas of Europe and of Inc In dian Ocean together. Unite us with the East--giye us access 10 eastern commerce by a equal or road across the Isthmus, and this great basin is made the very heart of ihe world.
 The whaling interest is much the most important we have in the Pacific. (of course excepting Cali iornia and its gold,l and this interest will be meal. cuably benefited by having shorter way across iae is;hWus. by which to ge; tiis w,aio oil into the Atlantic waters by this road, cotton, tobacco, sugar and provisions, can all be conveyed chespiy and expeditloasy that Memphis, and sll her sister cities in the great basa, will be brought as near to the eastern world and its commerce, as New York is now 10 the Mediterranean. We are here, gentle men, repeat. 10 sec what do for thls great work, aud to memoriaze Congress on the subject -'o attend to that is ours my duty is to preside over your deliberations, and invoke your kind as. sis'ance tn the discharge of duties entirely unac- eHs'omed to me. We ean and we must, succeed in our great undertaking and if we do succeed the prospects ahead for the wealth aud prosperity of our c,ountry and people. when these great works shall te completed, bewIlders the fancy and creates our imagination by their immensiiy.
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