The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-10-05

preparing to leave the Eastern for the Western
shores Of the United States The ascessity for
transporting mails and military materials for the
convenience and protection of the American emf
grants made the United States Government feel
Immediately the want Of quick and rapid COM
munication between the Atlantic and the Pacific
shores of our immense territories. Accordingly
several schemes were suggested for the considera-
ton of the last Congress, and much discussion was
ELECTED to the comparative merits ofthe proposed
plans. Congress adjourned, nevertheless, without
doing any thing. The requirements Of the people,
and the demands of our rapidly increasing Califor-
MIA trade WILL however, hardly allow the first SEES
sion of the Thirty First Congress to close without
something being done for facilitating the COMMUNE
cation between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
AT the last session, the principal project that
Of railway from Chagres to Panama across the
Isthmus Of Daren. Propositions were made to the
United States Government to carry the mails,
troops, and naval and military stores across the
eisthmus for certain stipulated price. The pro-
position assumed the definite shape ola bill, which
was referred to special committee with Mr.. T.
Butler King as its chairman. The report of the
committee was faYorable; the prospects Of its pas
sage appeared bright and promising, when all at
once, the hopes Of its friends were overloaded
by petition from Mr.. p A. Hargous of the city of
New York. Mr. Hargsus stated in his petition to
Congress that there was a route far preferable to
the Panama route--that road across the Isthmus Of
Tehuantepec was not only easier of construction but
would shorten considerably the distance between
the California ports and the Gulf and Atlantic
ports of the Union.
The advocates for the Panama route were more
energetic and experienced than those who made the
Tehuantepec proposition. The former were shrewd
and active New York capitalists, who had gone TO
work intellgently, collected mass of information
which it was very convenient for Congressman to
have ready prepared for their hands, and thus their
plans were more regular and definite than those of
The men who favored the Mexican isthmus The Te-
huaniepsc petitioners, though more than ordinarily
enterprsing and intelligent, lacked acknowledge
of American men and American things which their
opponents had in perfection. Hence the Panama
proposition was nearly carried through Congress,
simply because it was the only one having the
shape and form Of business contract. Several of
The Southern members, however, struck with The
feasibility Of the Tehuantepec route, organized
formidable opposition to the Panama bill. The
New York capitalists, not disheaftened though
rlitte annoyed by the new aspect of affairs began
to lower their prices for the transportation both of
national and individual property and passengers
across the isthmus they soon fell down to one-half
of their original prices, and even then it was shown
their profits would be large if not ezhorbitant But
the confidence Of Congress in the Panama route
was shaken. Members began to see that an effort
had been made, in the first instance, to get immense
profits from the Government contract; and although
no definite proposition was made by the friends Of
the Tehuantepec route, it was determined that the
Panama bill should not pass into a law.
In the course Of the Senatorial discussion on the
bill for carrying the U, S, mails and passengers and
stores across the IHthmus of Panama, new scheme
was preached by Mr. Benton of Missouri This
was no lessR project than the building Of railway
from ST. Louis TO San Francisco But even Mr.
Benton, while diladng on this gigantic undertaking
with all the fondness he has ever shown for his own
pet ideas and avorits conceptions, never, for mo-
ment insinuated that the 1sthmus routes would in
the least interfere with the railroad from the Mis-
sissippi River to the Pacific On the contrary, he
advocated the Panama bill as q temporary expedi-
emit lie admitted that his road could not be built
in less than ten, fifteen, Or it might be, twenty
years. In the meantime, communication between
the two oceans would be necessary, and he was
disposed to prefer the Panama to the Tehuantepec
route. Our friends of the Memphis and San Fran
cisco railroad will, of course, occupy the same po.
sition as Mr., Benton in regard to the Isthmus COM
munication. The road across Panama or Tehuan-
tepec wlnot in the least interfere with either the ST.
Louis or the Memphis railroads. On the contrary,
either Of the Isthmus roads would materially hasten
the construction Of the long overland railway; for
the easier it is to get to California, the sooner
that country will be filed up, and the more press
ing will be the necessity for a railroad entirely
within the limits Of our own territory.
The only serious rival, then, to Tehuantepec is
Panama and all the natural causes are so much
more favorable to the former than to the latter that
only needs little skill and enterprise on the part
Of Southern men and Southern capitalists to induce
Congress to throw its influence in favor of the Te-
huantepec route. Not only can a road across TIE.
huantepsc be built sooner and at less expense than
across Panama-not only will it shorten by from
one thousand to fifteen hundred miles the trip to
Caliiornia-but such a road would be more exclu-
sively American than any other. In case of war,
we might, with our fleets, seal up the openings
from the Gulf Of Mexico into the Atlantic ocean.
and thus the eastern terminus Of the road would
be completely under our control. AT other times,
and on other occasions, we have spoken in detail
of the immense advantages of the Mexican over
the Granadian route. 1t now only remains for us
to urge on the citizens Of New Orleans and of the
Southwestern States generally, the necessity for
speedy and thorough organizationof public opin
ion on this vitality important matter. The Tehuan-
tepec men were taken bysuprise at the last session
of Congress; let them be careful lest they are
caught mapping at the next A little energy, little
organization and little foresight are all that is
necessary for the success of the Tehuantepec
enterprise.
~ Weave requested call the attention Of the public to
the sale OF Furniture Homes, Carriages and Man Servant
which J. A. Beam sells this day II clock on Robin St
between Constance and AnBunoatOn Streets Second Mani
cpay, for account Of gentleman giving up housekeeping
The slave will be sold at u O'Clock. For particulars see a