Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-02-22
Jos. SEcAR, Hampton, Va.
THE TEIU AN -EPEC AND PANAMA
RAIL ROAD
Nc.,
NJ. f. MAURY,

A Washington correspondent Of the Baltimore Sum-
writing on this interesting subject, says:
The Tehuantapec and Panama Railroad schemes alb
sorb every other interest in the political and COM
merGal world. say cODlnerC,ai and political, be-
cause have never before seen SO large mercantile
representation principally from New York, in the fed
eral city. Mr. Underwood drew some differences from
Mr.. Kings report on the Panama road, showing that
the estimates therein contained were drawn with the
same imagination which suggested the tales of the A
rabian Nights, and that if one-fourth nay onesix-
teenth one-thirty part Of it be realized, the
projectors Of it must become millionares capable OF
rivaling the Earrings, Coats or Rothschds. MIR. Web
ster thought that notwithstanding all this, the road
could not be built without government support and
that whalers would not use It, But the most re-
markable argument was made by MIR. Dayton, who
thought the demand for five millions excessively rea
sonable because the steamships obtain even higher
remuneration for carrying the mail Mr. Dayton
forgot that the compensation paid to the owners of
our mail steamers, is not paid them for the ndd ser
rice but in consequence of their being Obliged to build
the steamers for purposes, with the express IN
Outstanding that the government may at any time use
them for that purpose, on paying for them sum C.
dual to fair valuation of the ships at the time OF the
transfer from private hands into the Navy of the Uni
ted States. 1t is for this reason that the contracts
for those steamers taken away from the Post
Office Department and transferred to the Navy De-
partment, because these steamers are intended as a
legitimate increase of naval force, the carrying of
the mails being merely incidental.
Mr.. DAYTON, measuring the compensation which
is to be paid for carrying the T. s. Mail across the 18th
mus bv the compensation allowed to our mail stca-
mers, made very sad and unaccountable mistake
In one case the government is called upon to aid for.
een enterprise by compensation for mail ser
vice in the other this compensation Is merely nom
ina the end being really to build steamers tor
the use of our government The Panama Road, alter
20 years reverts to the government OF New Orenad-
and in time of war belongs to the power which has
the (larihean which fMGand)
while the mail steamers at all times may be drafted
ntl our Navy, and become the instruments OF NATIONAL
attack or defence. In case we build up an lnstru
ment of wealth and power for foreign countries IN
the other we increase and strengthen our own naval
establishments between the two cases there docs not
exist the slightest analogy.
know not what the fate Of the Panama bill may be
in the Senate-it may by hard work and "insnuatIon
be carried through but it will never pass the House
and should it pass the House, his own selfrespect
will compel the President to veto it, Mr.. Polk We
toed the internal improvement H. and it would be an
insult to his understanding to suppose that he Will
now sign bill approprating millions to an eatefna
improvement scheme.
1t is true we have guaranteed the neutrality Of the
Isthmus in consideration Of the right OF way granted
to our citizens. This right of way, however, some
thing very different from Messrs. Aspenwall, Ste
yens s. Chauncey's railway. A right OF way allows
our citizens to build plank road, and such road
may be built for 2 or S3OO,OO0, and answer all the
purposes Of commerce and transportation OF military
stores equally well. An appropriation Of forty thou
sand dollars year would be all that Is required TIL
an overland railway could be built across the Cont
nent.
Mr. Foote handed in the memorial of Mr.. liargous,
in favor Of the Tehuantepec route which was ordered
to be printed, merely becauee some Senators insisted
that there other scheme before them but that
of Tehuantepec That memorial shows the condition
of the Tehuanepec route to be much more favorable
hSto ntal than those OF the Panama en-
terprseand entitled to the profoundest consideration
TheLobby members who have been here forthe last
two or three weeks may well remain few weeks lon
ger and attend the Inauguration of General Taylor