Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1849-03-21

Mr.. Benton, in submitting his Railroad bill
accompanied it with an able speech, in which he
set forth the great Importance Of the work. w Z
give the concluding part Of his remarks:
"Thc road propose is necessary 10 us, and
now. We want it now. The state of our pos
sessions on the Pacific demands it. The time to
begin has arrived. All the necessary informa-
ton is on haui. The means are ready. The
title to Oregon is settled, and govern,ne mt
established there, and n population rs grow ing
up. California IS acquired people are there,
and government must follow. We have a
fleet on that coast--troops there, and going
Streams Of population concentrating there.
Since the discovery Of the New World by Co.
lumbus, there has not been such unse ttling
Of the foundation Of society. Not merely in
dividuais and companies, but communities and
nations are in commotion. all bound to the
setting sun--to the gi,ded horizon OF western
America. For want Of an American road. they
seek foreign routes. far round. by sea aud land.
to reach, by an immense circuit, what Is a part
their own land. Until we can get road
Of our own, we must use ana support a foreign
route; but that - n temporary resource. de-
manded by the exigency Of the lines, and un-
til we can get our own ready. Never did so
great an object present itself to the acceptance
Of u nation. We own the country from sea
TO sea--from the Atlantic to the Pacifc--and
upon n breadth equal to the length Of the Mis-
sissiopi--and embracing the whole temperate
hone Three thousand miles across, aud ha II
tu"t Ofc"a'" Is tuc WaxhiHceCt pardltelogram
Of our domain. We can run IA nationsl central
road, throughout and through. the whole dis
tsnce, under our flag aud under our laws
Military reasons require TO make IL: for
troops aud munitions must go there. Political
reasons require us TO make il: it will be a chain
Of union between the Atlantic and the Mis>s-
sippi States. Commercial reasons demand i
from US: aud here ] touch a boundI-sS field
dazzling and bewiidering the imagin alton from
ITS vss'ness aud Importance. The trade Of III.
fscihc Ocean, Of tho western coast Of North
America. and eastern Asia. will all take its
sr"ek, and not only for ourselves, but for pos
seuty. The trade Of India. which has been
sh'st'nG its channel from the fine Of the Phoe nj
cians 70 the present, is destined to shift once
more, and TO realize the grand idea Of Colnm.
bus. Tho American road TO India will also
become the European track to that region.
The European me reliant. NJ well as the Anne
Sican. will fly across our continent in q straight
line to China. The rich commerce Of Asia
will flow through our centre. And where has
that commerce ever flowed without carrying
wealth and dominion with III Look Ut its an
e'ent channels. and the cities which il raised
INTO kingdoms. and the populations which upon
~ treasures became splendid in scien ce learn
sn9 and the arts. Tyre, Sidon. Balbee. Pal.
myfa. Alexandra, among its ancient cmpor.
ums, attest the power Of this commerce 10 en-
rich. TO aggrandize, and to euiigh.en nation,
ConstantinoPie. IN the middle ages. and in the
time 81 the crusades. was the wonder Of west.
err Earope; and ell because she was then /.
shersaghfars Of Asiatic Commerce. Genoa and
Venice, mere eities, in latter time became the
from the mere divided streams Of this trade,