New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-05-11
A National Road TO the Pacine.


The country is already awakened TO the i'm
portance and necessity of some National Inland
Route to California and Oregon, and this necessity
will doubtless claim the urgent attention OF the
approaching Congress. For IL is plain that some
thing must soon 10 done in order To secure TO the
people Of the Uuited States oil the benefits OF the
great riches of Cahoria. aud the rapidly Increas-
ing Commerce OF the Pacific.
An inland route would not only give 10 the
people of the United States control OF by far the
greater portion Of the immense wealth OF the Pa
ciRc coast but would AZ the same time open to
emisrants aud settlers the whole extent Of
coautry lying west, between the Mississippi
and the Ocean ny the construction OF great
National Railroad. or Plank Road. the Industry
and commerce Of the United States would be IL
creased in a greater degree than was the wealth
of Great Britain by the opening OF the East india
Trade. The lands through which II wosd pass
by the agency OF acme judicious financial system,
without any direct tax upon the pubic Treasury
might more than build road which would bTine san
Francisco nearer New-York than was Buffalo tbir-
" wears ago. It's construction would bring into
market and render valuable more than l00,00o.000
acres Of soil, now comparatively nnavailins ana
worthless. And more than all, it would be a
mighty chain, connecting together all the great In
terests of the Eat and the West, the North and
the South
This great Road must, from its magnitude be
n nstiona enterpnxe all parts OF the eoun
try must participate in the credit and IN the bene-
hts resulting trom It, As far as possible II should
not be built 10 favor portion OF the Union more
than another 1t must not be carried too lar
North, nor too far South, aud should be as nearly
central as possible. As tbs probable that but one
such work would be constructed for many years
to come, its starting point should be one where the
creates, number OF rival interests could be hsrnno-
nized, and where its benefits could be most uni
,ersslly felt.
A careful survey OF the map seems to indicate
the junctare o. the Mississippi aud Ohio Rivers
az the best geographical point from which such
nm enterprise should begin Already number OF
railroads are projected and in progress Of constrOc
tion. having this point as their common terminus,
Arsilrosd from Mobile to the mouth OF the Ohio
has been chartered. and several hundred thousand
dollar. subscribed toward its construction. The
,rest Southern Railroad from Charleston 70 the
mouth of the Ohio is already finished to Chatss
noors and will this season be extended to Nash
Vile. railroad charter was granted by the last
Virginia Legislature, authorizing the construction
Of a road through that State To Nashville, wh'cb
will there inteEseot the road going farther " est
while quite large portion Of the work Of the
Central Rsilrosa OF Illinois from the mouth Of the
Ohio TO Chicago upon the Lakes hiss already
been performed, and bat awaits some geners
,sovemen, to be fastened to completion. Thus II
will be seen that without any concert OF action,
several sections Of the Union have been moving ia
the construction OF great public works making the
moath of the Ohio a common center These va
r;ou. improvements, when completed viii pre-
.sn, MANY inducements for desiguatios this point
=. one from which to start the great Route,
10 the Pacific. Ifsueb policy prevail and some
central position like this, be selected the North
and the South could unite cordially In It's con'''"'
ton. So great an enterprise can only be seh's'eo
by the united energie. Of the whole country ana
whether this spot or some other be chosen Tor the
commencement the rivalry Of States and Clues