Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-11-15

repeat, then-and hope the idea will not be forgot
tenthat this great question must De Kept odf o. me
hands Of po'ihccns and parties must be the ques-
tior Of the psopie--both Wings and Democfas' -
must have no party--no section-no man. II must
rise above them ALL and stand out, in the broad day
light, as the leading question Of the age.
Here lies the greatest diificuty-at the very out
set. Tho mere throwing up little dirt,-baiioing
bridges. and tunneling mountains, are small mat
ters Industry and enterprise win do all this. but
to keen this question Of the arena OF party con-
troversy, is far more difficult. u 1t should, unfor-
tunately, assume such an aspect, should almost
be prepared to give il up. One party might begin
the road fo-day, but another would stop il fo.mor-
Yosr iffor other reason, because fhe other rad
BEGUN IL! Mutual concessions and compromise will
raise this great project too high for party to reach
e. If we shall only employ them with the right spir-
it, Leave the great trunk Of the road to the people,
who have no other object to attain than the pros
s,erity or the whole country. and they will direct
results. My resolutions propose to leave it there
that all difficulties in regard to it may be hereaf-
ter settled,- -but combining the energies OF three
sections Of the Union In securing the common in
trrests which shall ensue.
fear, sir, that gentlemen here. have attached too
little importance to the proceedings of this Conven
ton. In my judgment, what we shall do, will here
after influence, in great degree, the welfare and
destiny Of this country. II we shall act as becomes
ourselves, and the occasion-and feel that we
will do so before we r:rt-we shall set ball IN
motion, that will gather strength as il revoives-
Oceans, through the heart OF the American Cont
nent, will be begun; not begun to be abandoned,
but to be ended. And when ended, how broad will
be the field Of American enterprisel If zee shall
not live to become reaperS in that field, our child
rem will be proud OF the work that their fathers have
done, and prouder still that they sprang from such
stock.
1--WE, who are the friends Of this road, shall sue
coed in clothing ourselves with panoply Of popu-
lar strength, and shall set the American mind and
the American genius at work, we shall, in a few
years, see the commerce Of the old world passing
through the midst Of US. One of the chief elements
British power will be transmitted from the shores
OF the .fast anchored isle'' to those of the new
world; and our country will rise up to height Of
prosperity which the most sanguine have not antic
ipated. A source Of wealth, hitherto not conceiv-
ed OF, will be secured to us; and its benecent in
1uences scattered every where over the land. Our
whole union, from sea to sea, will be bound togeth-
er by chain, whose links no power on earth can
break. We shall all find common home, through
out the whole extent of common country. We
shall be one kindred, one great family, known by
one name-that Of American citizens far proud
Or title than any monarch wears. Then fanaticisn
and faction will rear their head in vain. Public
opinion every whera-in the north, south, east, west
and centre--wil crush it as with an iron heel.
When all this shall have been accomplished, and
when you shall have erected q statue Of Columbus
on the heights Of the Sierra Nevada, then search
out the topmost peak of the Alleghenies, and erect
there another colossal statue of the Father of his
Country. When the discoverer Of the American
continents pointing towards Asia, shall say, s.fhere
II is's SO win that OF Washington respond, by rails
ing its eyes to heaven and uttering fervent pray
er. that the Union Of the American states ssmay be
perpetnal-now and foreSer-one and indirisible."
sThis figure of colossal statue to Columbus,
was used by Col. Benton in speech made to the
Convention two days before.