The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-10
From The London Morning Chronicle.
New American Minister.

From NE London Morning Chronicle.
New American Minister.
The American minister made his first speech ON
English ground, at the meeting of the governors of
the Scottish hospital last Friday; and we have sell
dom had to record an ambassadorial Grafton which
gave US more pleasure, which seemed more
genuine expression OF kindly feelings and manly
thoughts. The occasion itself was a happy one
and fruitful in suggestions. The assembling to.
gether, In common cause of benevoence Of the
oldest and the youngest races of those who speak
the English language-social intercourse between
the very antipodes OF social polity-the forgetful-
ness national distinctions for the sake of the wider
brotherhood Of humanity--these were the main
characteristics Of Fridays meeting and these were
the thoughts which crowded on Mr.. Lawrence's
mind. He felt,' he said, " in the midst of this
ancient Scottish society, that he was among his
brethren" And 30 we trust Americans will ever
feel when on British ground And not only Ameri-
cans; we would gladly see all nations, of every
and of every form of government, nourishing the
feeling OF universal brotherhood, by surer way
than the quackery Of arbitration the pratng folly
OF peace congresses-by the frequency of inter-
course consequent ON unrestricted COMMUNICATION
until the absurd theories Of physical necessity for
MORAL enmity shall be lost in the truths which
united interests and dised civilization teach in its
stead. The most interesting fact of which Mr..
Lawrence spoke, was the construction of railroad
across the lsthmus of Panama-an undertaking
now in progress. 1t is expected TO be finished in
about year and a half. This has long been de-
sideratum in the commercial world-as the dou-
ping OF Cape Horn in the passage from England to
the South seas is decidedly one of the most dam
gerous points in a navigator's course though the
risks are now much diminished by the increased
skill and experience Of our captains. The railroad
across the isthmus is plan that presents all the
advantages, and none of the disadvantages, of the
canal which was once projected. There can be no
danger arising here from the varying elevation of
the two oceans and iron rails are kept more easily
in order than sluices dams, and canal banks. II
seems wonderful now that it has been fairly begun,
arli rly ma ne
capabilities of steam and rails were discovered.
There are only about thirty miles of ground TO
overlay, and so vast are the benefits which will
crue in point of safety speed and convenience that
the railroad joining the two great oceans will be,
like many other applications of science almost the
creation of new The Egyptian canal be-
tween the Nile and the Red sea, the Egyptian tram
road between Myoshormos and Thebes and even
the great Roman roads over rocks and wastes
none of these will fill larger place in the worlds
history than this steam communication between
the Atlantic and Pacific. We join with Mr.. Law
renee in an earnest protest against any exclusive
ness in the use of SO magnificent a work. Things
DO grand, and OF so much Importance TO the world
at large, ought to be regarded, like the elements
which they control and the science which they ap
ply, as free to all alike It would be too petty for
mighty nation like America to seek a monopoly
of public highway of the world. Yet this would
only be consistent with the system of protection,
which would narrow human sympathies to one
spot of earth. Mr. Lawrence vouched for the frank
and liberal policy Of the United States in this mat
ter, and if Britain and America join in any resolve,
it must be larger counter combination than any
that mankind have yet seen which shall overthrow
it. The time has passed-for good and al-when
colony, going out, as did that hopeful Scottish
band under Paterson, for the purpose of settling in
unknown but fertile country, could excite such
trading jealousyin companies which grasped at all
the commerce and all the wealth of the world as to
cause their abandonment and their ruin The future
owes rctribution to the past The records written
on the bieached bones of the famshcd Scotchmen
left on the shores of Panama must be effaced by
the commercial prosperity and magnificent unver-
salty OF this new enterprise the benefits of which
are to be free TO all men.
IL will be great triumph of liberal policy, when
the British trader, the East India merchantmen,
and the Spanish galleon shall sail into the port to-
gether-together unload their ships, and together
transport their goods the land which the self
shness Of mercantile monopoly once closed against
colonizing efforts. We thank America, in the name
of common humanity, for thus digging the grave
of blind and suicidal system. Although this Pan
anna railway is unquestonably of more direct util-
ity than the attempted northwestern passage, we
do not agree with Sir Charles Napier in his cpthets
Of "absurd' and ridiculous" as applied to Sir
John Frankn's expedition. 1t may not be utili-
tartan undertakings may not grind bushel
more of corn, nor print an extra yard of cotton
but to decry every national effort that is not of known
practical use, Is to lay the to the root OF all
chivary, and all our enterprise and to degrade our
bravest heroes into petty hucksters that calculate
profits by the penny, and hesitate over roll of rib
bon as a dangerous investment. brave sailor, as
Sir Charles Napier undoubtedly is, ought never to
have uttered those words of cold and calculating
uttarianism. In the very spirit of enterprise there
lies virtue; and the more the youth Of nation are
exercised in gallant and unselfish daring-the
foster the spirit of chivalrous devotion 10 some
thing higher than mere temporal interests-the bet
ter, holder, truer, and grander will be hemanhood
nursed in such a school of heroism, and the higher
still will be the position of England among nations
In this view Sir Charles is wrong; for, a school
of heroism, Sir John Franklin's expedition has
its use; and at any rate it is not until he is safely
returned, his fate fully ascertaned, that it is be-
coming TO sneer at the perilous adventure which
the nation has commissioned him. The Panama
railway has a commercial grandeur unequaled-
but the expedition of Sir John Franklin appeals TO
the highest and most heroic virtues of man; and il
is worse than blunder of calculation 10 contemn
all that is of no immediate practical useas if gold
must be discarded because il is not iron, and as if
undertakings which have no money value TO be
scorned, however rich they may be in nobleness of
purpose and heroic constancy Of endurance