Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1851-11-20
NO.: 3S.

lumber from the tops Of the mountains
stone from the quarres in their sides herds
Of cattle, horses, and hogs-milii and cheese
from their dairies-turlicys and chickens
from their poultry yards; in short, every
thing that contributes to the comfort or lux
ury Of man-let him observe these things
with his own eyes, and my word for il, he
will confess that for the first time, lie has
learned to appreciate justly the value of ra-
tiona enterprise. There are certain things
which 10 be properly appreciated, must bo
actually seen with the eye. Language is
incompetent 10 portray them in their true
colors. OF such are the falls Of Niagara,
the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky, the vast
ness and sublimity of the ocean, the Alpine
heights of Switzerland and various other
objects in the natural world. The pen of
the poet, and the brush of the painter, are
utterly impotent TO convey to the mind any
just conception of these sublime works Of
nature. The same remark in some degree
is true Of railroads. We may read glow
ing descriptions Of them, and may listen TO
highly colorcd pictures of their marvellous
results, but believe me, my friends, it is ao-
tual observation alone that can duly impress
us with their vast importance. We must
see them in all their minute details; must
examine closely the powerful influence
which they exert upon trade i'll all its rani-
Font oo4,tnll,- f,ll,,,- ,ffo 4bo
Iron horse as he speeds along in his
swift career, before he can realize, in its
true magnitude, the vast importance Of the
rail road mov vemcnt. heard the President
of your Company remark in debate at JEFF
ferson City last winter, that the State of
Missouri could not do wiser thing than
to compel twenty thousand of its inhabi-
tants to make a visit TO the Eastern States,
and travel over their rail roads. was for
cibiy struck with the remark at the time;
but since then, have myself travelled over
these roads for the first time, and am now
completely satisfied, by my own experience,
that the remark was dictated by profound
wisdom. It needs only that the people
should be made to see in their own persons,
the practical workings of rail reads, to rem
der them as enthusiastic advocates of such
enterprises as confess myself to be.
But if railroads have wrought these mar
yc!ous changes in New England and other
sterile regions, how magical must be their
results in such State as ours, where ma
turc las spread out broad and beautiful sa-
vonrahs, reared up majestic forests, con-
ccaled rich mineral resources beneath the
surface, and has crowned the whole with
temperate and salubrious clilnate
Thus far have spoken of rail roads, a.
they affect the physical condition of society,
its commerce literature and morals. have
treated OF them, as they affect the interests
of individual citizens, and promote the gen.
raj good of the whole. But in his country,
there is wider, higher, nobler sense in
which they deserve to be considered. There
is political aspect, in which they claim the
especial consideration Of the statesman and
political economist.
In the United States, we are in the midst
Of a grand experiment; we are testing, for
the first time, under auspicious circumstan-
ceS mans capacity for self government
D.>cariing the dogmas of European po.iti-
clans, we have struck out new path in tho
science of government. Under our feder-
alive system, and with our immense terrific
ry, embracing every variety Of soil and cli-
mate, il was but natural 10 expect that there
would be diversified and apparently hostile
interests TO reconcile. 1t could scarcely
, have been anticipated that the cotton and
. sugar planters of the south, the manuIac-
= turcrs of the North, and the farmers OF the
; West, would rally under the protection of
) the same National flag, without occasional
| iealousies and heart burnings, growing out
: of supposed conflicts of interests.
Unfortunately, these anticipations have,
/ to some extent, been realized We have
= witnessed in our national legislature angry
: disputes, violent defamation, and even i'll
o timed threats 10 dissolve the Union. We
{ have seen schemes agitated at the North,
Il tending to influence the Jealousy Of the
o South; whilst at the South we have witness
|, ed a deliberate, concerted effort by certain
h politicians, to dissolve the Union. Many
n eminent statesmen OF both the great politi-
|, cal parties of the country, with view to
e quiet this agitation and restore peace and
: concord, have secured the adoption of Sc
v ries Of measures, known as the compromise
/ measures. In my judgment, these meas
of ures were dictated by profound wisdom and