The republic., 1851-07-11


To every one his due.
VERMONT, July ], 1851. It. c.
From the London Morning Chronicle June Q.
We publish o-day in another column the last of
the series of letters with which Mr.. Asa Whitney.
of New York, has favored us on the subject of his
gigantic scheme of railway from Lake Michigan
to the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Our readers
may remember that this is not the first time that
MIR. Whitney's project has been brought under
their notice. We commented upon it in the early
part of the present year, and the more intimate
acquaintance with it, which have recently ac-
quired, entirely confirms the favorable opinion
which we then expressed. In cases Of this kind,
the first thing to be done is to obtain reason
able that the scheme is bona ide-that it
is not the offspring of mere enthusiasm conceit-
and that its author seriously intends to perform
that which he promises. Mr. Whtney's project
will bear the application of this test. II is not
bubble, and it is not mere flight of the imagina-
tion. Nor has it any thing in common with the
bold and bustling joint-stock enterprises which
rise and fall with much rapidity in America,
except the magnitude of the operations which it
involves, and the greatness of the objects which it
ia designed to accomplish.
MIR. Whitney's letter OF this morning is perhaps
places before us some of the most cogent reasons
in favor of his proposal which have hitherto been
given The style, too is not without its attractions
and significance. When bent upon the exposition
of his avorite subject, Mr.. Whitney writes in that
simple, quaint, and emphatic English which,
slightly tinged with modern Amcricanisms, still
prevails among some of the descendants of the New
England settlers 1t is scarcely surprising that he
should be disposed to take perhaps too comprehen-
sive view Of the scheme with which his name
will always be associated. Nothing, certainly, can
be more ingenious and interesting than the hypo-
thesis which he has developed in these letters,
with respect to what may be called the future
cial geography of the world. The descriptions
and the reasonngs are remarkable for their origi-
nalty, and for an extensive knowledge Of the
subject. We think, however, that his scheme
of railway to be constructed-virtually without
capital-for two thousand miles, from Lake Michi-
gan to the Pacific, ls defensible on grounds more
urgent, PRACTICAL and solid than those plausible
and splendid, but remote and probematical theo-
ries to which we have referred. Mr.. Whitney
maintains, for example, the opinion that com
pete junction of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
even were some convulsion of nature suddenly to
sweep away the Isthmus of Panama-would con-
fer no real benefits or facilities upon the existing
commerce either OF England or the United States.
He says, and we believe truly, that the sailing dis
tance from England to India or China is greater
VIA Panama than via the Cape of Good Hope and
all those portions of his letters which relate to
the measurement OF comparative distances upon
the globe, with reference to winds and currents,
are In the highest degree interesting and valu
able Yet 1t seems to US that this view does
not include by any means the whole of the
question. Generations must eapse before the
rising communities the shores of the Pacific,
north OF Mexico, will be in position to supply
more than a very small portion of their wants
by domestic production. Generations must, there
fore. eapse before the rapidly extending commerce
between this country and the United States on the
one hand, and the North Pacific on the other, can
attain its full deveopment; and il sufficient
ly plain that event could happen proptious to
that commerce as the removal of the barrier OF
Panama, which at present compels the navigator
to perform a circuit round South America, at great
peril and cost. Another consideration must also
be taken into account. Mr.. Whitney speaks ex-
cinsivey of sailing vessels; but the days of sailing
vessels bound on long voyages are probably num-
bered Every day seems to render it more and
more likely that, before long, the improvements
which taking place in the screw-propeller as
auxiliary power, will render the employment of
mere sailing ship. under certain circumstances,
altogether false speculation. With mercan-
tile marine no longer absolutely dependent on
winds and currents, and able, in all ordinary
ca.ses, to reckon with certainty upon high speed
it wsu be exceedingly difficult to say what changes
may not arise in particular departments of our
commerce.
But the merits OF Mr.. Whitueys scheme are in
ns way affected by these considerations 1t APP
pears to us to rest upon sound local basis which
.no remote revolutions in steam, machinery, nav
CATION disturb. Let us briefly state the outline
of his pian. He proposes to construct continuous
line of railway, about two thousand miles long,
from the western margin of Lake Michigan TO tho
shores of the Pacific ocean at one or two points
The fret eight hundred miles of this line have been
ascerained to consist OF land of the very first quail
ity, and the average quality of the soil along the
whole line is good. Mr.. Whitney asks the Gov
,ernment OF the United States 10 cede to him'a belt
of land sixty miles wide, along the entire length OF
the proposed line-whch would be about seventy
eight millions of acres. For this grant he engages
to pay ten cents acre, eight millions OF dol
lars and he also engages to construct the railway
and to people the country through which ii passes
realizing his own profit out OF the proceeds Of
the sale of the surplus lands on each side of the
road. And he finally proposes that the railway
shall then become national property, free from all
tolls, except what may be actually required to keep
il in repair The project, in fact, might be para
doxically and SS truly described as a scheme TO
make railway without capital, and to obtain a
profit from il without dividends. Yet there seems
TO be good to doubt the feasibility of either
part Of the plan. Mr.. Whitney is probably right
in supposing that if he had his act in his hand to-
morrow, he would be at able to sell the land
the first five miles of his line forsmore money
than would suffice for the completion of the first
fen miles OF road TO be constructed and in that
manner, by confining his operations TO sections OF
ten miles, he would obtain the needfu amount OF
capital as he went along. in short, the only real
advance of capital which would be required to start
the undertaking, supposing an act OF authorization
TO have passed through Congress, would be the
preliminary expenses of moving plant and estab-
lishment to the western side OF Lake Michigan.
IL is plain, from this outline, that the scheme is
advantageous and desirable, on.grounds perfectly
independent OF any theories or probabilities con
nectcd with revolutions in commercial geography
The very fret effect Of the completion of the pro-
posed line would be TO convert seventy eight mil
hons OF acres OF land from wilderness into cultivated
fields. This consideration alone seems to suh
cient to determine the whole question. In the
second place, the facilities afforded by the railroad
would attract population to part Of the American