Hannibal journal and western union. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1851-1852, 1851-10-09
From the National Intcuigencer's London Cor
respondent.
LoNpox. September 4. 1851.

1t must be, obvious to the most superficial OBJ
server that two great principles are now at work
in the civilized world: that of progressoor i'm
Iprovement among the masses of the pcople-the
many; that of despotic rule among the governors
or would-be governors of those masses-the few.
These two principles are decidedly antagonisti-
cal to each other; they are now; and have long
been in silent conflict; they must soon come into
open contention. 1t cannot be doubted to
which side victory will ultimately incline; TO have
a single mistppst upon the question would be to
deny the power of truth, of justice, and of right
To suppose that the victory will be achieved
without long, an arduous, and it may beoterri-
bic and wide spread and, sang suinary contention,
would be encouraging hope almost againgt con-
viction,. The press, the platform, and the pull
pit, all declare the steady march Of the cause of
progress and improvement, the advance of the
mind of man in all the great and higher elements
of its being, and mans moral existence. In
arts, science, and literature, in commerce, in
correct religious preceptons?in improved moral
and social habits and in sound political knowl&
edge, this progress is almost universally admit
ted. Travellers observe it, philosophers ac-
count for it, the press and the pulpit proclaim it,
patriots, philaDthrophists, and the truly religious
OF every sect and name rejoice in it. To EMU
merate the steps which science and art have
l&rly dalen-for in the progress Of humanity a
h-tt century is a very brief space-would be to
.tr nscrbe the entire cyclopedia of knowledge,
for in what portion of the circle is not that pro-
gress strilSingly visible? Man has almost lite
rally subdued the earth; his steamships, his rail-
roads. and his telegraph have nearly annihilated
time and space One day tits gravely proposed
to unite the capital of the British Empire by an
iron band with Calcutta, iE order that the dis
tancc between the two places may be passed
over within a week; and, in the language of the
Times, ito enabele man to shave on a Monday
morningin the midst of London fog, with the
quicksilver in the thermometer nowhere. Or
the following Monday he may be langiidly strip
ping for cold bath in Calcutta, his limbs re.
Iaxed with heat, and with the quicksivel
where you will"
The next day our attention is called, ''not t.
the promise, but to the accomplishment of anoth
er task somewhat similar in character, which ha
been taken up, discussed, and abandoned owe
: and over again any time during the last two cen
: turies." We allude to the project for ioinin,
: the two great oceans Of the world by cuttin,
through the ISthmus of Panama. This was
t project Of the greatest importance to the Who'll
2 civilized Iyorld. II was no mere national con
9 cern. The element of locality could not ente
l into any calculation respecting it. Its compile
e tion concerned Canton mach as Liverpool
: New York as intimately as London, and yet un
/ til the last few months what had been done 70
= wards its completion? Rival schemes crude
= elaborated, and built more upon assumption tina
1 upon facts, more upon speculation than upo
: knowledge were, from time to time, submitte
+, to the public, each urging is superior facility
= completion, its overwhelming totality of adval
). tages; and yet nothing was done! "Who cOul
l. have supposed" says the journal from which W
$ quote, .'that the difficulty to be overcome re
e solved itself into pleasant steam trip through
= lovely country, which may be accomplished
# about twenty-four hours when the machiner
d shall have been set fully in motion? Sucl
i however, is the simple truth"
d The announcement of the absolute accomplish
n ment of the transit from ocean to ocean, by Il
l. way OF Lake Nicaragua, in about-thirty Fl,
hours, and between Sac Francisco and I4ondC
= in forty-three days, inclusive of four days d
N loy at New York and considerable delays on Il
G. Isthmus, has filled the commercial and the poll
is ica circles of England with much matter fl
at conversation and still more with food for prot
re table reflection. The Times concludes its pow
s, erful article upon the subject with the folowiI
$, observations:
,e "Fhis is Of course but first practical exp
er riment. The transit across the lsthmus is su
| ceptible of indefinite improvement. When v
ne rc'pombcr the "aal' objections that were Q
Ks ferel whenever the project for crossing d
III Isthmus by the way of Nicaragua was named,
ID is no unreasonable to suppose that the diliicu
er lies @ 1ther routes may also have taken live
a. color in he heated imaginations of the proje
p tors. The proved exaggeration in the one ca
r. makes anticipate possible exagerations
u others. But even admitting that on mature co
n ISiderafihn the youte bv way Of Lake Ncara0