Hannibal journal and western union. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1851-1852, 1851-11-13

tornia will be conveyed from the Ell Dorado of
the Pacific to st. Louis, the metropolis of the
West, in the short space Of Owe or six DAYS.
The time has already arrived when the cities of
the East are reaching out their iron arms to-
wards the West ana South, to grasp the rich
trade OF those productive regions. When these
railroads are completed, the different and most
remote sections Of the Union will be Brought in
to close juxta-position. The citizens of the
several States will thus become familiar with the
habits, customs; domestic institutions and pecu-
liar tastes of the citizens of other States. They
will quickly establish social and commercial re-
lations with each other, which willssaS oal5 Ssnd
together by the ties of common interest, but
which will efectually exterminate tho sectional
jealousies and untounded prejudices, which noES
unhappiy exist.
When the Massachusetts, abolitionist can reach
Hannibal or st. Louis in three days from Bos ON,
he will doubtless be tempted to pay us a visit,
that he may behold with his own eyes, the
working OF that system of domestic servitude, of
whose atrocities he has heard so much He will
come with his imagination filled with terrible
lpictures of fendish cruelty on the part of the
master, and unutterable anguish on the part of
the slave. When he arrives, he will be pro-
fOundly astonished to find, that shareholders, as
intelligent, accomplished gentlemen, and as hu-
name, and pious, christian men, will compare
fayorably with any other class of men, in any
portion Of the Union. He will perhaps be even
more astonished to find, that the slaves, them
selves, instead Of suffering the horrible cruelties
Of which he has heard so much, are in fact more
happy and contended,. better clothed and better
fed, than the laboring population of any other
country under heaven. Ii there be oany such
thing as a reasonable abolitionst and if our yisi
tor should hAppenoto be of the class, he would
return nome with the conviction that he had been
making himself extremely ridiculous, by his ram
pant fHnaticiEm on subject of which up to that
time, he was profoundly ignorant. BY means
OF this frequent intercourse, the mists Of preiu-
dice would be diSpelled, mutual esteem and con-
idence would be engendered; new and closer
relations Of friendship and Of business would be
established, sectional lines would be abolished
and the Union of these States, in my humble
judgment, would be made perpetual. With all
the different sections of the country united by
railroads, the Abolitionist of the North may rant
and rave his hearts content, and the Nuliitier
of the South may put on his most grandiloquent
airs, and buster till he is tired of it. The whis-
tile of the Steam Car would effectually drown the
rant of the one and the bluster of the other,
whilst it bore the stars and stripes in triumph
from Maine to Texas. 1t is my firm conviction,
therefore, that railroads, whilst they dispense
wealth and comfort throughout the land; whilst
they diffuse intelligence, encourage virtue, and
foster science, perform also the noble Office Of
binding these States together in perpetual bonds
of fraternal esteem and common interests,
In view, therefore, Of all these considerations,
which address themselves not less to your patri-
otism than to your individual interests, you have
g.
faStly in the great work which you have so no.
Ibly commenced.
We Of St. Louis have watched with profound
interest the progress Of your enterprise, and if
any one Of you has, ever cherished the suspicion
that we have looked with jealousy or even with
indifference upon its success, beg in the name
Iof the people Of st. Louis, to assure YOU that
Iyou have done them great injustice. We are
prosecuting, it is true, another but not rival
enterprise; on the contrary, the Pacific and Han
nibal and St. Joseph Railroads are twin sisters,
born of the same enlightened spirit of improve
ment, and owing their vitality chiefly to the same
act Of Legislative. benifcence. They lie entire
ly within the same State, and will confer their
blessings upon brethren of common family;
&, believing as we do, that our own highly favored
city is destinedfor ever to remain the commercial
emporium Of Missouri, we think that whatever
tends to increase the wealth, extend the commerce
or foster. the agriculture of any portion of the
State, will rebound to the advantage of st. Louis.
We are, therefore, promptedb by our own interest,
II by no higher or nober motive, to desire most
earnestly the success of this great enterprise.
| And my friends, it WiH succeed. Such en-
ergy and public spirit as you have exhibited in
connexion with this work, have never yet fail
ed to accomplish their designs, however difficult.
be of good cheer, therefore. The time is not
distant, when you will travel from Hannibal to
st. Joseph in eight hours--when you will practi-
4cally have realized the great benefits which
have feebly endeavored to depict-when Hanni-
bal and St. Joseph viii have grown to be large
cities, numbering their many thousands of in
Ihabiants-when wealth and population will
Ipour into your beautiful prairies, with rapid
Ity which the most SAngulne amongst you scarcely
dream ct-when these same prairies, now in 3
measure untenanted, save by the deer and the
wolf, will be redolent Of life, and vocal with the
song Of the husbandman-when the "iron horse, "
starting from St. Joseph for New York OF Bos-
ton, will pause at Hannibal in his swift career
to slake his thirst from the father of rivers. All
this you will witness, trust, a few years hence
and then you may rejoice with an honest pride
as you reflect that you were amongst the first
who aroused in Missouri a Just conception Of the
value CR such improvements; you may point,
with swelling heart, 10 the Hannibal and ST.
Joseph railroad as you oexolaim, "Behold the
fruits Ofymy sagacity and public spirit"
MID ANYDrpcornc cuMrcu