The New York herald., 1851-08-19


ment, is well KNOWN and it is much to be regretted
the press of the United States should lend aid and
comfort" by circulating such ridiculous stories.
Your 0bedient servant, BEN. T. GREEN.
Hon. Thomas II. Benton ana the Pacific
The following letter was written by Hon. Thomas
II. Benton, to the Committee of the Board of Direc
tors of the Pacific railroad, at St. Louis, in reply to
an invitation to attend the first breaking Of the
ground for said road 1t was written from Wash
iDgton under date of July 30:-I did not receive
your invitation to be present at the commencement
Of your great work in time to it for the day
To attend could not, even if the time had been
longer as reasons connected with the state of Mrs.
Benton's health, and an occupation of my own, put
It out OF my power to return to ST. Louis before
September.
take great interest in the success of the road OF
which you make beginning. 1t is the central
route, and every national consideration requires it
to be made, and with the aid ofthe national govern
ment. st. Louis, San Francisco aad Washington
City are on line, and that line is through the
heart and centre of the Union and the eyes of the
federal government should be fixed upon it. Un-
happily, they seem to be fixed upon Southern
United States. send to the address of the Pre,i-
dent and Directors of your company dozen
copies Of document just printed, being a re-
port OF seven different responsiveness for Southern
I'll Paso route to San Francisco-beng the seven
explored within the last year, by many different
officers, and exclusive Of those previously made,
and also exclusive of the survey which the Mexican
boundary commission is to make on the Gila river,
q continuation of the FL Paso route-and of
which the ampusation Of Ell Paso from Ne v Mexico,
and giving it to Texas was also an auxiliary mea-
sure. This document should open the eyes of the
people of Missouri to the danger which the central
another, every national considera ton.
1t is true that "bifurcation" (Which, | believe,
signifies fork) of this Ell Paso route is intended to
be conducted to ST. Louis, which, if done, will be
n fa lost nm in -;
think of going to San Francisco by that route than
of coming to Washington City by way of East Flo
rida. The central route is the only national one
and the only obstacle is the Rocky Mountains, and
that is no obstacle at ALL the country rises gra-
dually and imperceptibly 1000 to 5000 feet before
their base is reached, and there are then many
passes between the head of the Del Norts and
South Pass-between 3S and AZ degrees-very prac.
tcable, and already marked out by the buffalo trails
In q speech which made on this route at the last
session of Congress, pointed out these animals
as the original and most unerring of Typographical
engineers, the first finders Of all good routes, and
the safest guides to all road makers; and gave in.
stances. l did not know then that the great Hum
bold had previously written the sa ne thing, and
in fact, given the same instance, but have since
seen that he did; and now add what he wrote, for
the sake OF convincing those who yield to authority
the conviction which they refuse to reason. He
says-"lt is worthy of remark that the American
buffalo has exerted an influence in the progress of
geography in tIackless mountainous regions. These
u
climate, in herds of several thousa d. to the south
Of the Arkansas river. In these migrations their
size and unwieldiness make it difficult for them to
pass over high mountains. When, therefore, a
well trodden buffalo path Is met with, it is advisa
BILE to follow it, as being sure to conduct to the
most convenient pass across the mountains. The
best routes through the Cumberland Mountains,
in the southwest part Of Virginia and Kentucky,
in the Rocky Mountains between the sources of the
Yellow Stone and the Platte, and between the
southern branch of the Columbia and the Rio Co
dorado Of California, were thus marked out before
hand by buffalo paths"
This is all true, and The mountain men can show
these roads and passes in as little time as horse
can travel to them. There are, therefore, plenty
OF good passes for the central routes and as for the
snow, 1t dry, and but little impedimeAt to loco
motives and besides where deepest in ravnesa and
gsrges, where the road is raised and the wind blows
off the dry II is thus th 1t the railroad from
Moscow to st. Petersburgh is made; raised road
and dry snow, which presents but little obstacle,
Guilty in finding practicable pass in the Rocky
Mountains about the lattudes 80 and 39-that is to
say, on the straight line between St. Louis and San
Francisco. have no doubt the whole road will be
eventually made, because / believe q great object
which concerns the welfare Of millions, will in the
end, succeed over all opposition. If not made by
the Federal government, it should be- it will be
made piecemeal, by compani,s and communities
Thus, you have begun 300 miles of it at one end the
people Of California propose beginning a. the other
end; and the Mormons propose to make il from the
great Salt Lake to the Sierra Nevada. sBut the
government should take the whole upon itself, CON-
pcnsating companies for what they have done, and
make II free road, save the repairs. The public
lands have long been considered proper fund for
making national roads; and now that they are
squandered by the hundred millions of acres in boun-
ties, which 20 to SPECTATORS the only way to save
them from spolation, and to make them available
for present and future public good Is TO apply them
in mass to this (and other) great national object
wish you success within your State; further than
that you do not go. The government should be
mon road from the frontiers Of Missouri to Califor
MIA, which would be summers work for an hun
dred men, under practical country road
maker, with some mountain men to show the
buffalo trails and passes The various pro-
jects for getting the public lands pressed
upon Congress by individuals and companies
to make q railway to the Pacific, are only schemes
ofspeculation to make land stock to be sold in
market. The honestest Of them "a Boston mpany)
openly propose to found n banking tablishment
upon theirs. If they get 1t. All Wnitney's projects
are TO him and his assigns" Strike out the
assigns CT put amendment into his bill, thai no
member OF Congress, nor any one related TO mem
Der within the Levitic degrees Of pro ,ibited mar
rages, shsll be an assignee, and his project would
never be heard of again A circulating land stock,
or a circulating jobbng stock is what they are
after and the prospect of sharing in hundred
millions of acres of public land plunder conciates
adhtfehts Tor projects as absurd as impudent, aud
which u would be criminal for Congress to grant
as was the lszoo fraud. But, courage. The right
prevails in the end, but not without persevering
exertion. Very respectfully, gentlemen, yeur
Oolged fellow citizen, Thomas III. BENTON
CULTURE or THE ORANGE IN FLoRIpA.-It is.
perhaps, too soon to speak with certainty as to the
recovery Of this valuable tree from the a,