Hannibal journal and western union. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1851-1852, 1851-11-13
Mr.. 0rockett's Address.
CONCLUDED.

l.
Iblage, who doubts the truth of my conclusions
he should embark upon the first steamboat, on q
voyage to the Eastern States, Let him 20
Through Che sterile hills of New England, and
see what exhaustless stores Of wealth are drawn
from their rugged sides; let him fly along the
New York and Erie Railroad, as it winds its
sinuous course around the tops of mountains, now
overhanging precipice, now stertohing up vail-
ley, now crossing river, now rattling through
village, and finally terminating on the shore of
the Atlantic, IN the besrt 81 thR eyeAt metropolis
OF the Union. Let him mark, as he skins along
et the rate Of thirty miles an hour, the new vii
lagos that are growing up, and the new farms
that are being opened; let him observe the varied
and novel articles of commerce that are being
Sported-lumber from the tops of mountains
stone from the quarries in their sides-herds
Of cattle, horses, and hogs-milk and cheese from
their dairies-turkeys and chickens from their
poultry yards; in short every thing that contrib
utes to the comfort or luxury of man-let him
observe these things with his own eyes, and NV
word for it, he will confess that, for the first
time, he has learnedto appreciate Justly the value
Of railroad enterprise. There are certain things
which TO be properly appreciated, must be ao-
tually seen with the eye. Language is in
competent to portray them in their true colors.
OF such are the Falls of Niagara, the Mammoth
Cave Of Kentucky, the vastness 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 pain
ter, 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 glowing de.
ScriptionS of them, and may listen to highly col
'ored pictures of their marvellous results, but be.
lieve me, my friends, II 10 actual observation a-
lone that can duly impress us with their vast
Importance We must see them In all their
minute details; must examine closely the power
full influences which they exert upon trade in ell
its manifestations; must actually follow after the
''iron horse," as he speeds along in. his swift
career before we can fully realize, in. its true
magnitude, the vast importance of railroad i'm
Iprovement heard the President Of your Com
pany remak in debate. at Jefferson City last VIM
ter, that the State of Missouri could not do a
wiser thing than to compel twenty thousand of
its inhabitants to make visit to the Eastern
States, and travel over their railroads. l was
forcibly 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 he made TO see in
their own persons, the practical workings of
railroads, to render them as enthusiastic adyo-
Gates of such enterprises as confess myself to
Ibe. I'll. ..i|l * -, ~ ,,.' Il y. - 8
But if railroads have wrought these marvellous
changes in New England and other sterile re-
igions, how magical must be their results in such
10 State as ours, where nature has spread out
broad and beautiful Savannahs, reared UP mules.
tic forests, concealed rich mineral treasures be-
meath the surface, and has crowned the whole
with temperate and salubrious climatep ,,a....
Thus far have spoken of railroads, as they
affect the physical condition of society its com-
merce, literature, and morals. have treated
of them, as they affect the interests of individual
citizens, and promote the general, good Of the
whole. But, in this country, there is a wider,
higher, nobier sense in which they deserveto to be
considered. There is political aspect, in which
they claim the. especial consideration of the
statesman and political economist. .''. a, a,
In the United States, we are in the midst OF q
grand experiment. we are testing, for the first
time, under auspicioas circumstances, mans ca
1pacitys for self-govefnment.z Disoarding the
dogmas Of European politicians, we have
struck out new path in the science of govern
ment. Under our federative system, and with
INut hiiinoheO SoIAtSSfyi epVIeclhN eVeTy variety
OF soil and climate, It was but natural to 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 manufacturers of the
North, and the farmers Of the West, would raj.
ly under the protection Of the sane National flag
without occasional jealousies and heartburnines
growing out OF supposed conflicts Of interests. o
Unfortunately, these anticipations have, "a
some extent, boen realized. We haye witnessed
in our national legislature angry disnates violnas
defamation, and even ill-timed threats to dissolve
the Union. We have seen schemes aVitated al
the North, tending to inAAme the jealousy Of
the Southj whilst at the South we have witnessed
q deliberate, concerted effort by certain politi.
clans, to dissolve the Union. Many eminent
statesmen Of both the great political parties Of
the country, with view to quiet this agitation
and restore peace and concord, have secured the
adoption OF q series Of measures, known as the
compromiSe measures. In my judgment, these
measures were dictated by profound wisdom anC
patriotism. Being in truth what they purport tC
be, founded upon e fair aHd reasonable c5hpro.
mise of conflicting opinions, they are not only
entitled to be respected as such, but as we valu,
the country and the integrity of the Union, it il
the duty of every patriot to insist upon a full
and faithful adherence to them. trust that il
all our approaching political contests, rigid ad
herence to, and faithful execution Of thes,
measures, will be deemed cardinal principle
=. with both the great political parties. But willis
these measures will, in great degree, quie
present agitation, il is the railroads to which WI
must look at last as affording guaranty of par
> amount tranquility. 1t is by railroads, that WI
are to hold the Union together in bonds of fra
tsrnal affection and reciprocal interests. Th
I.,u.o - ,ot Gov distaut uhen won will ne ahie d