Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-09-25
LETTER FROM EX-SENATOR BENTON,
Representative elect from The First Congressional
District Of Missouri, 10 the People ofae State.

Inc htcrest leel, ought feel, IN the
establishment Of communications between the Mississippi
river and the Pacific the central line of St. Louis
and San Francisco and the danger which this line of
communication is in Of being sacrificed to the anita
gonis route Of Tehuanepec and that by the action of
our own Congress, induces to write you this letter.
with view to wake you up to Of this danger and
to show you the necessity of instant and great exerons
to avert it. had been sensible of this anagonism and
danger before sold of the Senate, and saw it
making progress while there but had idea of
the rate at which IT to in the next succeeding
year On my return here three weeks ago. and look
ing into this affair." land other matters which had
left upon the anv astounded at seeing the pro-
gress that this danger had made The mastery of the
foreign antagonist is complete in national coun-
ellis the ST. Louis and San Francisco route is suppressed
ed-become obsolete idea !" and will be buried for
long time unless speedily re-anmated under the ri
umph of its fortunate rival
have been endeavorng for years call your atten-
ton to this to show you that the
foreign Tehuantepec prosecuted in the United
States anagonistc to the inland American routehat
it gaining ground, the American losing groundthat
every Of foreign communication in the ascendant
land and oceanic, punderng the treasury of annual mil
louisville not cent could be obtained for making any
kind of road (horse, or wagon rally upon
territory to young sister State the Pacific or to
orphan Territories the Del Norte and the Column
bia and in the Great Basin All this have been endea-
vorng to show for years and several times of ate but
in vain. have had no Pou Stono place to stand upon
national positionno stand from which to speak the
nationsince was sold out of the Senate but retain
the local privilege of State address-he privilege of
speaking you-he traitors could not sell me out of
that: and in virtue Of that privilege write you
this public letter. to make known to you the apparent
Forthcoming of deporabe eyents-war with Mexico for
the Tehuantepec routesacrifce of the American road
Caforniathe segregation of that State and the three
Territories from the of the Unionand the opera
ton upon Congress of outdoor machinery to procure
unjust legislation by undue means
To justify this declaration beginning with the Tehuan-
tepec branch of it, what have say present is this
About four years ago foreign gentleman, Don Jose
Garay came to Washington-hs business TO make inter-
est and perhaps to conciate Legislative and diplomatic
aid in favor Of grant he had obtained from Mexico for
opening the Tehuantepec route to the Pacific and colo
MIXING the lands each side of it. Among others he
called upon me- showed his plans, and commended his
wished him all success in his enterprise but
fused to take any part in promoting it; not upon any
view Of the merits dement's of his grant, but upon the
principle that justice precedes generosity that justice
like charity begins at home and that we had home road
to provide for for connecting States with the Pacific
before we could think of foreign was at that
moment pressing for system Of roads from the Misss
sipp to the Pacific; and until that system should be
compshed could do nothing for roads through foreign
domnions except temporary aid to the Panama route,
already established and in daily use and ndspensaby
necessary to present actual communications with
California and Oregon. Upon that principle advocated
temporary aid to the Panama route, man would rent
house already built until he could build of his
This about my answer to Don Jose Garay and gave
without any regard to the merits of his grant, of which
knew nothing except as he told me but purely and
simply upon American feeling and policy in favor of
home road and because knew that the Tehuanepec
was with of its advocates antagonstic to
ours and connected with policy which would have left
California and the three Territories of the Union For
these reasons set my face firmly against American
being in itself meritorous enterprise which claimed
the attention of the great statesman only known fame
great warrior Herman Cortez in his first interview
with the Emperor Montezuma; route which he used in
Transporting the Pacific the materials and equipment
of the little feet with which he discovered and explored
the Sea Of Corte- Gulf Of California; and along
which was afterwards brought from the Philippine
Islands OF those which Scott took in the
fortress Of Ulna and which route fifty years ago,
was indicated by Humboldt as of the nine points at
which the communication between the two might be
established.
Don Jose Garay made progress with not with
others He seemed to have luck every where else He
got up American interest in favor of his grant by
sgnments TO American citizens and then it became
American question to be pressed by all American patriots
Congress and the newspapers took hold of it diplomacy
embraced Minister sent out specially charged TO
attend ii treaty for its benefit negotiated and
the rejection Of that treaty by the Mexican Congress
national quarrel is Matched between the two countries
and Report made by Senates Committee on Foreign
Affairs in favor of with Mexico she does not prompt
y agree to the grant Thus private contract Is made
national quarrel and Garay by assigning to American
citizens has brought the United States in conflict with
Mexico enforce this grant, after having failed to draw
the British Government upon her by previous similar
assignment for the same purpose to British subjects
And this in case in which the grant in part OF II
1.-THE road) is transferable all in the other (he
colonization part is only transferable Ito Foreigners
upon the aburaon Of their nationality and in which the
grant itself private contract TO be enforced broken
in the courts Of Mexico and by the armed nterven
ton Of foreign Powers.
II Is not my purpose in this unforeseen letter argue
this case My opposition to United States interference
in favor of this grant is independent Of its merits and
irrespective Of Mexican objections to it. and anterior TO
all knowledge Of such objections and should remain
equally opposed such interference IL the grant
impeached and IL undue had been used 10 OBJ
tain the completely Of the United States in its unjust
forcement But the grant does not stand but lies
under mass of nvalidatng and contaminating OBJ
jections which should repulse interference and is
believed be promoted by which the honor OF the
country independent of Justice Mexico requires to be
rebuked and exposed
cannot now argue this case; q time may for
that but must state IL, and for that purpose win have
recourse TO the latest official documents from each sde
which the progress of the question has brought to light
taking each in the order Of its production The first is
the Mexican view OF the case In the nature of appeal
to the sympathies Of the "FRHNDLY NATIONS THE
EARTH" entitled memorial setting forth The rights and
JUL hich The Government Of The United States Of
Heco has for recognizing The Doidiy Of The prirege
granted 10 Don Josf Gdray for opening OF
tion bctreen the Atlantic and Pacific oceans By the bimw Of
Tehaanpec the legality Of he transfcr Of the said priri
ig schicA the latter made s citizens Of the United States
Of North Amecan dated March L. 1852, and addressed
to the FRIENDLY NATIONS THE EARTH" In order to
show the injustice Of the charges brought against Mexico
in relation to that grant The is the United States
c.. L.. ~ -.r4t 49,