Washington telegraph., 1852-11-17

time is at hand when Arkansas must Law
hold of this great lever of power and pros
| perity.
In geographical point of view, Arkan.
! sas occupies central position in the Union;
midway between the northern lakes and
the southern gulf, directly on the route from
the densely populated States on the Allan
tic-from which constant tide of emigra-
ton is pouring into our newly required.
possessions on the Pacific Thousands of
miles separate these two extremities This
distance must be annihilated, or they can
not long remain integral portions Of the
same nation, Separate interests will spring
up, and the absence of intercourse will pro-
duce estrangement of feeling, dangerous in
its tendencies and perhaps disastrous in its
results.
To prevent and guard against this nation
al calamity, California must be drawn in
closer neighborhood with the older States,
by the construction of a Railroad from the
Mississippi river (which Railroads have al
ready reached from the east to the Pacific
coast. The safety of the Nation, as we'll as
the individual interests of the community,
demand the construction of this road, and
that speedily.
road should be built, it is equally important
that it's location should be made with an eve
to the same great object; so that as far as
possible the engendering of local preiudices
and sectional jealousies may be avoided
A starting point, then, should be selected
upon the Mississippi river, as little calcula-
ted as possible to engender these sectional
feelings and prejudices. That there exists
an unkind feeling between the northern
and southern States, cannot be denied to
allay and eradicate which, should be the
first desire Of every patriot. The location
Of this road may 60 far towards the accom-
plishment of this object, as we'll as insure
its construction If New Orleans is made
the starting point, as it is contended by
some it should be, aside from all local obsta-
cles and objections growing out of the unfit
ness Of things, it becomes at once south
ern road, arraying all the prejddices of the
north, and utterly precluding all efficient
aid from the General Government, So with
the contemplated road from St. Louis
This, as a starting point, is liable to obiec-
tons similar to those that exist against New
Orleans, in political Eoint of view. To
each of these points there exists, also insu.
perable objections Of q physical character
To reach New Orleans, you must penetrate
region subject to an epidemic scourge, and
encounter the malaria of the morass and de-
structive miasnla of the southern fens.-
While, on the other hand, to reach ST. Lou
is you must encounter the chilling blasts
and obstructing snow drifts OF the north.
Let point, then, be selected free from all
these objections both of political and
physical character. That point is Memphis,
in Tennessee, situate midway between the
contending cities-NeW Orleans in the south
and St. Louis in the north free from the
objections attaching to both neither north
nor south, but point at which the fair hair
ed sons of the north can meet their sun
burnt brothers of the south. and, seated side
by side, westward take their way. In ad.
dition to this, Memphis seems already to
have been selected, by general consent, as
the point on the Mississippi at which all the
Rail Roads, starting from the Atlantic
States. tending westward, both from the
north and south, converge When the
Middle and New England States start their
thousands westward, by means Of numerous
Rail Roads already completed, they reach
Cincinnati, thence to Louisville, and, upon
the cars of the Louisville, and, Memphis
road now in process of construction. will
be set down upon the banks Of the mighty
Mississippi, at point opposite the centre
Of our State. So with the southern travel
err, from Virginia, the Carolnas and Geor.
gia, by means. of the Charleston and Chat
tanooga roads, now being completed to
Memphis, the same point will be reached
Alabama and Mississippi are rapidly secur-
ing their connection with the same point
Is it probable that this vast system Of Rail
Roads is destined to stop here? 1 cannot
think so; unless, by the criminal neglect of
our most important interests and duties, we
fail to afford that aid and encouragement
necessary to insure it's extension westward,
over our own soil, to its ultimate destination,
on the Pacific.
1t cannot be disguised, however, that
whatever may be che objections both to St.
Louis and New Orleans. as crossing.points
on the Mississippi river, for the Great West
ern Rail Road. they are struggling for it
with that power and energy which is ever
prompted by spirit Of self-preservation,
and With that prospect of success, which re-
suits from judicious combination of wealth,
enterprise and energy.
The Decessity for this work being conced-
ed. it remains alone to provide the ways
and means for its construction. Il is we'll
settled principle, that, wherever profitable in
vestments are offered to the capitalists with
reasonable security for its safety, investments
will be made. To secure the construction,
then, of the California Rail Road, it is only