, 1853-10-22
The Pacific Railroad.


A great National highway-the best that
human genius can devise and human labor
construct, connecting our Atlantic and Mis-,
sippl Valley States with Our new empire 50
rapidly expanding on the Pacifc-is among
the most urgent needs of our time. Pold.
cally, Socially, Commercially, its importance
cannot be over,esIimatcd. The annexation
of foreign territory is an exhausling, disper.
sing weakening, distracting process while
every great canal or railroad is new chord
Of union, binding the sections it connects 10
ties Of closer amity and truer brotherhood.
In peace or in war, in prosperity or adver.
sity, our most pressing National want is lhe
union Of the Pacific with the Atlantic BY
an overland railroad.
Such a work must necessarily encounter
local jealouses and deadly hostility. Tobe
completed within the lifetime of the present
generation, it must be powerfully aided BY
the National Government and it is not 10
be denied nor disguised that the great party
now ruling the country is, by its essential
genius as well as by its formal declarations,
naturally opposed 10 the National prosecu-
lion Of works of internal improvement
The pressure of local interest or Of unmis.
taxable public sentiment may constrain il
forego this opposition in a particular case;
but the spirit oGhostiity, however smother.
ed, will be sure 10 make itself felt The
leaders may acquiesce and the locally bene-
fitted may urge but the party as party
will oppose the railroad so far as it dare
That is an element in the calculation which
cannot be safely overlooked. WhosoeWH
arrays himself spontaneously and hearlilyn
the side of the railroad, will be marked BY
the Virginia Gracchi and Cincinnati as Of
dubious aud 6shy democratic orthodoxy.
In order 10 secure the prompt commence.
ment and vigorous prosecution of this great
work, it is essential that it be begun arghL
Already, parties of U. S. Engineers ns
surveying the diverse routes suggested and
this is as it should be. The next point Oh
viously is to procure from Congress an aver
ment that THE PAclFIc ROAD MUST AND
SHALL DE BUILT. 10 interpose at this stage
the question of routes, and insist that Tbs
shall first be settled, is TO betray reckless
selfshness or treacherous hostility to Tho
measure.
We are for the road first, and for the beA
route next. He who insists that the route
shall first be settled is supremely solieliou'
for the grinding of bis own particular aI,of
lying iuIgait for pretext for opposing lh'
measure. Whoever really desires The Con-
struction of the road, will insist that The
work shall be authorized and the money aP'
propriated first, and the road located alter
ward on such route as the reports ol thesA-
ginecrs shall indicate as the most eligible.
Our present impression is that the most
northerly roulo-by Lake Superior, The up
per Mississippi and the north branch ol t0e
Columbia to Puget's Sound-will prove Ine
best 1t is by far the shortest degree
of longitude being materially shorter on !nI
18th than on the 32d or the 40th parallel
of latitude--is is more nearly in direct Ine
from London and Amsterdam 10 Canton and
Japan-it gives hand to the st. LaWTeoes
and the noble system of railroads by wnN1
British America is so soon to be tayefSN
and It's western terminus is on the noblesi
Sound, studded with the most capacious and
admirable harbors on the globe. 1t IS sup
posed to be a more snowy route than lAa
by ST. Louis, the Plains and New Mexico
but we believe that will prove a mistake.
And against the chaDce Of its obstruelIony
snow for a month or two in winter Is
be weighed the consideration Of comparaut
immunity from damage by heat to the Ol''1
Perishable products which Europe an'
America will naturally draw in vast quaOn'
ties from the shores Of the Indian ocs2n,L
No other route between the East aDd We
West could compare with this Tor dilse.
ness, celebrity, and immunity from lEluiI'
by climate. Such is the strong conVlcuO1
of Asa Whitney, who has devoted n%'
time, thought, energy and money, 10 "'
Pacific railroad than any other man l.,
Bot we may be hboriug under mls'',.. s.,,.,
The 81 ans ar Middle tnutP NAV be Dt."