Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1853-10-13


are willing to embark in the enterprise. A
failure will result dsastrousy to them and
to them alone, and by the terms they pro-
pose cannot possibly devolve any loss upon
the government. / will venture TO hope
that you will yourself, at TO distant day, by
the exhibition of facts and arguments which
know 10 be within your reach, place the
feasibility of this project beyond q doubt;
and, when it is demonstrated that the work
can be achieved by private enterprise, the
last vestige Of an excuse for the interfer-
ence OF the government will be removed.
As to the advantages to be enjoyed by the
government, as a government. from such
contract as have briefly shadowed forth
and for which she is expected simply to
pay, and for which she has the unquestion-
able constitutional power TO pay-withcut
going into any minute statistics, a bare al
fusion 10 them will suggest some idea of
their magnitude. She is to have her Paci-
fic mails transported, which already cost her
about million and quarter annually, and
which, by the vast increase in the popula-
tion and trade of the Pacific seaboard, and
by the invaluable Oriental trade, secured by
this road and Pacific lines of steamers in
connection with it, will be immensely en-
hanced in their importance and revenues
She is to have her troops, provisions, and
munitions of war trans ported, the cost OF
which transportation evel in time Of peace
is enormous, and in time of war must be ef-
fected over q foreign, perhaps hostile terri
tory, or through hostile fleets, or over u
route either impractcahe or so difficult aud
tedious as to be unavailable for purposes of
defence. But it is perhaps upon this point,
sufficient to say,'as it is evidently true, that,
besides all the other indispensable aivan-
tages, the government would, upon the terms
to which the company is willing 10 accede,
be able in a few years to make clear Pc
cuniary profit of no inconsiderable amount
from her mails alone.
For ali these reasons I think it fair to
conclude as do, that the scheme for build
inc the Pacific Railroad presented by the
New York company is the best if not the
only practicable plan by which any Of those
now living may reasonably hope to see that
great work achieved
1t will be perceived that have treated
the subject simply as contract, in which
the Government as one party, has the pow
er to and may with advantage contract with
the other.
The probable effects of this great enter
prise upon the trade, politics, even religion
OF this country and world, is theme too
stupendous Tor this modest letter, or for nv
feeble pen 10 trace. There have been nota-
bic epochs in the past history OF the world,
in which events of great magnitude, appa-
rently independent Of each other, have vet
cOnspired to produce revolutions whose
consequences have endured through all
succeeding centuries. As for example,
something over three centuries ago, the in
vention Of printing, the discovery and set
tlement Of this continent and the rerorma-
tion in Germany. con>piring with other
events, produced a revolution in thought, in
religion, in social organization, in politics,
the consequences of which are only yet
partially known.
We seem TO live in an era perhars even
r,ore ,vCrTerf,l ,,,;U 80, 49,. II
the advances in ar, and science colempora-
aeous with and subsequent to our Amerl-
can Revolution, which set free human er-
erey, intellectual and physical, upon this
coniinent-the most magnificent theater for
his enterprise ever yet given to man.
But in onr own day, Just as California be.
came our own, we have seen the gold dis
covery, apparently one likely TO enrich few
adyenturers, yet like that similar discovery
which fastened the peoping of America,
occasion an empire to spring up upon the
Pacific seaboard like the place of Aladdin,
as 1t were in night. And just as we are
extending our hand to grasp the trade Of
Asia which has been the great prize
sought after by every commercial nation
since the beginning of history-a nation OF
hundreds of millions upon that distant
shore, who have slept for centuries through
the long hideous night of superstition, bar
barism and slavery, have aroused them.
sel7es and hurled from their temples their
false Gods, and from their throne. their
falSer tyrants-almOst literally fulfilling the
poetry of the ancient prophet who sang Of
a nation born in day-and they open their
arms TO receive our trade, our religion and
:. perhaps even our institutions. The star of