The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-05-22
COL. BENTON'S REPLY.

COL. BENTON'S REPLY.
CENTLEMEN--YO our very acceptable invitation has
been duly received, and will be complied with, but
not at this time. A long absence from home leaves
me no time to turn to the right or LETT stop day.
IN this voyage to the West, undertaken soelyto sec
small pioneer party set out to explore the route the
Pacific, which is recommended by Fremont and Le-
roux, and which the map shows to be the shortest
and most direct and most central between the United
States and the Pacific ocean. Your invitation comes
-as such one should do-from the citizens gene.
rally; from the body Of the community, without re-
gard to political distinctions. Happily, we have q
subject to occupy us which is Independent Of party
and above party and in which all citizens may unite
heart and hand, and work together cordially and
zeaously, to produce grand cOnsummati0n which
is to rebound to the benefit of every part of the
munity and to every section Of our country, and to
the whole Union, and even Europe and Asia, and to
the latest postcrity.
It is now thirtyfve years since have been at
work upon this subject-that of commercial commu
nication between the Mississippi-the mode of COM
municaton varied only to suit the progress ofevcnts
Communications on The sine Of the Missouri ana Co
lumbia rivers, when we owned nothing but Oregon
beyond the Rocky Mountains, and the steam car un-
known; now, when California is acquired, the steam
cars already run over more miles in the United
States (all made 10y States or Individually than would
make six different roads TO the Pacific ocean from
our frontier change the mode and the line, and go
for the car and San Francisco, and that upon the
route closest to the parallel Of thirty nine degrees
which the nature of the ground win admit OF.
caught the idea from Mr.. Jefferson, who, in his
message to Congress proposing the expedition Of
nicaton as the leading object and the one that gave
Congress constitutional jurisdiction of the case; and
the extension of geographical science the incident
to the pursuit of that main object That was before
on the Pacific ocean; now we have both Oregon and
California, and besides the commercial object have
another in the duty Of commune ating with the cit-
zens in these distant possessions and stretching
igament OF union frcm the Atlantic to the Pacific
When first wrote upon this subject it was a sub
Ject OF ridicule with great many; but that had no
effect upon me. 1t is my prerogative to disregard
unworthy opposition, and to vanquish 1t. / have
continued steadily at my work for above thirty years,
and now see success in view.
But bad something more than ridicule to encoun-
ter and that was the unwse action of the federal
government. In 1878 it made treaty Of joint
patton Of the Columbia with the British for ten years.
| was not then in the Senate but Denounced that
treaty as unjust and injurious as it would postpone
our settlement for ten years. and give the British
fOothOld which might require "a vigorous effort Of
of Joint occupation was indefinitely renewed. op
posed it to the uttermost in the Senate, but in va
The administration and the enemies to the growth of
tie West were too strong Tor me- In 1885, under the
administration of Mr.. Polk, this unfortunate treaty
was abroeated after it had nearly produced war be-
tween Great Rritain and the United States; and
had the satisfaction to give II the last lick in that
year, as ] had given it the first in lSls-twenty
clent years pcIOrc
In the year-ls24 began another work in Con-
gress, which was deemed chimerical-that Of road
to Santa Fe. Solitary and alone ! began to work
upon that road and daccomplishedt, having obtained
an appropriation Of 100000 for marking it out,
treating with the Indians for safe passage through
their country, and conciiating the good will Of the
New Mexican authorities in Santa Fe. Perseverance
and good cause crowned my efforts with success,
and J had never doubted OF eventual success ;
and the period seems now approaching for the
grand uumatiOU. The puhllc mind SOP In 40
etlectualy aroused up to it; and that all over our
Union, and in Europe also. The British minister,
Uord John Russell0 told our late minister, Mr.
Abbott Lawrence, Gas Mr.. Lawrence told me,) that
this enterprise, il accomplished, would have
greater influence upon human affairs than any event
since the discovery of the New World by Columbus,
in which opinion Mr.. Lawrence concurred, and told
me il would be Of his cherished objects for the
remainder of his life.
Having lately spoken fully on this subject at Kan.
sas, Wedport, and Independence, report Of which
you win see in the newspapers ! say no more until
we meet. Yours, truly, THOMAS II. BENTON.