The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-08-20
The Pacific Railroad.

A Washington correspondent of the New
York Freenan's Journal, under date of the
10Th instant, writes letter containing very
important information, and which he states
to be perfectly reliable. 1t relates to the in
structious which have been taken out by
General Gadsden, as to the rule of his con-
duet in settling the many questions that have
occurred to complicate our relations with
Mexico the right of way across Tehuante-
pee the Mexican boundary question, Indian
depredations on the frontier, DC.
rr,o ,r-.;te- axs.-aHaying obtained an authentic
ontIine of the instructions given to Gen. Gadsden.
find the method of solving all these questions, as well
promoting the railroad TO lie "uop'ed by
the Administration, TO be as foiio"s'
;en 1adsden is instructed to ask for and insist
the grant bv Mexico to the United States of free
rgbt of way for railroad along the Sind parallel of
afifnde The United States, i'll return, agree TO
lnouish all claim to Tehuantepec; to give Mexico a
certain sum indemnity FOR Indian depredatlons,
ann to share with Mexico the advantages and use of
the road This arrangement, it is hoped, will practi-
ce1ly annul the 18th article of the Guadalupe Hidago
treaty rendering the keeping up line of military
osrs along the Mexican border no longer necessary.
"Tb11s our Cabinet hopes to settle the conflicting
interests respecting Northern or southern route
the Northern terminus for the road that she diskes;
and ON the other hand, the anti-slavery find
Ort
tbrougb free territory. Mexico Cabinet hopes,
will tiud in the advantages her Northern states will
reap from this road, and in the prospect of speedy
grant of indemnity money for Indian depredatons,
motives powerful enough to induce her to accept the
proposals held out to her"
Some of the New York papers seem to
think the above information to be correct as
to the probable views of the Administration
on this important matter. 1t is thought that
this action of the Government points very
| distinctly at San Diego as the terminus for
| the great continental railroad.
| The connection of the Pacific railroad
| question with the present difficulties con-
corning the Messilla Valley, will appear
when it is remembered that the 32d parallel
would include the Valley, and bring the road
within it. The road would pass along the
northern slope of the Florida Mountains, to
Bulls Run, low depression of the chain,
which would present but few difficulties to
the engineer The route beyond is repre-
scented as extremely feasible through to San
Diego, on the Pacific, which is port within
! our own boundaries.
In order to full understanding on this
| subject let us first see through which por-
| tons of America the 32d parallel passes
Commencing at a point few miles south
Of San Diego ON the Pacific, it would pass
through Lower California, Sonora and Chi
huahua in Mexico, through Texas, Louisiana,
Mississippi and Alabama, to some point near
| Savannah, Georgia, on the Atlantic. The
line would cross the Rio Grande near Ell
Paso. Here our jurisdiction terminates.
The same parallel, continued due west from
Ell Paso, would be wholly within Mexican
territory, and terminate ON the Pacific, near
San Diego.
Now an airline road from Ell Paso to the
Pacific, due west, would be less than six hun
dred miles long, and entirely out of the terri
tories of the United States. OF course no
one imagines that such road could be con-
structed, and the fact is only stated to give an
idea OF the position Ofthings. From Ell Paso
the road-line would pass parallel to our own
boundaries for some 200 miles, and not 80
miles distant from it,-and during the remain
der OF the distance it would at no point be
over lao miles distant. But practically the
| distance to be run would be much greater
| from FL Paso to the Pacific, or San Diego,
| than we have named, as the road would ne
cessarily be exceedingly tortuous, and be
sometimes in the United States and some
times in Mexico. Of this, however, we can
not speak definitely in the absence of all
| Typographical information
1t Is supposed that it is between the two
points only which we have named Gel Paso
ana San Diegol, that the Government con-
template constructing the road, leaving each
ota.e 10 provide additional lines from El Paso
to the Mississippi
we do no. believe that the Government
entertains any such notion. II is not possible
that any Administration would expend fifty
or sixty millions in building perlaps 1000
miles ofrailroad through an enemy's country.
a right OF way, granted by Mexico, would be
OF little value, without the absolute jurisdic.