Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-06-11


facilitate the marches of the egons any country
considered subdued been rendered in ats parts
perous TO the and authority the conqueror The ad
vantage ofreceying the iesncgence conveying
their orders with celebrity induced the Empero establish
throughout their extensive domnions the regular institution
OF posts Houses were everywhere erected thedsance
only OF five or six miles each of them constantly provided
with forty horses and by the help of these relays easy
70 travel hundred miles in day along the Roman
The the posts allowed To those who claimed by
imperial mandate but though originally intended for the
public service it sometimes INDUCED to the business
eonyeniency Of private citizens"
Such was the extent and solidy of the Roman roads
single line Of road above 900 Roman and equal to
$40 English miles and the 900 cities Of the empire ali
connected with roads of equal soidty besides The road
which propose is only half the length of chain OF
theirs. mention them for their magnifcence-their
grandeur-and as presenting example worthy OF our
imitation The road propose is necessary to us, and
now We want 1t now. The state of possessions on
the Pacific demands it, The time to begin has arrived.
ALI the necessary information is hand. The means
ready. The title to Oregon is settled and govern
ment established there, and population growing up
California is acquired people there and govern
ment must follow. We have feet that coast-troops
there and going. Streams of population concentrate
ing there Since the discovery of the New World by Co
umbus there has not been such unsetng OF the oun
dations of society Not merely individuals and compa-
MES, but communities and nations are in commoton, all
bound to the setting sunto the gded horizon OF Western
America. For want of American road, they seek
foreign routes round by sea and land reach by
immense circuit what is part Of their own land Until
get road of our own, must and support
that temporary resource, demand
ed by the exgency of the times and until get
ready Never did great object present itself to
the acceptance of nation. We the country from
to seafrom the Atlantic to the Pacifcand upon
breadth equal to the length of the Missssippand en-
bracng the whole temperate Three thousand miles
across and half that breadth, is the magnificent para
telegram of domain. We national central
road through and through the whole distance under
flag and under laws. Military require
make it for troops and munitions must go there. Poll
tcal reasons require us to make it, it will be chain of
union between the Atlantic and Pacific States CONNER
cal reasons demand it from and here touch bound
less field dazzling and bewdering the Imagination from
its vastness and Importance The trade of the Pacific
Ocean, of the western coast of North America and of
Eastern Asia, will all take its track; and not only for our
selves, but for posterty That trade of India which has
been shifting its channels from the time of the Phen
clans to the present is destined to shift more and
to realize the grand idea of Columbus The American
road to India will also become the European track that
region The European merchant, well the Ameri
cam VIII ny across our continent straight line to
China The rich commerce of Asia will flow through
centre And where has that commerce flowed with
out carrying wealth and dominion with it? Look at its
ancient channels and the cities which raised into king
doms and the populations which upon its be-
came respondent in science, learning and the arts. Tyre
Sidon Balbec Palmyra, Alexandria, among its ancient
emporums, attest the power of this commerce to enrich
to aggrandize and to enghten nations Constannople
in the middle ages and in the time of the crusades
the wonder OF Western Europe and all because she
then thoroughfare of Asatic commerce. Genoa and
Venice, mere cities, in later time became the match of
Kingdoms and the envy of kings, from the divided
streams of this trade of which they became the thorough
fare Lisbon had her great day. and Portugal her pre-
eminence during the little while that the discovery Of the
Cape Of Good Hope put her in communication with the
East Amsterdam the city of little territory rescued
from the and the Seven United Provinces equal
in extent Of lesser States became great in
IN letters in wealth. and in power and all upon the East
India trade. And London, what makes her the CONNER
cal mistress of the wordwhat makes island no larger
than Of first class Sates-the mistress of posses
sons in the four quarters of the gobea match for half
OF Europe-and dominant in Asia What makes all this
or contributes most to make it, but this same Asiatc
tradeY In instance has it failed carry the nation
or the people which possessed it, the highest pinnacle
of wealth and power and with it the highest atainmens
of letters, arts and sciences And win it continue
be- An American road to India, through the heart Of
our country will revive upon its line all the vendors Of
which we have read-and eclipse them The western
wilderness, from the Pacific the Mississippi will start
into life under its touch long line of cities will grow
up. Existing cities will take The state Of
the world calls for road to India and it is
tiny to give 1.-THE last and greatest Let up the
greatness Of the OCCASION aud show ourselves worthy
the extraordinary circumstances in which placed
| by securing while American road to India
central and nationa-for ourselves and poserity-
now, and hereafter, for thousands Of years to