Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-03-03
The Pacific Railroad instead of a
War.


Frosn the National INTEL -enoet.
Young America has Of late been grow
ing restless. By infallibe signs it may be
seen that something must be done to relieve
the plethora of health under which this ma.
tion is laboring A slight skill nprognosi:
suffces 10 show that our national heart has
grown turbulent through excess Of prosper.
ity. and that its spasmodic beatings can be-
come measured aud we-ordered only by
doing some great work or deed. When a
mans muscles are quivering with unused
vigor he is restless, unhappy even, until be
gets into fight or sets himself 10 hard
work. If he be lazy, the fighting atefna-
tive is the most probable; but whether he
be lazy or industrious, the alternative OF
hard work is certainly more proiilable to
hmsefand others than any amount OF ian-
cy achievement. Now, Young America has
INDUCED without stunt strong appetite Tor
roast beef, until 1t can scarcely refrain from
purilism. or something equally absurd by
way of outlet To its excess of muscular Wig
or The policy Of restraint does not SUIT
him, nor can course of dietetIcs be enlor-
ced, for Young America has an appetite
which scorns rice or Cruel. The case Is
clear-something must be done, and some
thing great too, or this growing giant will
become outrageous, a thorny ueIghbor, aud
strongly bent on suicide. Its Peccant hui
mors must IN some way be worked off, or the
decalogue is in danger. No cave OF Poly.
phemus can entice this young blood into
dull aud stupid drowsiness but 1t demands
some wlde-awake action, the greater the bet
ter, and in doing this it will course on like
a mettesome steed who glorles IN the
ground he leaves behind
Verify, tie question is practical, though
somewhat humorous in aspect. whether we
shall fight or work Work is the best and
most original solution Of the case. War,
friend, what do we want OF war; Think
of it moment. What do we want ofwar
What does war mean IN this connexion -
Cuba, Canada, and carnage-a few thou
sands, including us perhaps enrlchlng GER
tain apocryphal fields with bone dust, while
certain other thousands, egless or armless,
stump the states few loyless wears, rs vu-
gar fractions of humanity. War, the de-
moralizer, the pain and pension founder, the
coarse form of game of grab between ma
tons, the treasury leech, the cold shoulders
er oil honest panstaklng labor, the marplot
of Philanthropic aud religious endeayor-
war is not worthy of us. We can do some
thing better than to repeat for the thous-
andth time play where all lose and none
truly galn-a hackneyed play, worn out by
countless rehearsals among all nations, es-
pecialIy the most barbarous a play admit
ting no new points; from the prologue to
the end, tragic and fall Of slaughter, aud
having but one moral, known from the first
which Is, play this tragedy 10 more
Thanks to our good fortune, Young A.
mcrlca can do a thing greater, nobler, more
original, and more effective than war Let
the treasure aud force of this nation be ex-
pended in bnilding that communication with
the Pacific which is best fitted to the wants
OF ten years hence be il where it WILL be
II long or steep, be 1t track through the |
deserts and mountain SHOWS, or be it phieg- |
matte canal across Panama or Tchuanie- |
pee. All this matters but little, for it must
IN any case be potent civlizer, great
highway for family affections between our
States and more than this, It's iron way
viii be conductor through which the cleo
trio vigor of our natoral muscle eau be dis
charged luto the far Pacific. Le, the mud
died brains of Europe have sole privilege
in mutual knocks; but let us do IN our own
way, thing sublmer than Austerlilz or
Waterloo. The energies and expenditures
OF single war, large enogh to be respec-
table as these things 90, would span our en-
tire domain with railroad anatomy in which ,
the blood of a mighty nations social aud
commercial life can course at will for all a
ges. Let the heart of Young America once /
tall ia love with this kind of achievement, /
and let It's resIstless muscles respond to that |
ardor, that a better time Will always be
coming, aud always be arriving too
while you and will have the legs aud arms
we were born with instead Of wooden /
drumstlcks. A iew years to US are as moth |
ing IA which TO wait the lulhmenl of " man- /
lfest destiny" while The honesty of waiting
I'LL the destined hour will be rewarded by
seli-respect aud a manifestation of still bet
ter destiny. That better destiny is, to be a
great and honorable nation, with a history
full of pacific achievement, with a calendar
OF heroes, whose works are immortal in a
ceaseess ministry 10 mans best needs
with energies, resources, and character
so far beyond question that war will SINK
forever below Us patronage. f. b. ii.