New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-12-20
SKETCHES OF LECTURES
ADDRESS OF TIE HON. THos. II. BENTON.


At an carly hour the doors were beseged by people
eager to obtain entrance, long before tie ii ne
appointed for the commencement Of the address the
vast bu ding completely cra,nmed. Il is not TOO
much TO estimate the audi, nee which assembled to
listen TO the Hon. THos. III. BENTON, at 900 per-
sons, whe we are cred5ly informed that quite as
many more were compelled TO return home una able to
get even Dear the doors OF tho auditorium.
The Committee Of The Mercantile Association In
hirirg the Academy, feared that the receipts would
not cover expenses, the cos, of the Academy alone
for the evening, being $500. But they were induced
to overcome their tmidity by Of the leading
fhareboders who generously gave 500 to the Asso-
ciation. How greatly the forebodings of the Com
mittee were disappointed, We have already shown.
The imneDse audience presented grand contrast
with the dim assemblsees that wore attracted within
the walls by Grisi and Mario.
Al 8 o'clock Mr.. Benton made bis appearance upon
the stage. he was wrapped in q capscioas cloak,
that lert sort Of dignity TO his pory form and good
natured face He appeared TO be in the enjoy bent
Of excellent health. His entrance greeted with
most enthusiastic cheering. Accompanying him
upon the stage were msny Of the prominent men Of
the City. among them Gen Scott, George Bancroft,
Chas. King, w. &. Bryant, Count N. Gurowssi,
Peter Cooper, John Van Buren,, John Wheeler, VIII
son G. Buot, A. c. Flagg. Robert Minturn, Judge
Roosevelt, Benjamin +. Butler, Mayor Westervet,
Mayor w GOD, Abraham Wakeman, the Rev. f. H.
Taylor, J. Roueyn Broadhead, H. c. Bowen, and
others TIE Chairman of the meeting, Mr.. ID. Rey.
nolds Budj, President of the Library Association
introduced the distinguished Senator TO the audience
who received him with loud and long. continued plau
dits Mr. Bentons subject was 4" Western Geography
Gard the Pacific Ocean RAILROAD" He said
Mir. PRESIDENT, AND GENTLEMEN oY the Asso-
CITATION, AND LADIES; j cone here, upon your kind
invitation to discourse upon subject entirely prac-
fcsl and with practical view, aud TO promote the
commencement OF great work OF national good,
and universal importance-the construction OF raul
road, by private means, to the Pacific Oceao-1nd
upos the line which deem most national and advan-
tagtous being that which corresponds with the can
ter Of the UIoD and with thu present course OF trav-
el which euiIrauts pursue. deem tbs great com
mercal City Ohe first in our Americi, 10 open the
East IDdia trade and whose railways point TO the
west, TO be of the suitable places from which t,
start the enterprise and only maze beEinnluS
now in hopes that Others more ma'eu a IN their ad,
viii take il up and carry it forward TIE nature OF
nv discourse will lead me 10 speak OF the physical
geography Of The country between missouri au1 Cti-
ioinii with view to show the prague ibily OF t1e
propoeed route for q road aud the adaptation OF the
country f. the setl which are Necessary 10 Or0-
tect IL from dep datoD aud to the cultivation when
gives the local support and employment winch Is ne
ctssary TO The support AMI prosperity OF rosn 'uo
poets betwee Missouri and California bet tween the
psraels 80 and 80 and their neighboring la.tudes,
will be my theme.
OF The Middle Route to the Pacific. His address
was. in some measure a repetition of former ones
upon the same subject, which we have printed, oa'
in this he more thoroughly surveyed the matter than
In any previous effort.
In conclusion he said:
q A.
great commercial metropolis here is an enterprise
worthy of your euercies-yOrthf OF your NoSsu 1nu
fnmeEworihy of the helping hani OF merchants sho
know how 70 combine the ch1,ae'et o, notr ySa
Statesman aod how TO agersudize their country Snno
en,;cbinc themselves That oriental cpmnvtce
which nations have sought Tor, aou ,oueu' III -
Thousands of years-Vhich was c1Fi'sd on 9NeI iu'
,oextepded by conveyances so $40" ah1 hnroi
"a nonnlations whch considered the mercnsht 'ler
Lawful prev up and down rivers sna acIoss sf'us99
ssss and through long and fnghtial de'eI's
which, III der all these disanvsn'ases aut a. go.
MADE Asatic and even some Atficsn cues lue 800
nf u,oahb a, mower and of the arts aud scieucss,
whie Western Europe was yet barn hiau-su. ny
brsncbes of which sfserward 1T up Venice auu
and made these cities m.'.h ioi IN ,,;rIa,
wives and daughters of their citizens tosir Tux
,',nt st,irel the admiration and envy oil queens aug
n,incesses All this commerce, ana Ia uooP1 o
broader stream than the ms;cstn srrsS All
.av ia within your resch! attainaoe by road a..
~. ~ -, "a vour own soil and under your
own laws-to Be flown over by vehIce Is ma -
nsrior 10 steamboat the boat Is 70 Tue sup " ~
hin 70 the camel Thanks TO the proSrrss VI vac
meebaric arts which sre going on cou'nu Wy "
vs,t into facilities what stood obstacles W ns'
ronmnnications TO the savage the sea was a1 80 -,
starie mechanical genius, in the insen,'on .. .so
~ mad II a facility. The firm iand was wa, t.o
h.Ss,isn wanted; the land became an ooslao'o "
tha cnlirhfened man Nov the lana oec'n.s ia
facility sean-the preferred course Oh Haasf -, IA
,~.rej- and with celebrity Of motion "olcu W., NV '
a. e;cb. az the carrier pigeon and puoc'e'9 =.
sriv.I which may serve for the solustmeoe VI
Cd xatehes To say nothing OF It's acco ~, I'm
= Tho magnetic telegraph-shich hsshes lh'S''snoO
,cross Continent aud delivers messages oo 'Holji
kingdoms in the ~irkhng OF an eyeLsuu Isgyino
20 yhich the hyipg car dsgenerates lazy Iass."s
aon;rg Johp.frot traveller. All this commerce.,
s,rsem SO much larger, with aones1o
- Gov ia traok and with conveyshces %
100 lies At your acceptance, what jew auu
,t1s fought for before there were onIsua.'
and hich Christians fought ior ~ sSon ~
,stedfous ht each other, and cSnoinea WIN 'he oi-
go IN destroy each other-ali thl' Is no" .. your
49, =. and by the benedcont process OF only
.t!nc road which will itself be prtNa,e io'tune
"a nubIc bene faction. GIVE tne iead VI yvul
n.mes. and Il ere viii be enougs 10 iouow -, -.
nsme' p ~ Nes-York Boston, haze only to
nv. sr.t and All the cities, inlsnd and @arHimen
~. .;rosd Fxpress and Telegraph Companles
Ill sas their interest in opening tue roso' ~n
nn,S Ia a prolongaton OF their own, ana 'ne in
s~a.,s and enhancement Of their own business az az
,,onsyty. The enterprise would be Urn W 'no
resources Of our business .ns vrnss favora
hls ground and under the most auspiciou, "a aJ
49, ro.d y "A built; and indispenssoe . won % s.
.ntsssous 10 us What sustains ana s''na. w;
s.srv Ranch of industry in our Anencs ~ III
fimsf California gold thai goia' 'ae s;n...i and
Of which is the LIES blood OF al IA ~ ths naraiy.
ons nonths failure Of which would " INV P''~'