The weekly Placer herald., 1854-06-03


lating influence was felt in the nerves OF
your whole industrial system.
We now come before you asking an
appropriation of your domain for the con-
sstruction of this new means OF inter-
communication, indispensable not only TO
consolidate US at home, but to guard
against the shock of foreign war, and
consequent danger of political dlsmem-
berment.
The utmost stretch ofyour interpositlon
will not exceed, under the bill before you,
forty millions of acres for line of two
thousand miles, that will unite the Mis-
sissippi with the Pacific. Its value does
not equal by one half our annual supply
of gold, and its concession will be more
than reimbursed by the enhanced value
impaired to the alternate residuum of
your land. The measure, Senators, Is
one demanding your serious considerations
For the maintainance of our claims
upon Mexico, we expended far more than
double the cost of the project before us
TO recover and retain any fraction ct
territory within this Confederacy, we
would exhaust the treasure Of the country,
and place posterity under tribute tor cen
tures TO come.
Rome, after the lapse of centuries from
her foundation, and in the peaceful reign
of the Antonines, claimed the proud dis
tnction that one hundred and twenty
millions acknowledged her laws--a degree
of population probably exceeding modern
Europe in the eighteenth century, and
supposed, by. an enlightened historian to
be "the most numerous society that has
ever been united under the same system
of government.' A people whose cities
were connected by public highways issuing
from the seat of empire, traversIng italy,
prevaGing provinces, and terminating only
with the frontiers, forming great cham
of communication from the wall of An
toninus to the capital, thence to Jerusa-
lem, and stretching in distance over tour
thousand Roman miles.
Senators: Our progress as a nation has
comparatively but begun; the immeaSur-
bic future lies before you. It is for Us to
do our part as patriots and legislators,
under the mandates of the Constitution,
to devise those means which will over
come geographical separation, and give
unity to every part of this ocean bound
Republic.
By the natural law of increase, aided
by swell Of immigration which the
shock of European war and the recon-
struction of nationalities will send to our
shores, the new century that approaches,
even though we are yet in the sprlngtlde
of national existence, will find in our
limits, now greater in territorial extent
than Imperial Rome, population equal
to what she possessed in the zenith OF her
glory, after the growth of thousand
years.
Let the measure under consideration be
consummated, aud an act, vital to the in
tegrity of our territory, and to the perpe-
tuitv of our undivided Union, will have
been accomplished; and then, as a united
people, WHO CAN PREDICT OUR FUTURE
DESTINY?
SIZE OF OUR GREAT LAKEs.-The latest
measurements of our fresh water seas are
these:
The greatest length of Lake Superior
is S35 miles; it's greatest breadth 16O
miles; mean depth 9SS feet; elevation
627 feet; area $1,000 square miles.
The greatest length of Lake Michigan
is sec miles; its greatest breadth los
miles; mean depth 500 feet; elevation 587
feet; area $4,000 square miles.
The greatest length Of Lake Huron is
200 miles, its greatest breadth is l6C
miles; mean depth 900 feet; elevation
274 feet; area 10000 square miles.
The greatest length of Lake Erie is
$50 miles; its greatest breadth is so miles;
its mean depth is S4 feet; elevation 555
feet; area 5000 miles.
The greatest length of Lake Ontario is
1870 miles; greatest breadth IS miles; its
mean depth is 600 feet; elevation 262 #;
area 5000 square miles.
The total length of all five is 1882
miles; covering an area altogether of up
ward of 10000 square miles.
DISPARITY OF AGE IN MARRIAGE. -
Mahomet's first wife, Kadyah was at
least 40, when he at the age of % married
her Shakspeare's Ann Hathaway, was
seven years his senior. DR.. Johnson's
wife was literally almost double his age
The wife of Lord Herbert of Cherbury,
six or seven years older than her lord.
Sir Thomas More's wife was also seven
years older than her husband. Howard,
the philanthropist, at the age Of 25, mar
ried first wife, who was then SO. Mrs.
Rowe, the authoress, was Is years older
than Mr.. Rowe. Rape, the German De
Stael, was about as much older. The
Cauntess D'Ossoi (Miss Fuller,) was
nearly ten years her husbands senior.
Jenny Lihd, too, is said to be eight or ten