The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-08-11
we have opened q navigation between Phil.
adelphia and New York, ,lningling the waters
OF the Delaware with those OF the RariIan.-

uuelpDia anu NEW iHhiui"ShnS t"o ""se'o
OF the Delaware with those OF the RariInn.-
BY canals we have given access 10 two sew
eral ports on the Hudson to two different
coal fields in Pennsylvania. BY canals we
have also extended the navigation Of the
Hudson, through Lake Champlain and is
outlet, to the st. Lawrence uear Montreal.
We are just opening channel from the
Hudson to Cape Vincent, on Lake Ontario.
near its eastern termination, while We long
since have opened one from the same river
to central harbor Oh that lake at OsTego
A corresponding Improvement, made by the
Can dian authorities on the opposite shore,
prolongs our navigation from Lake Onrario
to Lake Erie. We have.n .nlso connected the
Hudson River with the eastern branch OF
the Susque hanna through the va ley Of the
Chenango, and again with its western lribu'
taries through The Senaca Lake. We arc also
uniting the Hudson with the Allegheny, a
tributary Of the Mississippi through the val
lev of the Genesee. One long trunk of ca.
nal receives the trade gathered by most OF
these tributary channels, while it directly
untes the Hudson with Lake Erie at Buffalo
The shores Of that great lake are the basis
Of a second part OF the same system. Ca.
mails connect the Allegheny, in the State OF
Pennsylvania, with Lake Erie at Erie; the
Ohio River, ut Portage and at Cincinnati,
with Lake Erie, ut Cleaveland and Toledo :
and again the Ohio River, in the State Of
Indiana, with Lake Erie, through the valley
Of The Wabash. Lake Superior, hitherto
secluded from even internal commerce, is
now being connected with the other great
lakes by The canal Of the Falls Of st. Mary |;
and, to complete The whole, the Illinois Ca.
nal unites the lakes and ull the extensive
system have described, with the Nlississip.
pi Thus, by substituting works purely mr.
tifical, we have not only dispensed with tho
navigation of the st. Lawrence. but have
also opened q complete circuit of inland
navigation and traffic between New'Orleans
on the Gulf. and New York, Philadelphia
and Baltimore on the Atlantic. The aggre-
gate length Of these canals is five thousand
miles, and that of the inland coasts thus
washed by natural and artificial channels
exceed, twenty thonsard miles,
Railroads constitute an auxiliary system
of improvements, at once more complex and
more comprehensive. BY railroads we have
connected, or are in the act Of connecting,
together all the principal seaports on the
Atlantic coast, and on tho coasts Of the
Gulf OF Mexico, namely Portland, Boston,
New.York, philadelphia, Bal imore, Nor
folk, Charlestown, Mobile, and New Orleans.
Again-railroads from each or most of these
ports proceeded inland through important
towns, to great depols on the ST. Lawrence,
The Lakes. the Ohio, and The Mississippi,
namely (; Quebec, Montreal, Ogdensburgh,
Oswego, Rochester, Buffalo, Erie, Cleaye.
land, Sandusky, Toledo, Monroe. Detroit,
Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Louisville,
st. LOUIS, Cairo, and Memphis. Again
there aie no tributaries which search out
agricultural and mineral productions and
fa5rics, accumulated ut less notable points (;
and 50 complete system is perfected. which
leaves no Inhabited region, unexplored,
while il has for its base the long line Of sea.
board. The aggregate length OF these rail.
roads il sixteen thousand miles, and tho TO-.
tai cost is six hundred millions OF dollars.
Immediately after the purchase OF Lonis.
lana, President Jefferson having conceived
the idea OF u national establishment on tho
Pacific coast, an exploration of the in nierven-
ing wastes Was made An American navi
galor about the same time visited the coast
itself, and thus laid the foundation of title
by discovery. A commercial settlement,
afterwards planted on the Columbia river
by the late John Jacob Astor, perished in
the war of 1912. Ten years ago, the great
thought of Pacific colonization revived, un'
der the influence OF the commercial activity
resulting from the successful progress Of the
system of thermal improvements. Oregon
was settled. Two years afterwards, its
boundaries were defined, and it was POLITICAL.
ly organized {; and now it constitutes two
prosperous Territories. -.
The social. military, and ecclesiastical
institutions Of Mexico, proved uniavorable
to an immediate success Of The Republican
system. Revolution became u chronic disease
there. Texas separated, and practically
became independent, although Mexico re-
fused to recognize her separating. After
some years, Texas was admit ed rs State
into our Federal Union. a war which en-.
sued, resulted not only in the relinquish-
menl of Mexican claims upon Texas, but in
the extension Of her coast frontier to the
Rio Grande, and also in the annexation OF
New Mexico aud Upper California to the
United States.
Thus, in sixty.fve years, after the peace
of Versailles, the United States advanced
from the Mississippi, and lied line
stretching Though eighteen degrees OF lati'
tude on the Pacific coast, overlooking the
Sandwich Islands and japan. and conlron''
ing China, 1.-THE Calhny for which Columbus
was in search when he encountered The be-
wildering vision of San Domingo.) The
new possesson was divided into two Terri
tories and tho State OF California. The
Simultaneous discovery OF native gold in the
sands and rocks OF that Slate resulted IN
the instantaneous establishment OF an active
commerce, not only with our Atlantic cities,
bu, also with The ports OF South America,
and with the maritime countries CT Europe,
with The Sandwich Islands, and even with
China. Thus the United States ceased to
be a mere Atlantic Nation, and assumed
the attitude of a great Confidential Power,
enjoying ocean navigation on either side, and
bearing equal and similar relations TO the
eastern and TO the western coast OF the old
world. The national connections between
the Atlantic and Pacific regions are yet
incomplete but the same spirit which has
brough, them into political union is ut work
still, and no matter what the Government
may do or may leave undone, the necessary
routes Of commerce, altogether within and
across our own domain, will 10 established.
The number Of States has increased
since the aggrandizement began, from
seventeen 10 ihiny-one the population from
FIVE millions 10 twenty -four millions; tho
tnnnase employed in commerce. from one
million 10 iour.and.a.half millions, and
the national revenue from ten millions 10
sixty millions OF dollars. Within that llme'
S,,;, b,a re,;,ed olioueiher from the Con-