Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-07-27

with Lake Erie, through the valley of the Wa
bash. 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, toNcomplete the whole,
the Illinois canal unites the lakes and all the
extensive system / have described with the
Mississippi Thus, by substituting works purely
artificial, we have not only dispensed with the
navigation of the st. Lawrence, but have also
opened complete circuit of inland navigation
and traffic between New Orleans, on the Gulf,
and New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, on
the Atlantic. The aggregate length of these
canals is five thousand miles, and that OF the
inland coasts thus washed by natural and arti-
fetal channels exceeds twenty thousand miles.
Railroads constitute an auxiliary system OF
improvements, at once more complex and more
comprehensive. BY railroads we have connect
ell or are in the act of connecting, together all the
principal seaports on the Atlantic coast and on
the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico, namely: Port
land, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore,
Norfolk, Charleston, Mobile, and New Orleans.
Aeain---railroads from each most OF these ports
proceed inland through important towns, to great
depots on the st. Lawrence, the Lakes, the Ohio,
and the Mississippi, namely: Quebec, Montreal,
Ogdensbnrgh, Oswego, Rochester, Buffalo, Erie,
Cleveland, Sandusky, Toledo, Monroe, Detroit,
Chicago, Pittsburgh Cincinnati, Louisville, st.
Louis, Cairo, and Memphis. Again-there are
tributaries which search out agricultural and
mineral productions and fabrics, accumulated ut
less notable points; and SO a complete system is
perfected, which leaves no inhabited region I'M
explored, while it has for its base the long line
of seaboard The aggregate length OF these rail-
roads is sixteen thousand miles, and the total
cost is six hundred millions Of dollars.
Immediately after the purchase of Louisiana,
President Jefferson having conceived the idea of
a national establishment OH the Pacific coast, an
exploration Of the intervening wastes was made.
An American navigator about the same time Wis
tied 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, persisted in the war of
1872 Ten years ago, the great thought of Pa
cifc colonization revived under the influences of
the commercial activity resulting from the sue
essfulprogress of thesystem OF Internal Improve
ments Oregon was settled. Two years after
wards its boundaries were defined, and it was
politically organized; and now 1t constitutes
two prosperous Territories.
The social, military, and ecclesiastical institu-
tons Of Mexico, proved unfavorable to an immc-
date success of the Republican system. Reyo-
luton became q chronic disease there. Texas
separated, and practically became independent,
although Mexico refused to recognise her sepa-
ration. After some years, Texas was admitted
rs a State into our Federal Union A war which
OF Mexican claims upon Texas but in the extern
sion Of her coast frontier to the Rio Grande, and
also in the annexation of New Mexico and Upper
California to the United States.
Thus, in sxty-fve years after the peace of
Versailles the United States advanced from the
Mississippi and occupieda line stretching through
eighteen degrees of latitude on the Pacific coast,
overlooking the Sandwich Islands and Japan, and
confronting China, 1.-THE Cathay for which Co
~, ,pha hn tba
bewildering vision of San Domingo.) The new
possession was divided into two Territories and
the State of California. The simultaneous dis
covery of native gold in the sands and rocks OF
that State resulted in the instantaneous estab-
lshment of an active commerce, not only with
our Atlantic cities, but also with the ports OF
South America and with the maritime countries
of Europe with the Sandwich Islands, and even
with China. Thus the United States ceased to
be a mere Atlantic Nation and assumed the atti-
tude Of great Continental Power, enjoying ocean
navigation on either side, and bearing equal and
similar relations to the eastern and TO the west
tern coast Of the Old World. The natural connec-
tons between the Atlantic and the Pacific regions
arc yet incomplete; but the same spirit which
has brought them into political union is at 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, viii be established.
The number of States has increased since this
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT began, from seventeen to thirty
one the population from FIVE millions to twenty
four millions the tonnage employed in commerce
from one million to four and a half Millions and
the National revenue from ten millions to sixty
millions of dollars. Within that period, Spain
has retired altogether from the Continent, and
two considerable islands. in the Antilles are all
that remain of the New World, which, hardly four
centuries ago. the generous and pious Genoese
navigator, under the patronage of Isabella, gave
to the Kingdoms of CASTLE and Leon. Great
Britain tenders us now the freedom of the fishe-
ries and Of the ST. Lawrence, on conditions OF
favor to the commerce of her Colonies, and even
deliberates on the policy of releasing them from
their allegiance. The influences oil the United
States on the American continent have resulted
already in the establishment of the Republican
system everywhere, except in Brazil, and even
there, in limiting Imperial power. In Europe,
they have awakened war of opinion, that, after
spreading dcsolation into the steppes Of Russia,
aud TO the base of the Carpathian Mountains,
has only been suppressed for time by combina-
ton Of the capital and OF the political forces OF
that continent. in Africa, those influences, aided
by the benevolent efforts Of our citizens, have
produced the establishment of a Republic, which,
beginning with the abolition of the traffic in
slaves, is going steadily ON towards the moral
regeneration of its savage races. In the Sand
wich Islands, those influences have already effect
ed, not only such regeneration of the natives,
bat also political organization, which is bring
ing that important commercial station directly
under our protection. Those influences have
opened the ports of Japan, and secured an inter-
course Of commerce and friendship with its ex-
traordinary people--numbering forty millions
thus overcoming policy of isolation which they
had practced for the period Of an hundred and
fifty years. The same influences have not only
procured for access to the five principal ports
of China, but have also generated revolution
there which promises to bring the three hundred
millions living within that vast empire into the
society of the western nations.
How magnificent is the scene which the rising
curtain discloses to MS here and how sublime