Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-12-23
NUMBER I.

NUMBER I.
"A the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is no
full Unto the place from whence the rivers hithe
1 they return again" 9f
/ Southerly winds from the Gulf Of Mexico waf
the clouds over the adjacent lands, where the mos
ture is deposited in dewdrops and rain. The earti
is clothed in uxuriant verdure rivers and tributary
streams flow through land of flowers, bearing with
the current, from the States of Florida, Alabama
Mississippi Louisiana, and Texas, articles of trade
essential to the peace, prosperity, and happiness Of
the human family.
In no part of the territory of the United States
do we find district Of country more regularly rri
gated by laws Of nature than that which gently
slopes to the shores of the Gulf Of Mexico.
| Above the point of navigation the miller may es-
tablish grist mills, the woodsman saw mills, the
manufacturer find water-power to work machinery.
In these beautiful reshwater streams and also in the
waters of the Gulf fisheries valuable and different
species OF turtle are taken for food
With few local exceptions, where diseases some
times introduced with foreign imports the climate Of the
Gulf States is considered lubrous. The cool preezes
from off the Of the Gulf blow against the
Of ripping brooks and over the surface of broad rivers
| breathing life to plants and the animal kingdom.
Thirty millions Of OF unimproved lands lie within
the States bordering the Gulf Of Mexico With the
exception of some parts Of Texas the country is prnc
paily wooded with pine and oak The lumber trade Of
the South is increasing in value Northern manufactured
sawmls pro6tably worked in the prmeval forests
Land cleared Of uxurant natural growth agrcuturists
may plant and reap sugar cotton tobacco and rice
These tropical productions cultivated within the
Union with less manual labor and with yield of much
greater profit than the writer found the articles Of
produced in the Valley Of the Amazon, where
the excessive heat and alternate rains prove barrier to
the tide of emigration.
Here at home the laboring finds more than tro-
pcal SOIL while the orange Of Florida is Of superior
quality to that Of the Amazon country and the banana
pineapple, grape, and figs are raised The grains Of
higher ATTITUDES also produced in the Gulf States
wheat OATS rye, barley buckwheat maize and potatoes
are articles of Importance for home consumption.
No where have we seen abundant crop lemons
than on trees in the neighborhood of Tallahassee and
practical experience proves that few flowers equal
and none more beautiful than the fair of Florida
They temperate with the advantage of tropical de-
velopment.
In the Gulf States the animal family is and
much congenia to the climate than domestic quad
rupeds the banks Of the Amazon Texas frstrate
grazing country mich cows horses and buaoes thrive
the prairie lands swine atten in the meadows and
the hill sides focks Of wool growers feed
Birds of the air, forest river and lake abundant
while the armyards Of the planter well supplied with
poultry Of every description.
The tar PITCH and turpentne trade is ogreater value
than that in gum elastic While the medicinal plants Of
the Amazon country plenty, also is the neces
sity for them.
Ten millions of acres Of land are under cultivation in
the Gulf States yielding food and clothing for poor and
distressed people living less hosptable climate and
on more niggardly soil.
Fifteen millions Of bushels Of potatoes annually
raised and with the required Of transportation the
export Of this single article Of food would be mmeasur
ably augmented
The number Of miles Of railroad in these States is
small. People calling attention of Government to
this subject The geographical situation Of the State Of
Texas appears to attract unusual interest We hear the
Of emigration dashing her northern borders
and flowing to rich and productive lands stretching far
west towards the Rocky Mountains.
Suppose the reader citizen of Austin CITY, the capital
of Texas practical business who seeks project
shortest route to the markets of distant lands By the
map Of the United States he the nearest distance to
the Atlantic will be point at the terminus of line
drawn due east through Baton Rouge in louisiana pass
Ing Mobile in Alabama and through Tallahassee to jack
sonve, the ST. Johns river, in Floridaa distance
Of thousand miles of country on which level road
may be constructed to carry freight and passengers in
sixty hours The passage from St. Johns river to New
York may be by steamer in ninety hours Six days
and six hours them would be the passage from Austin to
New York city
The Gulf Stream is favorable current from the coast
of Florida towards the shores Of Europe and ships may
make the voyage nearly from Jacksonville from
New York.
What gigantic Southern work this would bethe FIVE
Gulf States Of the Union linked together by chain Of
railroad ready to haul the Of China the trade Of
pan, and carry the Cafornians as they come through
Ell Pdso gap laden with the valuable productions Of the
soil west of the Rocky Mountains
When Christopher Columbus came within few days
sail Of the New World, his first voyage of discovery
the people became dissatisfied and showed disposition to
violate laws and principles for the better of all
Columbus increased the speed Of his ship by changing the
from west towards the south, and found
insignificant island Of the West Indies He wrote home
and said, E1 mundo POGO the world is small Would
he have said so had he half traversed the continents
1t is believed il Columbus had kept steadily on his
he would have discovered the coast Of Florida
The norhery drift Of the Gulf Stream strong enough
bring him the mouth Of St. Johns river. Being
in search Of the short route for the trade Of the East
dies attention is called to his track the
The agricultural and commercial advantages which
be developed by this projected railroad appear in
cacuaby great Florida possesses wealth. strength and
greatness equal to her part with hidden in
extent of country untouched by the woodmans
TALLAHASSEE, DEcsMBER A, 1854.
! WISCONSIN,