New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-12-07
COL. BENTON BEFORE THE MARY
LAND iNSTITU rs.

a large audience, to the number Of about twenty
FIVE hundred persons, attended at the Hall of tho
MARI land Institute. to l,teD 70 the lecture OF the
Hon. Thomas II. Benton on the Geography of the
country west Of Missouri TO California is adaptation
TO setl ment and the construction of railroad The
venerable statesman was received with marked ap-
pause though il is TO be regretted that all present
could not dist nelly bear him. lie gave full geo.
graphical description Of the country beginning with
Kansas its position its soft, its rivers and It's pro-
ductions. 1t is traveIsed throughout By beaurifu
streams reaching westward TO the Rocky Mountains.
That portion Of the country lying on and about the
mountsIs was most beautifully described by Mr.. b.
lie calls it in the summer season perfect labyrinth
of valleys with their cool water and sweet groves,
some wide, some narrow some bounded by perpen-
oicular walls of rocks like streets of city, others
by softly rounded hill' come STUDDED WITH small cir
cular mountains fertile on the top, diversified with
wood and prairie and refreshed with clear streams
ard beautihed with deep, hmpid miniature brooks.
He compared this mountain State to Sgltzer and,
hut said its valleys were and besuti-
ful-its mountains less rugged and more fertile-its
surface more Inhsbitable-its climate more mild aud
equally sslubrious, and more accessible by roads
He also spoke Of the geography of Utah Territory.
Out of this country he would form i've additional
States TO the Confederacy all of whi,h would be
equal 10 any other portion Of the country.
MIR Benton closed his lecture with the following
language, in reference 10 railroad TO the Pacific
through the country he so beautifully described
The ROAD will be made, and room, and by ndiyid-
ual enterprise The age is progressive and utiGtsri-
IL abOunds with taent seeking employment, and
with capital seeking Investment. The temptation is
irresistible to reach the golden California aud to con-
nest Europe and Asia through our America. TIE
country open 10 settlement and in yitng il and re-
ceiyiDg II. The world IS in motion, following the
track Of the sun 10 its dip ia the western Ocsan.
Westward the torrents of emigration direct their
course; and soon the country between Missouri and
California is TO show the most rapid expansion Of the
human race that the ages If man have ever beheld.
1t will al be settled up. Settlements sill promote
Al. Ia I'll.
Soon it win be line OF towns, cities, villages and
farms; and rich will be the man that may sone
quarter section It's track, and some squares in the
cities which ore to grow up upon l..
but the road beyond the Mississippi is only the
bali of the whole; the other half is this side aud
either in progress or completed. Behold your
tended iron way, departing from this city 10 reach
the Ohio-crosting II 10 JOIN the western trunk
through Cincinnati, Nincennes, ST Lous-lhere to
find the Pacific road in progress TO the western limit
of Missouri. Behold the lateral roads from Pennsyl.
vans, New. York New Eng land, all pointing to the
West, and convtrgpg to the same central track. And
behold NE diagonal centr rosG Of Virginia to traverse
the State from its south east to its north corner
already finished hey ond the Blue Ridge, and its I'D.
yaDced pioneers descending the Allegheny to arrive
at the mouth Of Big Sandy, IN the very a,tade of ST.
Louie San Francisco and Baltimore, and there to join
the same great Instrumental trunk And tue Blue
Ridge road Of South Carolina, bound upon the same
Destination; and the roads Of Georgia, pointing aud
adv anciI TO the north west What IL the destiny OF
al these Atlantic roads, thus pointing to the West and
conyergng upon the central track, the whole course
Of which lies through the center of our Union and
through the center of its population, wealth aud
power; and one end of which points TO Canton aud
Jeddo-the other TO LoIdOn and Paris. What will
those lateral roads become in addition 10 their orgi
nal destination They viii become parts of a sys-
TEN, bringing our Atlantic cities TO the Pacific
coast than they were TO the Blue Ridge IN the time Of
canals and turapikes And what them The great
loea OF Columbus will be realzed-tnOugh in a diff
fer ent and more beneficial form. Eastern Asia is
reached by going west, and by road of which we
hoo The key and the channel of Asistic commerce,
winch has been shifting its bed from the time of Solo
mon, and raising up cities and Kingdoms wherever il
went! perish where il left Misunderstanding its
ehal ne Tor the last time-to become fxei upon its
hesI OF our America-snd 10 revive along n. coursa
the res and Sidons the Balbecs, Palmyras and AeI
a.. once me sea. Of commerce and empire, and
the ruins OF which stil attest their former ,,ni6
cence, and excite the wonder OF the or;sn,si srax
eier' lbainmore American Dec g.