The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-12

portion oil THIS increase oil populaton IN the twenty hive
years that TO come, will, in all probability, establish
| their homes.
Il will form great base line OF connexion which, IN
tme will be nersee,ed N every direction by individual
enterprise and capital, resembling the railway web that
now stretches far and wide over The Atlantic States
Citizens in remote parts OF the republic will no longer be
aliens by of distance and natural obstacles sep
aralng and dividing Them, and which we now seek TO
overcome.
The laws of and association. like those which
give TO man, individual, the full play OF his sympa
hies, his attachments and moral powers, will bind
ciety together in all lis parts They will widen in their
effects from the fapilycircs to cities counties, and
States, and will be coex,ensye with The boundaries
which embrace the American family
They will unite and bind the whole together as one
great moral being whose purposes and energies will be
directed IN the noble cause OF progress and civilization
The object of Columbus in his exploration over the
then Western ocean was 10 seek direct route 10 India
On his last voyage he arrived at the slhmus. His
cessors went beyond it, reaching the Pacific and
Cofez, ever alive to the importance OF carrying out the
expansive commercial policy Of his nation. by seeking
Montezuma, and despatched 10 his sovereign, Charles
" chart OF that part OF the Mexican coast embracing
The river Coatzacoacos. the natural and political bound
ary between The present departments OF Vera Cruz and
labasco and watering thai region now known as the
sbmus OF Tehuanepec The sagaciy OF that great but
bloodhirsy conqueror saw the necessity OF an inter-
oceanic communication and that the interests OF Euro
pean trade, overcoming all obstacles, would in time open
passage from ocean to ocean And now, after the lapse
OF three hundred and thirty four years since he declared
this measure essential 10 trade, find railroad
nearly completed the sthmus Of Panama, whilst
the three great maritime powers lhe United States Eng
land and France, engaged IN an exploration in that
REGION as preliminary 10 contamination OF the project
OF shp-cana, which had been entertained at period
almost coeval with the discovery of our continent.
The trade OF India, centuries before the Christian era,
had attracted the attention OF the nations OF the eah and
in every age from the beginning traffic between the East
and the West, it impaired its enriching and ciyzng in
fuence TO those nations which enjoyed IT,
The ancients who dwelt the eastern shores of the
Mediterranean on the northern coast OF Africa, and
the Red sea, at the dawn OF social organization, showed
their appreciation OF the purpose for which Nature had pro-
vided her rivers and arms OF the and the ocean.
The earliest commercial intercourse commenced in the
Mediterranean and in the Arabian gulf, which laid open
the continents oil Europe ASIA and Africa The PhGni-
clans and Egyptians found 10 navigate those wa.
ters, and soon commercial spirit extended from the
West, reached the ndieshatland bearing its from
the supposed ndeniieness OF its extent, rich spices,
tropical commodities in pearls. diamonds, and silks and
all that add 10 the luxury and refinement Of the human
family The Ph9ncans, inhabitng small strip the
eastern shores OF the Mediterranean embracing the sites
OF Tyre and Sdon, have left record in the sacred Book
mentioned The merchants OF Tyre, princes, and
her ratckers, the honorable OF the earth" Their
trade extended from the Mediterranean to harbors the
extremity of the Red Arabian gull. where i,
debouches into the Arabian sea, and from thence
they worked their way until they reached the
shores of India From their harbors, near the present
straits OF Babelmande they also traded with the coast
of Africa Their commodities from the East brought
up the Arabian guilt and thence, by overland carriage,
transported 10 the nearest port on the Mediterranean,
from which, by water, they were taken TO Tyre and dis
tbued over the ancient world 1t is the province OF the
historian, and not the political economist. to trace the
expeditions and their results from the times of Darius
and Alexander, who reached the Indus, and back
such glowing accounts oil the riches and fertility Of the
East Yet i will not escape the notice OF the most casual
inquirer what importance the great Macedonian attached
10 the trade OF the East from the efforts he made 10 mo-
nopoze and wres 1t from the Tyreans After conquer
ing Egypt he established al one OF the mouths Of the
Nile, preferable site to that of the merchants of
Tyre, the city of Alexandria, which became the entrepo,
OF commerce with India Tor eighteen hundred years
he examined the course oi the Euphrates and Tigrs
directed the CdaraCtS that OOsTucteu
in order that the commodities OF the East might be car
ed through the Persian gulf and up those rivers for
distribution IN the interior OF his Aslatic domin-
ions, whilst portion OF the eastern trade would pass
through the Arabian gull as the other channel by which
it would reach Alexandria and thence find its way the
remainder Of the known world.
In the rise and fall OF Kingdoms, and until the decline
and tall OF the Roman empire the eastern trade had been
regarded as an uniailing source OF wealth and power
The extension OF Mohammedansm over western Asia
broke OF all direct commercial intercourse between Eu
rope and India and the commerce OF the East then
reached the shores OF the Mediterranean only by
OF caravans.
AT The close Of the fifteenth century Europe began 10
from the commercial eargy Of the middle ages
and, quickenng INTO life pY i5e interchange Of social
elements IN the wars OF tbt crusaders, a gradual and
progressive change the governments of the
continent and the spirit oil inquiry and exploration was
renewed Yet the smallest kingdom in Europe led the
way in that maritime which changed the relations
OF nations and began era civilization.
Al the dawn Of the fifteenth century, The Portuguese
mdly advenuring along the northwes,er shores Of Az
fca were driven out by a tempest TO a small island ad-
acent TO Madeirs and thence continuing their expora.
ons by holder enterprises they discovered that the Az
rcsn continent contracted towards the east The reign
ing monarch OF Portugal six years before Columbus left
Spain, despatched Daz further exploration, with
the object steadily in view Of discovering route 10 In.
dia The Portuguese navigator reached the high prom.
ontory which forms the southern boundary OF Africa
and there terminated bis voyage
The success OF the discoveries in the West BY the
Spaniads had electrified Euope and Emanuel who had
succeeded to the Crown Of Portugal eagerly pursued the
great purpose OF eecng passage by the Cape OF Good
Hope 10 the Indies which finally realized by the ex.
pedtion Of Vasco de Cana lie doubled the cspe reach
ed the city OF Melinda on the eastern coast of Africa
the equator in whose harbor be found vessels
ding from India and thence pursuing his arrived
al the Maabar coast the Indian peRr sula, where the
barbasm Of Africa disappeared and the active elements
Of commerce were In operation.
At this period the commercial prosperity OF Portugal
founded, and during century il reached the summit
of its grandeur From Maacca, which they had seized
midway between The western and eastern confines Of
ASA they opened trade the west with the merchants
of Maabar, Ceylon Coromande and Bengal, and on the
east wi China Japan, the Moluccas, the Indian Arch
pelago islands, and other portions Of the Asatic coht
nent
The Italian States Of Genoa and Venice had risen in
the middle ages 10 commercial wealth and power Their
maritime Importance bad been increased by the transit of
nlerchanges that took place Their trade extending 10
the shores OF the Black and the Persian gulf brought
back 10 western Europe the products OF the East
The Veneians, seeing al once the ruin OF their com
mercia prosperity by the new route sought an alliance
with the Soldan OF the Mamelakes who threatened the
King Of Portugal and the sovereign Pon with III death
OF all Christians IN his dominions unless the new route
was abandoned tie fitted out squadron in the Red
sea, and with the cooperation Of the Venetans attempt
~ M thp Hia unfp