The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-11

compensation carrying the United States mails It
establishes eastern terminus Ii gives preference
to State in the great Valley Of the pp-no
vantage any particular locality except that given by
nature herself and assigns the contract ample secur
y, to the best bidder after full fair competition
The means than adequate to secure the re-
suit and not dollar is to be paid from the national trea
sury except for service performed BY this bill the mail
will be carried daily both ways in less than week. from
Atlantic and Pacific borders for little more than il
now costs for semi monthly mail Occupying nearly four
weeks in the transit Without the road the lands are
vaueess but with it. the alternate sections will bring
millions OF dollars into the treasury whilst enerpris
ing and industrious population will SETTLE cultivate and
rapidly al up the country either side of the route
constitutional right to construct this great highway
through the territory of the United StatesS Could Ian
in the fourth article Of the S2nsttuton, for Congress
to dispose of, and make all needful rules and re-
gulations respecting the territory of tho United
article, "to establish post Offices and post roads''
saying nothing of those powers naturally flowing
out Of that instrument to carry out its great purposes
He proceeded to review the postal system the United
States from 1881 until the $780, when, the 4th
The power given respect the postal system resulted
IN the establishment of seventy-fye post Offices with
mail transportation Of 500 os1 The efficacy the new
and enlarged delegation of in the constitution ap
in the fact that in the ten years Immediately pre-
ceedng the beginning of the present century, little
the period in which the postal system had existed
the confederation the number post offices Union
at of mail transportation Of sl2s 644 The succeed
ing ten years increased to 300 post offices with 36 4os
t,SD
From that period it has been steadily advancing,
in 1882 there were e0l post Offices, 2l4 2s4 mile
Of post route at cost for mail transit Of s. 311
For the past year 1s5s) have % 1888 post offices
2lS 43 miles OF post route and 81 paid by the
people f Organizing ling charging @ and pesiesting this
body is designed TO be extended every part of
country, carrying intelligence from the centre the
cxtremtes of the republic. Is it not universally ad
mitted that intelligence is the vital principle Of popular
institutions the current Of life that is to sustain them
and renew in its regular flow, their health and power?
In connection with this vast department of the govern
ment, and its unmeasured usefulness Mr. Gwn argued
the necessity of the Pacific Railroad recited various
acts granting lands for railroad purposes to show that
Congress has the conceded to make the necessary
grants OF lands and the right of way proposed in this
bill He next argued at great length the constitutional
power of Congress upon the subject going back the
days of Jefferson, and adducing his authority, and the
authority of his democratic in regular order
in support of the various acts Of Congress resting upon
the power granted in the constitution to lay and
branch Of his subject Mr.. Gwin reviewed much our
political history connected with the extension Of
borders from the acquisition of Louisiana down to the
present day He next spoke of this great proposed work
as military road and said that as such, it should
gage our attention as rs means Of protection to our
citizens between the Mississippi and the Pacific. This
portion of the cenfederacy embraces nearly two
| millions of square miles more than threeffths Of
territorial extent The number of Indians within
limits is estimated by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs
in his last annual report at four hundred thousand of
which eighteen thousand six hundred located
the Mississippi in Minnesota and along the frontier of
the Western States to Texas comprising mostly the emil
grated tribes one hundred and ten thousand on the
plains and Rocky Mountains and not within any Of
organized Territories sxtythree thousand; In Texas
twenty nine thousand New Mexico forty five thousand;
Utah twelve thousand; Oregon and Washington TWEEN
tythree thousand and in California hundred thou
sand, The contemplated railway would enable the 60
vernment to WELD its military power with extraordinary
rapdy and economy and keep in check the dangerous
and warke tribes that roam along the foot Of the Roc
and Nevada Mountains; would reduce the public expen
dures for the transportation Of troops and military sup
plies diminish the number and cost Of Indian and other
to be apprehended when so far beyond the immediate
surveillance of authority, would result in speculation
not pecuation and corruption Not only is important
in keeping the Indians in check and preventing tragic
scenes like Gunnisons and Others and afordng that
protection which as government, we are bound to ex
| homes in this great interior region, but in case
! OF foreign war; the subject is presented to u
noaoubt or excuse for delay He also urged the Inn
porance Of the road for facilities of the national defence
cies which may involve in the impending general
European war For army, navy, and Notifications.
we had since the organization of the government
would do more for national defence than army,
| navy, and fortifcations otherwise combined The
elaborate commercial review in connection with this
grand continental railroad enterprise, discussing he
advanced the great principles of international law which
have protected our on the seas and the high
commanding position which now hold among the
mercal Powers of the earth He said that during the
of Napoleon England exerted all the powers Of her
empire to strike the formidable blows against that
system of the French emperor which shut her out from the
markets OF the Continent We have such enemy in the
field to intercept pathway to commercial greatness
and power Wewant the Pacific Railway great inland
communication essential to prosperity Individual
enterprise fostered by legislation has already
sructed more than fifteen thousand miles of railroad all
over the Atlantic coast and Miss: sppi valley at cost
of more than five hundred millions of dollars These
run in almost every imaginable direction radiatng from
every considerable point in the Unon and bending in
such diversified directions to make them susceptible of
junction with the great continental track eontemplst
ed in this bill at whatever point it may be commenced
The Importance and value of home trade is esmat
ed at $500 900 600 annually and its prospective
crease is beyond estimate The population Of the Union
is now twenty five millions 1t will be fifty millions in
quarter of century by the natural law of increase and
the steady flow of immigration. Within the limits of
Mississippi and the Pacific this bill becomes law the
greater portion of this increase population in the
twenty five that to will in all probability
establish their homes. 1t will form great base line Of
connection which, in time, will be nersected in every
direction by individual enterprise and capital resembling
the railway web that stretches far and wide
the Atlantic States Citizens in remote parts of the
republic will no longer be aliens by of dis
tance and natural obstacles separating and di-
viding them and which we now seek to overcome
The Senator from California with enthusiasm and very
minutely discussed the great object of Columbus of
direct Western route to the East Indies and in this
ton be traced the currents of the worlds from
the earliest ages the continents of Asia Africa
and Europe, and via the Mediterranean and the Cape of
Good Hope In this connection he necessarily embraced
the British East ndies and the vast commercial
mens of England in that quarter Of the world He said
shown by in discussing this subject during the
last session of Congressand its importance iusties
repeonshe has established no less than three over
land routes to India; from Southampton down the
English channel the Bay of Bscav the coast
OF Portugal and Spain to Gibraltar thence through the
Mediterranean along the northern coast of Africa
siers. Malta and Alexandria, Cairo and across the
Isthmus of Suez from which descending the Red
through its straits at the southern extremity the
lies the Indian TO Point de Gale in Ceylon
and from thence branching across the Bay Of Bengal
down the Straits of Maacca to Singapore up the Chi
sea 10 Hong Kong From the same point in Ceylon
there steam communications the western side Of
indotan and along the Mnabar TO Bombay whilst
the eastern side there is like communication to Mad
and Calcutta. There is then another route connect
| ing with this from London by the way OF Folkstone
Boulogne, Paris Marseiles, and Malta, to Alexandria
Then they have German overland route connecting with
the first by of Ebe Lepsic Dresden Vienna Trieste
and down the Adratic by the Ionan Islands to Asxan
dra There Is another and stll shorter route, which
has engaged attention. and is proposed being the
by which the troops Of Alexander the Great returned
from the Indies by the Persian Gulf and river Euphraes
to Bassorah at the head Of the Persian Gulf upon which
| the passage from Bombay TO the Mediterranean
/ be made in twelve days. She also proposes to
connect the British East India possessions by steam
! navigation from Ceylon SiDpapore O tf0e Ausra-