Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-01-22
EVENING STAR
LOCAL INTELLIGENC

day evening.
Mr.. Benton commenced by saying
rs accepted the invitation with pleasu re,
n, the object of the Association was a Iaud-
ssls one, and the subject he should speqk on
Sas Of great interest not only to him, but to
the public.
Great ideas may be dropped, and then long
Law dormant A Virginia clergyman, one
hundred years ago, mentioned the great good
the country would receive from a oommunica-
rs. be,.sen the Atlantic and Pacific. JEFF
tsrson was els pupil q. the ttus-he caught
the idea, and when at the head of the Govern
usnt, sent Lewis and Clark to explore tho
hitherto unknown western country. Wash
ipg;on wa. IMPRESSED with the necessity Of
connecting James River with the Ohio. ami
LEFT no means untricd 10 effect it. Steam now
brings rs neare. the pasifc tan he ives to the
Ohio.
The time was when the discovery of route
for trade by sea did much for the world; but
times have changed; the steam car has effected
. revolution in these things, and water is an
obstacle to trade, while the land, no lorger q
barrier, presents the greatest facilities for
swift and safe travel
The steam car has effected great changes-it
Will cause greater. Our coantry is covered
with a net work OF rails frori Maine to Gsot.
gis. One can leave Bangor, and on the
straight line, without loss Of time from much
change of conveyance, reach Cincinnati, then
90 to st. Louis, and then nearly to the con-
fines OF Missouri by cars. Thus, the tray sler
can dip his feet In the Atlantic on the coast of
Maine, and in q short time lave them in the
Mississippi.
On the other side Of the mountains road
will sooI be done leading to the Pacific ocean,
leaving only gap to be filed between the
end Of the eastern road and the beginning of
the wsstern--s gap Of about 800 miles, 900
over q smooth prairie slightly incline but
otherwise so level that Mr. Fremont, vbsn he
stood in the mountain pass, could have seen
his starting point in Missouri-had his eve
sight been efficient. This gap is all in the
United States territory. To fll this is all that
Is wanted to cOnplete the already alf- finished
railroad.
The country over which it should pass ia
ready for immediate settlement There are no
forests to feli-the land is awaiting the pillow
aud the seed. 1t is large enough to make five
States, and no country is better fitted for the
grade Of a road. 1t could be made, and the
cars started, for SIS 900 a mile.
Not only would the commerce Of our own
country at each end, aud along the road, flow
over it, but il would change the course of m e
Aiatic c0mmere, and thus change the face of
the world.
To possess this trade, is to become the most
civilized, the most opulent, and therefore the
most powerful Of all nations. Tyre was great
because oft; she was destroyed by the Bsbylo-
mans, but her great resources soon rebuilt her
IN all her former magniGcence But when
the great statesman as we'll as warrior, Alex
snder the Great, conquered that city, 10 built
another opposite her, gave it his name, and
fnrnah 10 frada nf :. IT.
stands 70 the present day, while Tyre has be-
come "a place for fishermen to dry their
nets
Palmyra, IN the midst Of the deserts. because
she was IL the route of that trade. became
world renowned, and when the trade was di-
Eefted from that route, she was soon lest IL
ebscuTity. The leaders Of the Crusade had
an eye to that trade, and they brought il 10
the Black Sea. Venice grew oct of that trade,
and the merchant princes Of Gaia, founded by
the Genoece on the Crimea, received their
enormous profits from that trade, even after
the great cost Of the Incredible length and
mesns Of transit had been paid
But the discovery Of the route round the
cape OF Good Hope, diverted the trafe from
these channels, changed the route from land
to water, and we see the result. The nations
through which ii formerly passed. once 40
great, are now sunk in Obscurity, and the ma
uons possessing tive see their prosperitv.
AS an example Of the value set upon this trade
oy France and Erglsnd see the expedition az
the great stateemsn Bonaparte 10 Egypt: he
mad DO other iEducement to visit those burn.
ing sands than 70 cut OF from England, and
secure to France, he East Indian trade And
the English, who were % much safer when
the French we're at Egypt than at BouIogne
followed them and drove them home; The
bloody battles Of the Pyramids were Tough. to
secure that trade; the end was gained by the
English, and theiy lsbcrs are amply ronaid
But it is time TO sgain change the r6ute q.
the trade to the laad, and throug our land IL j.
destined to pass. 1be finishing Of the Pacific
railroad will bring it through our territories
and The great revenues derived from II by the
merchants Of the East will then Cow into eur
land WI
Beyond our western boundaries. rolls the
calm Pacific; on this ocean we are the sole
maritime power; our steamers could DIV those
waters without molesiation, and rour the
ccmnec &c Of the East through the heart Of
cur country without half the danger thew en-
counter by ne passage Of the Horn either by
tempest or she interference Ct foreign powers
This causes Us 10 look rather to the We; han
the East for cur future trade
Inc requirement Of great commerce on the
ocean is immense fleets to protect il In time
OF war unless that feet is larger than that of
any other nation il is not only an iucurp.
oIahee, but source Of danger to her Look
a. tne enormous fleets Of Russia, they are use-
Tess 10 her, and require strong fo.fifcations
ano lAr ge armies u prevent them hsire turn
e0 ssainst themselves. II they had spent the
sums tneir navy cost them in railroads, their
internal resources would be infuitely crater
anu 50 great defences would not be reuuired
RUSSIA has an inland trade of six thousand
mics 10 the confines Of China, where the
.nihese meet her and exchange commodities
70 me amount of four millions If dollars ner
annum What would this trade become If The
railway were opened.
Should we construct this road, II vould he
t&klns bad for the good behaviour of ali
europe; tOr they would be dependent on "a
LOT the privilege Of transit, and rather than
iose that favor they would DO very quiet.
by finishing that road, We should not only
need less navy, but fewer Notifications Should
washington, Alexandria or Baltimore, be again
atacked, many thousands of brave men could
&c poured into these places in The time the in
SadsIs could land, and would Present a living
orsastHoEk for the defence Of thcse c;t;as
Great applause)
The benefit to the country would be inasad
great But to the States and ci ties on he r;ne
OF the road would the greatest prosner,-. az ,,.
virginia is on the line she has ncbIs 49, .