Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1856-03-06

ternity among our people. The whole weight
Of our population of thirty millions now sur.
rounds the central wilderness, pressing
upon it with contrentric movement, and
urged forward TO its occupation by the ire
sistible instinc, Of progress. Incalculab'e
will be the impulse given by the establish
lnent Of this overland route, bisecting from
east TO west this sublime field of enterprise.
A few seasons will suffice TO fill out the
zone of our States from ocean 10 ocean; to-
restore the harmony of our geographical bal
ances, and hush the cry Of distress which
accompanies their prolonged interruption.
Your committe report frem authentic sour
ces that our people on the coast Of the Pa"
cifc, both in California and Oregon, are an
imated by the livliest zeal, and Invite us TO
cooperate with them in this patriotic enter
prise. They are jealous, unanimous and at
work preparing 10 meet us by advancing
eastward from. the Pacific. To them, as
with lis, it is the first and paramount inter-
est 10 connect aud harmonise our mutual re-
lations Of society, Of cammerce, of progress
TO obliterate the painful solitude which
isolates the delicious Pacific shores from the
neighbcring valley of the Mississippi! In
short, to be reunited with us in straight
line by land, and by routes, and through
climates that are congenial.
Time has become ar immense elenelt
in the economy of commercial interest, and
by this route the shortest distance, and in
time, the highest speed attainahle, may be
reached in combination. 1t is propitious
moment to call attention with emphasis to
the contrast above instituted between trans
portations within the land and that over the
sea. The two ogreatest empires in territory,
population and consequently in transportation
are China and Russia, having an aggregate
population OF 45O,OOO,0O0 and covering
half Of Europe and Asia. The sea COM
merce of these great masses is very feeble,
not exceeding five per cent. of all, and the
number of their seagoing ships is absolutely
insignificant. Such is the case with Aus
tria, Prussia, France, and the bulk Of popu-
lous Europe. America is q continent, and
not an island like Great Britain! A rail.
road performs in a single day as much work
as ship in whole year. This is done,
too, in the midst of society, internetted
among the cities, the farms. the dwellings of
the people. This department then, which
has been overlooked by the American Gov
ernment, ought TO receive IFS chief and mos.
constant care.
The Oriental commerce into Europe has
always been by land when sufficient civili-
cation has existed along the route to protect
| it. Witness the routes through Egypt, by
Palmyra, by Damascus and Aleppo, and by
f the Euxine. The countries of the Baltic
are supplied from China, through Siberia
+ and Russia. Behold this latter country, be-
girt by hostile fleets, and yet enjoying thu
commerce of China, safely traversing the
great route from kiatoka to ST. Petersburg.
/ This route is five thousand miles in length,
crossing Asia and Russian Europe, along
+ the fiity-lyurtL degree Of latitude. The an
+ nuaI transfer of merchandise equals $780,
9 000,000 per annum. -
Is Anerica less li,ble to be attacked than
J Russia, by those who aspire TO monopolize
!, tie carrying trade Of the world? Suppose
war 10 break out with the powerful mara
time powers of Europe! (and we are now
told by the President that -uch is imminent.)
The present outside sea routes will be at
once swept away: the unprotected commerce
, and new States on the Pacific will be raw
aged by sudden and overwhelming invasion;
, all opportunity of early succOr cut off,
Even news Of these disasters will be pre-
vented by the insurgent savages that infest
the line of land communication. 1t is
pressing duty of the committee 10 point out
, to the people Of Missouri and of the central
States the intense seriousness ol the calam-
itez which few weeks of war must infict
upon themselves and their fellow-citizens,
=, dear 10 them, upon the Pacific coast, and to
= repeat that 10 them especially belongs tho
, guardianship and responsibility of this neg
: lected overland Intercourse, and 10 rouse
them TO demand from the National Congress
that ample legislation which justice cannot
longer deny. The time, the necessities, the
uses ofthis route have fully come and are
over ripe for its establishment. Nothing
exists in it different from the establishment
of any other mail route of the first class,
that should stagger the Legislation of Con.
gress or the action Of the Postofice depart
ment. 1t is offar less gravity and cost than
any one Of the semi-moathy steam lines es.
tablished on the sea. e.r4s .s
Yo,tr committee bave .olIao,ed (von, a.,