The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-04-01

longs not to the thousand schemes and
humbugs of the hour, resting upon no
principles Of science or of common sense
but which contravene both. It belongs
to no class of supposed new discoveries
nor does it propose the development Of
any new principle hitherto untried and
unknown. 1t only proposes to extend
and enlarge the operation Of we'll known
principle of natural science, and which
has been thoroughly tested. But all
new and untried enterprises, whether
practicable or impracticable, must pass
the ordeal Of public and private oriti-
cism. Fulton's experiment encountered
jeers aud ridicule,. when he placed the
first steamboat upon the waters of the
Hudson. The first idea publicly an.
nounced of the possibility of running car.
riagcs or cars by steam power, at tho
rate of thirty or forty miles an hour,
was jeered nt as the fancy of some hair.
braiped lunatic. DR.. Morse's PROPOSE
tion was made the subject of jest when
he asked the aid Of Congress to enable
him to test the practaability of his G.
lcctric telegraph. The experiments and
labors of those men have overcome aud
outlived all opposition and all skepti.
oism, and their names stand enrolled
among the benefaotors Of their country,
aud Of their race.
Trial and experience are always better
and safer and more reliable than mere
theory, however plausible it may be. The
learned DR.. Lardner was onco locturing
to an intelligent audience in Boston, and
was expounding to them the physical
impossibility Of crossing the Atlantic
ocean by the power Of steam, when his
beautiful aud well-reasoned theory was
all set aback and completely overturned
by the arrival, for the first time, of the
Great Western from the docks of Liver.
pool And now to-day, English aud
American steamers, are traversing the
waters of the world and l regret, as an
American citizen, to feel obliged to add
that through our narrow and short-sight.
ed policy, we are surrendering to Great
Britain the supremacy and almost the
entire monopoly Of steam navigation up.
on the ocoan.
Sir, it is wise and an economical
Government which takes care to secure
to its own citizens, by timely and need.
full aid encouragement to private enter.
p:ise, the benefits of the great m aterial
improvements Of the day. l am in favor
Of our Government having hand in the
great work, and sharing in its honors and
its countless benefits. The work is too
great and too expensive to be undertaken
by unaided private efforts. The CON.
pauy which proposes to undertake it is
composed Of our own citizens, in part at
least, who are gentlemen we'll known TO
the country as possessing the highest
character for integrity, enterprise, aud
responsibility. ThOy have applied to
the British Government for aid The
British Government expresses its wi.
liugness to lend the requisite aid, and
proposes to join the American Govern
ment in granting such aid, the amount
being stipulated, upon precisely equal
terms and conditions. The offer of the
British Government is just and fair
one, 1t is rendered in a spirit of kind
ness. of friendship of confidence, aud Of
liberality. Let it be accepted in cor
responding spirit on our part.