Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-04-07

bearing with IT the arts Of life, has moved so rapidly
that tEelve lines now radiate from Chicssol
The iron way has crossed the prsiries OF Illinois,
has spanned the Mississippi intersected that river at
no less than six points-six lines are advancing
from the banks of the Mississippi westward and IN
two years more will strike the upper Missouri and
give easy access to the natural pastures Of the great
vest the present FL Dorado Of the homeless million
Thus since the question has been talked about one
fifth Of the distance from the original starting point
on Lake Michigan to the Pacific, has been achieved,
and st. Paul, Fort Kearney and Fulton are now the
points fixed upon as the terminus at this end and if
left to Congressional action there would be but little
hope of rsement between the conflicting interests
represented by the friends of the different sections
embracing as they do what is called northern,
southern, and middle route.
The great interests of agriculture, commerce and
trade VIII not wait for the tsrdy movements of gov
eminent officials, but are always ready with their
own resources, when the necessity demands. 1t is
but brief time since we acquired our possessions
on the Pacific and yet have cOlOnized her shores
with young and vigorous men, full Of ambition ana
enterprise, who have founded rich and AOurishing
State developed the resources of the country built
cities and opened the channels of trade with all Por-
| tons Of the world Who did this? Not Congress
not the governmen-but the native energies and en-
terprise of the people.
In 1910, at the close of Mr.. PoLK,s administra'
ton, members Of Congress who thought that CaliiOr
mia never couId be colonized without the aid Of the
government, introduced into that body bill ''to ap
thorize and direct contract to be made for trans
norting the mails, munitions of and other public
property and agents of the United States across th
Isthmus-proyiding they Messrs AsrINwALL q Co.
will build railroad across said Isthmus, and pro
viding for paying them S250,000 per annum To-
twenty years, amounting in the whole to So,OOOoOO
Finding out that the President would veto such
project, it failed to carry And what have we seen
Did all the evil consequences which its friends pre-
dieted, follow? On the contrary instead Of one, W
have now three Isthmus routes-the Panama, tn
Nicaragua and Honduras-crowded with travel an
and produce, yielding rich return for the capital an
labor invested.
When California was opened the first settlers tror
the eastern States took passage in whale-ships an
merchantmen, whose average passage was ixmOnth:
Clipper ships sooR reduced the journey to fou
months; steamers to the Isthmus brought it to on
f month. The Panama railway has since made
three weeks and, if let alone by politicians, til
same enterprise, adapting itself to the wants {
the country, WILL in the fullness Of time, diminish
three or four days, by continuous railroad acro'
o the continent; thus reaching point in human de
tiny that the people of the old world, where the
tralized power of Government does every thing ne7
S er dreamed Of in their lOftiest aspirations 1t is
proud and enrolling reflection, that the time is raj
] idly approaching when mankind will rely less @
S government and more on themselves--when the min
throwing off the yassilage Of old custom and habi
will feel that the unrestricted energies Of free Pc
pie, are far more potent for the accomplishment
all that is good in human progress, than the hea7
e machinery Of government, which only works well
the simple scope Of its legitimate purpose anddesig