The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-01-22
MILITARY ROAD TO CALIFORNIA.
NEW YoRK, January II, 1851.

NEW York, January IL, 1851.
TO the Editors Of The Union:
letter signed by all the principal California and Ore
gon merchants in this city, praying the passage Of bill
this session providing for military road to the borders of
California Oregon has been sent to Washington for
among the friends of the 1t has been placed in
the hands of DR. Hitchcock the bearer of the famous Cali
fornia memorial to Congress on the same subject.
Some Of those who sign this letter residents in CAL
ifornia and Oregon early 1916 and7 They remem-
Der with painful disncness the appalling disasters which
overwhelmed the emgrants of that winter in the of
the Sierra Nevada and bear witness TO the anxiety and
soittude then expressed through public meetings aud
through the press for military road the continent
Others are survivors Of the terrible witnessed the
road to California the plains in ls4o ALL having
lived either in California Oregon certify to the
stancy with which, through all subsequent years. their fell
owcitizsns have duplicated for the construction of this
road
It must be borne in mind that until such way through
our own territories be provided California and Oregon
must reman they have always been, cut off from the
great tides of emigration which flood eastern cities
from the Old World, and be utterly beyond their reach
The expense of running steamers pccudes the posi-
bility offurnhng transportation for this class while the
difficulty Of adapting rates and facilities Of Ishmus transit
to their means and requirements and the peculiar unavor
abeness of the Pacific in the latitude of the transit routes
to despatch 10 sailing vessels would make their convey
these too Improbable to engage capital tonnage
And not only European emgrants, but the migratory
classes of countymen excluded by from
California and Oregon by the unavoidable high fares of
our steamships; for while shown the impraci-
cability Of maintaining single line of American
by the European travel of our wealthy and privileged
classes by rich mail contracts and by government boun
y surely need not expect California steamers
ming distance twice great and additional ex
pense of so and rs per cent? to be supported such rates
American emigrants, travelling with their families
afford to pay. 1t is fact that will hardly be conro-
vered that California steamships supported by
those classes whose transient pursuits under the influence
of the gold discoveries admit of high prices in almost
everything
In the contingencies Of negotiation with n powerful
Brish company Northwest const for the purchsse
and transfer of part Of its domain contemplated by
resolution introduced in the House last month this road
might be OF eminent practical service government
The settlement OF the country at intervals along its line
would form chain Of posts and bases operation at the
time that it would furnish provender and supplies for
peaceful emgrating parties their way to settle and i'm
prove the Pacific shores. Oregon would become State
and relieve the federal treasury Of the burden of
her Indian wars. Utah would be speedily populated by
moral and orderly class Of citizens who would soon de-
termne the nature of her institutions and the restless and
dissatisfied murmurers OF California would be psced and
made whole with the Union