New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-01-13
FROM WASHING Ton.
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.

WASHINGTON, Jan. II, 1857.
Your ST. Nicholas Hotel correspondent, in reply
to what said on the Pacific Railroad. naively OBJ
serves that my suggestions against it are so nuner
GUS that he cannot answer them. ! dare say this
is true. But in lieu of reply he intma.es brief
answer that be seems TO think will do jus. as well.
This is, that the opposition must be inspired By
the lines Of travel by the way of the Isthmus.
do not wonder at this iAtimatiOn, and it in wise
Expresses NE. l am ready to grant that if any
public measure is supported or opposed here in
Washington by anybody, either by tongue or pen,
it is primd fdcie evidence that the person so
engaged is paid for it, bought up by one side or the
other. This is the way things are done. Aud the
habit is not confined to Washington entirely. 1t
extends to New-York. 1t may even find its way to
the st. Nicholas Hotel. And it is as likely that
your correspondent there has private stake in the
question as that your Washington correspondent
has. Indeed, until he confesses that he has none,
cannot allow him TO stand upon level with me, for
confess that have nOne mesn on this partc-
ular measure. intend no general confession, aud
do not wish 10 be understood as declaring that am
never bought up. So grave and comprehensive
abatement as this might well shake that public con-
fdence which have no desire to abuse. In fact,
fe Ell more like taking the ground, just now, that
being bought up is the most honest man can
be put to. In doing so, should at least have the
satisfaction Of knowing that should not be in the
company Of the hypocrites, which is more than can
be said of those who denOunce corruption.
LAYING all this matter aside however, just wish
TO soy that neither the Pac fc Railroad DOR any
other railroad is now likely to get any important
lift out of this Congress. There has been too much
noise made about the prodgality, the bad policy
and the corruption connected with similar schemes
at the last session. The point of the Pacific Rail
road question take to be this: 1W not pay to
build railroad two THOUSAND miles 10 facilitate the
trade and travel of half million Of people At one
end of it. As to that which lies beyond the
terminus Ct our Pacific road, ten or twelve thousand
miles over the sea- in that fabulous region called the
East Indies, it is almost IS easily reached from
| New-York by sea as from San Francisco. The
Transportation Of fregh. frem Calcuttao Canton TO
San FrancscO is not quarter of a cent per pound
less than il is to the City Of New York. And the
trade of the United State, with Asia will as surely
be carried on BY the way of the great Capes 10 the
Southern hemisphere afer the construction Of ths
road as before, and simply because freight cannot
be transported on the road at less rate than about
four cents pound-s price which none of he lead
ing products of the East can afford TO pay. No
merchant could pay it. or anything ike it, On Whale
Oil, OF Tea or Sugar or Flaxseed, or anything that
comes from Asia, except Silks and rich India stuf.,
the gross annual imports of which eoald be stuf9d
| - AZ ia IN 4
tabled trade of the Indies, over which more CANNON
has been uttered, and more gas blown of, and more
biehfool hootng INDUCED in in connection with his
Pacific Railroad scheme, than of old would have
.uffced to initiate half dozen Mississippi or Solth
| Sea bubbles.
The chaps who have blown their penny whistles
and tin trumpets the trade of the East spout
jpg of richly laden caravans and the gorgeous piles
ID Ia California; of BassOra and Ispahan and Bag
dad, and similar Arabian Nights and Yankee
Days entertainment, alleging that the trade Of the
East always carried empire in its train, aud in
Aatipg Young America TO bursting over the Jolly
swsPger We might Gu. in the Orient, are the
cree informs par excellence Of this trading RaPuoAc
YANKEE merchant but knows better. Tue
captain Of mere than one yeritsole " 40 Fopys
investigated III whole natter on the SPOT long
before these enthusiastic dreamers learned to ride
a broomstick These men Who thus magnify the
traffic of the Asiatic Continent picture it as the
real Golden Fleece, hold il up to view as the one
great prize worthy the contention OF all nations
and ,ure 10 give the wealth and dominion OF the
world to whomsoever shall grasp it, apparently
know nothing about the great bsses Of moderr
commerce. II is the dreamy immensely oil
mythical and impossible traits tia. gIlds al th'
rhspscdies Of Pacific Railroad builders, who baSi
that enterprise upon whas lies beyond our Owl
continent That there arc others who do not do s.
know, but the wings tsft have aoatsd the scnem
are the tabled treasIoes Of Ormus and OF Ind
When these are capped, it becomes homer
everyday affair 81 countabe dollars and cent?
As such, no r.lAn can advocate ia constrac'O
who is not Wiling to assume that the tsciu Auo
cf the TIRE ard travel of half million irhaotan
on lb.e Pacific Coast. with q few help. IRON y