The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1858-09-18

NJ .MyL r. 49, ~ ,UTfTr. FN' -
pect. Such u work night enlist the %st,ecula
tions OF those who lived a century hence, Blu
! it was insanity to contemplate it seriously du
! ring the present generation.
/, But time is now counted by events, not b,
years or generations. What seems impracti
: cable to-day is realized tomorrow. The vi
tsipnsl OF progress of those who. lock farIinto tht
81 futnre-idle dreams though they seem TO til.
mass OF men-speedily become living
y pble realities and, the enthusiast, latel,
: aated with derision and avoided by thost
!" whose thoughts LeNei rise above The ca cnla
ton of per CENTS. becomes the idol of his time
t With eight years, events SO sudden as scar
cely to- scar reality have taken place, thai
have cl ed the ettire relations which existed
betwee eastern and the western portion o.
this cd bit. Tie golded wealth Of Calilor
min, ar Tally discovered, turned such a tide
, Of emi} ~ upon The Paci6c coasts that q
Statef into full stature il. n single year
CitieA stss6 up in q day. and commerce nc
; qnired nlmNR a iabcd activity on shores jus,
} rescued from the domain II silence and prime
val solitude. An improved highway to the
Inpcitic-scarce ten years beture u visionary
MISUNDERSTANDING at once a national %necessi-
ty.. 10 form an indissolnble link of political
union between the East and West of the re
public, it was indispensable. To provide ful
The wants OF Il so suddenly and un.
eSpectedly created, it became even q business
enterprise.
The discovery Of untold treasures Of gold in
the British Pacific possessions. has added q
new impetus to the current of humanity sweep.
ing towards the setting sun. and given new en-
ergy to the m accommodating in the great
South Sea. This, together with the successful
laying of the Sub-Atlantic cable, accomplished
a most simultaneously with the deveIopement
OF new mines Of wealth on the Rocky Moun-
tains' western slope. has rendered impossible
the long postponement of the great work of
traverSing the continent by steam. Not only
he Inhabitants Of the older American States
bn, Europe. must shorten present routes, as
well as the time. necessary to reach the gold
regions Of the far West. and the vast territories
OF Central Asia. inviting their commerce.
II The great work be not soon completed by
The United States. she will find a formidable
competitor IN the field. The attention of the
British cabinet has been seriously turned, by
late events, to the Importance of Uniting by u
railway communication the colonies Of the ST.
Lawrence and the lakes with the territories
bordering on the Frazer river and the Pacific.
The proposition has been tavorably entertained
~ lake the intlratory steps for the consnma-
ton OF this magnificent enterprise and weary
with the delays aud the apathy and the section
al Jealousy manifested by Congress, the in-
habitanls Of Wisconsin, Kansas, Iowa, Ne
braska and Michigan, begin TO look favorably
upon inns mode OF connection with the new
gold fields, aud openly express their willingness
!" AID IN the great work. 4" If their own gov
eminent will do nothing for them" they say,
| - HAY inult M rn Il, Sab, .n- - 49,
and they see no reason why, with interests in
common, they should not cooperate With the
English government"
Will the English nation, through her W
colonial possessions, first tap the valleys of the
Pacific and open direct communication with
China, by means Of a railway across the
American continent ? IF her enterprise SO far
nutstrips our own,h her influence in this western
world will speedily become iuvincible. Such.
q work, connecting directly with the Snb.
Atlantic Geographic line, will hazard the
sceptre OF commercial supremacy ON this con.
tineut, now securely welded by Tie United
States.
Far more advantageous lines lie through
our territory. Mature, by her conformation
IF their opposing shores seems to have designed
that the transit between the Two oceans should
lie within our boundaries. Europe should seek
he Pacific by passing into thcuulfot Mexico.
he great ocean mvars thatswtep from Lurole
Africa aud South America into TINS American!
sea, and Come down on the westeren side Of the
continent IRON Behrings Straits to q port on
The Pacific coast nearly opposite to its north.
efn shores, are The natural pathways along
which the commerce OF the world should co..
alesce upon Que common line across the cont
nent.
New0rleans, Galveston and all the o,her
TeSas ports will soon be connected by lail-
roads with a route the shortest, the leu t ex-
posed TO we sslludes ct climate, furnished with
the most abundant 'h4eans Of support, aud
passing through regions more rich IN agricul-
iurai or mineral resources than any other ON
The continent. Nor will it be long before
another sub, Atlantic cable will be dcpnsited on
the toor OF the sea, stretching from the 'Sonih-
ern States to Cuba, to Fayal, and thence. by
many branches, to Europe, making The grand
railroad transit aud the most magnificent sys.
lem OF 'elegraphc lines OF which it is possible
to conceive, unite in the neighborluod of Tx
Sum. Does not the magnitude aud the vas
lnflnence of the Pacific Railroad swell IN i'm.
portaree when viewed in this light, until it
seems impossible that our Government should
SS'"'S ~ FsSuiC us Speedy CONSTITUENCIES |
through the public domain to the great Pacific
State? @
Whether it be done by our Government or il,
be the work of the private enterprise of its cit
liens, or in case OF then fail re, Of the English
nation, the completion of II Pacific railroad
Will be the next great human achievement tina,
Will mark 'he beginning of a new era in humanI
affairs. History records none :" of such piii,
and moment as this. Such a happy c%oninnc-
ilnu OF circumstances, all showing its necessity
aud directing th4 desires Of mankind TO its ac-
compslslin'enl, never preceded any momentnus
undertaking nor will any triumph heretofore
achieved, in peace or war, so fill the earth. in
all ages to come, with the fame of any man ms
of HIM who is The instrument Of the iinat sue.
cess OF this great enterprise. 1t will complete
the agencies uow in operation to revoluliouize
The world.
Consider the significance of the events Of tbeI
present year !; Europe and America united by
the vlrtaa! annihlia'lon Of the waiery abyS,
tolls between. China opened to the cum
'nerce and enterprise of the ward d, and lew
gold fields discovered on the Pacific shores
What could have happened so encouraging to
lle attempt to connect the Atlantic aud The
Pacific by steam What could have en-
clearly pointed out this as the mex, triampb
~ nnn Rat~A@ 49, I