The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-07-01

lei on the Atlantic, strikes the Pacific a
the fory-ninth parallel, and runs through
the mountain region of the West from the
forty-first TO the forty-nlnth parallel. The
summer climate of Charleston corresponds
with the summer climate of the western
mountains in the forty-fourth parallel o.
latitude. These lines, however, do mo-
show the actual climate of the mountains
for that is modified by the elevation of the
mountains themselves. Professor Henry
in the Memoir on Meteorology, explana.
tory OF this map, contained in the same
work, and on page ass, speaking of these
lines, says:
They do not, however, in all cases. exhibit
the actual temperature of the surface, for, in
order to show their relations, and render them
| comparable with each other, and with similar
lines in other parts of the world, it is necessary
that the observed temperature in elevated posi-
tons should be reduced to the level of the
and, in the construction of this map, allowance
| has consequently been made for decreasing tenn
| perature of one degree for every three hundred
and thirty three feet of altitude. The map, there
FORE Will present to the eye the lines along which
the temperature of the air would be equal for
| the periods mentioned, were to suppose the
brought down to the level of the sea-" 4
| These lines, at a glance, exhibit remarkable
| curyatures, particularly in the western portion
| of the United States indicating great increase
If temperature in this region beyond that of the
eastern and middle portion"
1t may be fairly estimated, from this
data, aud from experience of travellers,
| that the highest elevations in the great
4 L. e. al.
/ route, do not give greater degree of cold
in winter than is experienced in the New
| England States. Shall it be said thai, any
| difficulties, by reason Of cold or snow, can
be found in any part of New England to
| the construction or operation of railroads
There are probably more railroads in sue
cessfu operation in New England than
in any other part of the United States. OF
similar extent. 1t is singular, but no less
true, that the further north you 90 in the
United States, and the more snow you
encounter, the more railroads you find.
This may be accounted for on different
grounds, not necessary to mention here !;
but it is, nevertheless, complete answer
to all the noise and nonsense we have
heard about the impossibiity Of building
and operating railroad upon the central
route, on account of snow and cold
Away with this pretextl The SHOWS of
Russia, which overwhelmed Napoleons
victorious army of five hundred thousand
men, and annhila;ed his power in the
hour of triumph, does not impede the
railroad between Moscow and St. Peters
burgh; and, sir, it is idle and foolish to
say that we shall not be able to find men
both willing and capable of constructing
and operating railroad on the great lines
of commerce through our continent. |
repeat once more, that there is no physi-
cal obstruction, and none occasioned by
the character of the climate, which makes
the central route impractcable. But it is
not to be denied that there is great and
formidable obstruction, and one which,
for the present, | fear is insurmOuntabe.
This formidable and only difficulty is the
so-called Democratic organization, or its
representative, the present so-called Dem
ocratlc Administration. So long as this
organization is represented by an Admin
IsTatlon-that is, so long as the so-calIed
Democratic party is in power-this nation
might as well make up our minds to this
and If we want such road, we must first
put our hands 10 the work Of break ing
down This organization, driving it from
power, and thus remove the only OBJ
StructlOn which prevents the accomplish
ment of the greatest enterprise in the
world which will enrich the nation be-
yond the power of computation; which is
to add to It's strength, and bind us to our
sister States of the Pacific with "hooks of
steel"
1 have said that the sO-called Demo-
cratic party, or Administration, was the
obstruction, and the only one, to building
a central and therefore national highway
TO the Pacific ocean. will make good
my words by proofs. 1t is well known
that majority of the members of that
party are hostile on principle to the Pacific
railroad, and their feeling upon this SUBJ
Iect may be gathered from Senator MASON.
of Virginia, who said, the other day, in
answer to question Of Mr.. GwIN, that he
would rather lose California and our Pa
chic possessions, than sacrifice the prin-
clple upon which he opposed the con-
Structlon of the Pacific railroad. Mr..
MASON is one of the representative men
of the Southern party which dominates
the Democratic organization and gives it
law. These men will vote for no railroad
10 the Pacific which is not, in fact,
Southern road; and some of them, be-
lIeve, Will not even vote for a Southern
road, unless it shall be built south of our
territories. and I'm some foreign country.
Nor will they allow the party with which
they act 10 place itself in position to
support any national road.
Mr.. WRIGHT, Of Georgia. To what
party does the gentleman from Missouri
refer, when he says that there is a party
organized in this country 10 build rail-
road through the southern section of the
country, and only through the southern
section of the country?
Mr.. BLAIR. The gentleman did not
understand me. | said that the party TO
which the gentleman belongs is opposed,
upon principle, TO the construction of any
railroad, unless it should pass through the
southern part of the continent. and very
far south at that,
MIR. WRIGHT, of Georgia. / under
stand that the President of the United
States put his recommendation of that
route upon the ground that it was the
best and shortest route, and not because
it was southern route.
Mr.. BLAIR. 1t is easy to find plausi-
BILE grounds for any recommendation.
Mr.. WRIGHT, Of Georgia: Does the
gentleman deny that it is the nearest and
The best
NJ RTATD I Jo,u ,Loro - 49,,