The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-11-14
OHERL AND COMMUNICATIONS WITH CALIFORNIA
AND OREGON.
IRON the 81. Louis Republican, Nov. 10. !

Ii is evident q has been begun in commu-
ncations with the Pacific coast Not satisfied with the
mail route by way OF Panama, the Postmaster General,
with the consent and approval OF the President of the
United States has established another by the way of the
Isthmus of 1ehuantepec and several Overland The princi
cal overland route from San Francisco by of
Fort Yuma and III Paso to Fort smith, and from thence
TO St Louis and to Memphis Besides this great semi
weekly overland mail stage route the Postmaster General
has established weekly mail from st, Joseph, the
Missouri river, through Utah, to Pacerve and also
monthly mail from Neosho, Missouri through Albu-
querue, to the TETON Pass in California Each Of these
three great continental routes have branches Of great i'm
portance.
The great semi-weckly route has branch running
from Fort Yuma TO San Diego, on the Pacific and one
leaving II Mt I'll Paso and running TO san Antonio, IN
Texas 1t will have another branch running from
Camp Cooper to Shreveport and Vicksburg and yet
other from Fort Belknap TO Gainess Landing, in south
eastern Arkansas.
The Neosho Albuquerque and Fort TETON monthly
route win be connected with the great semi-weekly route
at both endsat Fort TETON the west and at Spring
held in Missouri the east il will also have branch
almost long and important itself from Albu-
querque, running northeast through Santa lie and Fort
Riley 10 Independence, Missouri On this branch the
mail is carried weekly.
The St Joseph Salt Lake. and PacerviIle route will
alo have branch, commencing at Salt Lake City and
running northwest to the Dlles, in Oregon the mail
viii be monthly one-perhaps still frequent.
A fourth route will shortly be opened up the
continent 1t will begin at st. Paul, and running
Red river of the north, will after crossing the Rocky
mountains fork the right hand fork will go Pugets
Sound, in Washington and the etthand fork will
to the lower settlements in Oregon This route
is for the monthly mails and will be let shortly if
enable bids made for the service.
Four routes and several important branches to the
routes thus opened, soon TO be opened overland
from the Mississippi river to the Pacific coastthc south
for travel at all seasons the other three for
uau They rH all succeed; for settlements
win be made each at greater less intervals provided
that military protection is afforded the settlers and the
stagesfor stages are 10 be regularly each Of The four
great Tie continent. The average width of the
country lying between the parallel routes may be stated
at about five and half degrees of latitude 1856 miles
there being seventeen and half degrees of latitude
l,2O0 miles between the SD and the 4S3 degrees of
latitude. This is not quite accurate, but nearly So and
shows that the Zines located far apart render
the settlers upon them unable to afford each other sup
port in case Of attack they separate, distant Isolated
routes through immense unsettled countries. If we
would have each of them settled without reference TO
Others each of them must be protected by the United
States. This may be done in many ways but must be
done in way the idea Of connecting the settle
ments of California with the settlements Of tile Mississippi
Valley will have to be abandoned.
And to this great idea to be realized is the par
tcnar and exclusive business of the Secretary of War
Hence all depends not only upon his willingness
man, but upon his ability officer execute plans so
comprehensive and important. The Postmaster General
may in vain project routes if the Secretary OF War not
man of that high order of intellect and moral courage
which the occasion calls orif he is not wise to PLAN
bold TO execute.
OF his intellect and courage he has furnished the peo
pie with materials with which to form an opinion Amid
a storm of obquy and criticism he organized force
which conquered peace in Utah without striking a
single blow, or shading drop Of blood And the move
ment of such large bodies of troops country of
5000 miles ordV and permanently husied into peace
the hostile Indians of the plains and mountains well us
the rebeous Mornons small and cheap force would have
failed to influence either the Indian the Mormon and
would have caused the spilng of much blood--no one
doubts, no that the ehpea well the efficient plan
adopted
The newspapers have been filled with assaults upon tho
Secretary for testing and purchasing many improved
AIMS His expenditures pronounced prodgal Since
then we have the slaughter of brave country
men, under Col Steptoe armed with the old weapons
We have since the triumph Of the survivors of those
same gallant soldiers under Col. Wright with the elm
proved arms In their handsno american colder uas
killed IN The bntk The Indians shot by means OF
the improved before the Indians could come
enough to shoot the soldiers Our soldiers were pre-
served, the Indians overwhelmed and terrified
The introduction of improved arms into the servce
has probably saved the nation from "florida war in
the Northwest single elective battle has believed
broken the spirits of the Indians Of that entire mountain
region they have been taught that they liable to be
shot by the white from distance beyond the range
OF their best guns
Equally successful has the Secretary been in the war
w raging upon The Plains with the numerous power
full and hitherto unsubdued Camanche tribes These
fierce Corsairs Of the Plains have been badly beaten
~ wv fiSeheu nov being PURSUED to
their mountain Businesses with the intent to teach them
that only at fearful cost to themselves can they pursue
their old trade Of robbing and numbering their Texas and
Mexican neighbo Large reinoroements are ordered to
the support of our gallant army in that region with
ders to carry the warnt the very heart of the Camanche
country, and thus render early permanent peace
thing greatly TO be desired with the most daring and
best mounted Indians upon the continent for snch the
Camanches undoubtedly This will make the Jour I
ney of the cmigrant safe
ct another most important Indian exists in re-
gons still more remote and far less accessible than the
wild and distant country OF the Camanchestbe fierce
aud wealthy tribes living amid the lofty and unbroken
mountains Of the Navajo country upon the western ecv
tiles OF the Rocky Mountain ranges nearly due west Of Al