The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-11-18

Jcct VI unit'bB tuV,c ptoViucts uuueI one
fe,leral consttution-each retaining its local
Parliament az Dow-subordinate to the cen.
trail government The question was intro
duced into the British Parliament when
Lord GRKY, We believe, was at the head of
the Colonial Office. and ably advocated by
distinguished statesmen Of experience 10 Co
lonial affairs. We publish to day 40 article
from the London Herald, which shows the
progress which the scheme has made in the
estimation Of the British public in the inter
val which has transpired.
The British press, for several months
past, has teemed with evidences like this OF
the determination Of the British govern.
ment and people to build up on the north
ern half oil the continent mighty counter
poise to the political ascendeDcy Of the Anne
rcan conEdcracy. The activity which We
have seen displayed, and which we now
witness on the part oil the English and Ca.
madam governments, in the exploration and
survey of the vast territories lying west Of
Lake Superior, would be entirely misappre-
/ hendcd II we attached no more significance
/ to il than would be awarded 10 adventures
/ Of the same class on this side of the line
/ 7 he energetic measures which have been
taken for the survey and colonization Of the
vast district Just released from the grasp OF
an absurd monopoly, are part Of the fixed
policy Of the British government, which
| looks not only to building up great en-
! prc on this continent TO serve as counter
| pose to the United States, but to make that
| empire subSaryient 10 the commercial ag
/ grandizement Of Great Britain. A grand in.
! teroccauic Trunk Railroad, which shall bind
together all the North American possessions
| Of Great Britain, il necessary part OF this
magnificent scheme OF consolation. But
| the scheme of Grand Trunk Railroad from
| Halifax 10 Vancouver. which hns been IA
lousy embraced by leading minds in the
commercial interest Of E0gland an Cana
/
! da would fail 10 recommend itself to the
| strong practical seusc-,hc material utiIla-
rianism OF the English people, il its only
eject would be 10 realize a political idea
and even the English government, does not
| build railroads 10 aid Of mere theoretical
policy. without proposing an cud OF much
more immediate and substantial int rest to
actual stockholdcr, than could be derived
from the mos, successful colonization.
This Railroad then, as an instrument Of
commercial aggrandizemcnt, is regarded by
Eng land with special interest az ai!ordpg
the best possible avenue to China ard India.
! II is in Asia that England has the true
sources Of her commercial vitality. IL is
her Indian Empire, foremost among her vast
colonial possessions, which has erriched her.
| The rapid extension OF railroads aud popula-
ton across this Continent, has revived and
realized the myth OF path to India which
inspired the explorations of the early adven-
turers in the wake Of Columbus When
John Smith assembled the Chickahominy. in
search OF n water connection with the In
movement of moders enterprise up the St
Lawrence and the Lakes, in the same direc-
| ton. Aud the Northern Pacific Railroad.
is the sword which solves forever the Cor
dian knot of Northwest passage. The
interest which Minnesota has in this momen-
tuous achievement has been amply discussed
in these columns The whole scheme would
be primarily tributary to the Railroad in
ter,s,s, aud through her railroads aud water
courses to the COMMERCIAL advantage VI
Minnesota,
Whatever route may be adopted by Fog
llsh and Canadian projectors Tor this rail-
road. the result will be the same. West
ward OF Red River Pacific Railroad along
the valley OF the Saskatchewan. must n,ces
sarily become an extension OF the Minnesota
system. What the commercial interests OF
! tJnaia aud OF lhr states pl tnS tNion re-
auire, is not new channels for the pr, sen, in
! tyrnal commerce of the Continent. on new
| parallels, but an extension 10 the Ia iic by
the bcst route OF the established lines Of
! Northeastern commerce. The Michigan
| and Wisconsin, roads are the rccoguiztd nat
ural combinations oC the Grand Trunk Of
| Canada. Those Of Minnesota are the remain
ing Ink of the great chain. which W. depend
upon Grta, Britain 10 complete from the
Rid River TO the Pacific, hy the route which
| Providence has assigned t. her m the cause
OF CIVILIZATION and empire The following
| paragraph rom the New York Hc'a.l In
| dica;cs Tia prevailing ylcw OF tbs subject
I