The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-09-23

lew days since we advested ~ iength
10 the immense Importance OF the new po-
litical position into which China has been
forced by the arms Of Eogland and France,
10 It's bearing upon the project Of North.
ern Pacific Railroad, with O terminus at
Puget Sound. A Northern Pacific Rail-
road Is beginning to be understood rs essen
italy u Minnesota question, and as deriving
It's continental significance from the CONT.
mental relations Of Minnesota. The termini
Of the great inland systems Of American
navigation, which Minnesota holds upon
her eastern border, are the geographical
correlativc Of Puget Sound. Whatever
has tendency TO lift Puget Sound 10 po-
sition Of commercial supremacy on the Pa
ci6c, Is by 70 much an acquisition TO the
topical influence Of Minnesota in the section.
al competition for Pacific Railroads. 80
much thrown into the scale Of O Northern
Pacific Railroad.
Tho abolition Of the charter Of the Hud
son Bay Company over the vast plateau
which marks the route Of that road--tho
discoveries Of gold upon Frazer River, were
accepted at once by the intelligence Of the
people Of Minnesota 10 the full extent Of
their significance In determining the specific
direction Of this great enterprise. But We
are apt to rest upon too narrow and too
ocal view Of the subject 10 consider /, q
81. PAM affair, or q sectional contest Of
cities. In truth, II Is contest OF zones
the conc OF the Anglo-Saxon and the Sclave
against that Of the Spaniard and the Turk
and Asiatic-of energy and thrift against
Incidence and decay. The Pacific Railroad
Is the test question between them. While
the South Is waiting for Railroad to grow
under the shadow Of It's magnolias, or Is
waiting for Government 10 build It, the
whole northern belt Of the two continents
which contain the elements Of this magnii.
cent undertaking Is oil astir, from one ex.
tremty TO the other, with gigantic move
mcnts-social, political, physical--all con.
curing upon this one great scheme While
England Is preparing tho foundations OF a
chain OF colonial empires from the Pacific
10 the Atlantic, tho most wonderful revOlu,
ton OF the age---a revolution which breaks
up the national policy and institutions
around which the revolutions Of the world
have surged in vain for twenty centuries
wakes China from her indolent reposc upon
the bosom Of dreary Fate, to mugle with
the large activities which combine from oil
quarters to press her into the circle Of civil.
lied nations through the medium Of her
trans Pacific aiIinites.
While England Is rearing new Califor.
nia--under better auspices than California
In British Columbia, Russia Is building an
Empire upon the opposite shore, The civil
ization OF the two opposite hemispheres ap-
proaeh each other upon the shores Of the
Pacific. The river Amoor--the ST. Law.
renee OF Northern Asia, which is fast be.
coming tho scat Of civilization destined in
no long period to Offset tho rising States Of
the American coast-pours oil the wealth
OF Asiatic Russia directly upon the western
terminus OF the Northern Pacific Railroad.
The country to DO developed on the Amoor.
which has only recently sprung into notice,
Is one Of the most important elements In the
commercial basis Of this great enterprise
and the energy with which Russia Is push.
ing forward tho colonization Of her Asiatic
Possessions on the Pacific, seems to invite
reciprocal development on this side the
ocean. At the same time the Atlantic
Telegraph. the grandcst exploit-in the
suddenness Of its contamination and the
splendor Of It's proportions attempted
by man, marks the middle current OF com.
mercial wealth AMI power across the globe,
upon the very path OF Cabot--tke first dis
coverer OF North America-aud points Eu.
rope to the forty-fnh parallel, as tho latitude
Of vigorous achievement and audacious en-.
terprise, and the prc'iestined path Of the
grea, movements OF the age
Thus oil the political and material forces
Of both continents seem TO converge upon
the Minnesota and Pacific Railroad, and TO
combine in its production as the ultimate
fact Of the age
We have before shown how perfect was
the chain OF physical conditions on which
this project rests. Channels wide and deep
arr dug Tor it all the way across tho Cont.
neuL Fertile valleys, stretching westward
parly to the Pacific, conduct IL along
smooth plains from its eastern to its western
terminus. Mountains arr levelei-hills laid