The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-09-15

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Just SO widely different are my views
and my anticipatious from those of hon.
| orabe Senators who feel themselves con-
strained to oppose the passage Of this BILL
A very few months, however, will test the
results Of the experiment, and test the
wiser policy and the deeper discernment
of those who resist or of those who favor
the measure. When it shall have been
once brought into successful and trium-
| phaut operation as its friends anticipate.
!, it will vindicate itsef-it will silence all
clamor, all ridicule, and all opposition,
and be hailed everywhere and by every
body as boon to the country and the
world. And when once its benefits and
its blessings shall have been fully realized
depend upon it the American people will
never consent to dispense with them. Al
soon would they consent to dispense With
our whole system Of railroads and tsle-
| graphs and other modes of internal COM
munication.
This is by no means the first time that
an important experimental enterprise has
been secuted as wild and visionary
scheme, involving useless waste Of time
and money. This case belongs not to the
thousand schemes and humbugs of the
hour, resting upon no principles Of science
or of common sense, but which contravene
both. 1t belongs to no class Of supposed
new discoveries, nor does it propose the
development of any new principle hithsr-
to untried and unknown. 1t only pur-
poses to extend and enlarge the operation
of a well known principle Of natural
science, and which has been thoroughly
tested. But all new and untried enterpris-
es whether practicable or impracticsble,
must pass the ordeal Of public and private
criticism. Fulton's experiment encoun-
tered jeers and ridicule, when he placed
the first steamboat on the waters Of the
Hudson. The first idea publicly announ.
ced Of the possibility Of running carriages
or cars over land by steam power. at the
rate of thirty or forty miles an hour, WAS
jeered at as the fancy Of some hsir-brsi,ed
lunatic. DR.. Morses proposition was
made the subject Of jest when he asked
the aid Of Congress to enable him to test
the practicability of his telegraph. The
experiments and labors of these men have
overcome and outlived all opposition and
all scepticism, and their names stand en-
rolled among the benefactors of their
country, and of their race.
Trial and experience are always better
and safer and more reliable than mere
theory, however plausible it may be. The
learned DR.. Lardner was once lecturins
to an intelligent audience in Boston. and
was expounding to them the physical i'm
possibility Of crossing the Atlantic ocean
by the power of steam, when his beautiful
and well reasoned theory was all set sback
and completely overturned by the arrival
for the first time, Of the Great Western,
direct from the docks of Liverpool. And
now to-day, English and American
steamers are traversing the waters Of the
world and l regret Is an American
citizen, to feel obliged to add that through
our narrow and short sighted policy. We
are surrendering to Great Britain the
supremacy and almost the :. entire mon
opoly of the steam navigation upon the
ocean. -e..7 ' = y .ol1r ...i-
Sir, it is wise and an economical
Government which takes care to secure
to its own citizens, by timely and nssdfal
aid and encouragement to private i'm
provement, the benefits of all the great
material improvements of the day. 1 Am
in favor of our government having haad
, in this great work, and sharing in its hon
ors and its countless benefits. The work
is too great and too expensive to be un-
dertaken by unaidsd private efforts. The
company which proposes to undertake it
is composed of our own citizens. in part
, at least, who are gentlemen well known
to the country as possessing the highest
character for integrity, enterprise, and re-
, sponsibility. They have applied TO the
British Government for aid, The British
, Government expresses its willingness tc
) lend the requisite aid, proposes to join the
, American Govlfnment in granting such
! aid, the amount being stipulated, uPOr
. precisely equal terms and conditions
q The offer of the British Government 10 4
Just and fair one. 1t is rendered in I
, spirit of kindness, Of friendship. Of conf
=, dence, and of iberality. Let it be 40
cepted in a corresponding spirit on on