Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1858-12-31

Dill. but IL is time iuT uellOeIaiiOn
end, and for action to begin. So, bein
earnest in his desire for a Pacific railroal
he would accept the bill as it stands.
Mr.. Seward then answered, successive
ly, the general objections against the cor
s,ruction of the road. Commerce, he said
is ONLY an incidental interest 10 connection
with the road. 1t is wanted, first an
chiefly, for postal aud military purpose
II is a grand error to rely on cOmmerc
for such highways in territories wher
society has to be called into existence, 0
that it can be engaged in before society /
created. The treaty Of Guadolupe llital
goextended the national Jurisdiction acros
the Rocky Mountains to the PacMc, an(
from that moment the necessity Of posta
aud military highways across the country
was disclosed. Our contentious in Utah.
Central America, Mexico, and with France
and England, are legitimate consequences
Of reliance on routes through .joreiyn coua.
tries instead Of our o1p. lie did not pre-
tend to know how long we intend to houn.
der on in this erroneous policy, but 1t is
certain that the interior region will not
be settled until the railroad is built and
probably the Pacific States will not for
ever remain united to the Atlantic States,
if they are NOT so connected. The fates
are always busy in weaving fatal web
for iudolent and impr0vident nations, and
it depends on the action Of Congress whe
ther the City of Washington shall remain
the capital of the whole United States, or
ouly of the United States Of the Atlantic,
while the City of Mexico may become the
--ri.-i ssts U-;s~i e,-,ss &c ~ r-oifi,.
He would not debate the constitutional
power Of Congress TO authorize the con-
struetion Of the road, for even the strictest
cons,ructionist admits the power of Con.
gress, in case Of real necessity, to construct
post roads within the unOrganized terrific
ries of the United States, and, in case Of
possible danger, to construct military
roads.
Let US be deeply impressed with the
fact, that the American people, now num-
beripg thirty millions, and increasing at
the rate of one million annually of free,
ambitious men, can not remain stationary
Activity is law written in the social con-
of all States. Under its infu-
euce, France has disturbed the two hem
AsFSss mas tSr etsSuea tES eana5fd DEE Great
the earth Spain has discovered and colo
nized half the globe; Portugal has re-
claimed portion Of it which before had
been lost. The abolition Of feu1alism and
slavery in modern Europe, and the con-
version Of the Western nations to Chris
tianity, are the results of the SINE na.
tional activity. In obedience to the same
law, we have received the country we in
habit from Spain, France, and Great Bri-
tain, and all our renewed diplomatic con-
ficts are so many manifestations of the
energy and ambition of the Americans
proper.
1t is obvious that this activity mus,
take either murtiul or a cigic direction.
and that, if it do not receive the latter
from the hands of the Government, it will
force the Government to guide into the
former. How, otherwise, can we explain
the constant agitation of the Filiibuster
the Ostend manifesto, and the
Monroe doctrine? To him it seemed clear
that this peaceful acting is far more useful
than military activity is for every nation
more safe, cheap, frugal, saving, and in
creasing continually the number and
wealth Of the nation. War is hazardous,
1esolating, and its creates. benefit obtain
ed at fearful cost.
History teaches US that the constant
practice Of war is incompatible with the
ofa system of self government
If be were asked why the British race on
his continent is republican,, he would say
i is because the national activity assumes
. peaceful character, as monsrchial coun-
ries assume a military one. If the na.
ional activity is to have peaceful direc-
ion, it must be confined in its energies
'hiefy within our own territory. Our
lomain is already broad enough, and the
opportunity for our activity commensurate
With it. The Pacific Railroad With its
connections and lines of telegraph are the
ngines by which this consolidation mus,
,e effected.
He did not shrink from the enterprise
because of its magnitude Were it less
it would be less adapted to the
pirit and genius of the American people
The enterprise is not really formidable,
onsidered in relation to the benefits of
'eace, wealth and strength, to be derived
rom the agricultural, mineral, manufac-
uring aud commercial resources Of the
egion.