The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-02-08

uy IL Dy DohteIihB ~ up WIN ioai Diib Out don't
lean on itdon't rely upon itdon't base your oper-
ations upon it. and, above all, don't depend upon it
20 supply you with means, protect your credit and
sustain your character as hnanciers and legislators
.fr.trt --
THE GREAT NORTHWEST TO THE PACIFIC.
II requires a man of good deal of enthusiasm
and warm blood to describe the present and predict
the future ofthe great Northwest There is not grain
offogyism, of immobiIity not an Asiatic element in
the new States aud Territories OF the Union Their
population is active, sagacous, intrepid bold, and
enterprising They may occasionally overdo the
thing trfe. When they set the car in motion they
expect it to run on regardless Of fuel water but
failing in these, they know better than any other
people how to get asupply of both, and how to
omize their use. They are practical people and
very wise in this--they know how to avoid past
errors The greatest blunderer is the man who com
mits a second offence of the character
We have been struck with a recent speech of
Judge Meeker, Of Minnesota, the subject of mail
service between the headwaters of Lake Superior
and the Pacific ocean. II is worthy of republica-
ton We extract the following:
But sir the people, the people will work out the dcsti-
MES of this country whether their government aid them
not. II Is only question of time In less than five
years settlements will have reached the base of the
Rocky mountains on this line they will then
strike hands with their fellow citizens and beyond
old Natures barriers They have already reached from
Lake Superior beyond the westenmost borders of Mime
sota their vanguars of civilization having penetrated far
into what Is known as the Territory of Dakotah. Win
government lead the way in this onward march that
be ard will il be content TO oo the people,
as Peter did his Master great way off
The great northern ''hve sends forth its annual
cretions of population, enough to settle and people
entire State They must and cW have space to in
This space they fnd and will continue to find, stiae
further rest until all the habitable between the two
oceans is occupied Rivers lakes and mountains present
no barriers. What they cannot ford they will ferry
bridge sail What they cannot climb they will
turn, and if they cannot find track will make one.
Nothing withstand the industry energy and de-
termination of this hardy Before their march
the mountains haze to bow and the valleys to rise up
Other people and other tunes have been distin-
guishcd for their lore of the marvellous zoe, and
these times, excel in its achievement. The great wonder and
glory of the age is the magic facility with which intel
loct ingenuity industry and capital concentrate to adj
vance the improvements Of the world Witness the
readiness with which millions subscribed and the
strong of two of the leading governments of the
age stretched forth in enterprise then wholly
predetermined, but which, if successful were wonder
full stride in the progress of the world But here
enterprise wholly American every foot of it on our
SOIL subject to our own exclusive control in peace
and war; and in my Judgment far glorious and at
tended with more lasting and beneficial advantages the
nation For thus Judge that this route be estab-
lisled good wagon road an omigrant thorougbGarc
settlements along our entire frontier line OF
TO the Pacific and eventually railroad uniting the two
extremes will be the grand results.
But sir the vast commerce of our inland seas reach
ing one Thousand four hundred miles in the direction of
Purets sound and extending westward more than half
across the continent as il to court connection with the
Pacific in the latitude of OREGON and Washington is an
item that outweghs all other considerations This i'm.
mense trade has already reached the head OF lake Sumo
ror and run up the rich and popous valleys of the st
Crox the Mississippi above the Falls of St ANTHONY and
the Minnesota or St. Peters the navable sources of the
Great Father of Waters Ii we were to Judge of the m
ture ony by the past it certainly would not appear Wis
ionary to predict that in less than ten wears the golden
links of commerce will bind in closest intimacy the two
splendid harors living at the extremes of N proposed
route VIII not the government that controls and car
res the of the nation and * Inv the very
proyisions OF the constitution itself made The Guardian
and regulator of the commerce Of the United States hut
second in its legitimate and ordinary operatons the great
movements of the pcoplctbe cona,,csts of civil enter
prise and peace? Or shall the principle of mastery
inactivity be applied along our northern borders and
that of tuaey and o3c activity backed by the mower
patronage and treasury of the nation be the rue of ac
ton along our southern frontierY
The progress of the Great Lake Valley IN popuation
in agriculture in commerce in everything connected with
the of civilization and the ye, of nation
single item of trade In 1916 the effort in good faith
made to navigate the lakes In 1884 their commerce
reached aggregate of sixty five millions of dollars In
1856 it swelled to the of six hundred and
eight millions Cities in the meantime arose on their
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