Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-05-25
A New way to Acquire Cubs

country, TOT general renectlon; and as there is nothing which ought to be considered as xparty question about it, I can scarcely apprehend that any press south, north, or west, will refuse the people free discussion upon the merits and national importance of the proposition.
 Time has expanded the march of mind and extended the States from the Atlantic to the Pacific; and as the hoop of Diogenes was part and parcel of his tub to bind the slaves together, and without which it could not have been tub, so, the similie may be
 v'th equal truth to constitutionaliv fit for Sl international railroad from ocean t5\ 3irect, as hoop to bind the States tog6her-and without which there can be no Union.
 As Congress claims right under the constitution, to aid and assist in building railroad from the Mississippi river to the Pacific, IS It not equally constitutional to aid and assist in building the eastern end .frst, from the Atlantic to the Mississipni when, without which, it cannot be na- tional?
 The object being important to all the northwestern and southwestern States throws It into the grade of national sub- iect, and It would be unreas onabe to ex- pect the cooperation of the people of Con- gress, without correct understanding of the subject in all its elastic bearings. And eh relation to Cuba, consider that the grea+ and feverish anxiety of the late Congress to get possession of that island. exhibited tg/pan and the world, is the most promi- nMt reason why we may never get it, by that course of Congressional policy
 Spain Is not blind at speculating bar gain; and knows that she holds the terms in her own hands. And as she thinks that all our northwestern and southwestern States, by their geographical location, are to be always compelled to disembogue their production of vast agricultural labor, and mercantile vast interest and wants in re- turn, by way of the mouth of the Missis- sippi, and its numerous tributaries. into and through the Gulf of Mexico and pass. as 1t were, under the guns of her Cuba Gibraltar, 1t Is that power which she thinks she holds over the vast commerce of the northwestern and southwestern half of the United States, on which, no doubt prompt ed by England and France, at each elbow, that she puts more value, than the intrinsic worth of Cuba.
 But there IS more national, easy, and more iudicious and practical way for Con- gress with one-sixteenth of the money and price that will be demanded for Cuba, to deprive Spain of her imaginary power over c%r western commerce, which stimulates her and her allies, to put such an extor- tonary price of one hundred and fifty to two hundred million dollars on Cuba; and on far more republican terms, than to sad dle the people and posteritv of the United States with vast |" national debt,'' as dead weight upon their liberty, like that of England, as perpetual curse of tribute, rather than Ca blessing'
 Now if it is constitutional for Congress to build, aid and assist in the construction of Pacific railroad, from the Mississippi to California; and, also, to give the public means of the people to build seven hun dred miles of entire interior two, or dou- be |" Illinois central railroads,'' it must be equally constitutional for Congress to build. aid, or assist the construction of far more national railroad from the Atlantic across the lsthmus of Florida, to the river Mis- ssslppi, first, opposite the mouth of the Arkansas, about 400 miles, with part al- ready in operation, ready for extension to the mouth of the Arkansas, as the most judicious and proper basis for road, as contemplated by Congress, to the Pacific. { The Arkansas is long and noble steam boat river, extending far into " the big west" and embracing the most direct. sa4, quick cheap and practicable line of international transportation through a hos pitable climate and latitude, direct from the Atlantic, east of the isthmus of Flo. srlda, to the Pacific, as can be seen by refe- renee to the late large and improved map ot the United States. And from the wes- tern head of steam navigation of that noble river, Is the most proper and economical point to start the congressional contem- plated railroad through the most practica- be gap in the southern slope of the Rocky Mountains; and at the most proper point beyond the mountains in eastern Califor- mia, to branch-one branch to Oregon and the other to San Diego on the Pacific, in latitude B. in South California; which is the most direct and practicable and cheap est line from the Atlantic, in latitude 32, east of the isthmus of Florida, from ocean to ocean; and from San Diego, thence to San Francisco and Oregon, either by rail- road or steamships, as the people there may prefer
 The trade, travel, commerce and the mails of the northwestern States would have an equal chance with the southwestern IotateS, of concentrating at the mouth of the Arkansas, and proceed to the Pacific, or to the Atlantic for shipping ports, as their own interests and preference may gov en. And with port on the Atlantic end oi the line, east of the isthmus of Florida, superior for heavy shipping to San Fran cisco on the Pacific
 The whole would be entirely internatio- nal, direct, and the shortest route from ocean to ocean Gin California quick, cheap and safe in all times and all weather; and so far beyond the reach of the guns and annoyance of Cuba, that when Spain found she had lost her imaginary power over the vast western commerce passing through the Gulf of Mexico, under her guns, to get around the capes and keys of Florida, her extartionary price for Cuba would be re- duced to reasonable terms, and if Congress then wanted it, it would be fair trade on Its intrinsic value.
 The constitutional and most economical land judicious national question, therefore recurs, to-wit: Would not Congress "pro- mote the general welfare" prosperity and safety, and also, as a preventative of war, Amore judiciously applying eight or ten sAllon of the one hundred and fifty ortwo hundred million dollars which would be de- handed, otherwise, for Cuba, in aid and assistance to build a substantial railroad across the isthmus of Florida, from the Atlantic to Selma, Alabama. and across Che State of Mississippi to the mouth of the Arkansas, as the first thing, and as the most proper basis for their contemplated road to the Pacific? Thenorthwestern and southwestern States would then. at once. have a mutual and grand commercial thor oughfare direct to the Atlantic for travel and the mails of a safe, quick and cheap escape, with their vast commerce. from the Ioncr Iol,,-o