New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-05-19
SATURDAY MORNING, MAY 10. 1860.

of the city of New Orleans, respectfully rep
resent that among the projects now arTesttng
public attention none claim higher regard than
the proposed railway and telegraph to the Pacific.
1t is great national necessity; and while In its
military, postal and social aspects it is essentially
necessary to the preservation Of the Union lbs COM
mercial advantages to New Orleans make II the
duty of the Chamber of Commerce to invite to its
success the early and favorable action Of your
honorable bodies. Its valne to New Orleans can
not be exaggerated. city commanding the vast
and accommodating trade Of the valley of the Missis
sippi, and already the focal point for the network
Of railroads from the Southern Atlantic SLOPE will
pthe benefits ofthe traffic in heavy articles which
communication with the Pacific necessarily en-
sures to the first important seaport connected with
foreign commerce.
In Contemplating the destinies of this great ma
tional enterprise. it is not assuming too much to
predict that New York, New Orleans and San
Francisco will become, at no distant day, the CEN
ters OF the commerce of the world ;zfor it is no
stretch Of the imagination to suppose that rail-
way and telegraph to the Pacific will render the
United States the medium of communication be-
tween Europe and Asia, and the rich products of
silks, teas and the precious metals Of the latter will
be bartered on our own soil for the manufactures
Of the former which now BY the aid of our cotton,
therefore, an idle speculation to look 10 the day
when New Orleans, New York and San Francisco
will become the rivals Of London and Canton.
Your memorialists recognize the justice and ma
tonality Of the bill introduced into the Senate by
Senator Wigfan, which proposes aid free from any
Constitutional difficulty, to two Roads, one North
of 3So of N. lat, and the other, the Southern Pa
cifc Railroad Company chartered By the State of
Texas. L is, Just distribution Of the funds in
common Treasury, and long before their compile
tion the two roads will be demanded by the bus-
ness of the country.
There is an aspect of this great subject which
your memorialists regard emitting them to urge
its Importance and consideration on your honor
able bodies. Independent Of its manifest national
character, large and influential portion of the
business citizens ofNew Orleans are deeply inter
ested in its success More than six hundred are
stockholders in the Southern Pacific Railroad Com
pany chartered by the State of Texas, having in
vested at par value near 100000 in an enterprise
whose sagaci0us founders first established, by a
costly survey, the practicabiity Of railroad route
to the Pacific, and after surmounting at great
pense and labor the necessarily incipient difficult
ties Of a stupendous work, have now in successful
operation 25 miles Of road at the beginning point
of soil and climate which, extending 500 miles
| West between 30o and 35o N. lat, gives q mono
| poly of the growth of cotton; Brazil, our only
rival in the same latitude South preferring to cul
| tivate sugar and coffee.
| While offering congratulations on the commerce
and increasing prosperity Of other cities in ex
tended country, your memorialists would do injus-
tce to the object of their petition were they to
omit any notice Of the commerce of New Orleans.
We beg leave first to call your attention to the
| fact that the estimated value of the principal
articles received in this city from the interior for
the year 1853, amounted to the of $l72 952 664
Gone hundred and seventy-wo millions nine hundred
and fifty two thousand, six hundred and sixty -four
| dollars). That the foreign exports of the same
1 period amount to one hundred millions, seven hun
| dred and thirty-four thousand, nine hundred and
/ fifty-nine doars while the exports to domestic
| ports would swell the amount to more than one
\ hundred and fifty millions of dollars. That the
foreign imports for the same year amounts to six
| teen millions of dollars, while there is growing
disposition to engage largely in the import trade.
That the tunnage for the same year amounted to
4 one million, one hundred and eighty-tw0 thousand
| engaged alone in external commerce, and during
| the same period, there were three thousand five
4 hundred and ffty-nine arrvals of steamships and
steamboats,, engaged in domestic commerce.
| In this connection your memOrialsts may refer
with lust pride to the rapidly progressing advan.
tages Of the two great channels of commerce, the
Great Northern and Great Western Railroads ; and
as further and more impressive evidence of the
growth and importance of the commerce Of the
city your mamoralists refer you to the astounding
fact that over 100000 bales is the estimated re
ceipts of cotton at this port for the present year
| being nearly onehalf of the total crop of the
| United States and equal to the whole crop in 81
short time ago as the year 1850.
Il And your memorialists, as in duty bound, vii
ever pray.
Resolued, That the memorial to Congress on til,
subject of Senator Wigfall's Pacific Railroad Bill
now before Congress, which was read and adopted
by the Committee of the Whole of this Chamber
is hereby adopted by this Chamber as their me
mortal to Congress, and that copies of said me
mortal be forwarded to our Senators and Repre-
sentatives for presentation to both houses Of Con
gress. ..5
Resolced, That the memorial and accompanying
resolutions be printed in the daily papers of thi