The New York herald., 1862-04-30
Tho Proposed New Railroad 20 WASH
fngton.

4 ~sso EAVPo00u NEW n0llTO00 70
fngton.
The necessity for the establishment cs q
direct line Of railroad communication between
the city OF New York and the seat Of our Gen.
tral government is now so clearly apparent to
the public as to be beyond all question. No
great commercial and military nation can bs
| content to depend on private enterprise and
| party corporations alone for the means Of main
tanning safe and regular communication with
the great centre Of its governmental system.
An open and untrammelled way Of ingress and
egress-as far as possible free from obstruc-
tions, dangers and deay-is al absolute neces-
sity for the welfare Of the government, in war
or in peace. In times OF peace we require
route by which the public mails may be faith
fully and economically carried; and when, as
now, war STALKS through the land, the most ra-
pid ways Of communication with the capital
are necessary for the conveyance of troops,
stores and the other parapherralis of war.
The present rebellion has developed the most
urgent reasons for the immediate construction
of this through line. BY the insane act of the
Southern rebels in firing on the national flag,
and the consequent necessity of the enrolment
Of citizen soldiers for its defence, cur quiet
capital was suddenly transformed into froH-
tier city, beleaguered and threatened by large
bodies Of armed men, and only saved
from capture and pllage bF the
unshakable patriotism Of the people.
A network of railways that could have car
r,ed reinforcements TO Washington from every
point where loyal men were ready to advance
wou!d have been of incslcuiable advantage 10
Iteration. But being almost altogether iso-
lated from its various sources of strength, ssi
especially from this great emporium OF wealth
andipower-the Empire Cityit has been sub
ject 70 the perils Of being bombarded, il not
captured. AT this moment there are large
army and formidable Notifications for the de-
nary emergency arise, and large bodies Of sol
diers be required there, we can only depaud on
a single stem of railroad, generally irregular
and unreliable. but doubly 40 when the occa-
sion calls for promptness and despatch.
The bill now before Congress for the break
ing up of TN int-lorable monopoly by the com
pletioD Of direct line from New York to
Washington, is worthy of serious consideration,
and we trust it will pass into law.without any
difficulty. We stand in need Of this new road
for the purposes of public convenience az well
as for the security and protection of the capi-
tai. No large European seat of government Is
so cut off from its tributary cities az Washing
ton is from New York and other important
points. Tbs city Of London has no less than
ten railroads extending outward as means Of
support. Paris has seven, and probably will soon
have more. Tlse Austrian capital with aal the
financial eucum brancss Of the empire, has four
and Berlin, the capital of Prussia has Eve.
Spain is also concentrating her different rail
way lines 50 as 10 make them converge at Ma
drid but the United States, with All area of
country larger ,ss,n all the others put together,
have hitherto bssn satisfied to depend on one
single line, and this burdened, by reason Of its
monopoly, wi b 90 much private traffic that the
wants Of the government can never properly
be attended to.
The propositions Of the Metropolitan Railroad
Company, for the completion of the new road,
appear to us to"De very just. They seek to
overthrow monopoly which is as gricvous aud
pfeSsinS On tnc PuohC as ~ 10 0Ap0bsiNc duu
exhausting to the government The construc-
ton of this road will open up five new lines to-
New York, With the additional advantage Of
having through trsins, without changes, from
one end of the roys.e to the other.
In an economical point of view, therefore, a.
well a. in consideration OF the great sdva,,-
sases to be conferred on the people by Thea
establishment OF ahis direct railroad to WASH
ington, we hope shat the question will be fully.
and fairly considered. and that three or four
months hence we shall have the satisfaction Of
knowing that oursnatlonal capital is within
early reach Of onehandred thousand men who
would pour in from every quarter If the occs-
sion required, anisthe means Of swift transport
alton be provided to carry them forward.
Then can the capital be said to be safe; but.
never while entire dependence, public, and pri
vate. is placed on q solitary and overburdsnetl
road.