The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-09-25

les Ah4' - - :. "a. 49,. 4fcUSTA, the
''S newIy-accredited Minister from the United
States of Colombia, spoke of the long-pro-
iccted ship canal across the lsthmus OF pa-
rien. He dwelt upon the Importance of
the work and its practicability, the isthmus
being only twenty-eight miles vide at its
parrowest point, and the highest elevation
of the land at its lowest point, which
is not far from the narrowest, being only
forty feet. He assured Mr.. ACosTA that If
sufficient encouragement and protection
could be afforded to our citizens they would
have the long-desired canal open in two
years. In conclusion, he requested the
Minister to say "to the President, Con-
press, statesmen, and people of Colombia,
and all of them, that Japan, China, In
60 dia, and the whole East, are needing that
communication not less than the western
I" nations are earnestly desiring it."
The revival Of this important project
would be highly interesting. No event that
may now be supposed probable could exert
so great an influence upon the trade ana
politics of this hemisphere. 1t would in
deed reyolutionize the trade of the world.
The great Suez canal would be deprived OF
a large share of the agency it is expected
to have in the business, the commerce, OF
the two great hemispheres. Both OF these
great divisions of the globe are nearly
severed in their middle latitude by the wa
ter-line. Nature indicates for both just at
that point a water transit from ocean to
ocean. transit easy of accomplishment,
whose advantages are immensely in excess
OF the outlay requisite to Its accomplish
ment. The Suez canal will soon be COM
pletcd, securing to the eastern hemisphere
this artery through its diaphragm, as it
we're. That canal is hundred miles long,
and pierces an elevation Of sixty feet above
the water-line. The Darien canal would
only be from twenty-eight to thirty-four
miles long, and would pierce an elevation
of only forty feet. The cutting through
Darien may be more difficult than that
through the Suez isthmus, as that is almost
wholly composed of sand; but then the
Derien canal would be less than half the
length of the Suez; and We can hardly sup
pose it to be as heavy o work or as costly
as the latter.
We may readily imagine that the con-
struction of this Darien artery between the
Atlantic and the Pacific will act powerfully
upon the political affairs of the States Of
the western hemisphere. The South Anne
rican republics $50 called) will be brought
more prominently before the world. They
will be marched into line, and be compelled
TO keep up with the rest of the world or
submit to changes of the most thorough
character. With those changes this nation
must inevitably have great deal to do. 1t
cannot afford to let any European Power
- get between it and the South American 60
vernments, and will not allow anything OF
the kind. 1t will take upon itself the di-
rection Of events in this part of the world,
and there is no foretelling what may take
place.
There are vast number of subjects of
craftsmanship in this country, and this
Darien project is one of the most important
of them. If the narrow-hearted and greedy
party now in the ascendancy could forget
for moment the miserable little game Of
depressing southern whites and giving
license to negroes for party advantage, and
elevate itself to the dignity of the great
national questions which relate to the SUI
premacy of the United States over this
hemisphere, they might do something wor.
thy of their country and their day and
generation. AS it is, they are but retard,
ing the growth and power of the nation al
time when the opportunity is greatest and
the demand for bold measures of compre,
hensive character imperative and vital.
We suppose that after the Presidential
election we may expect some relief from
sectional malice, and that the nation may
find something better to do than degrading
the white race and prostrating the national
character and welfare.