The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1870-04-22

anu WUV u0N 0NC1Ay S0AOHt RO0SSCSs~ssS 49,
strongly suggested It We debyed longer our
occupaiion, and . vigorous effort Of policy
aud perhaps of arms might be necessary 70
break her hold. Unauthorized or individ-
ual occupation was intimated ~ . conse-
quence of government neglect. md what
hos since taken place was fOreshadowed IN
the distance. Mere adventures may enter
upon il as Eneas entered upon the Tlber,
and a. our forefathcrs came upon the FOto.
mac, the Delaware and the Hudson. and re-
new the phenomenon of individuals laying
the foundation Of future Empire. The Ct
feet upon Asia of the arrival Of IN Amer
can population on tho coast Of the Pacific
ocean was thus exhibited. Upon the people
of eastern Asia the establishment Of civ
ilizcd power on the opposite coass of Amer
lea could not fail TO produce great and won
dcrful benefits. Science, libernl principles
of government and true religion might cast
their lights across the intervening sea. The
valley of the Columbia might become the
gss.,ary Of China and Japan and IN outlet
ton. The inhabitants of the oldest and the
newest, the most despOtic and the frees:
governments would become the friends and
tho ncighbOrs Of each other. To my mind
the proposition 10 clear that Eastern Asia
and the two Americas, rs they become neigh.
bcrs should become friends, and for one
would rs soon sec american Ministers seat
to China and Japan as TO see them dancing
attendance upon European legitimates who
hold everything American in contempt and
detcstatiOn. Then it was wild suggestion
now it is history. Besides the prcscrya-
ton of our territory on the Pacific, the es.
Enlistment Of q port there for tho shelter
Of our commercial and military marine, the
protection of the fec trade and aid to the
whaling vessels, the accomplishment of Mr.
Jcfferson's idca of q commercial commune
cation with Asia through the heart of our
US as consequence OF planting an Auieri
can colony at the mouth of the Columbia.
That man Of large and useful ideas; that
Statesman who could conceive measures
useful to NIL mankind and in all time to
come, was the first to propose that CONNER
cial communication, and may also he con-
sidcred the discoverc: Of the Columbia river
His philosophic mind told him that when
u snow clad range like that Of the Rocky
Mountains shed the waters on one side
which collected into such river as the
Missouri, there must he . corresponding
shedding and collection of waters on the
other. and ihus he was perfectly assured of
the existence of river where the Columbia
has since been found to hc, although no
navigator had seen its mouth, and no OK.
plorcr had trod its banks His conviction
was complete but the idea was too grand and
useful 10 he permitted to rest in speculation.
lie was then Minister to France. and the
famous traveller Ledyard having arrived ut
Paris on his expedition Of discovery to the
Nile, was prevailed upon by Mr. Jefferson
to enter upon frcsher and More useful
field of discovery. He proposed to him to
exchange lis theatre from the Ola 10 the
New Worid--and proceeding to St. Peters.
burg upon u passport, hc would obtain per.
mission from the Empress Ca:l,arinc to ira.
verse her dominions in high northern
latitude 10 the eastern extremity. cross the
sea from Kamsca;chka or Behring's Straits.
and descending the northwest coast Of
America, come dowE upon the river which
must head opposite the head Of the Missouri.
ascend it to IT'S source in the Rocky Noun.
tairs, and then follow the Missouri TO the
Territorial settlements and the Upper Mis-
souri, and thence home
II was magnificent and q daring pro.
icct of discovery. and N that accoalt tlsc
moro captivating to the ardent spirit Of
Lcdyartl. lie undertook it. Went 10 St.
Petersburg, received tho permission of the
Empress, and had arrived in Liberia when
he was oyeriaken Ivy revocation of the
permission, and conducted rs spy out Of
the country. lie then returned 4, Paris
and assumed his original design Of that cx-
plOratiOn of the Nile to its sources, which,
terminated in his premature death, and dc.
privcd the world Of a young and advcntu-
rous explorer, from whose ardor, cournge,
perseverance and genius great and useful
results were to have been expected. Mr..
jefferson was baked in that, his lirst at
tempt to establish the existence Of the
Columbia river. But time was coming
for him to undertake ii under better auspi
ccs. He became President Of tho United
States. and In that character projected the
expedition of Lewis and & lark, obtained
the sanction of Congress, and sent them
forth to discover the head and course Of tho
river whose mouth was then known, fol
tho double purpose Of opening an inland
commercial Communication with Asia. and
cnlarginy the boundaries of Biographies
science. The commercial object was placed
first in his message, and ~ the object Il
legitimate the exploration. And thus Mr.
Jefferson was the first to propose the north
crn American route to India, und the intro
duction Of Asiatic trade on that road. And
all that I, myself. have either said or writ
ten on that subject from the year 1910,
when l first took it up, down to the present
day, when still contend for it, is nothing
but the fruit Of seed planted in my mind by
tho philOsOphic hand Of jefferson. Homo,
to oil those who shall assist In accomplish
ing his grand idea" a, 4ys -rlts. pa 4
Thus wrote tue man who for half cen
tury took an active and leading part in TIKI
affairs Of our Nation, and whose symp1th,
was ever enlisted IN tho grand project tina
looked toward the opening Of our grca
western dOmion. How prophetic the word
of the Hon. Dr. Floyd, and views o
Thomas II. Benton. Could they, to day
with the immortal Jefferson. arise from tn
| tombs and sec the attempt that Is now be
| ing made Ivy that indefatigablc protector o
grand enterprises, Perry Med Collins, to en-
circle with the electric wire not one Cont
tincnt alone, but Europe. Asia, and Americ.,
could they see the lines OF telegraph fas
extending from the western confines Of I'll
Missouri meet The equally fast extending lines fror
the mountain limits Of California; could they scc tn
enterprise to connect landlcked haycns of Pug
Sound with the magnificent hMbors OF the An0u
river cOnd they the plateaus Ut old ocean lcndn
thesclyc. beds to hold fa>t the iightninSs spcccf
and tic I-thnns Of Suex aud Behring's straits enc
and both the scsnc q projects snsh q thc mind ney
gift Of prophecy mad been theirs pointln: ont Il
present PAGES Of the worlds history enterprise az
mautlc a thclc n6tae spirits, had fallen upon Il
| shoulders Of our nstlonal Legislators. W0ald III
another Jefferson would arise t guide the helm Of o.
noble Ship cf Statc-scw ct weodinS toward q
/ strands OF DisUniOn-and With hs foil know ledge
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