The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-01-27

treasure across the isthmus 10 Porto.
bello, by paved road, of which remains
are yet visible. Its merchants had a
large trade with Quito and Peru, aud
gave employment.to many artisans aud
skillful mechanics. Fortifcations pro.
tected the land side of the city, aud the
ebb tide left it beyond the reach of at.
tack from the sea. Plantations and
gardens surround it. IL was here that
Pi2arro had built his ships and recruited
his army for the cong uest Of Peru; aud
many of its citizens were the descen.
dants of those men who had explored
the Pacific ocean, conquered Mexico and
added the Indian empires of South
America to the dominion of Spain.
10 January, 1911, Morgan's men,
after march of nine days from Cha.
gres, emerged from the forest and saw
below them the sea, aud the steeples
aud gardens Of Panama. The landscape
surprised them, as it surprises a stranger
uow, to whose eye il unfc'lds many of
the same enchantments that il possessed
two hundred years ago. This panorama
of mountain, forest, city and sea, when
seen from a commanding position, in
the early or latter part of the day, is
one OF the most enchanting pictures !
have ever looked upon. 1t is said that
when Morgau's men first saw il, they
were so captivated that they were with
difficulty induced to pitch their camp
and prepare for au attack on the city.
The next day the attack was made, six
thousand Spaniards were slain, the city
was plundered and burned. Those who
escaped from the buccaneers ioun ded the
present city of Panama two years after
wards, and built all the houses of stone
to prevent another destruction by fire.
The ruins of the old city still exist.
From our anchorage | eau see the
square tower Of one Of its catht drals,
standing alone aud going down to its
site in boat, saw the remains of walls,
bridges, pavemcnts and cisterns, now
overgrown by pepper bushes aud flow.
ing vines, and haunted by noxious in.
sects and reptiles
Long ago, the power and people of
old Spain become entirely extinct on
this coast, which Balboa discovered,
aud Pizarro aud Cortes made famous
THE MONOPOLY.
The only Importance that it now pos
sesses has been given to it by the co1I.
mercial enterprises of the English speak
ing race. And these enterprises are
now declining; owing, in measure, TO
the autocratic policy pursued by the
railroad company; which stands on the
lsthmus, like the castle ut Elsiuore,
leyying whatever tribute il will on
whatever passes. The prosperous days
o! the company have passed. Like the
man in the fable, whose impatieuce aud
greed killed the goose that laid the
golden eggs, its demands on customefs
have caused new road to be contracted
TOR across Costa Rica and another across
Honduras, aud have driven from Pan.
anna to Callao the headquarters of the
English steamship company which now
carries ITS European freighls down the
coast to Valparaiso aud thence, by a
new line OF steamers, through the
Straits of Magellan, to England. II the
monopoly which the railroad has pur.
chased from the Columbian government,
were abolished by international treaty,
as the monopoly of Elsinore was abol.
lshed, we should soon scn n shin cnnnl
through the isthmus, gu the belt which
the franchise Of the railroad covers
through which canal can be made.
1t seems to me that this canal would
place the United States in the centre Of
the commercial world.