The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-11-12
Ca1hOun-BanCrOtt,

We were much struck with passage in
BASCRoFr's tenth volume, relating to tht
Mississippi river as bond of the American
union. Our attention was the more espe
cially attracted to it because of the concur
renee of the historian in the opinions so ar
IDENTIFY entertained by Mr.. CALHOUN. He
regarded the Mississippi, in political sense
as a grand feature Of the country. He mod
fled his severe judgment concerning the
powers of the Government so that the Mis-.
sisSippi should constitute an exception to bis
general constitutional construction relating
to Federal authority over the subject Of in
ternal improvements. He plainly consid
cred the Mississippi river as stream Of
such massive importance in a political sense,
of value physically to SO wide country and
such vast population, that it was national
in character, and lifted above the limitation
growing out of the Constitution against the
expenditure of Federal money upon works
of internal improvements local in their ma
ture.
ever may be said to the contrary. He idol
lied the Union, aud be opposed centraliza'
ton Of the powers of the nation in the hands
ofthe General Government because he fore.
saw that Capitalization would end in di;so-
luton of the federation or in the end Of re-
publicaaiSm. He cherished the Mississippi
because lie thought it grand artery of the
national heart and calculated to harmoniZe
the nation and promote its health and dura-
ton. We copy below what Mr.. BANCROFT
says, SO much in accordance with the great
statesman's views aud sentiments:
"The Mississippi river is the guardian
and the pledge of the union of the States of
America. Had they been confined to the
eastern slope of the Al|egnanie there would
have been no geographical unity between
them, and the thread of connection between
lands that merely fIlnged the Atlantic must
soon have been suhdcrcd. The Father OF
Rivers gathers bis waters from all the clouds
| that break between the AlIeghanies and the
| furtheSt ranges Of the Rocky Mountains
| The ridges of the eastern chain bow their
heads at the north and at the south, SO thai
| long before science became tue companion Of
man nature herself pointed out to the bar
barous races how short portages join his tri
| butary rivers TO those Of the Atlantic coast
At the other side his mightiest arm inter.
locks with the arms of the Oregon and the
| Colorado, and by the conformation OF Tho
earth itself, marshals highways to the Pa
| citic. From his remoteSt springs he re
fuses TO suffer his waters to be divided
but as he bears them all to the bosom
of the ocean the myriadS Of fligs tina
wave above his head are all the ensign
of one people. States larger than kingdoms
flourish where be passes, and beneath hi
steps cities start into being more marvellous
in their reality than failed creations of en-
chantment. His magnificent valley, lying il
the best part Of the temperate zone, sau
brious, wonderfully fertile, is. the chosen
underground Of the most various elements
of human nature brought together by men
summoned from all tbe civilized nations o
the earth, and joined in the bonds of common
citizenship by the strong, invisible attraction
OF republican freedom. Now that science
has come to be the household friend of trad,
and commerce and travel, and that nature
has lent TO wealth and intellect her constan
forces, the hills, once walls of division, ar
scaled, or pierced, or levelled; and the two
oceans. between which the Republic ha
unassailaby entrenched itself against tn
outward world. are bound together acros
the continent by friendly links Of iron."