Year: 1859

River to Fort Benton, distance OF three


thousand miles from its mouth, and only


seventy miles from the sources Of the


Coluubia River. tits, therefore. evident


that steamboat may 20 from Pittsburgh


to Fort Benton, and were the navigation


of the Ohio and Missouri Rivers improved,


as it readily might be, travel and trans


portation might be carried on throughout


this extensive route during the greater


part of the year. Facts like these, show
in strong light the wretched policy


which our General Government pursues


in refusing to encourage works of internal
improvement There is an abundance OF
of unemployed labor in the country which


would rejoice to fud employment in such


works, and the expenditure would in
few years be returned hundred fold in
the increased value of the land in our
great western territories. The wealth


which would be produced by the settle


ment aud exploration of that vast region,
between the Mississippi and the Pacific,
is incalculable; and yet all Of its immense
resources lie dormant, while those who


administer the Government amuse them
selves with schemes for the purchase of
Cuba aud the absorption of Mexico.


Were the industrial capital of the coun-
try protected from the European drain,
which so injuriously affects all American
interests. and keeps enterprising men in
continual fever of anxiety, improve
meDt-, which would so largely increase
the value of property, would be gradually
undertaken by private individuals or cor
porations formed for the purpose. The
labor, the skill and energy are here in
bundance, and all that is wanting is the
pecuuiary means and that confidence
which regularity in the operations of busi-
ness always creates, to enable our people
to accomplish enterprises of far grander
and more important character than any
which have yet been undertaken. But
at the present time men live in continual
dread of those panics and revulsions
which results from our slaVish depen-
deDce upon Europe for all the pecuuiary
capital with which business is carried on


in this country. If the tariff of 1912 had
not been disturbed, the gold from Cali
fornia would have remained in the coun-
try, instead of being sent to Europe to
pay for useless manufactures, and many
branches of industry would have been SO
much improved that other nations would
be tributary to US, Instead of drawing our
money from us. We should have the
best currency in the world. and enough
OF it for all the business wants of the COM
munity. That the uDexplored portions
of our Western Territories contain un-
told mineral wealth, no one can doubt;
and that the land in many of them is
rich, in an agricultural point OF view, Is
equally evident. To subdue, to deyel
ope, to cultivate, and to make available
the resources of this vast region, would
be a work of which the mghtiest nations
might be proud; aud the large scope for
the exhibition of the genius aud enter
prise Of the American people, which such
a work would afford, and the improve
ment in the condition of the people, con-
upon the large demand which
would be 10 ade for labor Of every kind,
would do more to exalt the Americrn
people amongst the nations OF the Earth
than any work which has yet been under
taken. When We consider what our
country has already accomplished while
struggling with SO many difficulties, We
can we'll imagine what she would do if
those distractions were removed, aud the
industry OF the people encouraged.


The country trayerscd in this steam
boat expedition of three thousand miles,
is almost an unbroken wilderness. At
the present time it is almost yalueless;
vet all the materials of wealth are there,
inviting industry to come and take them.
Myriads Of unemployed or poorly paid
mee mics, operatives and laborers, pine
in our Eastern States for lack of the
means to open those mines Of wealth in
this distant region. which would so abun-
dantly reward their industry. Our coun
try is like huge machine which stands
still for want of an engineer to set 1t 10
motion, and manage its operations. A
vast part Of the people live in indigeDce
while wealth is buried all around them.
We need not look to the far West to see
the results of the wretched policy which
paralyzes the arm of industry, and de-
priyes the useful man of proper reward
for his labor. Here in Pennsy ylvauia,
we have in abund ance the rich treasures
of the earth sleeping in our hills and for
ests, while industry goes without reward.
There is abundance everywhere, but for
want of motion in the industrial machine
the people suffer in the midst of plen-
ty.


The cost of the construction of a rail-
road to California would have been re.
paid in the value of property twenty
times over in few years. The bonds OF
union would have been strengthened, and
the nations OF Europe would have been
compelled to pay US tribute for their in
tercourse with the Pacific. The funds
for the construction of such work as
vel! as for the improvement of the Dayi-
CATION of the great rivers OF the West,
o.,,il hava bae n raisea h increa sad duties