m
iioran op KErnKiKTATivnn,
l-lnrcup in the limine tor. Wrfmter antt Mr. J,t
gt:rni!l Exciting flisrttsion.
Washington, April 27, lSfi.
As soon as tlie Journal had Wen read, Mr. C.
.T. Ingersoll rose and asked leave to make a per
sonal explanation.
Objection being roade from several c)iirirtir!i,
be moved a suspension oftlie Rules, unit the mo
lion prevailed, yens 102, nays 2'i.
Mr Ingersoll then repented wliat lie had laid
una former occasion in relation to the unexpect
ed discoveries he had made at the S!ate Depart
ment, relative to the peculations ofMr. Webster,
t'pnrt the reception of the President's Message,
inclining to give the required information, he,
Mr. Ingersoll, had contented himself with mere
1 stating that the charges eou'd be proved by
the evidence in the Department, lie did not
then proceed further, because he was so advised
ly his friends, under the impression that Mr.
Welifer himself would demand an investiga
tion. As this had not been done, and as Mr. W.
bud denied the truth of the charges, be now felt
it bis duty to come forward with his proofs.
Mr. Ingersoll then briefly reiterated bis
charges, which were :
1st. Unlawful use of the secret service fund.
2d. Misapplication of said fund to corrupt the
party press.
.Ird. Leaving the State Department as a do
f.tultcr. Mr. Innersoll then proceeded to show that the
S-eret Service fund was always kept in the bands
ofthe "disbursing agent" of the Department, an.l
that, contrary to all lormer usage, Mr. Webster,
during the first twelve months of his administra
tion ofthat Department, drew payable to ;' own
order, the sum of SI. 1,000. Also that there was
evidence in the Department to show that this
proceeding did not meet with the approbation of
the Fresulent.
Of this Sl.ri,000, Mr. Webster returned .",000
in June 1812, and Jl.t.'iO was settled by Presi
dent's certificates in July IS Pi, the greater part
of which was applied to the corruption of the
public press, through the agency of Mr. F. (). J.
Smith. After crediting sundry other items, Mr.
Webster was still a defaulter when be left the
office to the amount of above two thousand dol
lars, and although repeatedly written to by the
President he did not make up the amount until
M. n days before the Inauguration of Mr. Polk,
The evidence of all this, Mr. Ingersoll said could
be found in the Department.
In the Department of State there is now a let
ter, signed F. O. J. Smith, marked priratc, dated
Portland, the 12th ol August, 1 HI, addressed to
Mr. Webster, Secretary of State, substantially as
li d lows :
It begins by congratulating Mr. Webster on
his settlement of the Maine boundary question,
by a new mode of approaching the subject, after
forty years of diplomacy, without which new
made another forty years of diplomacy would
have come to nothing.
Mr. Smith informs Mr. Webster by bis letter,
that he had occasion to resort to services and in
fluences, in order to adjust the tone and direction
the party presses, and through them of public
sentiment, to a purpose so desirable of accom
plishment under Mr. Wcbstcr'sadmiuistratinn.
The sums Mr. Smith vouches as got by him
from Mr. Webster are $2000 for sei vices con
nected with the northeastern boundary and two
years after he vouches $"00 more, as will be
shown.
Thirdly Leaving the Department ot State in
dubt tn the seeiet service fund, $22'.l0.
Th records of the Department show this de
fault beyond all denial or question.
They show, furthermore, that it was neither
piid or accounted for during nearly two years
after Mr. Webster's removal from office.
They show several letters sent to him by Pres
ident Tyler's direction, urging payment, and eva
sive letters of excuse from Mr. Webster tor non
payment. At length, a peremptory letter that exposure
would or might be the consequence of more de
lay, produced reimbursement. But settlement did
not take pluce till the 1st of February, IM5, ten
days before President Polk arrived in Washing,
ton, to be inaugurated, when Mr. Welfster pro
duced another voucher from Mr, F. O. J. Smith,
for an additianal $S00, anJ other vouchers, one
from George Smith for $.'00.
Tito rules were then by a voto of I3."i to 22,
suspended to enable Mr. Aahniun to reply, lie
did to in a very severe manner, pronouncing
the accusation of Mr. Ingersoll t false, and
that the respectable portion af all parties would
be d insisted at the course be had pursued, lie
reviewed some portions of the former course of
Mr. Ingersoll, and said it was evident that had
Mr. Webster been present, and a member of
the House, Mr. Irigorsol'i would have bitten his
tongue off before be would have dared to make
the charges. He said it ill became a man to
charge soother with peculation, who had him
Mlf been turned out ot office by President Jack
eon for peculation. Mr. A. then referred at
some length to the particulars of the accounts
of Mr. Ingersoll, when, in le2U, he was tried as
a defaulter.
Mr. J. U. Ingersoll stated that as howsf, em
ployed on that occasion tu Counsel (or hit broth
er, he would on the honor of a gentleman say,
that bis brother, having died for a long tmiu in
vain to bring the Government to a settlement of
his accounts, at last himself, proposed that the
wh ile matter should lesottled by a Jury, and
the accounts were accordingly settled in that
mode, in an honorable manner, and to the satis
faction of all parties concerned.
Mr Ashuitin, after pay ing a high compliment
t Mr. J. It. Ingersoll, went on to refer to the
facts as he found them in the public documents,
and which showed that Mr. C. J. Ingersoll did
not pay the balance found against him by the
jury until nearly ten years afterwards. Mr.A-
weut on to say that iujtjiuu attempts had been
made to induce en-President Tyler to break
prnund on this subject, and to disavow having
sanrtionrd the disbursements.
Mr. C. J. Ingersoll asked whether the mem
ber meant tosny that the attempt bad been made
hy him.
Mr. Aslimnn replied in the affirmative.
Mr. InirerKol!, find, "It is lalae It is a lie."
Great confusion, during which Mr. Ingersoll
repeated the words "fnUc and lie."
Mr. Ashmnn said, if the member supposed be
could draw on n personal qunrrc by using such
language, he was mistaken, He, Mr. A., cams
from a part ofthe country wlire they did not
fight duel?, ami where they used neither bowie
knives, pistols nor daggers ; they did not use
them, nor were they afraid ol them. Hut if any
body doubted bis courage, let him try it.
When Mr. A. had concluded, M. Sch.mck ol-fi-red
a resolution providing lor the appointment
of a Select Committee, to report on the means
by which Mr. Ingersoll obtained accessto the
papers in the State Department. .
After several ineffectual motions to lay the
whole matter on the table, on motion of Mr. Pe
tit, the repolution was amended, so as to author
ize a Committee- to inveftignte the charges a-
gainst Mr. Webster, with a view to impeach
ment. In this amended form it. was adonted
i
Ry Maonktic TEi.t-firtApii - Washington,
April 2rt, 2J o'clock, P. M. In the House this
morning, the Speaker appointed as the commit
tee under the resolution to investigate the char
ges sgsinst M. lnrjersoll, Messrs. Schenck, Dob
bin, Mcllvaine, Stanton and J A. Rockwell, and
on the committee under the resolution to inves
tigate the charges against Mr. Webster, Mes
srs. Pcttit, Vinton, Jefferson Divis, Daniel P.
King, and Wilmott, of Pennsylvania.
M I KR At. WKAtTII.
We have reason to believe, that the statements
made in the following extracts ore nearly cor
rect. A few days since we were shown speci
mens of the sii.vi r as well ostberorrf.R ore re
ferred to. and we know ton, that several of our
citizens, stockholders in one of the copper com
panies, some weeks since, were offered a most
cxtravaganl price for the stock owned by them.
The silver ore exhibited to us, is certainly v
ry rich, and we were told, is valued at $10.1)00
per ton. What a source of wealth, not enly to
the fortunate owners ol the mines, but to the
nation .' If the silver ore should prove of one
half the value now supposed, there is no tel
ling the cfToct it will produce upon our monita
ry system; it will certainly greatly increase
the bullion of tho nation, and give the people
silver coin in placo ol the small notes which
now constitute almost our entire circulating me
dium. Pittsburgh Post,
From the Clcvhtnd Herald.
Iteport from Copper Region.
We have not been inclined to give credit to
all the big stories that we hear about the cop
per, and especially the silver of the Like Supe
rior country. There is no doubt much rxaj
geration some of it intended to aflect the val
ue of stocks, and some not dishonc-tly, but for
want of knowledgo of the value of such mines
But the accounts come so thick upon us, and a
grceso well together, that we cannot reject
them entirely. There must be something ex
traordinary in those newly discovered mines, or
else there is a most extensive combination tode-
ceive the community
We have before us extracts from three It-'
lera received at Detroit, w ithin the past few
days. One from Dr. Kinne, U. S. Surveyor at
Fort Wilkins, dated Feb. .r, llrt, says "A
few days since, a mass of pure copper was taken
out of the earth, weighing about nine tons.
Near the same place they are taking out anoth
er maFB nearly as large. I have in two or three
instances seen thrn blast out lumps of pure sil
ver, weighing 30 or 10 pounds."
A letter from Mr. A Sherman, dated at the
"Anse," in February, nays "I ahould not dare
write yen what I have actually seen, did I not
suopoFe hundred of others would corroborate
my statement. 1 have just returned I'rum Cop-
per Harbor by way of F.agle river. The silver
is not like that found hint summer in tho Hs
ton company's mines, but runs in streaks and
lumps, the latter sometimes as large as a wal
nut, and sometimes much larger, end ol pure
silver,
They have pot out two conper and silver
rocks, ono weighing 120t) and the other 1800
pounds, rich in silver, which stands out in mas
ses and spangles.
I vinited tho copper rock, of the Copper Fall
company, five miles from F.aglo river, towards
Copper Harbor. They sunk a shaft U feet in
diameter, 50 feet below the surface, and struck
a vein of copper running across the shall. They
have cleared away from one ide to the depth
of 13 feet, and on the other 4 J feet, and have
found neither end or bottom. It is 5 to 13 in
ches thick, and is computed to weigh I) times
as much as the copper rock ol the Ontonogan. I
picked up a piece ol rock at Jennings in which
there are strtakssud lumps of silver as thick as
my little finger. What I saw I can hardly be
lieve, yet I ak you to believe it, for it is every
syllable true. The North American company's
location is but about 20 rods from w here they
are taking out this silver, and the vein runs in
to it.
I was prejudiced against the copper mania
until my recent trip, and still think that those
veina may not improvo as they go down ; but
there must be ore wbera there is so much native
silver and copper."
Some ofthe rich Polinh nobles resident in Ta
lis, sold shares in the French railways to the
amount of X&0.000 sterling, to seiid the proceed
to titcu ttuuigeiit voiuitry men.
4 - -. '.a. . i .
THE AMERICAN.
Saturday, .Vay 3, 1840.
1X7 The Right liev. A. Potter, Bishop ofthe
Diocese, will officiate in St. Matthews Church,
in this place, on Saturday next, tha 0th of May.
fX7" There has been another flare tip in Con
gress, on account ol Mr. Ingersnll's charges a
gainst Mr. Webster, tho proceedings of which
will be found in another rolumn.
On our first page, several interesting articles
will be found.
CT?" SkciikT Sebvh-k Fino. An abstract of
the President's Message, refusing to communi
cate to Congress the records in relation to the
secret service fund, will be found in another co
lumn. This is exactly what all sensible men
might reasonably have expected. We do r.ot
think that Mr. Ingersoll has acquired any fresh
laurels by his movements in this transaction.
Ev The Notice. It will be seen by refer
ence to our columns, that the Senate Notice, ns
submitted to the committee of conference, with
a very slight alteration, has passed both houses
by a very large majority. The notice seems to
give satisfaction to all parties. It will have the
effect of bringing F.ngland to a final stand. We
have no doubt that negotiations will be resumed,
and that the whole question will be finally set
tled on the basis of the l.fth parallel, with the
free navigation ofthe Columbia river to F.ngland,
for a limited time.
E!7" Fhi it of all kinds, nnd the grain crops
generally, wear a promising appearance. The
rains, in the beginning of the week, were much
wanted, and have bad a refreshing effect upon ve
getation. C7 LcMnrn Trahe of tiik Srsqrr iiaxna.
A considerable quantity of lumber is laying in
the river, opposite tjiis place, waiting for a lise
of water. This is the case almost every season.
Yet a small link of about 30 miles of rail road
would connect us with the Rending rail road, and
give to Philadelphia nearly all this vast trade,
that now must seek another market.
C7" Tiik Canals The water was let in the
Susquehanna division of the Pennsylvania Canal,
on Wednesday last. The public works are now
ogain in order, between Northumberland and
Philadelphia, and from Northumberland up the
West Branch. The packet boats, we presume,
will re commence their daily trips, and as a ne
cessary consequence, we suppose, the fare be
tween this pluce and Philadelphia, by way of
Pottsville, will be reduced to the old prices. The
stage proprietors on this route have been reaping
a fine harvest. The raising of the fare has, how
ever, induced a number of persons to take their
own conveyances as far as Pottsville. When
will stage proprietors and Railroad companies
team that low, or at least reasonable charges,
are in the end, the most advantageous to all con
cerned ?
Tiik Tins Wat eh Canai. was to be open-
0,1 on Thnrs.lay last, the HOth tilt. The North
Rianch canal is to be opened on the 7th of May.
CT7" The Philadelphia Ledger has again assu
med a new dress." The immense editions of this
enterprising paper requires a lenewal of type
every two or three months.
V7 The Oirasd Cans Orncr.ns have leased
the old banking house Ht Philadelphia for five
years, at a rent of $2,000 for the first two years,
ami at 2,500 for the remaining three years. The
question whether it has not forfeited its charter
will then be tried before the legal tribunals.
Fisal Action om t he Omtco Qi estion
in CoM.iass Congress has at length made a
final disposition ofthe Oregon subject.
The two (louses of Congress settled their dif
ferences in regard to the form of authorizing no
tice, by adopting (with two unimportant changes
in the phraseology, recommended by the confe
rees) the Preamble and Resolution ofthe Senate.
These changes consisted simply in substituting
the words "all proper measures" for "renowed
etrorts," and the word "adjustment" for the
word 'settlement." The recommendation of
the conferees was agreed toby the Senate by a
vote of 4i to 10 ; and by the House of Represen
tatives by the very decisive vote of H2 to4G.
CC7" Interesting from Mexico. Gen. Taylor
is now encamped on the river Rio Crande, in
frent of MaUmoras. The river is about 180
yards w ide. (Jen. Ampudia, the Mexican com
mander, has entrenched himself in Matainoras
He sent a message, threatening to use force if lien.
Taylor did not retire in 2 hours. He has sent
to Mexico for further orders. Gen. Taylor's
force amounts to ubout 7,000. The Mexican
force about the same.
DP" Tn r National Fair. The great fair to
be held at Washington City, on the 20th of May,
will probably exhibit the most extensive and
splendid display of American manufactures and
products that has eve,r been witnessed. An im
mense temporary building, covering an extent of
over five hundred feet front, is already nearly e
rected. Goods manufactured in almost every
part of the United States, will be sent to the fair.
The manufacturers are willing to contrast them
side by side with the impoited articles. We
predict that it will be a greut triumph of Ameri
con skill ond industry over the visionary views
and speculations of Enlish fiee trade theorists
- -s ... a., i
('urrcspoiidcnre of tlic Siinbnry Amrricnn.
NUMBF.RXV11I.
Wasiiinotom, April 27, 1S10.
"The deed has been done," The exciting ques
tion ofthe session has besn disposed of -by Con
gress, ami the consummation oftlie notice for the
abrogation of the convention of joint occupancy
is left to the President's "discretion."
I cannot forbear n.aking a few extracts from
General Cameron's remarks upon tho occasion,
which are well worth the space they occupy.
The extracts, as below, too, were so applicable
and well-timed, that they were made a part of a
lender in the "Union" of the 21th inst., besides
being placed in the regular report of tbs procee
dings. This, I can assurt you, is as unusual
thing, and is an Lonor to any one. Here are the
extracts, as taken from tha leader af the Vnion :
"Mr. Cameron said he should vote for tke report
ofthe committee, and before he did so he wish
ed to say a word or two, in explanation of his
vote. Mr. C. said he was in favor of a plain no
tire, and in every vote pending the termination
ofthe question, he had been with the friends of
it. Next, he was willing to take the notice
which came from the House of Representaives,
and had voted for it. Failing to get either of
these, he had voted for the resolutions which pas
seil the Senate. He did so, because he consider
ed it more important to the interests of the
country, that the action of Congress on this im
portant question should be indicated by unanimi
ty, than it w as to have that action expressed in
any particular from ; and, obove all, he believed
that o speedy settlement of the impending diffi
culties between the two countries could only be
had by terminating the joint occupancy of the
territory in dispute. Until a period was fixed
at which the state of uncertainty must cease, he
did not believe that the question of peace or war
could be determined. The President, in the an
nual message, had asked for authority trt give the
notice to terminate the joint occupancy, under
tho treaty, and having full confidence in hJ
integrity, capacity and patriotism. Mr. C. was
willing to trust the whole question in his
hands.
Mr. C. said he believed fully in our right to
tlie whole country in dispute; that our title on
ly terminates where the Russian line begins at
5 1 deg. 40 min. ; but he did not think this the pro
per time or place to argue the title. It could be
better done by the Executive in arianging a trea
ty, or in insisting uponaur rights. He had done
so in the published corresondence. When a
treaty should be agreed upon by the negotiators,
of the two countries, tlie Senate could revise
their acts. This course, Mr. C. thought, would
have been more respectful to the President, and, i
in the end, better for the country. Cut as the
defeat of the present notice would, in his opinion,
be a defeat of all notice during the present ses
sion of Congress, he should vote for it, without
meaning to commit himself in favor of any trea
ty which should not secure to the United States
the whole of our just rights in Oregon."
The President, it is, said, will give the notice
forthwith. The country has full confidence in
his ability to settle the Oregon question, and if
Great Britain shows a disposition to do ns jus
tice, James K. Tolk will terminate the difficulty
in a manner satisfactory to all. Great Britain
must enter upon negotiation with a more liberal
spirit than heretofore, if it be her desire to settle
the matter amicably. She must not suppose that
her wholesale slaughter of the poor benighted
Sikhs will have a tendency to make us yield to
any unjust measure she may propose. Nor should
she entertain any such absurd ideas, as to think
he American people would be intimidated, in
pursuing a course they know to be just, by the
force she is shipping into Canada.
You have, no doubt, frequently noticed with
what avidity the opponents anil they are fast
being dwindled down to a few irresponsible de
magogues of Gen. Cameron grasp at the most
trivial affair to injure bis reputation. Notwith
standing the feeble etjorts of such persoos, it is
not nngratifying to know that the General not
only enjoys the confidence of the Democracy of
his own State, anil it is the Democracy, but
that of other States also. In Ohio, he is not un
known. The Democratic publishing committee
of that State, with Col. S. Mcdary at its head,
among others "from distinguished Antrican
statesmen," acknowledges the receipt of a letter
from Gen. Cameron, on the currency, and pays a
merited compliment to the writer. It is in these
words :
"The letters of Gov. Brown, of Mississippi, of
Gov. Drew, of Arkans.it, and of Senators Tur
ney, of Tennessee, and Cameron, of Pennsylva
nia, are worthy of the brightest days of republi
can freedom, and entitle their authors to the e
verlasting gratitude of the Democracy of Ohio,
and the lovers of truth and a virtuous govern
ment, every where."
What other endorsement will the peculiar de
mocrats of your State ask for, if this is not sulfi
vienl. Cromwell.
We find the following note from Gen.
Cameron, in a lata number of the Washington
L'nion :
To tho Editor of the Union Sir: Not a word
of what is attributed by your reporter tome, in
yesterday'a debate, on printing the Patent Of
fice report, was said by ma, and all that I did
soy his been omitted. 1 learn lint what is
said at my desk cannot be heard in the repor
ters' gallery. I seldom have Fpoken and have
no ambition to be reported but I wil! thank
them not to make a speech lor me. 1 am vt-ry
proud ofthe farmers and farms of my state, and
I am mortified at being made to eay that 'the
wonderful improvements in Agriculture in
Pennsylvania hsvo resulted from tho Patent
Office.' 1 did ttoi say so. They are the result
ofthe combined industry and intelligence ol
tho men who hold their own ploughs and drive
their own hordes who labor by day and read at
niSllt' Vtfy fespectfulfy,
April 51, 1510. Simon Camwo.v,
Tha Preslitenl'a Mrssagei
As neither ol the Washington papers contain
the President's Message relative to the Secret j
Service Fund, we copy the following abstract
from the Baltimore American :
The Message wos rend, beginning with n re
cital ofthe resolution calling lor the items of the
secret Bcrvice lund. The President ays that,
with an anxious desire tn furnish the informstion
if it were consistent tods it, he must decline.
The foreign intercourse Act ot 110, in pursu
ance of which information was communicated,
was stated.
Tha law required the public itema to be sta
ted privately. Tha President's certificate only
was required to be presentca to the accounting
officer to secure tha payment ofthe same. Had
the public items been called for they would
have been Communicated with rest pleasure
But the secret expenditures cannot be made pub
lic without injury to the public interest. Some
of his predecessors have not specified for what
the secret service fund was expended.
His predecessors had declared that this sum of
$.",4-"0 ws expended for foreign intercourse
Mr. Polk says the question is whether the resn
lution can be answered at all with propriety.
As a general rule, it should not be done, ond
whether it could be done under any circumstan
ces or not, is a subject for serious consideration.
The President may keep the information in his
own hands if he chooses, in which case the items
do not become public records by being filed a
way. They are not seen by the accounting of
ficer. The provieion of the law of 170 were then
(tntod and explained, when Mr. Polk says that
if called upon to answer this Resolution, he
would he under tho necessity of answering all
such calls, whether under one administration or
o net her. or whether in Peace or in War. The
President saysthat he is aware of the prejudices
against keeping nny thing secret, but there are
circumstances which may require it.
While in office, says Mr. Polk, I have had no
account settled noon the Presi lcnt's certifirnto,
nnd it would be an extreme cne that would al
low him to use his ccrf ideate. Still, if there
was s necessity for this-, lie .should most cheer
fully take the responsibility of .doing so. Tiie
House, as the Grand Inquest oftlie nation, hive
a right to investigate the conduct of a'l public
officer, but it must always be by a committee
Such committee would have the right to demand
the appearance of every public and private pi
per, but they would not communicate what was '
done to the injury ofthe public intcre-l. 1
No communication is found upon the files n'
the Department, in reference to the special mis-'
sion to F.ngland, says Mr. Polk, and therefore
this part ofthe information is not piveii, as de
sired, by Mr. Polk. All public pipers (and
they cover forty or fifty pages) are communica
ted. The Secret Service Fri. There has been
much talk recently of the Secret Service Fund.
This fund has always been appropriated by Con
gress, and its application has been left, by the
law, to the sole discretion of the President.
"The New York Telegraph says that the largest
expenditure ever made by the American Govern
ment in this way, since the Revolution, was in
112, when John Heriry, supposed to be a Bri
tish agent, received from Mr. Madison ?"i0,000
in two drafts on the Treasury, one of? 13,000
and the other of ? 1000. Before he left the I'ni
States, he purchased of the Count de Grilloa,
then at Washington, an estate in Languedoc,
F ranee, for -100, U00 francs, of w hich the amount
received from our Government was supposed to
have been a part.
Mr. Madison sent a message to Congress infor
ing them of the plot, and also with the message, a
series of letters between this George Henry and
Sir Thomas Craig, Governor General of Cauuda,
and his Secretary, Mr. Ryland.
Henry made these discoveries in consequence,
as he alleged, of "the perfidy and dishonor of
tliose who first violated the conditions en which
he received their confidence," and on the gronnd
of retaliation. The papers he communicated
were voluminous, and Congress thought them so
important as to print 5000 copies, aparin to
believe in the authority of the documents.
Henry was an Fnglishman, and hail been a
captain in our army of 179S.
The British Minister at Washington, Mr. Fos
ter, disavowed the whole affair in on official let
ter to the Secretary of State, who also made a
report to the President, that tha department was
not in possession of any names or persons in the
United States who had any way countenanced
the project and views of Mr. Henry.
The affair made a great sensation at the time,
but the author of it left the country in a few weeks
after his communication had been made public,
and sailed from New York on the 10th of March,
1M2, in the ship Wasp for France. Hi subse.
quent career, we have not yet been able to
trace.
During tho Revolution large sums were ex
pended for secret services, and in 177(5 the a
mount oppropriated for tLose purposes was about
X700.000.
Of late years the amount expended has been
very trilling."
The Iron Company in Armstrong county, styl
ed the 'Great Western,' made some fifty or sixty
thousand tons of railroad iron, the past year, for
Western roads.
Ex-President Tiler. A resolution of thanks
and respect to Ex President Tyler has been uiiani
nionxly adopted by the Legislature of Texas.
DKri:oTF.n. 700 acres of wood and timber
land were burnt over, in Fairfield, Cinii , On
Sunday laai
From the Philadelphia Ledger. 1
Continuous Hnllrnml The Interests of
Iiillittlclihla.
Messrs. F.ditors : In sore prior communica
tions I have instituted comparisons between
the several routes which have been specially
surveyed with a view to a continuous Railroad
from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh. I have shown
the vast superiority in grade, on the route which
has hitherto been neglected, and proved that by
following the 'preferred middle route' of Mr.
Schlatter, we must encounter two thourand eight
hunilred and sixty-nne-fret more rise and fall be
tween Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, than if we fol
lowed the West Branch of the Susquehanna. It
has been also proved that in reaching the divi
ding ground between the waters of the West
Branch and those ofthe Two Lick Creek flowing
to the West, no grnde will be encountered higher
than 5C feet per inile and that for not more
than 10 miles af the distance. Whea the other
advantages of this latter route besides its low
summit and unrivalled ease of grade are taken
into view its connection for instance, with the
North Branch iroa district, with the Lycoming
Creek, or Williamsport and F.lmira Railroad
penetrating to the heart of New York, with the
Lakes at Krie, and with a rich mining district
throughout nearly the whole route we shall I ap
prehend, find good reason to pause before we un
dertake to scale the Eastern escarpment of the
Allegheny Mountain and to follow the tortuous
courses, and climb the steep precipices ofthe Lit
tle Juniata and its tributaries, involving after
all an aggregate of 2 or 3 miles of tunnel. At
least let the city of Philadelphia before she puts
any number of millions of dollars inlo the hands
of a company to expend on such a scheme be
assured that a full, faithful and impartial survey
of the natural channel shall be made, before pro
ceeding to the final location of tho road. This
need not delay action on the part of the citizens
or even ofthe city government, for the conditions
of the law requii ing the location and actual com
mencement of 15 miles at each end of the route,
may be complied with in all due time, without
involving the imediate determination of the ques
tion whether the Stone Mountain route or that
ofthe Susquehanna shall eventually be adopted.
More than l.'i miles at each end of the route will
be cemmnn to the two, whichever shall be pur
sued in the intermediate portion. The examina
tion and estimates of former years have left to
be surveyed and estimated about Uo miles
of the Suqnelianna route.
The route by the West Branch is, I am persu
aded, destined, at no distant day, to be occupied
by a Railroad. Whether from the advantages
heretofore presented, it is likely to become a
formidable competitor with the shorter, Stone
Mountain route, can only be certainly known by
a full and faithful survey. Capitalists may eon-
jcclure, but Engineers must decide.
I have barely referred to the mineral wealth of
the region to be traversed on the West Branch.
Mines of coal and iron ore already exist at num
erous laealities, and hundreds more might readily
be opened. From Quill's Run to the head waters
of the West Branch, the coal foration i scarce
ly interrupted in a distance el" I 10 miles.
The city of Philadelphia is herself an exten
sive proprieter of a part of this territory, Ivinj.
between the Siunamahoning and Kartiiairs
known as the 'Boudinot lands.' For want of oi
table means of approach this property is at pre
sent unavailable, but a line of public improve
ments cannot fail to enhance its value. Durin;
the past year these Boudinot hinds were visiter
by a committee of the City Councils, who return
ed and reported that they ought to be sold be
cause they are at present of no value a rsasei
by the way which in the event of their being of
fered for sale, would doubtless carry great weigli
with purchasers, and enable them to get the pre
perty at their own prices. Had a Railroad pas
sed immediately over these, offering for thei
lumber and minerals a ready transit to bot
F.astern and Western markets, the same Con
rnittee might probably have made a very diffei
ent statement of the value of those lands.
Had Maryland possessed a route to the We
at all comparable with that of the West Branc
ofthe Susquehanna, I have no hesitation in say
ing that session after session of our Legislator
would nver have been agitated aod embroile
by wrangling about the 'right of way ;' and ha
the New York and Krie Railroad found such
route in its own State, the inhabitants of th.
prcid State would never have been seen at Ha
risburg supplicating for the right of pass throug
a coiner of Pennsylvania.
The time is come and the opportunity is no
afforded fr availing ourselves of the triple n
vantage which Pennsylvania alone of all t)
I Union enjoys, namely, that of bordering on tl
waters of the Alantic, those of the Western R
vers and those of the Northern Lakes. I.i
Pennsylvania seize the occasion to benefit I
her position, and by her unsurpassed faciliti
for forming a continuous Railroad of easy grai
and without inclined planes, between Ilarrisbu
and Pittsburg. Let her get rid of the danger ai
delay caused by the inclined plane at the Schuj
kill ; sell the Teter's Island Bridge to those wl
even now require nearly its whole capacity f
the coal trade ; bring the trade into the city
Market street, ami secure by proper regulatio
the charges for freight and toll on the State roa
and we shall hear little more of the danger lr
competition by other States or by foreign o
operations. Pennsylvania may'then defy com;
tition. Through this natural ami easy chain
trade and travel will low in all urn-easing ci.
rent ; many subordinate lines will become tub
tary to the main trunk, and will bo found
elsewhere, the greatest sources of profit to ti
stockholders. The merchants of the Weet wi
no longer be driven to sok Philadelphia thrmt,
routes which they do not desire to pursue ; a
the merchants of our eity will again reap the f
share of that trade which their uprightness, s
briety and liberal demeanor have secured, ai
w hich lh same, know it excellencies of ekiract'
Will not fail to ittatn W. R