us a subject of angry dispute,
may in every region of the globe bring the human family into friendly
communication; that it may dispel national prejudices; assuage
animosities--in short, that, by creating a feeling of universal
gratitude to the powers from which it has proceeded, it may produce on
earth peace and good-will towards men." And where, let it be asked, can
this wonderful discovery, this great power of steam,[see Note 16] be
called into action so effectually and so usefully, not only for Great
Britain, but for mankind in general, than in that parallel of
latitude[see Note 17] in which (_all barrier difficulties and all cause
for war being now removed_) would naturally flow in full tide the
civilization, arts and sciences that invariably follow in the wake of
Englishmen? Then as to the difficulties of the undertaking, let us
recollect that an eminent engineer, previous to the construction of the
Liverpool and Manchester Line, said, "No man in his senses would attempt
a Railroad over Chat Moss:" his calculation was that it would cost
L270,000. Yet the genius of George Stephenson afterwards surmounted the
difficulty at a cost of L40,000, though the work was commenced when
engineering science was less understood than now. Let us also listen to
the Quarterly, "Steam as applied to locomotion by sea and land is the
great wonder-worker of the age. For many years we have been so startled
by such a succession of apparent miracles, we have so often seen results
which surpassed and falsified all the deductions of sober calculations,
and so brief an interval has elapsed between the day when certain
performances were classed by men of science as among impossibilities,
and that wherein those same performances had almost ceased to be
remarkable from their frequency, that we might almost be excused if we
regarded the cloud-compelling demon, with somewhat of the reverence
which the savage pays to his superior, when he worships as omnipotent
any power whose limits he cannot himself perceive." With such a
power[see Note 18] (so eloquently described) at our command, and such
magnificent results to be obtained from it, shall England hesitate?
shall the expenditure of a few millions check such a noble work? shall
the Rocky Mountains be a barrier? mountains never yet properly explored,
and of which almost all we know is that (as my friend Colonel Bloomfield
observed) we nearly went to war to be allowed to cross them. And what
are the