eight days, and at thirty miles per hour in five and a half days; and with the magnetic telegraph, outrunning the sun by twelve hours, placing us on the Pacific directly opposite to all Asia,— distant from Japan but four thousand miles, from China but five thousand four hundred miles, from Australia but six thousand, from New Guinea five thousand three hundred and forty, and from Singapore seven thousand six hundred and sixty miles. From London or Liverpool, latitude about fifty degrees, to New York, is about three thousand miles, to be added to the above, when we have the direct route from Europe to all Asia, and much shorter than any other route possible to be accomplished. These distances appear so much shorter than those for the route across the isthmus, that an explanation is required. First, we start from London, latitude fifty degrees, and cross the isthmus in from seven degrees to sixteen degrees north latitude, and about ninety degrees west longitude; thence to Canton, latitude about twenty-three degrees and east longitude one hundred and thirteen and threefourths degrees, or about one hundred and seventy degrees of longitude, each degree of longitude full sixty miles,—making, from the terminus of the canal to Canton, over ten thousand two hundred miles. Whereas, from the Columbia river, latitude forty-six and one-half degrees, to Shanghai, latitude about thirty-two degrees and east longitude one hundred and twenty-two degrees, where all the commerce of China would centre, is one hundred and ten and one-half degrees of longitude, measuring on this parallel about forty-seven miles each, a distance of five thousand four hundred miles. Thus it will be seen that, for a vessel bound from the terminus of a canal across the isthmus to China, the shortest and best route would be first to the Columbia river, and then to China. Thus we see that this would gain over that of the isthmus from London to China three thousand seven hundred and fifty-eight miles; to Australia, five thousand four hundred and forty miles; to Singapore, one thousand three hundred and ninety-eight miles; and New York gains over Europe about three thousand miles to all these places. This seems to be nature's route. On this belt,this line around the globe,-is almost all the population of the world. On this line is, and will be, the greatest production of breadstuffs and meat, the sustenance of man and commerce,adding wealth to the nation. The only route which can, of itself, furnish the means to build the road, or where the labor of man can make it available, nature has here smoothed the way, and opened the mountains to let us pass. Then look at our picture, our position with this road completed. out over the Pacific to the millions of Japan, China, and all Asia, with our manufactures, our cotton, our tobacco, our hemp, our rice, our flour, our corn, beef, pork, leather, and all our many and various products, and receive back in exchange their teas, coffee, sugar, spices, indigo, drugs, silks, and various useful and curious fabrics, with gold, silver, and precious stones,- all, too, with our ships and our own men; and with the other hand, over the broad Atlantic, we offer to all Europe our various products in exchange for hers, and receive her surplus population, to whom we give a home, a country, while our body draws to it and controls the rich commerce and wealth of all the world, spreading and circulating from ocean to ocean through every artery, through every city from Texas to Maine; and from the heart, the great centre, would spring and flow forth throughout the whole frame, the whole system, the life, the products of man's labor from the earth, which would control and sustain all. Behold, with one hand, we reach The picture is grand, and might be considered a vision, had it any other foundation than the wilderness earth, which by the labor of man is to bring forth all we want, and at the same time richly reward that labor. It is a great plan, a great work; but we are the people to do big things. This we have only to commence; it works itself. Build the first mile, and it prepares the the way for another. The settler has the means of free transit to market, and his labor is wanted on the road; he is at once made independent and happy. It is the poor man's road, his hope, and promise. It is the farmer and mechanic who will receive the greatest benefit; their small means and their labor on the road could purchase the land for forty to sixty acres; their labor and crops would be immediately wanted on the road; and if a surplus, find a free transit to market. Villages and cities would spring up from one end to the other, all independent and happy; because the free intercourse with all the world would afford a full reward for labor. Then, will you take your money, and send it out of our country, to be used against your interest, or will you have the Oregon road, which will cost you nothing but your votes? Mr Whitney does not ask for one dollar in money, nor will he subject any man to one cent of taxation. He does not even ask a survey for his route; all he desires is, that the waste wilderness land may be placed so that, by sale and settlement, the means in money and labor can be produced to build the road, and when the road is completed, to be under the control of Congress,- of the people, —and no dividends. All this he proposes at his own risk and hazard; and if it fails, the people lose nothing, as no part of the lands would be granted to him faster than the road is built. It appears to me that this is no mysterious affair,- a plain, simple business plan,-grand and sublime, it is true, but as simple as grand. I examined this subject nearly three years ago. I then endorsed it, and presented Mr. Whitney's first memorial to the twenty-eighth Congress. Since that time it has grown upon the public mind; and I believe the people will have it, and the sooner the better. Z. PRATT. PRATTSVILLE (Greene Co., N. Y.), Aug. 28, 1847. CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING FREE TRADE. HON. ZADOCK PRATT. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, DEAR SIR: As the tariff bill will at an early day be called up for discussion in the House of Representatives, and we are desirous of obtaining the views of distinguished gentlemen who are themselves largely interested in American manufactures, and equally desirous to promote the welfare of their country, by placing at its disposal whatever information relative to any particular branch of domestic industry they may possess, we therefore most respectfully request you to communicate to us such facts and views in regard to the policy of continuing the present high duties upon leather, and all manufactures of leather, as your leisure will permit. This we are induced to believe you are eminently capable of doing, from your great experience, and the very great amount of capital and labor you have engaged in tanning. Having given so many evidences of sound discrimination, as well as of public spirit, we hope, not only that you will oblige us by a full statement of your views as regards the effect and propriety of high and low duties upon the leather trade and tanning, but also any other facts and suggestions that may impart information. Very respectfully, your ob't serv'ts, E. W. HUBBARD, D. S. REID, J. J. MCKAY. WASHINGTON, D. C., May 28, 1846. GENTLEMEN: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note, dated the 27th, in which, after alluding to the business in which I have been extensively engaged for many years, you ask me to enumerate such facts and views in regard to the policy of continuing the present high duties upon leather as my experience may suggest. In answering briefly your note, I have to say that it is not my purpose to offer at this time any opinion upon the effects of high or low duties upon the revenue, or the best mode of raising money to defray the expenses of government. I have full confidence that the administration and Congress now in power will give to those subjects all the consideration which their importance demands, with a view to doing equal justice to all classes and interests in our country; I can only give you a few practical observations bearing upon a single branch of business in which I have been for many years largely engaged, that of manufacturing hemlock sole-leather, of which my product has averaged nearly one hundred thousand sides per year. A large portion of the raw hides manufactured in this country are imported principally from South America; the amount for the last year being three million eight hundred thousand dollars in value, while little, if any, sole-leather is imported. Formerly, these hides were mostly purchased with gold and silver, or bills on England; but latterly, with flour, lumber, and cotton goods,—in short, wholly with the produce and manufactures of our own country. England admits raw hides, bark, and other articles used in tanning and finishing leather, duty free; and, prior to 1842, raw hides were admitted into our country free of duty. The manufacture has steadily increased, until it has become a branch of useful industry ranking as the third or fourth in magnitude in the country. We are beginning to find a market in England for our leather, while our forests of hemlock and oak, and |