The Isthmus Line to the Pacific [pp. 259-266]

lime pointing of Manlius when charged with se-'allow it to be perfect, and we would be much
dition to the capitol he had saved. How the better critic than we aspire to be, could we point
spirit of the past rebukes the chafings of the out wherein it could be amended. It is pure,
present! When we think of the mighty surge of elegant and classic, but with a slight tendency to
danger which, with brave brother breasts, our expletiveness-it is exact without pedantry, and
forefathers confronted then, how next to nothing picturesque without mannerism-nevertheless,
seem the interposed rivulets that would make us had it a trifle more about it of the rough Angloenemies now! Saxon jar, it would please our ear better-but,
But we must hasten to the orator's conclusion, nevertheless again, we would not advise Gov.
as we find that it is the only way to get to a con- McDowell to attempt anychange in the language,
clusion of our own. Every one knows that the unless he can get better authority than ours, that
winding up of a speech is a perilous thing- it would be an improvement.
facilis descensus, is not true, in one sense at least, We have confined our notice of this speech to
in oratory. Mr. McDowell escapes the danger its character as a specimen of eloquence. What
of a fall, by not coming down at all. According ipay be its political influence, we pretend not to
to those fanciful stanzas by Longfellow, after estimate. The bill it advocated did not pass, (we
height upon height has been gained, and at last wish the vote had been taken as soon as it was
all is over, a sound falls down from somewhere finished.) But what then? Men may vote one
supernal, bodying the world "Excelsior." This way and think another, and the secret conviction
is the aptest allusion which occurs to us to illus- of this year may turn into the vote of the next.
trate the Governor's finale. What is a little sin- An old writer has said of affliction, as connected
gular, he selects for this hour of need, a steed with the reception of religious truth, "when the
that he had ridden before-a gallant one it is ground is soft the plough will enter." So let
true, and able to do double work, if ever there us think of the truth conveyed in this speech.
was one. He re-delivers verbatim the conclu- There were many hearts softened in the Hall of
sion of his celebrated Princeton Address. Of our National Legislature. May we not hope
course it was familiar to every one in the House, that, in that sacred hour, impressions were made
for it had gone through the length and breadth of whose hallowed tendencies will be to remove
the land, and we have seen it besides fitted into suspicion, to lessen jealousies, to restrain strife,
other settings, and it was not a thing to be for- and to heal the hurt of our country by melting
gotten. We can hardly say whether we like it the hearts of her sons intoa blessed brotherhood?
or not. It was just the thing that was needed S. L. C.
here, and perhaps no other man in the Union
could furnish any thing else as good. Perhaps
Mr. McDowell himself could not, and therefore
he has used it, as he had a perfect right to do,
seeing it is no felony to steal from one's self. Still
it looks like literary adultery, to have the same THE ISTHMUS LINE TO THE PACIFIC.
peroration married to two living speeches. At
all events, to change the figure, we are sure that
as tevenclsio to chnethe finceto A ddressur it Before presenting to our readers the following letter of
as the conclusionL to the Princeton Address it
Lieut. Maury on the subject of a line of improvement across
will ever hereafter have to us the rather nuplen will ever hereafter have to us the rather unplea the Isthmus to the Pacific, we have a word to say with resant look of something born out of due time.
gard to the Convention proposed to be held at Memphis
One word as to the mere style. We have on the fourth day of July next. The objects which this
heard some persons say that they were very Convention has in view, are briefly set forth in a circular
much struck with the brilliancy of the illustra- letter of invitation, addressed to us by a committee of gentions and the allusions; we cannot say that we tlemen at Memphis. We transfer it to our pages.
were particularly. It has been our good fortune
often to hear the Governor in easy conversation, Memphis, Teaa., March 1st, 1849.
for hours together, throw off extemporaneously, Sir: The attention of the people of the Union has rebright, apposite things of this sort, fully as good cently been directed to the consideration of the expedi thebest in thespeech,andagooddealbett ency of constructing a RAIL ROAD from the valley of
as the Mississippi to California, for the double object of renthan the "open sesame" one and some others. dering still more valuable our vast possessions on the PaLet us be understood to put in a saving clause in cific, and placing within our grasp the commerce with
favor of the West Augusta conclusion. We take Asia H-a dazzling prize with maritime nations for more
off our cap to this and hold it to be among illus- than twenty centuries.
trations what the Ode on St. Cecilia's Day is St. Louis, in Missouri, and other points still further north,
have been designated as most suitable for the commencement
among lyrics. As to the language, who does slot of the proposed work. The citizens of Arkansas, at a recent
praise it? Still we would be no true critic did we public meeting, at their Capital, in which the leading men of
1849.]
The Isthmus Line to the Pacifc.
259