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Project of a National Railroad from The Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, for the Purpose of Obtaining a Short Route to Oregon and the Indies.
New York: Published by the Author, 1845, octavo, 23, [1] pp., removed from bound volume, lacking wrappers, text has scattered foxing, else very good.
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Called
the “second edition” on the titlepage as it first appeared in the author’s History
of Oregon, also published in 1845. The earliest issue’s preface was dated
June 1845, this issue’s preface is dated November 1845. “
“The author in this work reflects upon the
country’s strong spirit of Manifest Destiny: “The Railroad is the Great
Negotiator, which alone can settle our title more conclusively than all the
diplomatists in the world. Let it but take us to the dividing ridge and spread
before our choice the fields of Oregon and the plains of California, and the
acquisitions\ of the latter and the title of the former will be decided without
dispute… Arouse then, America, and obey the mandate which Destiny has imposed
upon you for the redemption of a world! Send forth upon its mighty errand the
spirit of the enfranchised man … till it enlarges the boundaries of freedom to
the last meridian, and spreads its generous influence from pole to pole!”
One of the earliest transcontinental agitations; framed while California was still a Mexican province, an Oregon terminus was planned.” – Howes W-419 (b); Eberstadt 113:593; Sabin 103999.
