The Van Buren Press

Our New York Letter.

New York, Feb. 12. 1867.

—Dear Press: I have some items about the Southwest Pacific Railroad, (which, by the way, is to connect by branch with Van Buren,) that may interest your readers. This road has been merged recently into the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, which was chartered by Congress last summer. Already 127 miles west of St. Louis are completed, and work upon it is being pressed thence forward. This company now owns the whole Southwest route from St. Louis to the Pacific, and expects to commence work upon three points during the present year, and to finish the entire road in the course of three years. This route is a little south of west through Missouri to the Canadian river in Indian Territory, thence to Albuquerque on the Del Norte, thence to a crossing at the head of navigation on the Colorado, thus entering California near Los Angeles—making the distance from New York to San Francisco 500 miles shorter by this route than by any other. There will be no "heavy grades" on the road, neither any tunnels.

Commercial dullness still reigns. From all parts of this section come reports of mechanics being thrown out of work, and put upon lessened time, even in some establishments that would hardly be thought so susceptible to a stagnation in general markets. But the fact is that no one feels any confidence in the speedy restoration of the Union and the consequent revival of trade. The "Rump Congress" is the load upon the back of Commerce, impedes its advancement, and threatens to break it down. But, deplorable as this state of affairs may be, it will lead to the overthrow and destruction of the Congressional conspirators, else I mistake the temper of the people. Let the Radical screws bear hard as possible upon the workingmen of the country and it will open their eyes to their own political strength and compel them to use it. The workingmen of this country can control its legislation whenever they will earnestly combine for that purpose; and the day is coming when they must so unite or else allow themselves to be crushed beneath the juggernaut of crazy and criminal radicalism. Let the industrial classes make the choice, and the sooner the better, if it be made well.

The city is in a horrible condition, and the streets look very much like back country roads in the spring. One would scarcely suppose we had a street commissioner who pockets half a million a year for keeping our thoroughfares clean. But that is New York style. New Yorkers like it probably, else they wouldn't bear it so complacently as they do.

The Connecticut Democrats hold their State Convention to-morrow. They have invited all conservative men in the State to join with them in making a nomination, and endeavoring to put an end to radical rule in that commonwealth. I should not be surprised if the nominee of last year, Hon. James E. English, was selected again for the Gubernatorial candidate. Connecticut elects four Congressmen in April, and I am pretty confident that there will be a change in the political status of the delegation as it now is.