Beschreibung:

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: by the author, 1845. 23, [1] pp. 8vo (218 x 140 mm). Original yellow printed wrappers. Light vertical crease, otherwise fine. FIRST SEPARATE EDITION, FIRST ISSUE with the preface dated "June, 1845." "One of the earliest transcontinental agitations" (Howes). Wilkes self-published this offprint from his History of Oregon of the same year, an ad for which appears on the rear wrapper, and includes new prefatory material. Herein he reflects 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 acquisition 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!" (p 23). Howes W419; Sabin 103999. Provenance: penciled ownership inscription of T.A. Rockwell on front wrapper. Acquisition: purchased from William Reese Company, 2001, $1,400.