Motions In Regard To Rail Roads Twenty Five Years Ago

The following letter conlribuled to the National Era by a correspondent, says the Amherst Express, shows what were the views of a dislinguished gentleman 25years ago, on the subject ofrailways. It wil! be read with interest, as contrnsted with the views at present held on the same subject. Tne letter was addressed to John Stevens, of Hoboken, by Robert Livingston, furmerly Chancellor of the State oí New York: "Albany, March 11, 1811. 1 Dear Sir,-l did not till yesterday receive yours of February; where it has loitered on the road I am al loss to say. I had beforo read your very ingenious proposilions as to the railway communication. I fear, however, on mature refleclion, that they wil! be Hable to senous objections, and ultimalely moie expensive than a canal. They must be, doublé, soasto prevent the danger of two such heavy bodies meeting. The walls on which they are placed must b at least four feet below the surface und three nbove, and must be clr.rnped with ron ; and even then would hardly sustain so heavy a weight as you propose inoving' p the rate of four miles un hoiir, on wlieols. As to wood, it would not last a week. Thcy must be covered with ron, and tlial, too. very thick and strong. - The means of stopping these heavy ctiri-iages without n great s hoek, n nel of previMiting thetn fiom running ngainst each other, tbere would bo mnny on the road at ori'ee,) would b& very difficult. In case of accideniial stops, or to the necessary stops or taks wood, water, &c.t many aecidents would happen. Tlie carriuge of condense j water would be very troublesome. Upon the wbole, I (Var I llie expense would be much greater tban tbat of canals, without bein-g so cor.veriient."