The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-11

ms the work progresses, make sales on the line OF
thai part which shall have been completed, to pay
the interest on previous loans, and obtain means for
continuing operations;---thus advancing step by
STEP and msking the construction Of the road pre-
csds not follow, the tide Of emigration and the
settlement Of the country. This looks very well on
paper and appears plausible at the FIRST view; but I
fear you would find serious practical difficulty in
carrying it out. Ths first effect would be to post
pone the peopling Of the country-to exclude all
inhabitants and improvements from within thirty
miles Of the route on e&ch side--and TO keep the
whole lipe savage wilderness until the road shall
have been constructed. The result of this policy
on the future destiny Of the country west Of the
mountains, will be too apparent from glance
at It's topography. Al you advance to the Rocky
mountains, you viii enter the valley of the North
branch OF the Nebraska; thence, pursuing the val
ley of the Sweet Water to the South Pass, you
will descend the valley Of the Columbia 10 the ocean,
This 70 the route proposed by you, and may be
adopted; although am inclined 10 the OPINION that
the bay Of San Francisco, in California, would be
preferable for the western tsYninus, IL that country
could be annexed in time. The line of your road
would probably follow the valleys Of those streams
your grant Of lands, sixty mhes wide, would
nearly, IL not entirely, cover the whole width OF
those valleys, from hill to hill, and mountain to
mountain, Excepting, of course, the tributary
with fine valleys upon the water-courses. The
Withholding of all those lands from sale and set
Element until your road shall have been completed
would block up the South Pass, and stop the tide
of emigration to Oregon, about eectually as the
British government and the Hudson Bay Company
could desire. This vast tide of American emigra.
ton stayed, and all future settlements excluded
from the South Pass and the valley Of the Column
bis, anxiously waiting for you TO advance in your
railroad car from Milwaukee, via Fond du Lac,
Prairie du Chen the ST. Peters, and the Big Bend Of
the Missouri TO the South Pass to bring the lands
into mark T. and give emerants permission to plant
their homes the bahks of the Columbia; and, in the
mean time, Great Britain continuing to pour in the
masses Of her surplus population, TO extend her
settlements aud increase the number Of her forts,
greatly fear that, on your arrival at the summit oi
the Rocky mountains, you would find that the trea-
ty Of joint occupation had long since ceased, and
your eyes would behold dense and prosperous
British colony possessing and cultivating the whole
| valley below. While, therefore, regard your pro.
ject as objectionable and impracticable, doubt mol
the time will come when we will see continuous
line Of railroads 70 the Pacific ocean. u will be the
work Of years, however, and progress gradually,
from east TO west, keeping up connected chain Of
| communication, and following the tide of emigra
ton and the settlement Of the country. In addition
to the India and China trade, and the vast COM
merce of the Pacific ocean, which would pass over
this route, you must create further necessity for
the road, by subduing the wilderness, and peoping
il with hardy and industrious population, who
would soon have surplus produce, without the
means Of getting il to market, and require, for
their own consumption, immense quantities ofgoods
and merchandise, which they could not obtain
at reasonable rates. for want Of proper facilities OF
transportation; and that necessity will make the
road. Causes are now in active operation, and
have been for several years, which must soon pro.
duce this result. To those vast multtudes who
wish to change their condition and select new
homes, the promised land 10 westward. Nebraska,
whose name WINS unknown about one year ago, has
mr. hah and tall
of seeing our frends in California and Oregon, az
Familiarity ss in New York and New Orleans When
Congress shall do its duty, trust it will at the
ensuing session, by establishing the Territories oil
Nebraska and Oregon, and fostering continuous
line of settlements from the Mississippi to the Pa
cfc, the tide of emigration will set in that direction
with redoubled force. In the mean time, some de-
cisive measures should be adopted Immediately to
insure the completion Of this great railroad commu-
nication within the period that the course Of events
will render necessary. Among these, would spe-
Let the Oregon Territory be established, extend
ing from the summit Of the Rocky mountains to the
Pacific.
Lie, the Territory of Nebraska be established FAC.
cordng bill introduced last winter with reference
to this very object, among others,) extending from
| the western borders of Iowa and Missouri to Ore
gon, and embracing sufficient country both sides
Of the Nebraska or Plat river, to make good
State.
Let the route Of the proposed railroad be imme-
diately surveyed and located from Lake Erie or the
| Ohio, to the Pacific.
| Let Congress grant 10 each of the Territories
Iowa, Nebraska, and Oregon--the alternate sections
of the public lands for reasonable distance on each
side Of the line Of the road as was done on various
occasions to Ohio, Indiana Illinois, Alabama, and
the other States and Territories, in aid Of their
public works.
| Let grants also be made to those States through
v,hic of LAM l,,,p
either side Of the line Of the road within their own
limits.
| Let all these grants of land be made to those
States and Territories the express condition thai
the proceeds thereof shall be faithfully applied ia
the construction of the road, and shall be diverted
TO no other purpose whatever; and also, on Me
further condition, that the United States mails troops
supplies, and munitions of war, shall be forever
| transported over said road free of charge. t.s
| Let these States and Territories adopt such plan
and means for the construction of the road through
their respective limits as they shall deem wise and
proper, either by making it State work, to BE-
owned and controlled by the State in its corpo-
i rate capacity, or by incorporating companies, and
| imposing such conditions and restrictions, and re-
tanning such right Of supervision, each State shall
deem necessary and expedient. An legislation by
the Territories upon this subject, az long they
main SUCH would of course be subject to the super
vision Of Congress.
| This is the synopsis of plan which will be sub.
miited to Congress, unless you or others can point
out some insuperable objection to it, devise bet
ter one II 10 simple in principle and detail, and
involves no mystery or uncertainty. II does moi
concentrate in the hands of single individual
the public domain and political power to fearful
| extent. a8s
1t presents no question Of conflict, in power
or interest, between the federal government and
| individual States and Territories through which
the road would pass. l. does not involve the
question, as to the constitutional power Of the
federal government TO prosecute system ofinterna
improvements within the limits of the severa
Sates for in this case il to be done by the States
| themselves. Nor is IL liable to the objection, tina
| Congress donates the means for making the i'm
provements; for the most ample and liberal compen
sation is provided in return by the free Transports
ton of the mails, troops, supplies, and munitions o.
war. II introduces principle into the legis
laon of Congress the States; for the practice o.
making grants Of lands TO the States in which tn,
public domain il situated, in aid Of their public
works, on similar conditions, has long ATTAINED ant
may be said to have become part OF the settled
Of Il.