The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-07-31
THIRTlETH CONGRESS-.
FIRST SESSION.
Senate

WAsHINGToN, July %, 1S4S.
Several bills, relating to District and Circuit Courts
were considered during the morning hour.
RAILROAD KILLED.
Mr NILES moved to take up the bill providing tor
grant Of land to Asa Whitney Esq Of sixty miles
wide, from Lake Michigan to the Pacific, some two
thousand miles, in order enable the said whitney
to construct railroad from the southern end OF Lake
Michigan all the way across the continent TO the great
wall OF the Rocky Mountains, and the pass, nd
through the gorges Of the mountains beyond, aud
across the great desert BASIN and through pass
in the snowy mountains be yond it, to the shores
Pacific. MIR. Niles briefly spoke of the importance OF
tie measure, and the necessity of action at the
present session of Congress upon measure Of such
vast moment.
ONCE MORE BREACH.
MIR. HANNEGAN obtained leave, and gave notice that
on Monday he should introduce bill providing terri
torial governments for Oregon New Mexico and Cali
fornia.
AHoRRIBLE MONOPOLY
Mr.. HALE astonsled that the Sc nator from Con.
nccticut should make such a motion as this TO the
Senate at any time, especially at this time 1t is the
joint stock company Of the South Sea Bubble the Mis-
sssippi scheme and all the bubbles that ever foated
this monstrons monopoly. To 30 monstrOus scheme,
hope the Senate will not even give their countenance
far AZ to take it. How many millions of acres does
it grant away for this scheme?
A SENAToR-Ninety-sev seven millions.
Mr.. HALE-Ninety-seven millions! Nearly a hun
bred millions of acres to one man What a mon
strous proposition is this. want to see the public
lands opened free to actual Settlers but how is this
be dome, when you cede away hundred millions to
up the bill.
Know WHAT 1T Isl
Mr. NIEs-I rather suppose the Senator has not read
the bill He calls it a monopoly The reverse is the
case The effect of the bill dispose of the public
lands. They intended to make the road; without
the lands the road cannot be made 1t will tend to
settle the continent all the way There will be
no sacrifice at all He spoke of the Of the
world in connection with this enterprise Why, sir,
worth a silver they worth one ce mt an acre;
and, perhaps, never will be. Why, sir, the measure
comes here endorsed by eighteen States Of this Union
and by nearly all of them una nmouAy. The only OBJ
lection is will the lands build the road? If they do
not we are safe enough II they do, we have an i'm
mense highway to the Pacific under control
How many millions, sir of your public lands have al
ready been fritteEed away for nothing.
MIR. BREEsE-Not to individuals.
MIR NILEs-This Is not to individual. It is for
q common purpose under safe regulations for q COM
men highway and the road at every step Of its pro-
gress and the lands will be under the control Of Con-
gress.
BENTON AGAINST THE PRoJEcr.
Mr.. BEsIoN-Mr. President, the noise and the har-
rassment that has followed up the proceedings of the
Senate, now find interrupted by motion which
cannot understand Is it to run q railroad through
to California, when we can't get even a government
moment Sir, when was looking ever the plan of Mr..
Jefferson, ground work to whether anything
could be done for the temporary government OF the
orphan territories, my struck sir by
the sound Of Whitney's railroad hope it
will will not be taken Ten, Up sir We have n m.s nss
pensable to be passed. sir yet to be acted upon Yet
sir while am involved in considering plan for the
government Of tue territories for the being plan
for their protection, sir interrupted, SIR by the
sound Of Whtney's railroad Why. sir, wrote this
subject before Mr. Whitney ever dreamed oft fol-
lowed the track of Mr. Jefferson and wrote upon this
subject thirty years ago, sir followed the track of
Mr. jefferson but 1t entered my head, sir, that
of acres Never sir. could grant to the custody Of
even such man rs John Jacob Aston, or Stephen Gil
rard, who could take Of their Millions 1.-THE Of
this grant Of territory, much less, sir to man who,
as far as know anything about him. not taKe
care of one dollar, or one acre 1t never entered my
head, sir. that man whose explorations have been
limited to the purlieus Of this capital and whose abors
and researches of the route have been confined to
treading the carpets Of the two Houses, add mpor-
tuning members, sir 1t never entered my head to
think, for moment of the possibility of giving to his
entire management Of one hundred millions of acres
OF land for road the route Of which left bis dsore
ton over bresdth Of ~ or II degrees Of altitude No,
sir, we shall have a communication with the Pacific
but first It will be necessary to have full and complete
surveys and explorations. Why, MIR President,
shall expect as the next thing that Mr.. whitney will
bring in bill Of damages for keeping him waiting here
some four or Eve sessions and then he will perha d.
present similar bill to the State legislatures Till
that Is done, sir till he brings in bill of damages,
hope the bill will be laid
Mr. BELL, under instructions from his State Legis-
lature advocated the project of the bill and the proec
ton of the enterprise. The scheme perfectly
safe as II would be constantly under the supervision
Of Congress.
MIR. BrN1oN-A fortnight sir, the time that we
have remaining will not be enough to carry this bill
through this body One hu udred millions Of acres Of
land shall readily pass into the hands Of any
one man, while have the power to wag tongue
against It. And with the discretion to where the
railroad shall begin and where II snail end there 10
not man to whom would trust it, the face Of the
earth. Why sir, even the running of a country
road is matter of great intrigue sometimes being d.
verified miles from its true direction to psoify grog
shop Great God, sir, how have I been served BY
the Senator from Connecticut While am deeply
engaged, sir involved in dgent study, with Mr. JEFF
ferson as my guide studying sir, to find out some
plan for the protection Of the territories the Senator
from Connecticut breaks n upon my studies breaks
up the plan persuing aud calls of my ate nton
by the sound of Whitneys railroad. move you, sir
that the motion to take up the bill be laid upon the
table. Carried % to 81
The Senate then preceded to the calendar Of pri-
vate bills.