The Arkansas banner., 1849-11-27
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.
LA GRANGE, Miss, Aug. 25th |

fellow citizens everywhere. feel inter ested a suc- cessful issue, to the great design, o bringing the commerce of the Pacific through our own terIito- res, to inc Atlantic coast.
 few months since, the project oG a railroad, to inierseet the great region comPrized between the valley of the Mississippi and our boundeTies on the Pacific, became the topic of much dcussion in the Gazettes of the day, and on the floors oi Congress-
 Such an enterprise, IS sustained by every argu- ment. which might be supposed to influence peo- pie, whether addressed to their sense of Duty, h. irest, or Honor. In this case, the appeal is made to all these motives.
 I. Asa Duly, we owe it 10 our native citizens, emierang by thousands, to those remote shores, as also to those, adopted by us, on the transfer of the ,erH,oryby Mexico; involving protection, commerce, aud union.
 2. Our Iaierest is deeply concerned, in drawing 10 our western borders, the commerce of India, Chi ua and the Pacific islands; the consequent increase of trade and revenue. and the certain increased value of the public lands, upon the whole line of the route.
 g. National rene,Dn, in the construction of work, which, if iOsH executed, will afford an evidence of the wisdom and power of our infant Republic; of people, untIsmmelled by colonial restrictions, and ioteign AeRonnation, and presenting in all time, were no other monument lett to future ages, con- vincing proof of the advantages, and blessings of Freedom. But the intuitive ssgaciy of the people, anticipated the result of organized discussion; Ten derIng argument, now, m favor oi the work, mere supererog alton. The nation has pronouced Fiat;" the work is 10 be done-and the day is not distant, when Deep, utierIss iatO Deep," their united voices, shall re-ecbo through that. so- tary wilderness. The only question, involving dii- 6cuty, is. A0U shall the eateTpriZe be executed.
 Sometime last fall. or winter, 1 submitted to the Editors of the National Intelligencer, few remarks on the subject, advocating the ptopriety of making this road, in every sense, national c0rk and the longer, have reflected upon 1t, the more strong is the conviction, to which, my mind then arrived. The adVertsd fo nh Iiv all surveys are completed, the ground selected and preliminaries adjusted, an enlistment should be made, Of the necessary number of men, for ordi- nary military service. The pay to be liberal. The enlistment ia be made, for the longest ordinary term, and bounty ot i've or SIX hundred acres of land, to be given at the close ot the terIn to each man, Seeeislng an honorable discharge. would add to ths suggestion, that sun of - dollars, be deduc- ted from the monthly pay. during the whole service, aud reserved, as ali outht, on hIs discharge. The read. under the sGperintendence of able engineers, ts be oi the most perfect construction, known 10 science; and the whole operative force, to be gov erned under the rules, and articles of WAT.
 The territory on either side of the road for 20 or go miles, should be surveyed and reserved as boun- ty lands ia alternate sections, or much as may be necessary. he United States reserviDg every oth CT section. When the road is completed it should be aY open highway, free to the publc, and burden d with no tolls beyond what may be sufficient 10 maintain it in complete repair.
 The advantages of such plan appear to me to be considerable. lst That of being under the entire direction of the Secretary of War, upon whom the responsibility should rest thus avoiding the per Pexity. fraud and delay almost inSeparabIe from the system of charters or contracts, and ensurng the work to be duFaby executed, and to be in operation at the earliest period. 2d The subordination of the laboreFs. matter of great moment, when we re- fleet upon iha frequent strikes for higher wages the mob-like spirit, the intemperance and sangunary spirt too ofien characteristic of large bodies o meu engsged on canals and railroads, uncontrolled by military discipline. Sd. The employment of off csu, now only in nominal service, in active duty, csngeniai with their profesSion and useful to their country. 4h. The large bounty in land will not snly prevent men from desertion, but there will be seen al tue close of their enlistment, instead of idle. end d;ssc!nse useb body of hardy settlers, deriy and industrious, each with farm and out ht, able to defend their possessions and 10 maintain the peace of the coaRtry. 5th. The sim pcity of detail, the uniformity of work the strict obedience of orders, the few temptations to fraud on well regulated army. 6f0 By making this national work we avoid tke importantly of private companies for extension of time, and privileges, advances of money and excuse from foifeitures so common with this class, and who ind it not diff cult to act upon the sympathy and liberaity of Con- gress.
 There arc other considerations which might be urged in favor of the views l have expressed, but these sufficient to lead the mind 10 rehectlon- Au OuJcSuoH tu uo pau suggest may tpflnR iTOn supposed difference in the cost for it is probable, that mominaAy, this may be greater than by the sys- tenn of contracts and charters but the difference will be only nominal and ought not to receive con alteration when set off against the solid con. /. struction and enduring grandeur of the enterprise, certain to result from it's being conducted under the auspices of the nation.
 The object of contractors is to make money. To .hs consideration alone they sensible. National glory is sentiment that never enters their mind. Accordingly, they do work as barely to pass ia- speeOH, and inexperienced partial supervisors too OfteH fill the pockets of their friends the expenss oi the nation. Not so when national work Is en- trusted to national officers and engineers. They have no personal interest in sighting tbeir duty ; but on tho contrary the highest motives 0! patriot ism and professional honor to perform their work welt l believe fl it be given over to private specu- latOrs it will be badly done and dearly paid for, whether in land money. One proposition is, that the contractor shall receive thirty miles of te..ite!y on each side of the road, line of two thousand miles by sixty. These lines would include nearly eighty millions of acres ; being in extent greater by nearly 20 millions than all England. Such ru- tnous exrayagance could only hnd a parallel in a silly youth. who for present qualification, sacri- hces a large portion of hts inheritance in Post Obilem bond
 It is not to be supposed, that private contractor would 30 construct hs read. as ,o lose money; and such work ought never 10 be subjected 10 the haz- '0"'s S"sn"y uohe' " IS uee to the Hduohat character, and to the national welfare that the sifuc tuTe should stand, not for series ot years, but of ages; and therefore, that every resource. known to modern srt. should be exhausted upon 1t. The Ro- man Censor. who constructed the road. from Rome to Capua more than three hundred years before the birth ot Christ, never entrusted his work to con tractor; or Il would not have transmitted his name 10 postery nor have exhibited, m the lapse of more than two thousand years the evidence of strength, and beauty, found now, among its ruins. Whileall the elements of greatness have departed from Egypt, Greece and Rome, their pyramids, temples and roads. Iecosd aad will perpeiaate the genius, enter prize and taste which rendered them illnstrious. Theirs were naiionai works; and such should be the ambition ot our infant republic.
 noble duty demapds our energy; highway connecting two oceans; sn enterprze surpassing all that has gone before in the progress Of civilization,