The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-11-29

-
Dsvsrsd at dc Representation Hail. at Springfield on
1870 he susaing Of Ms asa October. is4e, ..s <,
Senator Douglas commenced his speech by remsrking
that he desired 70 call the attention Q, ms cpns.Ssn.s
and especially OF such members o. the Two branches o.
the Legislature might be present. 70 lns sun)ecs sm
braced in various resolutions adopted by the legislature
resouons he had no doubt expressed the deliberate will
of the people OF this State upon the subjects TO which
they referred while he entertained ssIloas doubts whe.h
er the others would, upon examination, meet the APP
proval Of the people the legislature Il was not his
purpose make an issue with the legislature nor TO con-
Certain their wishes and to harmonic his own opinions
with theirs, far could be done consistently with his
convictions Of duty The first resolution to which he
Whitney to construct railroad from lake Michigan to
the Pacific They adopted, he believed, al the ses
sion Of the legislature preceding the last and were as
follows: s,3 W.
Arois. ths Swats eOncaung ksi~,) That have seen
ssd s wh as Of
.ons q NJ. WhiRsy e New York On re .abjsss q
h.a IL he and dss Sssn 81
Rsousd further That our senators and Representatives
.noss$ . their nee IN .ssaains he po S
tons Of Mr. Whitney which have been submitted 70 the
Congress Of the dated States. fOr railroad from lake
He said that these resolutions were adopted under cir
cumstances which were peculiarly Notifying and en-
81 NJ. ssa = ne ss
Michigan % the Pacific, 70 enable him to make rail-
created considerable interest Plumb had brought his
project before the public 4 public meeting in Dubuque
Iowa, in 1888; and Wilks. Hull. Calvin, and others
all looking to the public lands the from which
the funds were 70 be drawn e construct the work AT
length Mi. Whitney entered the field in ls45 whhis
to enlist public favor for it, Mr. Douglas had examined
the project carefully and to the conclusion that he
could not give It his support under any consideration
n he nerO n he wrO and Al a
letter to Mr. Whitney which be stated his objections,
both to the route and plan proposed BY him Mr. here
objections to Mr. Whitneys route from milwaukee via
Prairie Du Chen, the 81 Peters river, in Minnesota,
Bluffs the South Pass He argued in favor of start
ing point on the lakes. where connexions could be form
ect to Be accomplished was to secure continuous line
Of railroads from the Atlantic to the Pacific; that it would
not do 70 rely upon the lakes as links in the chain for
they interrupted by ice from three 10 four months
in the year. that was idle to talk OF commencing at any
point lake Michigan which did not admit Of extern
Of bridging lake Michigan For these reasons Mi. b.
insisted that the road must around the southern
bend Of lake Michigan, or on some line still further
Mr. d. said that also, he differed with Mr. Whitney at
that time although he did not press that point as matter
Of % much importance as there was then valid objec-
ton TO il which has since been removed. Mr. Douglas
here read the following sentence from his published letter
Of ls45
This proposed by you and may be adopted
Fameisro n Caior~ia would be preferable west
turnnus, THAT COUNTRY COULD ANNEXED IN TINE
While Mr. Whitney proposed to run the road to the
north Of the Columbia, or to Pugers Sounds, | then
thought the bay Of San Francisco would afford better
terminus provided that country could be annexed in time
He put forth no claims to the power Of prophecy for
having foreseen that California soon to be
Every intelligent man, who has closely watched the
Of events. and was capable OF comprehendng
manifest destiny could then as clearly see that Cafor
all now see that Cuba and Canada are coming Hence
in maturing our plans Tor great national works. must
them the objects Of their construction when they
ahall be finished.
al! p: objected TO the plaa, as well as the route Of
should giant to Mr. Whitney and his associates al the
1 Width Tns 81. according 70 M Whneys own caes
lstions. would include ninetywo millions OF acres-a
quantity larger than is included within the entire Of
Jersey iosshsr~s tract q country larger than England.
Scotland, and half dozen German states combined
This immense tract Of country il was proposed 70 give to
national railroad to the Pacific These objections, and
many Others, all set forth in MIR d. published let
o. so re s' Ss q e. ion
Of the peoples condemnation upon it. Imagine. them his
surprise and modification. when. at the session OF
him to use his "fssnos in sustaining he proportions
Of Mr. Whitney ,chich haze been submitted TO the Con-
grss ms Un,ted States fSr railroad from Laks Mahi
ed to support both the route and the plan Of Mr. Whit
ynsructed to oppose the location Of the road in his
own Sateto give the preference 10 Wisconsin Hi
nos, and TO Milwaukee over Chicago, and that, too,
when the shortest cheapest and best line for railroad
from the Atlantic 10 the Pacific would be through the
heart OF State He could scarcely credit the fact
and nothing short OF the official seal OF the secretary OF
State the legislature, Of the governor and the great seal
OF State, could make him believe that these resolutions
had received the sanction Of the legislature Of lii
nois. He did not then believe, does he now believe,
that these resolutions express the sentiments OF the peo
pie OF linos He believed that they only intended
an expression of an opinion in favor Of the grand prop
osion Of making railroad 10 the Pacific he could not
reconcile the action OF the legislature with that fidelity
which every representative to his constituency upon
any other principle; and yet the language OF the resoIu
tons was clear and explican express mandate the
senators from this State sustain the propositions OF
MIR. Whitney, which had been submitted TO Congress.
Mr. d. said that he greatly embarrassed by these
resolutions He had then already matured and pub
hshed plan for railroad TO the Pacific, commencing
Missouri Council Bluffs, thence through the South
Pass Of the Rocky mounans and should have presented
10 Congress for definite action that session but for these
Legislative Instruction. From that time Mr. Whitneys
scheme has occupied considerable portion OF public
non and has been presented TO Congress each succeed
ing session with various changes and notifications He
did not consider himself bound support the modifca
tons and changes which MIR. Whitneys plan had under
gone from time TO time and hence he contented himself
with folding his arms and remaining inactive 50 far as
This question concerned The Whitney bill OF last
were some new provisions worthy OF attention.
i authorized Asa Whitney and his associates to make
railroad from such point he they should designate
lake Michigan the Msslespp river such po,nt "a he