The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-08

led 10 the Senate in introducing bill would suggest
that my view of the matter TINS a 10 e nc. onS nra
cIude such remarks the present moment and IN the
present mode or would allow the privilege OF reply 10
others not concurrng in these remarks upon other meas
ures pending before the body, with view to the imme
date counteracon OF any preudicial effect which might
be produced by those remarks II the Char doubts upon
the subject however shall not urge the matter, though
must confess that it does seem to me to be out OF
ORDER and that is dsagreeabe to to hear measures
discussed and attacked here without being allowed the
least opportunity 10 defend them 1t does to me
that II is not consistent with the principles OF parliament
" TH H' VICE PRESIDENT. The Chair does not per
ceve any violation of ORDER and the senator rom MIS-
souri, may continue his remarks
Mr.. BENTON resumed Mr. President ge ior =
national highway from the Mssis pP to the racine, anu
90 against all schemes OF individuals or OF companies
and especially those who come here and ask OF me Con
gess Of the United States to themselves anu .ns,s as
signs the means of making road and taxing the people
for the of it, Make great nauonai WORK oI eI's
kind matter of stock jobbng, matter OF sale upon he
in fact Of circulating medium in the shape OF shares
Sir 20 against in toto: | have done 1t from the be-
ginning, and shall ever do it, Not only are individuals
utterly unable to undertake any work OF this KIND una
Bile to carry on, unae to protect when 1t IS DONE but
sir have no idea Of letting any individuals levy tax
the S Ss oaa
such applicants as jobbsrs and repudate them we are
ourselves to furnish the invesment-the American Peo-
these individuals to levy toll equal to the amount
invested by the American people who are to furnish the
capital lrepudiae the whole idea; SIR go Tor ma
tional highway, sockjobbing. am, Mr.; President,
for central because II is the one that
is most national and accommodates the greatest mum.
Der OF persons-cenral, because the road admits of
branches to the right and left and the bill which pro-
pose bring at once provides tor one OF these branch
Oregon and another may be added Tor New Mexico
Igo then, for central national road from the Pacific
ocean to the Mississippi river and, fortunately we find
all the localities of the country precisely such as ma
tional central road would require.
The bay Of San Francisco, the finest IN the world Is IN
the centre of the western coast of North America 1t is
central, and without rival IL will accommodate the
commerce of that coast both north and SOUTH up to the
frozen regions and down to the id zone 1t is central
in that respect The OF the broad Pacific ocean
will centre there. The commerce OF Asia will centre
there Follow thc same latitude across the country,
and it strikes the centre Of the valley OF the Mississippi
1t strikes the Mississippi the confluence OF all the
great waters which concentrate IN the valley OF the MIS-
the prolongation OF that central line and you find it
cutting the heart of the great States between the Msss
sppi liver AMI the Atlantic ocean Illinois, Indiana
Ohio part of Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania
they aversed touched by that great central line
have therefore, central road as well as national
road central road is the most national IN its charac
ter, because it accommodates the greatest number, and
because it admits of branches to the right and LETT with
the greatest ease and convenience
The bill which ask leave to bring in, Mr. President
fixes the Of this oadthe beginning and the end
ing After what have said, il hardly necessary for me
and the ending point is the city Of ST. Louis The road
is to connect the navigation at the bay OF San Fran
cisco with the Mississippi, near the confluence OF the
all the States and cities OF this Union 1t there goes into
communication with all the transportation Of The great
Sasy OF the West IN Or WSsa a OF as
arrived there, it is in communication with every great
point in the great West and in communication with every
great pont. upon the Atlantic II s finished when It
is there for private enterprise is doing. or will do,
the remainder When this great national highway
shall be opened by the Un'lei States from the bay
be finished to the Atlantic ocean For routes enough
opened in the process OF being opened to make
not only direct line the continent to the At
antc ocean, but branches the right and left in every
direction in which roads shall be required Here is
great road them crossing the entire continent from ocean
to ocean. nearly half of it already done and only gap
to be filled up 1t may be assumed that half way across
the continent is nearly done. Now is the proper
M s G Ioe es the
tier upon the Mississippi to the Pacific ocean, is terrific
rial belongs to the United States There are neither
pediments We at once take our own course with
ont stopping to make terms or inquiry of any one.
The only thing to be done is to conciate the In
dianso get their consent; and for that purpose the
bill proposes to appropriate sum oil money to be eX
pended by the President in procuring the assent OF the
Indians, and to the extinguishment of such titles
may be necessary for the purposes of the road, for
the stations and settlements to protect and support it.
We have all the information that is necessary
to fix the ermini of the roadthe rest is matter OF de-
tail The most direct and best route between the
terminating points, of is to be taken; and for
petition Of Mr. Fremont is finished all the informa.
ton which, is necessary to fix upon the details OF
the intermediate distance. His work IS pubc his jour
nails public propery his maps public property.
He took no copyright for anything which he did while
in the service OF the United States; and we have all
the information wanted for the purpose of locating this
great road 1t may be assumed that no information was
varicdmore minute, more accurate thanthat
which he has furnished The typographical map of
1900 miles which he has made, is replee with inforIa-
ton his whole explorations OF twenty thousand miles
can be laid down in the same manner
The means OF the United States for this construction
are ample The length of the road appals persons
IA n n m
means makes.no difference. 1t is not in which
money is to be raised from another in order TO
defray the expenses of the road II makes itself The
whole country belongs to the United States, saving
the mere extinction of the Indian title. II is all pub
lie anda great belt Of public land equal to the whole
length of the Mississippi river, covering seventeen de-
grees the Pacific coast, and much in the valley
OF the Mississippi Dat of that the bill proposes that per-
centum shall be taken from all the sales and that per
centum shall be applied to the construction OF the road
Now, cir, in this point of view, the whole country being
public land from the frontier of Missouri TO the Pacific
ocean, every mile provides for itself The distance Of
five Elk hundred miles, right and left is public land,
and this put into contribution for the construction OF the
road. All the sales to contribute. Ii 49, therefore,
no more to make long road than short one.
propose, Mr. President, in view of the masnitudc Of
this work in view of dominion the public land,
throughout its whole extent; in view OF the uses to
which thus road may be applied, not only in day. but
by our children, and for unnumbered centuries to
10 have 1t projected at and upon scale common
surate TO Its future destiny, be that great may
The proposition in the bill u.s. that there be reserved
preadh Oh one mile from the frontier of Missouri to the Pa
cic oceana breadth of entire me-for the purpose
OF laying down. at once track, one road reserving
enough for many tracks, and independent of each other
AS shall be necessary IN ALI time; for all the varieties of