The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-01-31

ed In doing the exact thing which she refused TO
tate with us aboutl On what condition we to put
ourselves in respect TO herl
Sir, state this preliminary objection-as an OBJ
lection more impassable than the highest SUBMITS not
merely of this isthmus but of the highest SUBMITS OF The
Andes or the Rocky mountains This objection, the
want OF political legal power TO act upon the subject
greater SIR than the barrier which divides the Atlantic
and the Pacific from each other
In what have said, Mr. President, have spoken for
myself; member OF that committee, only speak for
myself have read everything say from The time OF
ent day In political and legal state of the question:
feel myself wholly inerdcted from an inquiry here
wholly so. And now. Mr. President with respect 10
the nature Of the route proposed, the bill which is
before the Senate is 70 supply an immediate and to
Temporary want. We now have possessions on the
Pacific coast OF our continent. and we wish commun-
ton now for Immediate besides that, we wish
for future and permanent The bill which is before
the Senate Is to provide with that immediate pressing
necessity that We have for communication with the Pa
clhc ocean. In my eye~ the bill was framed in the be
ginning, and still the amendment is, this
BILL with respect to us, is temporary measure. 1t is to
Ii is now, Mr. President, just about huy years since,
taking up the idea of communication between the Mis-
sssppl and Pacific for commercial purposes. by
MIR Jefierson-which intended TO be accomplished
BY him by the expedition OF Lewis and Clarke is about
thirty years since taking up ha. project BY Jefferson my
mind has been occupied with American road to In
dia-a road which will 20 through our own dominons
and although totally opposed by the modern projectors OF
roads, have been very aboriously occupied for about
thirty years past in collecting all the information which
necessary to the establishment OF an American road
and one which happened say full thirty years ago.
would be established immediately with the aid of the
federal government; and without that AID, would
be eventually established by the progress OF events and
the force of circumstances. Swroe down those words
as printed therefore have paid some attention to this
subject, Mr. President.
In all that have done upon this BILL have had my eyes
steadily fixed upon two great branches OF the question:
an immediate road for ourselves and poserity all
fhrOuph heart should he
an American road 10 the East indies tu
In undertaking and in entering, Mr. President, as
have done cheeruy and cordially into the support of the
bill which promised the quickest accomplishment of a
passage the mountains al Its narrowes point have
considered that sir, only part of the great system
only as preliminary sep-ony as something to be es-
tablished until accomplish our own road AS the
bill first came In 1t was fifty years; as the amendment
now stands Congress has the right at the end of ten
years. by Joint resolution of the two houses put end
10 the contract. Well, sir. like the amendment better
than the original. We can use the proectei route for
ten years, and if at that time have American road
can put end 10 that contract. II we have not,
let ii stand till the next year. and SO on till our own
is built.
1t is therefore temporary road for us-no temporary
for other natonsbu for us il is atemporary road
the sthmus OF Panama, step towards the accomplish
men of this great design which Mr. jefferson conceived,
and for the accomplishment of which have been collect
ing information and stud details for thirty years and
intend at proper time to bring in bill with those details
o commencing the location and construction OF The road
With this explanation of my views of the projected route
the isthmus of Panama, that to a
poray route, it will be that the first thing we have
got to do is to 80 about it al do it Immediately,
or the whole object is lost. am for permanent road
outside OF my country am for permanent road for
America, either the sthmus of Darien Tehnanie
pee, or anywhere else. am only for temporary
sure with respect to any route, SIR but take that one
which be got first, and which will our
purposes better than any other If we undertake TO
institute comparisons between different routes, even if
the very object for which | want road outside of
our owl! country is lost want il. sir, directly, /
want for present usc and if we have to wait why,
sir, we may as well throw up the whole, and wait for
our own. have no idea, sir of doing any thing perma
nen outside OF our coun,ry-no idea OF going into
penses or bargains or arrangements, which to keep
me outside OF my own country one moment beyond the
time that we able to finish our road
We are in the condition Of who has no house
house, and then he quits his shelter. Tha, is all. We
are in the condition of man who is crossing stream
npona log he uses the log until he has built bridge,
and that is all. The whole plan and concepiion-thc
whole dea sir, of the road upon which we are engaged
the whole measure turns upon the idea of prompt and
immediate use.
or the domlnlons OF any power Tor the transportation OF
PERSONS and for the transportation of military and naval
supplies, without Professionalism will become OF it,
sir? Ii we should enter into this examination, and in
vest some mions-no matter how many milions-across
the ishmus of Tehuantepec-when you have done, the
Mexican government will say you have made mistake
you asked US Tor leave 10 make that road and refused
It to YOU You went on TO make it afterwards We thank
you for the money you have expended upon it, but you
shall not use it, Mr. President, go back to the state
ment thar, so far as the topography of that country is
concerned, believe know much about anybody
know shaving read all the works upon the subject
which have been published.
But there is a preliminary question: legal political
queson-which rises up before at the threshold, and
which utterly prevents us from making any examination
Mr.. DOWNS Mr. President, hope the reference OF
dark upon this sub to act properly great mat
ter Doubtless, the honorable Senator from Missouri,
this subject as on many Others is better acquainted with
1t than many other senators; but must suppose, sir
as he has not communicated 10 the Senate any nforma
ton which is satisfactory 10 my mind al least upon this
subechat his information is not so full it should be-
before the Senate decides upon the matter.
The honorable Senator from Mississippi, Mr. President,
wants immediate action he wants immediate way
get over. Now, am fond of prompt action myself. |
should like 10 see ii in this, in other matters But
there is such thing going too FAST an often go
out knowing what tits going for This bill, think, mod
ihed, asks an appropriation of two millions and bali for
ten years have serious doubts whether would be al
vlsabe practicable for the government, even if it was
built TO this road have still greater doubts whether
better communication could not be obtained elsewhere
until am satisfied hatt is the best route that be Oh
tanned
Now, the honorable senator from Mississippi suggests
nsuperabe political difficulty that have got
the consent of Mexico 10 the Tehuantcpec route. lido
not apprehend any of the difficulty which the gentleman
apprehends have cndeavorea 10 Inform myself upon
this subject far possible and do not think, far
as the facts known, that any man is authorized to
say that proper arrangement this subject cannot be
made with Mexico Very true, such arrangement
may have been proposed, and rejected once-i do not
know even whether it was rejected or not; but if was
rejected, that is no reason why it should be rejected
again. Mexico at one time may have been unwilling to
prntIp nj fhn tn nla