Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-03-23

and has his SANCTION understand his general views.
Without saying any thing further, this time, will
move that He memorial be referred to the Committee ON
Commerce. sand that it be printed believe hs facts and
views presented in the cannot fail interest every
Senator.
The memorial then referred to the Committee on
Commerce
Mr. DAVIS Of Massachusetts presented four several petit
tons, very numerousy signed by citizens of the States Of
New York. New Jersey, and Rhode Island engaged in the
manufacture OF fabrics from India rubber asking amend
nen Of the patent laws The petitioners represent that the
present law is defective in many respects but in is
provisions in regard to the REISSUE opaen and in the
OF suitable provisions TO enables party interested institute
process by which the validity of patents may and
set aside when improperly issued These petitions
fened to the Comraee Patents and the Patent Oice.
RAILROAD TO THE PACIFIC.
Mr.. WALKER. Mr.. Presdens in pursuance Of previous
notice. how ash leave to introduce BILL and in presenting
il desire TO offer few words anaory Of it's pToyisons
As it is Short will read it, if Senators wgye their at
tention.
bill to provide the ncpient s
structoa OF raoad from the Mississippi river 20 me ~
Sec. BE saacle BY the sessate and House
bed, That with view the ultimate construction of rail-
road from some suitable point the Mississippi river to
some suitable coast the Paefcean, within the urisde
ton OF the Unaed Sates there shall be detailed from the
corps Typographical Engineers sufficient force whose duty
shall be to proceed practicable select survey,
locate, and mark, the aroper and eligible ground
than three hundred feet wide railroad
and make and report the Secretary OF War map such
survey and location together with approximate estimate
OF the cost OF constructing such railroad.
Sec. .4aa be further eaacssd That practices
bic after said shall have been surveyed located there
shall be other lands of the United States have
been three townships wide each side
of said route through the whole the public lands along
such route which lands to be surveyed Except such
shall be known contain mines OF the gross precious
metals precious stones and except sections be
served be Ia the Of each township for
village and school purposes and such other sites be
necessary for FORTS arsenas dockyards navy yards other
public parposes shall be granted and patented by the
United States free Of cost quantities exceeding
hundred and sixty acres each person who shall
upon, occupy and cultivate the Tor year Pros
rided That such occupant shall be tho head Of family
or, if SINGLE of the age of twenty-one years upwards
citizen the United States having declared his her
enon to become suct according the naturalization laws
Of The United States aad shall not be the OF
other land in the United States And pored further That
such grants shall be made upon the express conditions subse
quen and which conditions shall be forth in each patent
that such grantee shall ALLEVIATE the land
him her graned to other person corporation who
shall own who would Thereby besome the Of
than hundred and sixty OF land in the United States
and married without the consent Of his wife and tha
the land granted shall never be subjected to forced sas levy
execution debit by virtue execution other pro
from court Of law, undsr any decree of Of
equity. 5
Sec. 5. ind 5e it further enaced That the Of -
dollars be and the hereby appropriated cut any
money in the Treasury otherwise appropriated for the
purpose Of carrying this act in,a execution.
1t will be perceived that the first section provides for
examination, survey and location Of route for the road and
this subject first agated have thought this all
Congress should do in the first instance regards the
s,ructon of the road ITSELF But when this shall be done
when practicable route shall be discovered and located and
the shall be asceined to be such the Government
will incur, there will be yet difficulties in the way which will
render the enterprises upon any ordinary pap anomaly
the enterprises of the nations To stretch forth railroad for
distance of two thousand miles, through unboken wal
desness, inhabited by sayages only with supplies dss
ed along the route resident guard sor the works
sructed and inhabitants waytavel and freight
parts the road shall be nshedeems be uner-
king chmsrica certainly novel; dangerous, and doubt
full of success Scarcely any will doubt that, if all
plies be furnished and transferred from the settlements
guard be stationed the public EXPENSE labor to be p
cured, be operated and reside the time the will
derness among savages subject to all the dangers and pa
tons Of such life, the cost of construction will be double
what would be if the road through inhabited country
The difficulties only be overcome by settling the coun
try along the route of the road SO far am capable OF
judging this settlement only be effected for the purposes
OF the had in view by the plan proposed by the second
section Of the bill That The country would be settled under
these provisions almost fast the lands could be surveyed
have little doubt. The inducements to settlement
would be greater than before offered The pros
poets Of home, of asng protected permanent home with
cost this great Appian way, would attract the attention
of the hardy enterprise and adventure of this entire republic
SHpposng the distance be two thousand miles, there
would be opened to free settlement $50 600 sections Of
land Supposing them be occupied by families averaging
four persons each and you would have population dsbu
ed along the of l52 000 Add to this quarter
many more for those settled the villages mechanics
ders and forth, and others permanently settled bu IN
habng the country generally laborers, and you have
population OF ,440 000 NEARLY million and half This,
sir, will the completion Of your road Should the
Government then abandon the enterprise, every mile OF the
road would be made by the enterprise of the eemen along
its lines For every mile Of there would be hundred and
forty independent popeors stimulated by all the pros
pecs Of gain and fortune Supposng the cost TO be S20 900
me they would have contribute but about Sl3S each
TO build it themselves but little than wothds OF what
Land Of he hadt he
Government Each mile would contribute its labor and
manufacture its tools and implements with every variety Of
wheel carriage used Each mile would furnish its sup
plies and provisions animals draught and burden and Its
guard and defenders And, bes!des each mile of
completed it would be through settled country, which
would contribute profitable way travel and eisht
completed the whole distance and would then have to be
supported in great degree by the through travel and freight,
which yet would keep railroad in repair if Of any
considerable length
But above ALL sir my plan would lay tie basis of the hap
piest plan Of settlement that the Government adopt
for the counry-one which woald oreand last
happiness and independence than could be secured any
other that has been tried It is plan looking far
into the future, and to the interests and happiness Of
generations that shall come 1t is which the country
adopt only while the public domain yet in the Govern
ment When that is gone the opportunity to provide against
large landed propetorships will be gone also and when
redundant population comes country will suffer all the
mseres which have attended the England Ire
land, and Europe.
Many schemes or plans for the construction of this great
work have been suggested but all have seemed look vast
individual speculations only None of them have.amed at
the accomplishment OF general good to great class and
that the poor but enerprsng well The good of the Gov
ernent My plan has nothing OF individual speculation for
the capitalist In it. But, while avoids this il secures the