The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-12

WASHING TON, d. C., Feb. 8, 1851,

Objections are urged against ActlOn AZ thlU
session on the bill now before Congress 70 carry
into effect my plan for the construction Of rail.
road to the Pacific, on the ground that there has
not been adequate satisfactory surveys so az
TO determine the route, or the feasibility OF any
route. That the nation ought not to embark
in such al enterprise unless its complete accom-
plishment can be guaranteed. That on my plan
it might and probably would be continued for
eight, ten, or twelve hundred miles; then II
might stop, aud would be Of no use or value to
the nation. That before commencing such a
work, the government should order the different
proposed routes to DO carefully surveyed, AMI
estimates made Of the probable cost Of the work,
&C.
now propose to answer these objections in a
manner which, think, should satisfy every I'M
prejudiced mind.
First am not little surprised to find that
those who have heretofore been considered as
strict constructionists of the Constitution, OPP.
posed to the improvement Of rivers and harbors,
and every and any work termed "internal inn
Prorcments," are now coming forward and pro-
posing even that the government should under
take to make surveys of route, and estimates
for the cost of railroad to the Pacific and more
astonislled that it should be seriously proposed
that the government should undertake the con-
struction of such n work ut ALL
Secondly. find that generally these objec-
tons and propositions are from those who desire
route which will give to some town or city ia
which they are particularly interested com
manding influence over the whole work and its
operation. t e
That such feelings, motives, and interests do
exist, and will exert an influence to gain their
point, is not surprising, for it is natural; but
we do not expect that statesmen and patriots,
claiming to act for the best interests of the
whole OF great nation like ours, upon sub
ject too like the one before us, involving the
control forever Of the commerce of the world,
will be influenced by such motives or interests.
However, if it is believed that the people will
sustain those who propose such work as gov
ernment work, and thereby sanction the COM
mencement Of appropriations for aohich, if II can
be accomplished as government ,Oork, Mould
cost not less than $20O,0OO,O 900, and involve the
nation in debt; the interest on which could be
provided for only by perpetual burden and tax
upon the labor and industry of the country, and
besides would create and put in motion po-
litical machine, which as such in the hands of
any party would draw under its more powerful
influence the smaller local interest of the ma
ton. and not only control and absorb the almost
entire legislation of the Union, but also control
all the different interests, until finnl CONSOLE
dation of all would be attempted, and then our
whole political fabric would tumble into ruins.
If there are men who believe the people can be
led into such vortex, and also believe that
their car can float safely and triumphantly
through the elements which they are proposing
to put in motion, then it is right and proper that
explorations and surveys, with estimates, should
be made by the government, and let the people
see and know what they are about being led
into.
After such work shall have been commenced,
with an army of government engineers and at
PENDANTS, with another army of government de-
pendents, and with five or ten millions expended
even without any progress in the work, it re-
quires no prophet to fortell that it would be
difficult to stop the continued appropriation OF
millions upon millions; always too, with the
prospect for the accomplishment of the work
lessening with each new appropriation.
At present, however, there need be no feal
that Congress will sanction any such enterprise
by the government, or even authorize surveys
and estimates to be made for work which il
will not embark in as government work, de-
pendent upon the treasury directly or indirectly
for means At the last six sessions, 10 both
houses, six different committees have reported
against undertaking such work, and even
against making surveys ard estimates by the
government 1t may be that these reports have
not been read by those who now propose sur
yeys by the government.
While my plan is pending before Congress
there can be no danger; but so soon as my plan
il no longer feasible, because of the application
or disposal Of the public lands to such an exten
that they cannot be made available for means t.
construct the work, then the issue must be mad
between government work and no road at all
- H., hat tho.a rho
pian desire to defeat it, and believe that the ne
cessity for the work is such, and the desire o
the people TO see it commenced so strong, tha
they will even sanction it as government work
and suffer it TO be made the capital for the Pres
idercy. Should there be any who are Influenced
by such objects and motives hope the people
will discover il In time to check and stop the
folly and madness, which would end, if permitted
TO 90 on, in debt, emb rrassment, and final ruin
10 the Union. But as there ia no plan except
mine before Congress which would not depend,
directly or Indirectly, on the public treasury or
upon the credit o. the government for means to
execute it, and as there has not been, and at
present will not be, found committee in either
house Of Congress that would recommend the
adoption Of any such plan and az my plan is the
only one which has received the sanction and
recommendation of committee in either house
of Congress, because it does not ask for any APP
preparation from the treasury, either for sur
veys or for the work ITSELF and does not involve
any constitutional question as to the carrying
on and operating the work, or in the provision
of means for it, and avoids all the local Difficult
ties which would attend any attempt on the part
of Congress to fix upon route for snch road;
and as do not ask for or desire any surveys by
the government, it would seem that the ques-
ton of the necessity for surveys is not now be-
fore Congress to decide or act upon. The true
and only question is, shall my plan, which has
received the approval Of, and been recommended
by, two-thirds of the State legislatures-has
been strongly recommended by public meetings
in many OF the principal cities of the Union
has been approved, and its adoption urged by
the press Of the country almOst universally, an6
the only plan which has been recommended o.
reported in favor Of. by committee in Congress
aha II it be adopted at this session, shall it b.
nbano oned forever! And then may come M
the question, shall the government undertake