The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-07-16


means Of that committee 10 peseut 10 The senate haA
any other COMMITTEES. presume The Safloas reports 81
exploring parties Of ensaeefs. and Of those sho hass
brought information 10 the extcaiive department upoa
this subject, could be collected. and woad snord
valuable Information 70 be PLACED belpfs The senate. q
Ia little industry aud aitea,loa from 'nal sonmiee
think very important, i0g csamp - ascertain Shes
the oblecs sought BY the senator IRON ilinos lNf
DouGLAsl are practicable. hare not siadei he 81
posrsphy OF this country, 70 be safe, sey molVnEhv
l. possible 20 eject the plan Of prUsscoA which IN
honorable senator from Illinois proposes thtnk ~
want light upon this subject Ny general Teadiag and
general information upon ths subject teaches th4
have about four hundred miles Of ssr,le desert cfoss W
streams in which there Is very slight margin o. ierd
Ity and the suggestions thrown ou By honorable
tors show that want more information than
in regard to one Of the most exposed portions q a's
route, being The route which the eae, stock and
horses, not only OF the military forces bat 81 smgraa
parties, in danger every year Of pershiug BY deh
cheney OF grass the road for although grass does
spring up in this desert plain stretching 10 the base 81
the Rocky mountains yet II Is sparse over immense
extent OF il Tor months together, and when YOU 10
one of these there is scarcely margin of the
sterile prairie upon which grass grows This u part
OF the information that could be furnished BY the M
ary Committee in the time, and should be really
glad 10 see il condensed and furnished TO US
Mr. DOUGLAS. All the information that could be
furnished TO the Senate il printed by the Senate, and
Colonel Fremonrs report, who travelled the entire
route. IL
Mr.. BELL. Is that the route
MIR. DOUGLAS. Yes, sir
Mr. BELL And is IT supposed 10 be practicable 10 es
tabsh these posts s-lo establish large posts al hundred
miles distance, and intervening posts at every twenty
miles distance between the main posts!
Then another point We have not time TO look into
these elaborate reports made by our exploring parties
within the time that the gentleman supposes we ought
10 act upon this bill He proposes establish settle
ments for cultivation at these various posts Is there such
soil in the country around them These prairies thai he
speaks Of are not the rich pairies OF Illinois, Iowa. and
part OF Missouri understand they are OF very diff
eren character, and would like TO have condensed
report upon this subject The. information could be ex
traced readily, and they are military questions II these
troops are TO be sustained by cultivation al The points
tabshed il is military question whether the country
exists there suitable and proper for forming the nucleus
OF settlements i i be practicable the object is worthy
and noble but still put the question 10 the honor
able senator from Illinois whether he expects any such
line of posts this would be sufficient communication
still Interior purpose for holding the republic together
How would it advance the transportation Of armies
How would advance the purposes OF cultivation Is it
probable that the posts will than subst the soldiers
themselves and be able 10 supply provisions to the emf
grants When you want 10 transport troops and NUM-
tons of war; will they not fall far short OF that obec, Of
opening communication
Then, in that point OF view, ii Is very important to
certain approximate estimates of the cost OF the
deaking and u II costs some three or four millions per
lannum-and think for the first year il cannot cost less
than three mions-ihen the question arises whether il
would be the cheapest plain. The honorable senator
says is the cheapest and best plan Ii this is 10 cost
three or four millions The first year and two
three the next had we not better commence first that
grea, means o. communication by railroad plank road
which would enable u.s. with sufficient facility and cheap.
ness, 10 hold the two great portions OF the country
geher, and protect frontier by adequate road or
line OF communication These military posts do moi pre-.
Sent thai object II IS temporary; gives protection 10
lIgrants; but opens no such communication as the
TRY will demand between the Atlantic and Pacific coast
and us demand before great WHILE particularly
honorable senator suggests, this country should be in
voved IN with any maritime nation from abroad But
liz this project TO cost ten millions in three years,
gentlemen sincerely believe, and others more would II
be more advantageous to employ that immense in
llFaad AZ
over this almost baren almost unbrokeG, route TO the
base OF the Rocky mountains That len millions would
complete the road Would II not be the cheapes, 10
commence with some communication OF that kind
These are subjects not 10 be settled dehnitvey but
worthy of being thrown out TO show whether we are &C
lcomplshing sufficient object
And another objection The honorable senator pro-
poses 10 make these permanent posts, and these
are 10 be stationed along line OF two thousand
miles Tor The protection OF emlgrauts That sthe i'm
portant object and he says, believe, that there
twenty thousand emigrants on the this moment
some say IT is as large thirty thousand Still, have
heard of no depredaons by the Indians upon them this
year The great difficulty is as il always be where
they have not the facilities of railroad, 10 travelling
across desert, sometimes continuous one OF 1--WE hum
bred miles The emigrants as understand, are only
upon this route about foor months in the year but this
bill proposes 10 keep up these establishments throughout
the year There are eight months when It is not neces
say that these posts should be kept up understand
only about four months that the emgrans moving
from the western frontiers 10 settle IN the western terri
tories. may be mistaken in that; but II is my idea
only the men, but their three thousand horses, must be
subsled Has the honorable senator taken into his cal
calatons the fact that such immense force alone will
absorb the subsistence upon which the cattle and the
horses OF The immigrants themselves must dependl
The grass upon that desert oil five hundred miles on this
side Of The Rocky mountains does not spring up luxu
RANT and rich Il does IN Illinois, Iowa. Missouri
Ii for large portion OF the way at all seasons,
and the immigrants detained on their journey,
and their beasts oil burden die for want OF sufficient
supply Of grassat least, such the accounts have
| seen.
the bill is postponed beg leave to suggest whether
would not be profitable TO the whole Senate send it
to the Committee on Military Affairs, so that we may
have the necessary information condensed and presented
to Or lei be tecommitled 10 the Committee the
Territories for that purpose care not TO which il is sent,
provided this information is obtained do not think ii
sufficient for the honorable senator from Illinois 10 say
that every gentleman examine for himself the vo-
luminous reports made this subject giving account
OF the various explorations made the line. think
is ordinarily the duty of the committee which brings in
such a TO present II in such shape that
aors who occupied particularly in the investigation
of other matters which before their respective
mtlees may biri's.eye view the whole subject
far there is any information TO be obtained in regard
| 10 IT, | merely suggest that might have such re-.
port at the time TO which 1t is proposed 10 postpone the
f1her consideration of the bill H. IL Is postponed for
week or even Tor five days.
! MIR. BRADBURY. Mr.. President, II is admitted on
all hands that this is very important measure
rily attended with very great expense have seen,
as yet any urgent necessity for demonstrated. IL is
said that IL 10 give protection TO the emgrants who
passing TO the Pacific. Now, would like 10 hear from
The honorable senators who have advocated the bill the
extent Of the depedaons that have recently been commit
N,adh y he Ind Iha hat