The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-01-14
THE RAILROAD KAMA.

From ''escn, Indications at Washington, we
are fear,al that disposition prevails among
large number Of the representatives 10 defeat
Ill railroad grants; and in order to avoid the
Fearful responsibility Of an open and avowed
spPcsiiioa to them. they have conserved and
are about TO carry into ttf.ct, plan, fos ask
ins almost the entire public domain for objects
Of this character. Bills dcfying number and
schemes purely Customary in themselves, are
daily finding their way into Congress. By this
means measures of vital public importance and
utility are brongh into dsrrpute. or to relieve the
country from IN ex,ravagant and prcfl,ga'e sys-
ten Of public expenditure, meet with the reluc-
tant opposition of Statesmen, who feel a deep
interest, in such of then. as are calculated to
cpen up the commerce of the West and
develop its vast resources aud which pnss
ess In themselves results Of general and national
Importance.
In these schemes Of railroad agitation, we
perceive That our old friend Morgan, Of the
Burlington Telegraph, who is now in Washing
ton, 10 acting quite consp;cu' Us part, at 'east
we judge 90, from his communications, detailing
various plans in embryo, or already be.
fore Congress. Considering the number and
e1travagancc Of the plans to which the General
gives eountenance, we must believe that he Ell
ther desires the defeat of all measures of the
vanity to suppose that Burlington is the great
central point, about which clusters oil the intel
igence, wealth, business and prosperity Of the
State. Before US, We have no less than three
gigantic railroad schemes, which have criginat-
ed within the last six months and to all Of which
the General has given his unqualified sanction.
A circumstance ex Eaordinary in itself, can
only be accounted for upon one oftwo PROPOSE
tons.
Either desire to kill off the two favoritc
railroad projects already before the people, and
Congress, or observation-disclosures make Burling-
ton the ST. Lsuis Of Iowa. The first plan SUBJ
mittcd was a triangular system Of railroads,
commencing a. the five leading Cities on the
river-Keokuk, Burlington, Muscatine, Daven-
port and Dubuque, and insersec,ing at some un
explored point West. This plan although ad.
vocatcd and defended with the usual ability Of
the General--and that. some in whatever
cause he cngages-met with no favor in any
part Of the state except Burlington, and was fl
na'iy abandoned fer the more commendable ID
jet ofirnproving the Mississippi Rapids. The
rapids onec disposed of, we find our ever rest
less and jealous friend at the scat Of govern.
mcnt, connecting new schemes Of national i'm.
provenent for the benefit of his favorite
City. ia
Another grand railroad extending through
Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Burlington to the Nils
scuri river. In descanting, from the fedora
City, upon the merits of this national enterprise
We are told that the Dubuque, Keokuk and Da
NEWPORT railroad enterprises, are either dead OIL
about 10 expire that Dubuque must look ia
the North for her trade; that the agitation OF
= railroad to the Pacific, belongs 10 the wisdom
ahd enterprise of another generation; and thu,
8uriingtoa il the exact geographical and com.
mercial point at which all railroads passing tc
the Missouri must point.
Following closely upon the heels of this Crane
enterprise, we End another from the same PRO
hlc source, describing route from la Fay
cite Indiana, to the Missouri, and tho Pacific b,
the way of Burlington and the South Pass-
This last, is regarded equally as practicable and
mentorious A. the two former and il Is confident
y hoped and believed ly the General, that il
win be constructed. In this last scheme, tI,e
praeticability Of extending the road to the Pa
el6c, is not 10 be lcft to the cxigencies and un
eertainties of future generation. Burlington
- well as "Cadar," Is in that L;ll, and it mus
60 through
Now, in what VIC have here said. we have NO,
been guided BY a morrow spirit Of rivalry to.
wards Burlington. II is one Of ouz most -four
ishing and business places, and the enterprise
and public spirit displayed BY It's citizen+, pre-.
scnss = bright example for others to follow
We regard the completion ofthcs plank road to
Ne, Pleasant, as noble monument 10 their in
defatigable energy and enterprise. Their cf
forts in behalf of the Rapids improvement, are
deserving ofail praise and we chcerfully accord
TO them ours for the part ,l,cy acted in that rood
work. But we cannot witness disposition on
the part Of port'on Of the citizens Of BurIiny-
ten, to scout al every project CIR improving the
State, which fails 10 encompass Burlington with
out putting forth effort to counteract the per-
nicious tendency which such sentiments are in.
tended to inculcate, We must admonis, the people
~ raole, upon this question, that their interest
lies IN gcneral and not local improvements That
In contributing their efforts to the advanccmen
eta general public improvement, they sho dwell
but little upon favori;e intermediate local points,
That they have deep interest in line of CON-
runic alton from the Mississippi to tho Ms
souri, and but little as to the various local points
which il ehal touch, 80 that it finds a central
passage through the State. And that when
men make a hobby OF public improvements, to
advance purely local object, or build up im-
aginary and chimerical schemes, for the purpose
Of defeating important public improvements,
which are universally acknowledged to be prac-
ticable and necessary, they should be scanned by
the public eye with care aad made to realize,
that al are not fools, who happen to live be-
yond the precincts of town on the Mississippi.
There are but two railroad projects in this State,
which have been regarded with general favor
They have received the sanction of the people
In State Conventions and in the General As,
sembly repeatedly and but for this inccssant and
noisy agitation Of counter schemes, the present
Congress would no doubt make the State a lib
a grant Of the public lands to aid in their
construction We are sorry to find that our
worst enemies to the accomplishment of this
magnificent enter prise, are to be found in our
owa State, and with sfealfh peculiar to a bad
cause and an insane s'ubbornness, they seem de- |
to defeat all, unless they can have the
lions share. Away with such narrow and con. |
lTactei spirit. Itoverocks the soul, in its easer
n.ss TO embrace the body II gives temporary
Iuccess to small community while it retards the
general interests Of the State. 1t is an ambition
xhi-h viii elicit but few admirers, aad those |
short lived aad of doubtful character and ca
pacity.
t8Ne understand chat the Hon. James
Grant, OF Davenport will repair to Washington
A., H. - F. Iavr. e.. !