The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-04-30

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part Oh the lille OF man Oh the Atlantic,
What has the West donef Has che not contri
buted her equal share 90 the support Of the Gov
ernmenH Has she not cheeriully voted every app
| preparation for the support of the army, navy,
for the protection of our foreign commerce, with
out inqulring what partc unr sections il was most
| TO benefit And when the country has required
the services Of its citizen soldiery, who has soug ut
| the held with more alacrity1 Let the history of
the country answer. The West can point 70
many battlefield in the of 1912, and in this
| Mexican war, which will stand forever as the i'm
| perishable monuments of thc proves of her sons
And yet, elr, they claim only, in common with
| their countrymen everywhere, to have done their
duty, and nothing more; and they ask only equal
| consideration at the hands OF this Government.
TIRE RoADs THROUGH ILLINOIS.
! MIR. Chairman, l have not time to present the
Claims OF the various roads for which grants have
been asked, and which pass through the State Of
Illinois. The Burlington and Lafayette road, the
extension Of the AltoA and sangamon road TO
bloomington, connecting st. Louis and Chicag
| by the most direct line, and the Cincinnati and
81. Louis road, are most important thorough
| iares; and when these measures come up, will
II can get the floor, present their claims to the
best OF my ability. | would not have the COM
intee infer that We expect to get grants for all the
| roads asked for; for, as Mr.. DOUGLAS said in the
Senate, this 10 out Of the question. We of course
will expect the House 10 select from all the roads
| brought before it such present the strongest
| claims to the consideration of Congress. As the
bill introduced by my friend from Indiana Mr.
DAvis) will probably first come up for consdera-
! ton, l will say few words as to the route il
| proposes This is extension of the Hannibal
and st. Joseph road eastward to Terre Hauts
From the Mississippi to the Illinois rivers road
IL now IN process OF construction. From the Hi
noi5 river to Springfield road has been in ope
ration for several years. 1t is proposed to
grant alternate sections of the public lands for
miles on each side of the road. to extend it to Terre
Haute, distance OF one hundred miles. From
Terre Hau,e to indianapolis road is in opera
ton, and thence to Columbus road ia in pro-
Cess oil construction; and from this point a choice
ol routes can be shortly had to my Of the eastern
cities. The importance of this road can be seen at
glance 81. Joseph, Quincy, Springfield, In.
| dianapolis, Columbus, and Philadelphia, are all on
the parallel of latitude forty, running through the
geographical centre Of all these States equidistant
ircu. the lakes on the north and the rivers the
south, through the finest agricultural districts in
the world; 1t ID the short, central, and convenient
route OF the cities Of the east to the Mississippi and
the Missouri, and, at future day, to the Pacific
ocean. verify believe that this is the route whch
Is destined to bear it's long lines that majestic
procession OF the commerce Of the continents-oi
Europe, America, and Asia. Perhaps not CEN
tury will eicpse before the citizens of Springfield
illlnos, Will see in the same train of the
chant OF Liverpool, New York, San Francisco and
Pekin; and that trade which built up Babylon and
enriched Holland, and which has been the theme
OF British eloqucnce for centuries. will find its
| tural channel over the Rocky mountains and the
prairies OF the West.
| Mr.. Chairman, shall conclude what have TO
upon the public lands we will not be governed by
the narrow considerations of sectional jealousy
| Are the railroads for which we ask grants for the
beneht alone OF any particular section? Do they
| not open new and profitable markets for your
cites' Are they not outlets for your merchan-
| disc and the fabrics Of your manufactures! And
do they not bring The productions of the mighty
! west, cheapened and in greater abundance, to
| your doG~s! Do they not freight your roads
| and canals, build up your cities, and laden your
! ships with the cargoes OF valuable commerce? a
! railroad in lnois. like lighthouse on the sea
coast, Ia the common property If the nation
Shall we adopt the policy that we will pass no
! measure unless II confer equal benefits every
section OF the country? Then, sir, pass
none. Then, sir, stop all appropriations for
tom houses, ocean steamers, and coast SURVEYS;
| Tor these add 10 your wealth, these make your
i merchant princes, these swell the calls Of your
! commerce, while We share their benefits IN in
direct and incidental way OILY. But trust, Mr.
CHAIRMAN, the West will never oppose sppro
prlaton for the general welfare or common de.
fence" because the locality of that appropriation
may receive especial advantage from it. What
ever benefits the East or South is our benefit-if
not Tor our benefit, II Is for the nation, and that's
enough. The ocean steamer that plows the deep,
1t IL enough for that she bears alolt our stars
and stripes, and displays to the wosd the com
! mcrce, power, and repown of our country. Ii ia
enough for us that she bears the trident of the scas
| and outstrips the power
Whose meteor flag has bravcd thousand years
The battle and the breeze"
Away, then, sir, forever away with arguments
like those OF the gentleman from New York (NIc
BESSETT,) addressed u our sectional prejudices
! and local cupidity We have one country; our in
terests are one, history is one; our destiny is
the samoa glorious destiny Of free and sovereign
States TO unexampled power and renown The
! came flag that flashes its stare TO the sun on the
banks OF the Hudson and Potomac, is hailed by mil
lions OF rejoicing ireemen on the banks Of the Mis-
sissippi ar d the Columbia.
Mr. Chairman, ! confess was deli cd the other
day at the vivid description given by the gentle
man from New York (Mr. BRooKs) of the extent
OF our newly acquired possessions and the vast
/ of our country. Within the last FIVE years three
new States have been added TO the Union, and there
s the territory at the head of the Missouri and the
/ Arkansas, the Territories Of Nebraska New Mexi-
1 co, Utah, and Oregon-and the vision Of an ocean.
/ bound Repoblic Is now reality. Sir, what a
mighty theatre for American enterprise! What a
mighty course for the Of democratic liberty!
The gentleman from New York informed va
| That we had upon the frontiers army of IL, 81
men, lis military posts, and 800 miles Of from.
! uer requiring our protection. Now, sir, who can
doubt that railroads, enabling TO concentrate at
given points our army and munitions Of war at the
short, st notice will be more reliable and surer
defence than thousands Of military poets and forti.
| hcationsr And, cir, when VIC have united the At
I anuc and the Mississippi, oceans, lakes, and
rivers, by these iron bands OF commerce, shall
have stronger and more impregnhble bonds Of
union ethan all the constitutions which ma ever
formed Tbs, ar, will lie a new ora--an not
only Of commerce, which ia an exchange Of com
hlOuIbet, Dut also OF tbc exchange vi ideas, the
rapid transmission Of thougnt-the birth OF a lite
nature commemorate with this mighty theatre Of
/ action-a progression in science. art, and potisal
! economy and diplomacy pan passu with this new
/ power Of LOGON Oton. Wherever the iron horse
uayee he will carry, not only the rich productions
Of our soil, but our laws our liberty and rei-
| gion. Flying over the rivers and mountains and
Wild dcscrts, it will realize the bright vision OF
l5aiah, The valleys shall be exalted the noun
tains laid low, and straight in the desert shal be
made highvay for our God"
IL is already our boast nation, cir, that
! ENJOY more vi hberty, more universal diffusion
| Oi knowledge, and more exalted national char
scter, than any nation on the globe But tho strik-
ing feature Of the American character s it's enter
] prise-an enterprise that knows no Obstacles
counts no costs. lears dangers, triumphs over
al Obstacles. Look at Californs-thrce tbousan nd
niles awsy, with wild deserts aud mountains
and savages between. And yet, cir young
! empire 10 tberc-a sovereign States che has her
! Representative on THE floor, who delights with
/ his eoquencc; and, who, to quote my friend from
4 Kentucky, (Mr. BRroEESRIoGr,) Is ready to turn
the world upside down with his brilliant notions Of
young Fogyism," young America" and
'nauilcst dcsuBy."
Bot, cir, the most fslictous thought now is, that
the iesrs OF dsunion growing out Of the increased
I f.,.ff,