Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1852-07-29
INDIANA STATE SENTINEL.
sneech of Hon. ]. g. Davis. of Indiana.

The SPEAKER. The regular order Of business is the
consideration of the Springfield and Terre Haute Rail
road bill.
was reported back from the Committee Public Lands
few days since, with recommendation thatit be pass
ed the House extended TO me its courtesy by posPonng
the further consideration Of 1t until to-day stated on
that occasion that had confidence in my ability to adj
duce such facts and impar such information as would
satisfy the House that f there be merit in single bill
the series introduced during the present session.
embracing the principle there merit in
the one under consideration Ii is for this purpose
SIR that ask the indulgence of the House for lew
moments | trust that | may ask this favor without
being considered obtrusive, for am confident that no
one has occupied less Of its than myself intend
TO be brief for am well aware OF the Tact that much
time has been consumed in the discussion oil the primer
pes involved in this BILL am that not only the
Subject but the patience of the House we'll nigh eX
hanst and alsU aware that other great measures
Of public policy pressing themselves upon the atten
ton of gentlemen; nevertheless tnese are Emporium"
measures important to the Government important TO
the country and consequently entitled TO lar, delbe
rate and candid hearing. -
This is a bill granting the right Of way, and small
portion of the public lands aid in the construction oil
railroad from Terre Haute, in the State OF Indiana to
Springfield in the State of Illinois, and SIMILAR In all us
provisions the bill passed during the present session.
granting the right Of way aud portion oil the Pnohc
lands 10 aid in the construction of railroad from Han
niba to ST. Joseph in the State of Missouri IL IS con-
tended by honorable gentlemen this hoor, that Con-
gress has no constitutional power thus TO dispose oil the
pubIe domain The friends of this measure, however,
contend that Congress has this power; and IN support
Of their opinion refer the following clause in the Con-
stitution:
Congress shall have power dispose of, and make
all needu rules and regulations respecting the territory
and other properly belonging to the United states
Sir am not a LAWYER and 90 not claim Tor myself
any peculiar qualification decide upon or to eonstrue
more correctly than another the constitutional law butt
looking at this provision Of the Constitution as Pan
practical question: cannot resist the conviction tha Tue
power Congress is full and ample to dispose oil me
l. nd for he
by this bill If however, dlstrusted my own Judgme
have the satisfaction know that every Admlnstra-
ton of the Government, from that OF Washington down
10 the present time have recognized this power In Con
Oress and have given il their sanction and approval
The numerous instances in which similar grants have
been made by Congress- and approved by the Executive
coming down TO through conntrys poiltlcal his
tory have been often referred to ID DEBATE curing he
present session. regard it work oil supererogaton
TO call the attention OF the House TO them again
1t is sufficient for my to say that am not embarrassed
by single doubt as to the constitutional power oil Con-
gress make these grants. 1t is to my mind clearly a
question of policy, of expectancy, and as such intend
TO treat il.
By casting your eve the map of the country you
will see that the cities of Philadelphia, Cormbus IN
Ohio Indianapolis and Terre Haue, in Indiana, and
Hannibal and St. Joseph in Missouri are nearly on the
same parallel OF latitude; line oil railroad on TINS
route would open a direct communication between the
Atlantic cities and the heart OF the fertile region oil the
upper Mississippi. Within the next eighteen months
that part Of this line of road will be completed from
Terre Hate the road is in operation between Springfield
and Quincy great portion of the road IS finished, ana
the balance rapidly progressing towards completion
The grant lands the State oil Missouri made during
the present session. and 10 which have before referred
with the private capital of that rich and enterprsng
State, will at enable her to construct the road from
Hannibal to ST. Joseph thereby making this great chaia
complete except that part between Terre Haute and
Springfield, distance eff one hundred and twenty-slX
mics. The object of the bill under consideration Is to
supply this link.
.ha Ian
fee and now in my possession it is estimated that about
xyone thousand of land will be granted by the
passage of this BILL portion OF which have been In
Market and to private entry since 1870 and the
residue since 1928 They refuse lands situated in the
middle OF vast PRAIRIE and utterly worthless 10 the
Government but sir, pass this BILL aid the private en-
teprse OF the country TO add this last link to TINS great
national thoroughare which must IN lew years be con-
tiuued westward the Pacific ocean, and they Will at
once become valuable, and find ready market at the
minimum price OF 80 per acre. as fixed by tins bill
They will be settled and brought into cultivation by an
energetic and enterprising people, who, by their labor
and industry, will add something to the wealth and
prosperity Of the country. They will no longer remain
barren waste, valueless to the Government, and an
obstacle and barrier to the settlement and improvement
Df the West.
But it is conended that the value of the alternate
tons reserved the Government by the provisions Of
this bill will not be increased in value. My experience
sir compes me to a conclusion directly opposite. In
my about four hundred miles of railroad have al
ready been constructed The value oil real estate I'M
ception has been augmented from to three hundred
per cent, and think might safely challenge gentle
point a single instance where the Ike re-
suit has not been produced by like Let ask
them, would this principle apply with peculiar torce
the ease under considerations These lands are as
rich and fertile as any upon which the sun shnes out
situated they are-ormlno a part oil an extensive
plain remote from timber stone and other materials lOr
nclosng, building and other purposes-t is unreasCna
BILE suppose that they will be purchased from the Gov
eminent while mions of of lands, equally rich
and fertile, possessing all these advantages, can be
bought the price. But assure to the purchaser
Of these lands facility of and speedy commun
cation with the markets. and you, sir, that
lands in the Western world will be sought alter with
greater avidty These, sir, some OF the beneficial
effects TO be produced by the passage oil this BILL do
not gerate estimate them. i speak from
full knowledge Of the facts, acquired by life spent in
the West; and he who doubts the truth OF my concu
sons knows but little of Western people and the effect
Of such improvements upon the value oil Western lands
have intimale1 that this road IS, IN Its character,
national repeat it, sir Completed from Philadelphia
ST. Joseph, 1t will be the longest direct line OF rail-
road the globe-fourteen hundred miles in length
Passing through the CENTER nearly So Of the States
Of Pennsylvania, Ohio Indiana, Iinos, and Missouri,
a country unequaled upon the face of the earth in its
agricultural and manufacturing resources and all the
elements Of wealth and greatness-about midway be-
tween the lakes Of the North and the Ohio rivercon
nected by railroads with Boston, New York. Baltimore
and other Atlantic ctes-i will unite with the road from
Louisville TO Nashville and Savannah 10 Charleston
the South and by innumerable roads with the lakes
Of the North. By the completion OF this road commu
nicaton and trade hitherto unknown will be opened be-
these distant regions binding them together still
more closely by the ties oil interest," and promoting the
common welfare of all Nature sir has marked this as
the great overland line of travel from the East % the
West Let me ask gentlemen, if this be not sufficient
stamp it a work somewhat national IN its charac.
teri
The bill is objected to because the lands sought to be
appropriated lie within the State of Illinois, that State
having heretofore been literally provided for True