The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-01-20


eight millions OF acres good, bad and inderent-at len
0 per acre. for the object and purpose OF enabling
your memorast create, by his own Efforts ana MEANS
out OF this wdeness.land the to construct line
OF railway from said Lake Michigan 10 me racine
ocean, which he proposes 10 effect by connecg the SAFE
and settlement OF the said lands win 'he building OF Tue
road and thus carry on and carry out the two great OBJ
ects together and as an individual enterprise, involving
no constitutional question difficulty, construct great
highway for and make the commerce oil The world llbu
ary to IT, For the cost OF its construction as well as ior
It's free use forever AFTER the people OF the United Sases
and of the world would be taxed Tor passage aud trans
port oay sufficient for the necessary expenses io Ills
operation and repairs--wilh the mails transported free
from charge to the people or the government
Your memofais would also represent thai this subject
referred TO committees IN both houses oil Congress
the different sessions from The 2oh Congress 10 the
last where has been fully examined m all s parts and
details and reported on by all of the said committees
feasible panthe only feasible and constitutional plan
by which the people could hope for the successful accom-
plshment OF this great and highly important work,
which ought 10 be adopted and recommended lis adop-
lion by Congress-" Said reports, together with the differ
ent memorials, representations and explanations OF your
memoriast. have all been printed with the congress
sonal documents OF the two houses Tor those several
sessions.
The same committees reported bills TO both houses TO
carry into effect the plan OF your memoriast by which
The lands would be apart and sold under such enact
ments and conditions would secure 10 the country the
accomplishment OF the great work, and at the same time
enable your memorast 10 carry on successfully ITS con-
sruction as well as guarantee all The rights and interests
of the people and of the government and place the entire
risk Of success and all the responsibility OF the work.
mon your memoriast and have the lands Arrays in the
possession OF the government, and never parted WITH
until after each section OF the road shall nave been COM
peted to the full satisfaction OF the government; and 10
create fund by which TO secure the continuance and
completion OF the road to the Pacific he first eight hun
bred miles oil the route the lands being nearly all good
agricultural lands, and the one-ha OF which being sum
cent furnish the 10 bulld the eght hundred
miles of road through them as each section OF Twelve
miles Of road for this eight hundred miles is completely
the half oniyhe six miles by sixiycouo be sold
to reimburse for the outlay for the twelve miles OF road
completed and the other haf-lhe alternate SIX miles
by sixty each--would be held by the government I'M
touched, and remain fund to be sold and used only
after the road shall have been completed through the
eight hundred miles Of good land after which. and when
each section OF twelve miles OF road shall have been COM
pleed and found that the entire twelve miles by
sixty Of the lands will not sell TO produce The amount OF
outlay for the twelve miles OF road completed then there
would be sold OF these before named reserved sections
enough reimburse for that outlay and thus, with what
OF the other lands that may be found suitable for culture
and for settlement your memorialis believes sure fund
would be provided TO complete the road to the Pacific
and after is completed and when ascertaned that the
earnings OF the road will sustain the expenses for Its ope
ration and REPAIRS and Congress being satisfied oil this
fact. then whatever lands if any, remain unsod would be
sold public auction, and the avails thereof (aer pay
ing all demands against the road and after paying into the
treasury of the United States the ten o cents per for
all the and-say 81 500, 000) would belong to your
moriast as a reward for the accomplishment OF this
great work, without cost tax upon the people
government.
Now, as sections OF twelve miles each OF the road must
be completed 10 the satisfaction of the government, and
hvit IrnIS
are parted pith and your memoralist cannot enter
upon dispose Of any lands except after the satisfaction
OF and with the free consent and act OF the government
and Of its commissioner and the government would al
all times hold the entire control over the lands as well as
over the OF your memoralst and Congress would
hold the power fix and regulate the tolls charges or
passage and transport the road and even power to dis
pose OF its management and operation, and power 10
amend and alter the bill, should the lights Interests and
the wants OF the people require tit would your me-
moslist believes, be difficult matter 10 point out where
and 10 what amount would be the risk 10 The government
or to the people
Your menoralist would further represent your hon
orabe body that some twenty OF the State legislatures
have acted upon this subject in their legislative capacity
in many OF the States by unanimous vote OF their two
houses, and in all nearly and passed resolutions de
clarng the plan of your memorlas " the only feasible
one for the accomplishment of this great work." recon-
mended its adoption by Congress, and requested the
lie meetings several times at Philadelphia, Psburg
Wheeling, Cincinnati Louisville, Indianapolis, Dayton
Columbus, GAINESVILLE, &C., &C. have unanimously adop
ted similar resolutions and the public press almost uni
versally have urged its adoption that your memorial
list feels tina, his plans and views have been sanctioned
aud sustained by the legislatures OF the States, BY hs
public press and by the people al large with unanmitI
perhaps without parallel.
Your memorialst would further represent 10 your hon
orae body that he has recently returned from visit tc
England, where his project has been discussed and thor
oughy examined from the Crown Ministers TO all class
es-where engineers and men OF business OF the highest
standing have given 10 IT their endorsement and support
where it has been pronounced new science in civil.
zaton and settlement capitalists have declared
it Z" investment and a certain and available plan oil
means, and the only available plan OF means, for his
work, whether built on territory British terri
ory"-and where the necessary amount OF means 10
mence and successfully prosecute the work with vigo
has been rendered to your memoalst and will be at his
disposal so soon as il may be required.
Your memoriast would also represent that the subjec
has been discussed in scientific societies in England,
will appear from the following extracts OF letter from
S Roderick Murchison 10 one of the ministers of the
crown, where under date Of 18th july 1885, be says
Dear Lord -: As president of the Royal Geograph.
zeal society has fallen TO my lot to preside over meet
ings both here and al the British Association for the Ad
vancement OF Science at which the merits of The proposal
OF Mr. Asa Whitney 10 construct railroad across the
continent OF North America have been fully discussed
al have doubt that you are already we'll ACQUAINTED
with the main objects which this enterprising and able