The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-02-10

turs. The President OF the United States, vuuous as
know him TO be- cannot see. cannot guard against the
avenues of capital Sir the nyasioDs OF capital are IL
IesHuoe Capitalists not going to advertise you that
lhel want you % vote for this that project IN which
then interests involved for this They are
men OF talent, and they employ men OF talent, and
the avenues TO the Presidents judgment on TINS subject
viii be legion have seen executive oiheers attempt
10 guard themselves against undue Influences IN lle
application OF the power OF pardon, but they could
not do H. And II this measure is carried into elect,
you Will subject the President TO Influences 10 winch
40 one human being ought TO be subjected You sub
ct him 10 all the fair and TO all the sinister influences
OF talent and capital and, what is more, you require the
President sndolded TO iake the statement OF aeers
aud scenlhc men who may be under the influence oi
capital Conld we guard against III do no. know
ha we could but there is something very wise in the
instincts OF INTEREST," and perhaps after different propo-
sons snail have been brought before this body, each
one OF US may elicit something, make satisfactory ex-
plantations, so as to bring the truth 10 bear Further
more, u We're TO consult the dictates OF prudence on
this SUBJECT would have three separate, independent
corps oi engineers who should be bound, II possible
by an oath not to confer with each other, 10 have
separate surveys and II they should concur. there
would he some that the route they recon-
mended might be practicable and such as would com
pend itself for adopuon and they differed, they might
give the for their difference and could de-
eide for ourselves. Therefore oppose this measure
the broad ground that have assumed and oppose upon
lhe ground that it is enargng executive power far be-
yond what | think vigiant legislature should allow
come now TO the next objection. What is the agency
be employed TO acconpsht MS great enterprise! Why
We are creating an tmperium IN tmperio, corporation
and we give them fory, or ny, or sixty inlons OF d0
ars 10 commence this enterprise; and what then! III
he enterprise be prosperous. they enjoy all the prohs
reslranabe only by this consideration: That Congress
retains. by of the provisions oil this bi potential
supervision TO this exlent-that Congress may at all
times, regulate the tolls to be charged upon passengers and
fIegbts, with an economical management OF said
road not 10 reduce the profits o said company below egh
per cent" Accordn 10 this provision Congress cannot
duce the tolls beyond certain minimum but may allow
them TO run up 10 any amounts and who there here that
supyoses moment that Congress will ever nerpose to
red the of With a profit OF
thirty or sixy per cent and welding an influence per-
haps OF hundreds of millions, the company can always
tortf itself against ressioDal interference. So lar
from Congress nereriog either 10 forfeit this char
ter TO curla The profits under IT. II the company goes
into successful operation make the prediction il will not
re the charter when it expires. The
company will all the elements OF perpetuy. Its
success will increase the duration OF lis existence.
know j is said that we can protect ourselves and
produce a forfeiture AS have already stated, have
mol the least idea that shall resort to forfeiture The
corporation will go with our money as long as il lasts
The first fifty miles will be finished from Memphis or
somewhere in that neighsorhood. The company will
get the rich land which lies there The company is
tlled TO take land Six miles each side OF the road
through the States. and twelve miles on each side where
it through the Territories max ing strip OF wen-
ty.iour miles through the Territories.
Mr. RUSK. They only get the alternate sections for
twelve miles on each side.
Mir BUTLER. know that. but as soon the CON-
pany get the first section they will soon take the other
Mr. RuSK. That is not The bill, though.
Mr. BUTLER ] was not going 10 alude to that but
ology OF this bill II is the most accommodating phrase
ology that ever saw used 1t allows the company 10
select land IN alternate sections Tor certain distances on
each sde and if that land should be occupied should
not be Fit for the purpose where do you suppose they
10 take II Adjacent lands No, sir, not adj jacent,
land within fifteen or twenty miles, as other companies
have been restricted 10 not in this Stale or that State
this Territory that Territory, but al any point,
any distance, too that may be deemed BY the company
the nearest, leaving 10 them 10 decide the question OF
distance In this selection they have wide margin OF
choice. They may even go TO one hundred, two hun
dred, or, for augh know, thousand miles TO take
up their lands and very greatly fear erde,erminaon
OF this matter oil distance will depend small degree
upon the quality and value OF the land
Mr.. RUSK. They to select those lands at the
nearest point.
Mr. BUTLER Bu, FIVE hundred miles may be the
nearest point where they get good land and you
may be they will select the best land they
hnd, and instead OF selecting lands that are worth
81 25, they will take lands worth $40 acre; and il
they cannot get land along the line OF The road they
go off into Oregon California and will answer Tor il,
when they to the nearest point TO get it, they will
hnd The nearest point TO be Just where they can hnd The
richest cases.
The seaaior from Illinois the other day said this
iensve wild desert was nerspersed and enlivened and
refreshed by many oases. Perhaps when this route
should 20 into operation, we may have something like
another Palmyraa city OF merchants and factors 10 dis
ried from different points. But unless we have some
thing OF that kind say II is impracticable. But do
intend 20 into that branch OF the subject IL may
be practicable. think il highly possible that i may be
kind which should induce us TO wait until at least we
give poserty chance TO exercise some OF the rights
which about 10 usurpl II is said that we owe II
10 California. Why, sir, ii California continues for ten
years TO increase rapidly she has done within the
last two instead OF helping California, shall have TO
call upon California 10 help us IL California goes on
Multiplying in strength ana resources hope she will,
she will do it she has done hereioore-by ships, by
gong across the sthmus OF Panama by going through
this Contemplated canal across Tehuantepec.
No, sir. The communications with California in
cfeasng their facilities These facilities will be i'm
proved, we have every assurance, by than one
route the ishmus OF Central America. The
petition Ter these routes is guarantee that they will be
opened and that, too, in very short penod making the
time OF the passage between the two not greater
than ten or fifteen days And, besides, there is another
view of this subject These will be open the
enjoyment and viii invite the commerce, of all the
world and will possess OF the attributes OF mo-
nopoly which belong TO this company.
am not merchant, and therefore | lay down the
proposition with great caution; but am not sure, II
were an underwater tomorrow, and this road were
made now by voiItion from the valley OF the Msss.
slppi to the Pacific, would not much sooner insure
goods to go round by than cross upon this land
route unless should be built up with Cities and these
rich lands, so much spoken Of should be found for the
promising settlements that seem 10 have excited the i'm.
aginailon OF some OF the gentlemen who have spoken
upon he subject, and whose imagination have mparteds
an interest 10 those lands lar beyond their imputed value
All accounts OF The engineers who have passed over
hen concur IN one common siatement-iha large pro-
portion oi the lands which this road pass
desert and unfit for the habtstion of Some portion
IS SAID 10 be an arid sterile mountainous range without
water and without grass, resembling much the de-