Washington telegraph., 1853-03-09
Pacific Rail Road Bill.

Senator Mason confesses that the Demo-
cratic party is in.peril Senators Gwin and
Rusk have aimed terrible sad blows at it's
vitality: and nothing can save it but the
death of the Pacific Railroad bill. Mr.. Ma
son, is in favor of vigorous action on the part
of the Government to promote the construc-
of the Tehuantepec route; but his Virginian
version of the Democratic faith tells him
that the only practicable plans of construct
ing road to California through our own
territory are unconstitutional and will be
the death of the Democratic party if it at
tempt to carry them into effect. We do not
profess to discern the full force of the distinc-
ton, but Mr. Mason no doubt does, and hence
his note of warning to the Senate on Friday
last. Discussing the merits of the Pacific
railway he said:
"Mr. President, if this bill become law,
the fear which the Senator from Texas ex-
pressed few days ago-that it might have
the effect of reading him out of the Demo-
cratic party-will never be realized Ifthis
bill become law, there will be no longer
parties III this country except the party in
power and the party in opposition. The
whole character of the Government will be
changed Yes, sir, the whole character of
this Government will be changed, never to
be reclaimed; and it will have been done by
gold, and worse than all, by gold out of the
public treasury Sir, there Will be no Dem
ocratic party then. Least of all will there
be that party to which the honorable Senator
know belonged, and to which belong
the Republican party--the party under
whose banner you appeal from the people to
the Constitution. The Constitution will be
gone. There will be no appeal to that. and
the Government will be one of unlimited
power
Besides killing the party, Pacific rail-
road would sadly inconvenience the Presi-
dent elect, whose ''strict construction re-
commended him to the favor of Southern
States. Mr.. Soule hints that if the bill be-
came law, General Pierce's scruples might
render it null and void and Mr.. Bayard
more than lnslnuates that at another session
a Presidential veto might operate disadvan-
tageously to the friends of the road The
insinuation arose out of an allusion to the
'Old Hickory stock" of the new President;
Mr. Gwin, who made it, seemingly forget
ting that Gen. Pierce long ago proved him.
self more uniform than Gen. jackson in his
hostility to measures in their nature identi-
cal with that for which Democratic Califor-
MA now contends.
The Senatorial debates of Friday and
Saturday place this conflict of princi pie in
the Democratic ranks in bold relief The
differences that exist between the strict con-
structionists Of the East and the more pro-
gressive Democrats of the West assume on
this railroad question practical shape, and
doubtless Justify the anticipations of party
danger which called Mr. Mason eloquence
into play. Messrs Gwinn and Rusk, con-
ceiving that the antiquated obligations of par
ty ought not to jeopardise our Pacific posses
sions, seek Government assistance to con-
struct the road Mr.. Mason behods in their
arrangements manifest unconstitutionaity,
and an approach to kingly powers; and Mr..
Petit rushes to the breach to protect his
constituents and the country from the Cali
fornia embodiment of Wing heresies-
Judge Douglas snufIs danger in the distance,
and favors both sides more or less advocat-
iio 'hO lo"N'; puS NOIIIlG loi dllStuuleutS
that would render its construction impossi-
BILE. The vote on Mr. Shields amendment
which formed the test question on Satur-
day-cxempliiies this view of the party d.
vision phinly enough
YEAs.-Messrs. Atchison Brirbt Brod-
head, Cass, Charlton, Dawson, De Saussrlre,
Douglas, Felch, Fitzpatrick, Geyer Hamip,
Hunter, Mason, Norris. Pearce, Petit.
Shields, Soule, Toucey Walker, and Weller
%
NAYs.-Mcssrs Bell, Borland, Brooke,
Chase, Davis, Dodge OF Wisconsin. Dodge
OF Iowa, Foote. Gwinn, Houston, Jones Of
Iowa, Jones of Tennessee. Miller, Rusk,
Seward, Smith, Spruance, Sumner, Under
wood, and Wade-20.
1t were easy enough to show the inconsist-
ency of the vote thus given by certain of
the majority, who last session supported
measures not a whit more consonant to the
resolutions of 1913 than these Pacific pro-
Jects. But humanity is weak and the Pres
ldentlal prestige strong; and we forbear.
Western wants and interests, however, i'm
portant, are trivial IN comparison with party
plety that exacts steadfaSt worship of the
rising sun. Wash. Republic.
Land BiHIs.