Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-05-31

uoW tHo sutS'y o "hu SNP'ututoHo' why
lesislate in advance Of tho inlorma.
ton essential to prudent legislation?
Do Senators say we cannot lcgisInte,
even with full information before US?
Every one admits that We have at pres.
ent no sufficient information in rcgarl
to the different routes BY which a road
may be made to connect tho vulloy Of
Mississippi and the Pacific ocean. That
is true. We have no sufficient inform.
alton at present. We know very liuIe
as TO tho New Mexican route, by way of
Albuquerque, and through Walkers
Pass. We know still less. perhaps, as
TO that other route which goes up the
Arkansas through the South Pork. We
are best acquainted with third route
which goes through the South Pass
And we know one thing, that though the
New Mexican route seems 10 have recci
we'd the special attention Of government,
and has the favor OF more extended cx.
plorations by Government officers than
aoy Other, the voluntary explorations Of
the people; the emigrating masses whose
travel has male highways to California
and Oregon through the hear, Of the
con,incnt-havc been the South Pass.
What cmigrant has ever voluntarily ,rav.
eled from the Mississippi river to San
Francisco by Albuquerque, by Zuni, by
by the Colorados aud by Walkers Pass!
Mr.. RusK. Hundreds have gone by
Ell Passo.
Mr.. CHASE. But ask who has gone
by this route which | have mentioned t?
! undertake 10 say not one hundred per.
sons ever went over that route.
NJ. BonLAYD. The Senator will per.
nit me to state, that very consi lerablc
emf gfarion from the Stale Of Arkansas
has passed by choice over the route via
Albuquerque AMI through Walkers Pass
in the mountains, and successfully.
Mr.. GwIN. This route has been
known for seventy five years.
Mr.. CHASE. know there is an old
spanish trail in that direction, anl do
not doubt that the route has been ,rav.
eIcI to some extent from New Mexico
10 San Francisco; but say i, is not the
route Of emigration, and appeal TO the
conmon information Of the country lp
sustain me in the assertion.
Mr.. BoRLAND. The Senator will per,
nit me to state further, that there is GER
tain information, not only that persons
haev gone from New Mexico, but that
en-. ,ration, starting from the frontier
of Arkansas, went IN tbs direction oI
Santa Fe; and, from information which
they there got, and which was satlslac.
tory to them, large portion Of them
turned to the south and went throus!
Albuquerque ami by Walkers Pass IN
the mountains; the others went in moIt
northerly direction, and through the
South Pass. The result was, that those
who went by albuquerque had the mos
expeditions and pleasant route, anI theJ
wrote back TO their friends ,ha, it was no
only practicable but one Of the bes
routes that could we'll b. conceived o
across the continent.
Mr.. CHASE. | have not deniel tha
there is practicable route for rail
road there. do not know whethc
there is or not. My friend from Arkan
sas says people have travelled from thu
Rio Grande to the Pacific through Wal
ker's Pass, and found ii good route.
am strongly inclined to the opinion tha
if he will examine carefully the facts h,
relies on, he will be apt to correct hi
impression tina: tho route he refers to i
the same with that designated in the bill
of the Senator from California. which i
the one am speaking Of. But howcve
this may be, the fact remains beyon
question that the great route Of cmlgra
tlon is that through the South Pass.
Let it not be said, however, that an
urging any particular route. do no
design what have said as an argumen
in favor ofthe northern route, or OF tn
middle route, or Of the southern route
am only stating these facts TO sho,
that we have rot sufficient information
TO enable US to determine the prope
route now. And if we have NOT, tn
President has not. What, they shoul
be done? Obviously, what any prulen
practical man, having simila. privat
enterprise in hand would do: ascerta
the best route; settle upon the prope
. tcrmini. lft shall be found that .hos
termini are Memphis on the one siI<
and San Francisco on the other, an
that the bes, route is through Walker
Pass, pledge myself to go heartily an
cheertully for that :oute. If, on the 9th
, er han,l, it be found that auother rout
, and another terminus in the MISSISSIPPI
valley are demanded by the public IL
lares,s, am willingto trust the sense {
, public duty. which must govern the dc
, cisions of every Senator, lor the right de
cision in favor Of the best route. 6
and believe the Senate will 90, for tn
cheapest, safest, most expeditions route
no matter where it is.
Mr.. President, this is no sectiona
Question. By no insenuity-by no pro
cess of torture even, can 1t bo converIe
into sectional question. No mao eA
|! poets more northern terminus for th
S road than Independence. in Missouf
Well. Missouri is identified, by her ir
s,itutions. with the southern States; an
. you look at the map you will find thi
this town Of independence is nearer
the Gulf OF Mexico than it is to tho no
$ thern border Of Minnesota or Michigan,