The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-01-18
The Pacific Raklra.a

ne TWO Houses of Congress have been pot
tering tor several years over propositions n,
making railroad to the Pacific. The Amor;
can people are anxious that such road should
be made, and the bill necessary to insure its
carry completion ought to pass Cong ness at the
present session. Il might be perfected in thirty
days as we'll as in thirty years, and would be if
IL were In the hands of men of business instead
or being In the hands of politicians-toe manv
mere politicians 1t is not creditable To the
two Houses-the manner in which the puhlic
time is wasted, and the most i'm portant pubHey
business triffed with. In the House of Renr.
sentatives it is really ludicrous to eontemnls,0
the disqualification of body which has inca
Pacltated itself by a series of rules desioned g,
the obstruction of business, and for defeating
the Will of the majority. Year after wear tbe.e
rules have'be growing more and more strin
gent, under the decisions of the Speakers un,,
| 1t is almost impossible to have measure ~.
Perly considered in the House without subj,
ing 1t to the danger of being stified and str..
gled by the rules. Indeed. the minor;,v go
else by means of these rules an iron tyranny
over the majority, and subvert the entire H..
DRY OF Democratic legislation.
The people wish to see at an early d,r
railroad communication between our AtIan+s.
and Pacific possessions. They pant the road
They do not care particularly how thew oe,
but they want good road, and they want II
forthwith. Whether BY the donation of land q,
the loan of Government credit, to an individual
or corporation-or in whatever other moas ,he.
thlng Is done is matter that the mass Of he
people are quite Indifferent about. Whatever
arrangements Congress may see fit to autboriz,
Inc Executive to make, or whatever arrange
ments they may make themselves, it is only
necessary that they should be ample and eff
Client to accomplish the proposed resu,t and
thay will be perfectly satisfactory to the Amer
can people. 1a} zsl!sa .y'al't eE TO-
1t is not probable that such a road win 10
built without aid from the Government Wa
.her Una. AID is given In money or lands, soue.
body will probably profit by it, Some partjc1.
lar benefit will result to particular individuals
ron the construction Of the road, while the
great mass OF the people must rest eontsat
with the general and public benefits thar
will flow from it. We know very vol,
that this would be sufficient reason D.
some Legislators to vote against any ana
every project that might be submitted to- thar,
Tor the construction of such road by ndivi-
dual enterprise with Government aid. Bu,
propose 10 the same Legislators to authorize
government to construct the road and imn,o
'la'ely constitutional objections soygest them
selves elves which are quite insupefable. Still these
'ame gentlemen admit that a road is called Ga.
y the people. and ought TO be built. Bat
aovernment cannot build it for the want Of
power. and Government cannot
~ private enterprise because thereby indivi
saala would derive special advantages not
'shared BY the whole people. 10
we are aPPrehepsive that Congress will DO