The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-02-08

money making road. Hence II Is lhat Is 10 total
failure 10 way OF per centage arising out OF the bnsi-
ness of the road. Let the government OF the United
States al once boldly say we will build The road entire
out OF lands and money and mol seek IN ms lnul
rect way 10 pledge themselves 10 large amount IN OF
der that The people may the extent oil your appfo-
priaon, and be msed in regard TO he consequences
for II il be true that this road Will not pay y Is certainly
true that no intelligent will take H. your contract
will take their contracts Just according 10 the limits
OF your capacity pay under this bill when snail pass
and your road will be finished not an inch further For
what have you done bere and what do you hold out 10
the public to induce them 10 take sieck Nothing, only
that after the road built you will give il TO The com
pany Tor thirty years They say I'VE wli no, lake u
for thirty years, for it viii pay expenses, and mat 10
the end OF II.
conclude, then-and do il reIuctantly--that the
friends OF this suppose that II is 10 be
money making business Then repeat, had rather
vote for a bill with an appropriation OF hundred mil.
lions OF dollars TO build this road than 10 vote for un
der the idea that merely extending little time TO
such and such companies Why sir, has single COM
pany in the United States called upon TO pass this act
Has any company presented their petitions here Why,
my friend from rexasand am not at all surprised at his
great anxiety aud energy in getting this measure passed
has told you already that survey has been ordered
ordered for railroad, suppose. why, sr ! am en-
deavoring now to obtain information 10 the practical
bty of this road. Where is The survey to come yet
When get 1t we will understand IT, have been told
by egent gentlemen that this railroad cannot De car
red entirely through our own land and county, but that
we shall be obliged 10 go through part OF Mexico, IT
weg get railroad through al all SO as TO make It prac-
tcable, Before, them authorize this thing TO be
done, lei us have survey ascertain the praclicabty,
and see II we can 90 over our own soil and i we can
get it, il obtain the right Of way
through part OF Mexico, whether shall have
another Iebuantepec affair Why not wait, ask, until
the State legislatures meet-lowa, Missouri, Arkansas.
Louisiana, texas, the only States through which the
road may pass-to whether they viii give US the
right OF way, and then appo2t officers 10 make the sur
vey And then, If we nnd that The estimates are not too
enormous, may adopt the measure.
Has the period arrived Mr. President, when nobody u
alarmed 10 the extent OF The public debt--when no
body has any lear that shall be compelled 10 in
tarH IN orde n he
true that has been large, and We have
balance every but Is not that balance entirely used
up even Is it not llltle extraordinary that the
government of the United States should enter upon
measure of this kind, for which there has never btena
survey, or an appropriation Tor survey, and Should
throw itself before the world as the borrower OF moaey
TO carry out such this that 20 millions OF
bonds of the United States are to be exposed TO the
world for SALE when we have balance IN our treasury
and are talking daily about what shall do with the
surplus Take il all in all-vew II in all ITS features
and is saying the least OF it, extraordinary enterprise
have looked al with great deal OF have en-
deavored comprehend it, There is not senator upon
this floor who would feel greater pleasure, or who
would feel prouder American, than would TO see
railroad extending from our PacIhc coast TO the Allan
tic Whenever the period comes that | can act under
standngy, and within what believe to be the pale OF
the constitution, will be found as willing as any senator
10 promote the Interests OF the country.
Mr. DOUGLAS do not propose at this time to go IN
10 general discussion OF this question: yet DO not think
that there any question that can come before us more
worthy occupy attention than that OF railroad TO the
Pacific; aud am inclined 10 the opinion that II is good
policy for us TO confne ourselves 10 this bill until we
shall dispose of il one way or the other
Ii is well known 10 the Senate that the pro1f report
ed by the select committee is not III all ITS features ibe
one that myself should propose, or that did propose
when had charge OF the subject at the previous session
That committee kind enough TO show me their bill
before they reported it, and upon that examination was
free 10 say them that while II was not precisely what
should like, yet thought II was one that we might all
unite upon without any very great sacrifice OF principles
wish now iavite for few moments the attention OF
the Senate 10 some objections which have been raised 10
IL by the senator from Georgia.
One objection Of the senator 49, that this road is be
made entirely BY the government OF the United States,
for the reason that private capitalists cannot De induced
to invest in it, he has asserted but he has not proven,
be has attempted 10 prove, that private capitalists Will
not invest their money in this road but If he had proven
that fact he would thereby have answered every other
objection that he made the BILL Tor the reason that
would have shown that all his otner objections were un
ienable No other money than The twenty millions oil
dollars provided Tor IN this bill by IFS very terms, De
expended BY the government for this road And what
more The contractors who NAV agree 10 construct ihe
road will not be al liberty 10 expend these twenty mi-
lions OF dollars The terms OF the bill are that when the
shall have completed fifty miles OF The road
they may receive pro rata payment ~ the bonds OF The
United States IN the ratio that MY miles bears 70 me
such proportion oil twenty millions OF dollars as hfty
miles bears to the whole length OF the road They do
not get dollar OF the public money until they make nifty
miles and it, when they have made fifty miles, they fail
make the next 6y, they never draw another lar
thing iron the treasury. They make forfeiture the
moment they fail TO construct any section oil hiiy miles,
and all that they have expended the road before the
forfeiture then becomes the property OF the United States,
and their contract is al an end
Mr.. DAWSON They not only get the money when
they have completed fifty miles OF road but they get four
hns OF the land.
Mr. DOUGLAS know they do but ,ha, is only
The part Of that land which lies along those nifty miles,
and they get nothing at all until fifty miles have been
completed The argument Of the senator Is that The road
will cost FIVE much The government s 10 ad
vance under this bill The argument IL that one hundred
millions would hardly make II, and the government adj
yances only twenty millions. II that be uue the COM
pany in order make fifty miles OF this road, have 10
do Il out OF their funds and then they will get from
the treasury OF the United States but onehh much
money they have expended =
n they then make a forfeiture by not complying with
the contract they forfeit the government not only the
one-hth OF money which they have received buthe
OF their own, which they have expended ,bey
go on with the section OF hity miles, four-hfihs OF
the money expended by the contractors and one.hl
by the government aad II Is with eseh seouon unui
they get through Under this bl, therefore, the CON
tractors can never draw the twenty millions OF doats
from the treasury until the road - completed ana IN
working order How is IT, then, that gentlemen come
forward and say after your twenty millions oil dollars
are gone YOU must 20 and advance more Your twenty
millions Of dollars be gone unt The road Is
done Then as regards the land, the contractors, before
hey can get an OF land, must complete fifty miles OF
road and when those fl,y miles completed, they re-
ceive fourhfths OF the lands sranng TO those hy miles;
and they do 20 and complete the road they forfeit
that portion OF II which they have built and also the