The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-03-13

work be finished, under lhe o
War by the employment, OF the corps enE-
alone In my judgment, not IN me next hve
years and say 10 the friends OF this road that the ei.
feet OF this amendment, although mol so desEned'.wi
be to postpone indefinitely lis construction.
Well, sir then after have got the map OF this road.
thus surveyed and marked over all this distance report
is TO be made the Secretary OF War. For what pur-
pose' Either for his approval or disapprovai. But
without respect 10 his approval dsapproval the Sec
ond section OF the senator's amendment proceeds 10 de-
vote 10 the construction OF the road hirysx miles IN
width throughout its whole extent; that whether the
Secretary OF War approves disapproves, this vast ap
preparation must stand, The practical effect of it, It IS
true may be 10 enforce the sanction OF the Secretary OF
War TO the road thus laid out The practical result, |
think, would be 10 confne the Secretary OF War and the
President IN the selection OF the route TO the report made
by the corps OF typographical engineers. nothing
here which commends this amendment 10 friend
OF this road and there no senator upon this floor who
more earnest friend TO II than am There is Moth
ing which should commend IT to any friend OF the road.
There is another class OF senator's who have manifested
disposition 10 vote for this amendment. because
they conceive that it mbodes the principle OF the home-
stead bill. Now my friend from Wisconsin Mr.. WALK
ER candidy tells the Senate that il does not imbody the
principles OF that bill at ALL II authorizes the selection
Of alternate sections by actual settlers along this route
true but these grants not restricted to those VINO
have other lands The seecters may be employed for
the purpose by The company constructing the road or by
individual capitalists The frankly admits lhis
but says the settlement of the lands will be promoted.
Now, IN my Judgment will not secure the settlement
even but will secure this will secure the appropa
ton OF every valuable point along the whole line OF the
road by the company employed in ils construction by
SPECTATORS. mat Is what II VIII secure, anu nOtnlnK
else You cannot settle The lands faster than you can
find settlers The people will not turn out and
settle this strip of land thirtysix miles in width. from
the Mississippi valley 10 the Pacific Enough will be
ready TO go out under the auspices of company
wealthy capitalists and select and appropriate the valuable
points Very few indeed will be the sections which the
landless will get Such in my Judgment, VIII be
the effect of this amendment far as the grant OF the
alternate sections is concerned.
Besides, Mr. President the provisions OF this amend
ment Unprecedented in legislation. appropriates
six townships either side OF the road How wide Is
that! Seventy-wo miles or this enormous tract, thirty
six miles in width are TO be appropriated in this way tor
settlement The other thrtysix miles pledged to the
construction OF the road, we do not know how. may
be that these tens OF thousands of square miles will ,e
granted company may be that the work will be
done and the lands appropriated under the immediate
direction OF the government; il may be IN some other
way, cannot le how. Every thing is left indefinite
and uncertain, Nothing is certain but that you pledge
the lands for fifteen hundred thousand miles in
length, seventyiwo miles wide; thirtysix miles for set
tsment in the way indcated the other thirty six TO be
appropriated finally in way for the construction OF
the road Now, desire TO submit neither II is best TO
90 into scheme of this in preference to having
nation, the opinion of the President and combine,
lar possible private enterprise with publc resouces'
! Mr.. WALKER If we take the art Nment OF the sen
aor from Ohio, Mr.. CHAsE,l and keen in view the fact
that this proposition the road, does not
his argument prove the propneiy OF the amendment
Suppose the fact that these lands should be taken by
corporation, 1t must be done on the provisions OF the
amendment, and that cultivation for year. Sup
pose IT should be done by the verest specuatos in the
whole land, would not the effect of the settlement OF the
lands be TO enhance The value OF those which the gov
| eminent pledges Tor the road Who deny, then,
that this will construct the road Does not the senator
bear in mind when he speaks OF this extent of country,
that the effect of my amendment will be TO settle 1t!
hen settled TO the exest supposed, it will beget OF
cessiiy TERRITORIAL and ultimately State governments and
that, too in very short period of tme and
they organized can have this road constructed
under the authority OF the local legislatures and hence
obvate the objection which and others raised here TO
the general government entering into this matter But,
n 3
step to procure that state OF things TO the road
and every argument, made here reference TO the settle
ment OF the land is argument 10 support the assump
ton that IT will make the road
/ Now take another view OF this case, as borne upon
the argument of the from Ohio He says that at
first those in favor OF the homestead bill were expected
10 vote for this amendment, because mboded it's prin.
clpes, but that have disavowed il. Because
have said this is the homestead bill does il necessarily
follow that those who in favor OF the homestead bill
must go against this amendmentl Is every homestead
man so welded to that proposition that he can vote for
nothing else that will benefit the countryl Cannot q
homestead look TO the great interests of the country
in view of this rairoada Ormus he vote Tor no propo
son that does not cover the pnc Piles OF the homestead
bill, though is perfectly demons,rabe that this
proposition will make the road hope the gentleman
does not take that ground He is homestead man, and
yet the other day he voted with those who proposed
another plan 10 this road through great extent
of territory, aud believe he held on longer than did
The proposition which he supported imbodled Of
the principles OF the homestead BILL and yet he was for
It, This does not necessarily drive from its sup
port those who favor OF the homestead bill when
comes up. II is as have avowed, not the homestead
measure, butt is proposition TO the completion
OF this road and have not heard argument from its
opponents which does go prove that ii will be
cesslul and il successful Tor the consunma,on OF this
great work which is conceded 10 be necessary, why
should it not be adopted do not believe any argu-
ment be used which will show that il is not adequate
to the end
Mr. GWIN hope tha, we shall have vote upon
the question II perfectly evident, Mr. President that
must press forward the appropriation bills, or we shall
be swamped IN the Senate IN considering them. We
hav h,tG nf oil
the important appropriation bills yet TO be acted upon
know perfectly well ba, the debate which has been
going for two days this bill has killed of the home
stead bill, and cannot get that up at this II
has also killed off Benefits land BILL and every other
measure, in my opinion except the appropriation bills.
My friend, the chairman OF the Committee on Finance,
[Mr. HUNTER has not been cowdng this bill upon the
Senate because he the bills have named postponed
to lanother session. aud he does not how long we
debate this question here, because he knows, after the
constitutional doubt this morning from the senator from
Michigan Mr. CAss,l this amendment Will be defeated.
and then nothing bat appropriation bill can have
any chance for consideration IN this body This il bis
object; and he has played his game very SUCCESSFULLY
and he s PLAYING it with great sk He sits here
perfectly quiet and let's those OF who the home
stead bill and other passed this session, 6ght
session which we could so much better employ in con
sderng the homestead bill He therefore will
psh his object by allowing this debate TO 90
10 vote want to dispose of the BILL that we may act
upon something besides appropriation bill if this dis
cusson continues shall
Mr. PRATT. hope the expression of the desire on
the part OF my honorable friend from California, that
shall have a vote, ls not intended 10 cut me of.
Mr.. GWlN Not at all
Mr. 4 IL,