Washington telegraph., 1853-10-26
VOL. XIII.
TuE PACIFIC RAILROAD.
o+4er frosRa Hon. Presley Ewing.
of Kentucky. to Hon. Robert j.
Walker.
New York, Sept IA, 1853.
NEW I UKh, DCpU. II,
How ROBERT J. WALKER -

Hon ROBERT y. w ALkER -
Dear Sir You did me the honor to
encourage me to present, in the form of a
letter. for publication, the views which
had expressed to you, and nay reasons for
nreferring something like the plan for build
inc the Pacific Railroad proposed by the
company incorpora hg Y, the last i4egisla-.
ture of New rEar M af.sefsgh 9se. I cannot ex-
- -, ooniinions 45ortance to be attached
to any ot1n tths L may happen to entertain,
beyonu se value of a solitary vote in the
nezt Congress, [ cheerfully comply with
rour suggestion, and the more readily since
am led to believe that the company and
its proposals have not, as yet, sechred the
fair share of public attention to which they
are entitled.
If understand the proposition of the
New York company, they offer to build the
road simply as other great works of a sini-
lar character have been effected, by private
enterprise, and to be owned as private prop
erty, asking of the federal government no
charter-no grant of peculiar powers or
privileges-no partnership or association
nothing save fair compensation for such
uses of the road as may be demanded by
the necessities of the government, that ccm-
pensation to be mace either by loan of
government credit or otherwise, and in such
an amount as may be deemed reasonable for
the advantages enjoyed, and either before or
after the completion of the road If before
the completion of the road, then in such in
stalments, and upon such securities, by a
lien upon so much of the road as may be
completed or otherwise, as may insure the
government against loss. And [ may add,
that one of their most important and very
reasonable demand, is that before they enter
upon so stupendous an undertaking the gov
ernment may be simply committed not to
become competitor.
In the first place, it viii be readily per-
ceived that the plan of the company relieves
us from the necessity of renewing the end
less controversy about the extent Of feder-
al power over Internal improvements, which
has already reared itself as a formidable
enemy IN the way Of this great enterprise,
and which, however, it might be determin-
ed would result in such discussions and
discontents he;ween the different parties
and sections of the country as are always
dangerous and ought always to be avoided.
! saw we are relieved from this difficulty !;
for whatever opinions may prevail about In
ternal improvements, no one can question
the right of the Government to pay for the
speediest and safest transportation Of her
mails, troops, and munitions Of war, upon
l, 1a o>,1
advantageous to herself Then, without fur
ther reference to the constitutional question
Of Internal improvements and indeed meet
inc no necessity for the argument of such a
question, | take for granted all will agree
that the least possible connection the gov
eminent has with the road, either in its con-
struction, or its ownership, in its response
bilities its patronage, its profits or its losses,
the better for the government and the better
for the road The exclusive construction,
conduct and ownership Of the road by the
government, would lead to innumerable
frauds and corruptions--it would be to sub
ject the enterprise to the control of those
interested in prolonging the work, and in
ereasing its cost, instead of fastening its
completion and economising the outlay
All experience stands opposed to the wisdom
of such undertakings even by the State gov
ernmeuts whose finances are managed with
much more economy than those Of the fed
eral government. There are those who con.
template with horror the existence Of cor.
poration for such purpose, and who would
yet convert the federal government into an
unweldy corporation for the purpose oi
building. owning, and conducting railroad
| think it would not be unfair to anticipate
that in such a case it would be the worst
built and worst conducted road in the world
But the more probable hypothesis is that II
would never be built at all, or at so remote
period, and at SO enormous cost, that {
single generation could not see its beginning
and Its completion, or sustain the burthen o
the expenditure
This will not be thought an unreasona
bic, though a brief and very imperfect pre-
sentatlon of the consequences OF an exclu
slye construction and ownership of the roae
by the government. a partnership and as
ISOLATION between the government and indi
vlduals or corporations. in providing the
means, IN building the road, and IN Its sub
sequent ownership and conduct, may com
phcate, but can hardly diminish the diffcul
ties. In addition to the evils already an
tlcipated, such partnership might furnish
the pretext and occasion of continual exac
tons and unreasonable demands upon tn
part of the private partners, or it Nigh
lead to lntermeddling, inconvenlent and op
pressive legislation upon the part of th
government, serving at some day to exclt
the frenzy of party spirit or furnishing
war cry for some ambitious demagogue.
As another important advantage offere'
BY the company's plan, and similar to tn
one already mentioned, it relieves us tror
the difficulty occasioned by the scruple