The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-23
the western ermin Of This road and We can aci upon il

viii limit myself TO the precise question before the Senate
and repeat what have already said that am just as
much opposed 10 The proposition OF my friend from ONO
although aecords with my general impression upon the
subject. as TO the provisions OF the original bill am
utterly opposed TO fixing The temln OF ihis road IA me
dark; and demand survey demand precise inorma
non upon the subject, that we may know what we
are doing in matter Of such great Importance :,
But will mol consume the time Of the SENATE. WI, wn
only say my friend from California, Mr ows'l una,
appreciate very highly his motives IN bringing FORWARD
This project and am willing 70 promote tns genera zen sa oI
will 90 further than will TO promote The construction OF
railroad between the waters OF The Mississippi nver 10
the waters of the tributaries o. me racing ocean Is
measure which is demanded from considerations OF pol
icy and is OF the very highest importance am willing
to contribute the consummaon OF SO important pro-
iec as ts but in the highest degree pre-
poserous after have permitted the greatest part OF the
present Congress 10 elapse, and when brought
within thirty hye working days OF the close OF the
sion 10 take up such question this settle all lis de-
tails, bring majority OF the Senate into concurrence in
IT, and then send II 10 the House of Representatives with
the expectation that It will meet with there
The appropriation bills vel Enacted upon, and vast
variety OF other that in progress also
be disposed OF and believe it is utterly and absolutely i'm
possble-no matter how long we worry ourselves here
no matter we could and spend threequartes OF the
agree upon the details of this bill say therefore, that
II Is vain and idle to attempt TO go with It, am per-
fecy willing, however, that the honorable senator from
California should persevere with his project, l will
stand BY MIN. and he may shape the bill as he peases
hope he will get it into shape SO that can vote for IT,
but he will have 10 alter lis structure most essentially
Let him and propose his amend nens and get It IN
condition suit himself, and then il can will vote for
il, because am decidedly in favor OF the objects OF the
bill But consider utterly hopeless 10 expect 10 per
Mr.. UNDERWOOD Mr.. President, the people tina,
represent have very deep interest in this matter. and
feel it. desire, therefore, TO make few remarks
upon the subject, and perhaps may well do il now
road from The Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean is
matter which attracts great interest my section OF the
country three grounds One is, because it will fur
nsh great many commercial facilities another is, be-
cause II will give us the means OF postal communication
with our frenus in California and in Oregon and another
is, that II will furnish the OF transportation anu
travel for individuals and for the government.
Now you want that road which will accomplish all
these various objects BEST cheapest, and with the great
facility; and where is that 10 be located! Can any
body tell No. SIR Have you any information which
is sufficient to enable you TO make choice OF routes
None Yon are, then, leg,slang perfectly IN the dark,
and you legislatng upon Statements made without
any sufficient data upon which 10 be based, by individual
senator's In that respect, sir you departing from the
practice OF the government from its very foundation
When the practice OF the government to subscribe
money by taking stock in private enterprises or corpora
tons then you had the individual exploration, and the
guarantee of the Investment OF individual capital, to
show that the objects for which you were TO appropriate
national funds advantageous. Have you any thing
of that sort here No, sir When that system OF APP
preparation for internal improvements was abandoned
and mos, unfortunate for the country is IT that was
aband0ned-you fesored TO system OF internal lm
provemens by the government itself and what did you
do You appropriated, in the first instance, money to
make your surveys You had those surveys made, and
the officers charged with the performance of the work
made their reports, and then yol acted upon the
official communications, made through your Typographical
bureau and otherwise. Have you anything oil that sort
now No, sir nothing at all. Then, say again, we
legisatiDg in the dark
Now, sir, lake up this map that my friend from Cali
forna Mr.. GwINl has furnished us. IL you lay down a
road from ST. Louis TO San francisco or IRON Memphis
TO San francisco, where does il pass passes through
the great UNEMPLOYED basin surrounded by the Sierra Ne
vada mountains the slde and the Sierra Nadre on
the oiher and nobody tell US the nature OF the soil
the fluctuations of the country the nature OF The wafer
courses any geographical fact in reference TO that I'M
explored valley and basin. except here and there av
eer who has passed through part OF those great
interior passes No information yet given 10 the coun
try. except such is derived from occasional travel
le and yet there hundreds OF miles through which
you must pass if you construct this railroad which you
know nothing about.
from Connecticut, MIR. SMTa.l | conceive that II is
utterly OF the question 10 attempt TO fix points, and TO
made Sir, much devoted to this enterprise and
much in favor OF making communication TO the Pa
cic, any member OF this body; but have said that
object in the construction OF this road commercial
object We have heen told that this japan expedition
which we have put afioat may open new avenues oil
tade--China - TO open golden harvest 70 me mer-
chant, and all the trade and commerce OF that re
gion OF the world with US is TO come 10 the west
ern shores OF our continent, thence TO be transported
eastward by railroads AL the riches OF the East
are 10 be poured into The lap of this country. hope
il may be so but in that view OF the subject il be
important TO locate the western terminus OF that
road that point from which you distribute The CON-
mercs cheapest and advantag 10 the country,
And where has the gentleman from Ohio MT CHASE
located il He has put away IN the NORTH beyond In
dependence and coDenplaes going, perhaps, still fuf-
theT up into the regions OF and snow where Tor al
hall OF the year, the rivers frozen up, and
that live below cannot reach it, We OF Kentucky are
be told far the commercial aspect of the project
is concerned, that must go up 10 that point Now,
you 60 there by water for great part OF the year.
because the navigation is closed by ice "Ah" but a
gentleman says, there will be railroad communications
that will reach that point parallel upon the banks OF The
Missouri river, and you can avail yourselves OF that =
Sir do not want TO avail myself OF any such avenue
OF connexon when the cost and distance greatly
increased Take into consideration this fact which
have suggesed-ha the river is TO be blocked up for a
good portion OF the Yearand you will see at once that
Tor the commercial purposes which have in view in
the construction OF this road, II will not do TO locate the
point of the eastern terminus OF this road there.
But SIR there is poin, lower down. which Nature has
made suitable for the eastern terminus suggested il a
week two ago, but really afraid will not carry.
because there j. influence here 10 behalf OF IT, That
point Is at the mouth OF the Ohio. There Is
the point which Nature has made but there Influence
behalf OF here and il will sink below zero fear, in
consequence OF St, Louis side and Memphis on
the other.
Now let us consider that point in a commercial
pect Why - IL the most suitable termnusi II is be-
cause when you bring your from the Pacific TO
this point you there distribute il all OF the
year cheaper than you possibly do by railroads
You distribute Il by water You can come down the
Mississippi river or il the be open, you ascend
IL; or you can ascend the Missouri river, il ii he open
and you transport by the rivers much cheaper than you
can by railroads. You ascend the Ohio river to
Pittsburg When you reach Paducah you GO up the
Ien9e.see river to Florence. Twelve miles further up
me ONO, when you reach Smhland, you can up the