The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-08-03

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actual war The difference between therefore, Is in
the application OF an acknowledged principle Our con-
srucon gives adequate protection that OF the Enquirer
leaves the exposed State without any protection
But again The Enquirer says The plea of necessi-
~ urged in favor OF making this great work an enter
prise for the federal government is not vais y IN
dsra,es the enterprise of the country" We maintain
that the private municipal enterprise oil the country
is inadequate the work, and therefore that government
aid is Necessary The Enquirer insists that the road can
be built by individual and municipal enterprise II
our opinion is the true then we infer thai the En-
quer yields that the plea OF necessity svald II appears
them that the real difference between us IS as to The aPp
cation OF the principle We are disposed TO concede
that so far as Missouri and Texas, and California are
concerned. private enterprise would carry the road
through those States provided there any guarantee
that the intervening link of fifteen hundred miles would
be filed up That concession only strengthens posi-
tion relieves from any question as to State luris-
dc,op and presents the question Of power applicable
alone TO the territorial line of fifteen hundred miles The
facts adduced by the Enquirer as to the success Of private
enerprse in the States where there are population and
wealth. to us 10 furnish no guarantee Tor the sue
cess OF the Pacific road, il left alone to that means oil sue
cess. But this is branch Of the inquiry which will
well deserve consideration when Congress engages IN
nyesc a,ng the bes, plan Of adording aid. We have
already spoken OF this open question II may be
found best TO invite private enterprise into The work by
o,oper aid or inducements but that private enterprise
without government aid. cannot accomplish the work
40 as 10 furnish 10 the Pacific States efecual protection,
seems 10 us too clear TO require further remark.
We are constrained to say that discover force
in the objections 10 the Pacific road. as government
measure based upon the consequences OF SO large
expenditure and The dangers of extravaganza peculaon
and gambling upon public money. which are SO graphic
cay described These legitimate and insnrmounta
BILE objections 10 general system of internal improve
ments by the federal and such ought 10
forbid it's adoption even il the constitutional power was
clear But we must think that the Enquirer greatly
magni6es them when urged objections TO the Pacific
road ac
The positions Of the Enquirer ON which we have COM
nen,ed will be found clearly stated in the following
tcle tsl 81
arf From the Richmond Enquirer, Augurtl.
The PAcIFlo RALRoAp--Wo publish below article
from the Washington Union upon subject which is des
tined 10 engross very much ofpubc attention, and proba
bly, 10 elicit elaborate discussion than has been
given to any pcl teal question for many years t
II is essay say that this Journal is hostile 70 the
appropriation federal funds for purposes OF internal i'm
provemen To concede such right to the federal govern
men especially in the OF stupendons undera
king the Pacific rnoad would be TO give up the prnci-
pies for which Virginia has commended since the day OF the
elder Adams Ii would be to authorzs system OF OK
penditure and open the door system Of
and public peculaion sufficient undermine the Integrity
OF any that existed Il would fix and per-
petuate that loose OF public morals and that msgnif
system Of gambling public means, which took so
dr,ju xVOn he
evils predicted by tho bitseest and
exavsgan deaunciaors OF The policy OF internal i'm.
provements by the general government .tH
The road proposed is indeed of vast importance TO the
country. 1t will be III 1900 miles long. 1t will
COST $50 aud probably 500 600 600 But the Union
contains nearly l2oOo miles OF completed railroad,
which has cot nearly $500 1000 As much moe Of
railroad projected and IN course OF construction, which
will large tn ha. which already 10
completed The roads the creatures and this
the product, OF individual and municipal enterprise
Who shall set limits American enterprise Who shall
that the people who havs built IL 900 miles Of road
build thousand miles without the aid Of the federal
government Who shall say that the individual and
porate which have furnished $500 eco mny
furnish $50, 0c0 900 or l0o,000,0oo ElA8
The plea OF necessity urged in favor OF making this great
work enterprise Tor the federal is no, valid
undertakes the enterprise Of the country Missouri has
the work and will carry IL sing handed far
beyond her borders The single city OF St Louis has gone
earnestly into tho work, and already provided for conn-
uDg X through bal OF tue great ae OF Which she - he
capital.
Texas has begun the work from another pout and IL
shame the donbtcs OF American enterprise English
banker. have pledged capital enough carry the road pas,
the borden. of Texas. The work is .eay
in active progress from Two points Soon IL will b.
rnencsd western terminus aud California gold will
be construct II from the Pacific far eastward as
California e1tends
But for the high from which that other plea in
behalf OF its conjunction by the federal nmeutits
mr. "A he wou he
unworthy OF serious notice. We lay down tho general
proposition that any such work never be constitution
ally constructed by the general government FOR military
purpose, unless the Immediate urgences Of actual
qulre for the transportation OF troops be pdivd.
ual State enterprise have time TO construct H.
The work is already 10 good hands. Il already in the
safes, and efficient hands II is in the hands OF the
people To tura the general government would
be. of economy In either time cost the
dsporable policy OF all the organizations IN exist
enoe thai of the federal government would be the least
efficient, extravsgant the most dptory and the
indifferent the patience and convenience OF the
great public. To leave the auspices OF The federal gov
eminent would be to subject its very incipieucy
respecting the crnnusa northern and southern
troveyas angry, dangerous and protrsccd as the
great controversy upon free soil IL the road built
with public funds and became national work. IL would
be the means OF thousand and prenxts for annoy
aud aggression upon southern citizens II is bad POI
icy create any national, any partncrsbip
properly, between North and South than IL absolutely
svodsble. 1att
Whilst sympxtbizing with aud approving the M sin view
OF our correspondent, "Bue Ridge" in Thursdays paper
wo do not ,ympabzs in his apparent luminosity towards