The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1853-07-30
RnIraad TO the Pacific.


bill passed at the last session Of congress, aPpro
priatinc the necessary amount OF funds from the
national treasury sor clsse and thorough inspcc
ton Of the various routes, by competent ong'
uesrs, for Railroad across the Rocky Mountains
and Sierra Nevada, the government has sent out
number of corps Of enginee's upon tins duty
who will before fall have finished their tasks
so that by the time the next congress meets, all
the necessary iRformeion relative to the prac'ica
biity Of tie work ard lis actual coast will be
laid before that body Tor their perusal and ac
ton.
THAI there exists necessity Tor this great rub
lie highway is daily becoming more apparent;
and that il should be purely national work l.
equally plain. The cost Of carrying the mails
TO California. and the uncertainty and the delay
Of the Panama route, are strong reasons in its
favor. But The principal reason-and which is
folly appreciated by tie ADMINISTRATION, is its es'
,estiality TO our national defence, aud il was in
reference 10 his point that our preaent Secretary
Of war alluded to this work in his recent speech,
at the festival gwen to President Fierce in Phila
dephia. while on his way 10 the Inauguration of
Che thry.tal fslacc. Secretary Davis there init
mated that "a railroad to the Pacific was neces
sary for oar national defence
California is now The ophi, Of this country. anl
.hcnli we ever become engaged in war with
foreign power, her 5clj mines would be the first
object which the enemy wonld endeavur TO cap
ture. To our present position; with but limit;
'ei power in the Gulf Of Mexico, with mere
ptisifege to cross The lshnus, which can be De
denied Us at any Tine, we are no nearer Callior.
MIA ihaa Great Britain-is; and in case OF war
with that cation, she might scud her fleets to San
francisco, even before ours could arrive. Other
European nations nigh, 90 the same. Bat with
sraruad communication from the Atlantic to the
Pacific with branches rami!yiug every stale in
the Union. we could in a few days transmit any
amount Of mer, aud munitions Of war from one
ocean 10 the other, and thus have the advantage
ever any rower that might attempts movement
against any Of the remote member Of our
wide spread Republic.
Aside then from the great commercial adFan
tsge. which would accrus TO this country from
the road. s necessity. as national convenience
is sufficiently fels 10 warrant The government in
taking it in hand.
At present, While we are at peace with all the
world, and orr national If asrry, : oyerh3wng
with surp'as revenues, is truly mcs' au'piciou-
time for the Government 10 take holi Of the
work
Tie surp,l. revenue for this yea, has been es.
tnated, 70 amount 10 see 100000, and there Is
every Indication that i. will even exceed this
from 5000 900, 10 s. 100000 What is 10 be
done with this vast amount Of treasured is a
question Which is beginning to perplex our nation
al councils Oar commercial interests demand thst
it should be kept in circulation and yet, the gov
ernment has nothing upon which to sxpend II.
In str.ct harmony, therefore, win the opinion
Of tie Secretary Of War, tbs Secretary Of the
Treasury upon tic same occasion, made use Of
the following language;
1T i. wise no, TO permit the accumulation of
too much supcrfuous treasure; and, rs means
Of preventing so dangerous condition, expressed
the opinion that any excess Of the federal fnan
ees would be most iudiciously applied to the con.
struction Of a railroad 10 the Pacific
Both these speeches were made in the presence
Of the President whose silence seems to indicate
that he fully concurrcd with his two able sccrc.
taries.
From these admissions, tben il would appear
that il will he the policy Of the government to
appropriate the surplus revenue, to the con.truc.
ton Of this road.
How these worthless surmount the constitution.
al difficulties which have heretofore presented
themselves. in the minds Of our representatives
and senators IN congress, as more formidable ob.
stscle, in the way Uf this road, as national work
than the snow capped peaks Of the Sierra Neva
da. they have not yet explained. Yet from th,
following remark of Secretary Davis, lin tn,
same speech) il would appear that the work hac
bees achieved uo says:
81 have said that have always been siric
constuticnst, and have Knocked the the idei
that the constitution had one construction with
the limita Of the United States, and another on
side Of them. mock The idea hat tbs govern
mem Luiia raod out side Of her limits a,o
Nof UtNih MeW.
We regret that the Secretary didnct come on
little palmer upon this point. But for the con
stiiutional objections urged against the govern
meut taking this work in hand it would hav,
tees long since completed. So formidable hav,
these objections been, that even our CREATES
statesmen, such rs Calhoun, Clay, Benton, Gas.
Webster, and Douglas have freely admitted lha
the Government bad no light in the constutio
TO engage in the construction Of this road An
tome Of thcse great men haze even taken III
ground tina. congress had no power to donate Ian
to aid in the work, except upon the plan adopte
In donations to states.
Yet notwithstanding the previou, opinions ,
all these great men, the present. administrator
does seriously think Of pushing this great wor
forward.
All we have 70 say on the .utipc. t.
constitutional right or no constitutional right
W have The ROAD,