The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-03-09

n, We commence to day. the publication of I
od very able speech of Hon A C. Dodge, on
deficiency Bill, delivered in the Senate on 1
18Th ult
~ This speech had not come under our obser,
al ton until this morning Ii will pay perus
: ] as it enters pretty largely into RAILROAD mate
:. and cl 'ses with well written letter from o
a esteemed towns mn, l. II Lansworth, ,addres
h ed to Gen. Jones on the subject OF the Pacii
IS r.. r.
Is Mr. DODGE, of Iowa Mr. President Il W,
: one of the Select Committee to whom this bi
IS was rrferred--the least efficient and most hum
BILE member of that com Httee. Without claim
ing to myself credit for any thing that is contal,
ed in it, deem il but an act of Justice to say {
e my distinguished ,ciates upon that commit
e tee, that never did men labor more faithfully
. or in disnterested spirit, to accomplish
as far as they could accomplish, the great wor
committed to their charge. Day after day, 70
weeks, we devoted the whole Of our morning
6 to the preparation, discussion, aud consumato
: of this measure. Our Chairman, the Senate
from Texas, (Mr. RUsK,) has lahored most in
G defatgably upon this bill, besides having givel
much time and thought to the consideration o
the general subject Of uniting our distant PaciEi,
possessions to those of the interior and Atlantic
by bands of iron, from the day that the subiec
was first introduced All know, too, from ex.
traordinary success which attended his mos
sagacious management OF the Texas boundary
bill, Familiarity known the ten million bill, thai
few men better understand the duties Of prac-
tical legislator, are more faithful and untiring
in their discharge.
The venerable Senator from Massachusetts,
Mr.. Davis, whose enlarged experience and oh
servation touching our railroad system, coming,
as he does, from State literally streaked with
roads of this description, and being more famil-
lar, perhaps, with the legislation necessary to
protect the rights and interests of the Govern
ment, the travelling and commercial community,
as well as those Of the companies having charge
of the work, has DEVOTED his time and talents
most patiently and assiduously to framing this
bill, and may appropriately be termed the
"Mentor of the committee every member OF
which will bear evidence to the many sage
and valuable suggestions which we received from
him.
The distinguished Senator from Tennessee
MIR. Bell has thrown his whole soul into this
noble enterprise, and both in the Senate and the
committee, has brought his research and talents
zealously to the work of its accomplishment
Of the zeal and ability of the Senator from
California, Mr. Gwin,l and of the time, at,en
ton, and deYotion which he has sho yn to this
work, it is necessary | should speak, as they
are familiar to the Senate and the whole coun-
try.
My purpose in making this alIusion to the
committee to whom all the various projects for
Pacific railroad were referred, is to say, that ex.
cluding myself, humbly conceive that the Sem
ate, and especially those who are friendly to tn
enterprise, should receive the abors of the See
Ieff (tommitfpa will Mi To ,
erous confluence" The North, the South, the
East, and the West, were fairly represented, and
| am proud to say, that never saw the least
exhibition of sectional or selfish feeling mani
tested by any member of the committee in the
preparation OF the bill | aIIude with pleasure
to this fact, because it is well known that there
are four or five rival routes, all of which have
their friends and champions; and because the
bill of the Special Committee has been attack
ed-bold!y and bitterly attacked for that feature
in which consists its chief excellence, in my
humble judgment | mean the provi IN which
confidrs to the incoming President of the Uni
ted States, after the most thorough geographical
and Typographical reconnaissance, the de- sigma
tion of the termini and general route of the road
| have said that this is one of the best provisions
Of the bill, and reiteratr it, because, with the
lights which that high officer will have before
him when he comes to determine this momen-
tous matter, he will be much more likely 10
make the proper designation than would Con-
gress. Besides sir, as fast friend to t.s meas
qre, one who is neither to be coaxed nor driven
from its support, it is my solemn conviction,
that upon the retention Of this provision depends
the life or death of the bill. You cannot fix the
termini roue Of this road in any bill, and then
get votes enough to pass it. No, sir; not with
all the surveys and estimates of cost-general
and particular, that eyer have been made or
hat ever can be made----and the reasons are
these
There are, believe, at least fire contending
lines or routes, over which il is proposed to run
railway from The valley of the Mississippi to
the Pacific ocean.
These are, beginning at the North
FIRST From Green Bay, in Wisconsin,, to Pu-
gets Sound, in Oregon, with brancl, to Ca!-
tornis. 10
Second. From some point in Iowa, on the Mis-
sissippi river, via Council Bluffs, Fort Laramie,
the South Pass, in latitude AZ degrees 80 min
utes north, Salt Lake city, and then by the
emigrant trail through pass inthe Sierra Nc
vada, in latitude about ~ degrees north to San
Francisco.
Third From St Louis to albuquerque, laii-
tude 80 degrees north, on the Rio Grande
thence to Walkers Pass, near the same parallel,
in the Sierra Nevada; thence through The va-
i
Fouth E. ther from ST. Louis. Memphis,
Vicksburg, souhw. st corner of Arkansas, or
Ma'agorda, in Texas, to Ell Pasco, the Rio
Grande and thence by the GiIa, at its junction
with the Rio Colorado and thence. via the To-
hone pass, about latitude 33 degrees north,
through the valley of the San joaquin, to San
Francisco.
This last line, by way of Ell Pasco and the
H., ic hol liav hxp to hn
ticabe route; but it passes, large part of the
way, through the Mexican States of chihuahua
and Sonora. Many able men, and believe
Mr.. Whitney among the number, think the first
named route, notwithstanding its hypcrborean
locality, the most feasible and advantageous.
Now, sir, these lines of route all have their
supporters ana advocates; and it is not my pro-
vince or TO assail or dsparage any one Of them.
But have to say that which | do know Fix
any one of them arbitrarily and by name in any
bill, either before or after any number Of sur
veys and estimates, and the friends of all the
Others Gy from the support of the bill. They
will give fpr excuse that the route desi ignated is
too far north, or too far south, to answer the
great purposes of transit and commerce.. 1t
will be alleged that the Corps of Typographical
Engineers, high as that corps deservedIy stands
in public estimation, by whom the surveys will
have been made, were governed by sectional or
improper considerations and motive, and 10 this
there will be added many other excuses for op
position. But few, # any of the opponents will
avow the true objection, which would be, that
the road is not so loca'ed as TO subserve the inn
mediate local interests of the objecting mem
bcr's State and constituency. Mark you The
contention to which now aude would he
among the friends of the bill those friends
whose votes and harmonious action are denan.
ded for the success Of the measure. Now, all
who want road can and do pull together, be
iny at heart for The measure and willing TO run
the risk of their ftvnrlt- line of route bcnr Sc
ccted by the President as, in his opipion, the
best one Hence regard the amendment OF
the Senator from Pennsylvania MIR BRoAp-
HrAD) as directed at the existence of the bill
trust it will be viewed by all the sincere
friends of this great highway; and that it may
receive at their hands that condemnation il s.,
richly merits. am perfectly satisfied that
there several practicable routes and with
this conviction am for progressing with the
road believe it to be the greatest question
which now concerns our nation, and | wish to
commit the Government TO its construction
ay, and beyond the possibility of backing out