Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-05-31
Well, sir, the bill contcmplates pre-.


OF the discretion oflhe President, within
Ger ain limits. That objection also lies
Just as strongly against the bill as
it does against tho amcnumcnt. Ii
is further objected that the amendment,
provides that proposals for tho construc.
ton Of the road shall be received until
the next session OF Congress. That is
true; but will not the effect Of the provis.
ions Of the bill be just the same? 1t au.
lhorzes contract by the President with
a corporation or company Of inhivid.
uals. Well, sir, will the President enter
into this contract without proposals! Do
Senators expect that he will act bli 'dly
upon question of this impoftancei
Will he not invite proposals for the con.
slruc,ion of this road? Will he not as.
certain the best terms upon which it can
be constructed for the Government? lJn.
doubtelIy he will,
Mr.. Rusk. 1t is required by the bill.
M. Chase. My lricnI from Texas says
it isreqnircl by the bill, hen why object
to this amendment lift proposes precise
ly the same thing which is require to be
done by the bill? WHAT'S the objection
TO the amendment.
Mr.. Rusk. 1t does not propose the
same things.
Mr.. Chase. So far as have gone, it
does propose the same things. ltpropo.
scs surveys AMI exp lolaions. SO does
the bill. 1t proposes the employment
Typographical engineers in connection
with the civil engineers cmplovcd by the
Government, by companies, or private
individuals. The bill proposes the EN-.
pIoyment of both descriptions Of ensn,
eefs. ltproposcs to receive proposals
from a company or corporation. The
bill proposes precisely the same thing;
and the only difference, so far, is, thar
the bill not merely authorizes the Presi.
dent TO contract with these in lividuals,
but it proposes also to incorporate them
New, what do we gain by the adoption Of
the bill rather than the amendment!
can see nothing; for We are tolA by
Senators who have ivocatc! this meas.
urc, that the explorations, which are re-
quire 10 be maic, under the authority of
the President, before entering into any
contract with the parties TO be incorpo.
rated under the provisions Of this bill,
will consume the whole time between
the passage of the act ami the next ses.
sion. What, then, do we gain! Moth
ing at all, except to transfer this whole
question from the discretion of G. Ingress
to The discretion of the Executive.
know that some Senators, amongst
them the Senator who last addressed us,
Mr.. Smith, think this Il great obj ject.
He told us that the Congress Of the Uni.
tel sta es~ had become incompetent to
the transaction of busincss-that the
Senate and the House of representatives
are no longer fit to be entrusted with the
business Of the country. He seemed to
that hencefor,h every important question
should be referred % the discretion o!
the executive. Sir, have as much con.
filence in the incoming Administration,
| dare say, as other Senators. look
10 the Executive, soon to be inaugurate,
for a wise, prudent, bcnefcent, skillul
CONJUNCTION OF our public affairs; but
am not one of those who propose to abli-
cate our constitutional functions in favor
of any President. believe it is the du
ty of Congress 10 make the laws. ami il
is the duty of the Executive to execute
the laws. am not willing to confer up.
on the President of the United States
under any circumstances, and least o
all when no end Of great practical i'm
portancc is to be attained by so doing
the power of organizing a corporation
such as that provided for by this bill.
am not willing to place at his disposal a
fund so enormous. Why, this bill pro
vdes for an appropriation of twenty
millions ofdollars in the iirst place, an,
then, in addition to that, the appropra
ton Of fifteen millions OF acres of land
At the lowest estimate Of money ana val
ue, it offers to the company which yor
propose to incorporate by its provisions
forty millions of dollars. The capita
ofthe mpany must be at least one hun
dred millions. The road cannot be un
dertaken with less than that. Now,
am not disposed to create such IA cofpo
ration and furnish two .Gllhs OF its capt.
al, substantially as bonus to insure tn
construction of the road.
Mr.. Rusk. Will tho Senator ALLOW
me to correct him?
Mr.. Chase. Certainly; with pleasure
Mr.. Rusk. The Senator talks of cor
pora ton. Why, it is limited by th'
terms Of the bill. He speaks Of bonu
Of forty millions OF dollars being granite
to the company. lfhc will look at tn,
bill, he will find that not one dollori is tt
be paid until section oithe road is dom
, ana thcn not until the company has in
Tested three four,hs moro than the Gov
ernmentin the construction Of the road
Besides, in nearly every line Of this bi!
this enormous corporation. which is sue
:! u bu5 5bear to gentleman, is controlle
S aud restrained from mischief.
| Mr.. Chase. That is the universal an
swer to arguments against these grea
and powerful corporations. Itis alway
said that the cor orpora,ion is so limite
and controlled that it can do no mischief
Mr.. Rusk. The gentleman can NOV
to strike it out, if he does not like it.
Mr.. Chase. But it stands there now
$ and | am arguing on this bill as it stan.l