The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-02-25

Al,
honorable senator is entirely mistaken He has described
the couAiry through which the road will probably pass
sterile waste, and yet he estimates 1t at price iof
which choice lands will sell within the organized
States He estimates it, at least, at 81 23 per acre Per
nit to tell him il the land is worth anything to me
treasury its value will be given TO by the construction
the road by the outlay OF the capital OF the company
TO make it, and il will not yield dollar until the road
made As the road progresses there VIII De sel,le-
ments, and demand for the lands but II you abandon
the road you have the lands worth nothing al all 70 'he
treasury.
But twenty millions, ii is said, are TO be appropriated
Twenty millions is the maximum No more can DC
given under the BILL would inquire OF the honoIa-
BILE senator whether be has ever estimated what ls me
cost OF the transportation OF troops and supplies IN Time
OF peace ltappeas, by the report OF the
General that there expended during the last hscai
year more than 81, ,500 900 in his department u he Wl
compare that expenditure with that Of years before the
Mexican war he will find that an addition made IN con
sequence of the poss that not accessible by The ord
nary of transportation. Sir, before that war; an
oar posts on the frontiers either upon navigabe
streams, on which tIansporaiiGn was easy, or within
point of delivery before the war IS the point OF shipment
inland for eight hundred one thousand and sometimes
fifteen hundred miles II estimate the expenses OF
transportation in time OF peace, we find that the govern
will be ndemnifed for its money, il the road shall
be completed. by the facilities Of transportation. One
larger in time of war; when you will have the reSu
aton of the transportation by the terms OF the bill The
bonds ID are to be a per cent yielding an annual @
saved the single article of the transportation Of troops
aud supplies To that be added said by the
senator az % IRON Tennessee INT Bell. the
for much less sum than 1t Is now afforded SEMI
monthly.
But the senator from Pennsylvania is mistaken in an
other view of the bill He supposes that it either contains
no naon or ii it does, that Congress may be prac.
tsed upon at future day TO abrogae it, That argu
men does not cohere very well with that Of The honor
able senator from Ohio, for he has informed us that
there is danger regard to that pont in the Pres
dent than in Congress- We have the couaer argument
of the senator from Pennsylvania. that although Con.
gress be trusted in the location Of the road and in
the bargain which will make for The construction OF II,
when il is made, influences may be brought TO bear upon
them hereafter, by which much larger and Unlimited
expenditure may be made II the had looked at
the bill carefully, he would have seen that that contn-
gency not likely TO ase because the bonds to be
issued as the road is built by sections and i there is
failure to construct any section OF fifty miles, there is
forfeiture OF all the work that has been done and not
another dollar, another acre of land will 20 into the
Mr. COOPER The senator misconstrues my argu.
ment. My argument is that although The amount OF
twenty millions fixed in the bill and the number OF
acres though not fxed IS aseertanable by calculation,
yet II II became necessary, this company would have
It's power, by its pressure upon Congress- to obtain
much more as was necessary II does not matter at all
whether Congress is subject to such influences not;
it does not affect my argument at all may have been
wrong, but if was right in supposing that Congress
subject TO such influences, my argument was good.
Mr.. GEYER. The argument is one IN favor OF dlsso
luton OF this Union, at least OF the incompeency OF
Congress II great and benehcent measure cannot be
compassed because cannot trust Congress- we had
better to legsla,e Sir do not and cannot believe
that any influences be brought bear upon future
Congress which cannot be brought 10 bear upon this
There influences adverse to this measure. There are
the roads the isthmus There is the influence OF
the Atlantic cilies which want the transportation
and which would be somewhat reluctant to erect rival
road Why, even now We are very soicious to get
means OF transportation Tehuanepec that there is
threat OF We to seize IL per fds At nsfas TO
ge, line OF transportation between the Atlantic sea-ports
and the Pacific We would prefer 10 go TO war; and haz
I kn
would lead and the caamites which would bring upon
as, than 10 give IT up.
Another objection is, that have not knowledge
enough 10 commence the work that we do not know
enough OF the country through which the road will pass
Sir know to certainty that this side OF the Rocky
mountains there is no difficulty in the way You may
pass upon the line OF the Red ver, or the Canadan or
the Arkansas, the Kansas, the Platte, and that ell
tber OF them will afford easy grade ascealned be
yond all doubt The only dhculty, and the only i'm
poran fact 10 inquire into, to the passage OF the
Rocky mountains, for the Sierra Madre Is merely
tension of the Rocky mountains or the Sierra Nevada
We have TO ascertain that and when that is ascerained
we know that the road is practicable. We know that it
can be made o easy grade, except al the points have
mentioned and therefore we are under no necessity for
further information upon The subject except TO know
what passes shall be taken, and where shall be the ter
mini OF the road, neither OF which Congress is prepared
to decide, OF will be prepared 10 decide when they have
/ the surveys.
Another objection to the bill is that the work is 10 be
committed TO individuals, who, 10 consequences OF lts
magnitude will have fearful power Sir, when we
look al lbe thirteenth section oil the Dill, which is all taa
contains abou, corporation, we shall see that ITS pow
ers very mlled-more than those OF any railroad
corporation in the State OF Pennsylvania The thirteenth
section OF the bill provides:
That FOR the purposc OF this act the couiracto their
asocates and successors hereby created and cons
tuted body polite and corporate by the Of The
Pacific Railroad and Telegraph Company by which
they may sue and be sued
That, take IL, is among the fearful pswers which
are so much apprehended-
plead and be mpeaded and have and enjoy all proper
remedies OF law and in equity, ogsnize and elect
such officers they may deem necessary, and have and
certificates Of stock
These are the specific powers; then comes general
i one
"and perform all other nets necenary carry into effect
the provisions herein contained"
There is the limitation Of the power of the corpora
ton. 10 contend that that power be abused is TO
contend that no corporation should ever be created ;
that no trust shall be confded individual
for II is liable TO be abused Bot in this country have
no reason 10 appehend any great abuse of power II
the corporation should exceed s powers, have 10
dcia tribunal that will rebuke IT, lis powers may be
tested by the same law and by the same tribunal that
rights OF property are inquired into But it is TO have
these general powers only TO carry into effect the pro-
visions OF the act What are they : To construct a
railroad OF gauge 10 be approved by the President Of
the United States 10 construct ii from point fixed
on the Pacific TO another point the Mississippi, il
having not even the power conclosvey to locate the
road between the points The location oil the road s
be with the approval OF the President OF the United
States 1t then limited TO the mode OF
and The weight OF the iron hatt TO Ii is limited
by the act itself the objects contemplated by that act
carry the provisions OF the act into effect
But the alarm s in the corporation" The hon