Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1853-03-10
Pacific Railroad.

! /
engaged the attention Of Congress a
great deal during its recent session
When or how this matter win ter
inmate, is yet in the womb of the
future. We pretend not to know at
what future session of that body it
viii be disposed of. We only allude
tosthe subject at this time, to give a
SHORT extract from the speech of Sen
ator- Butler, Of South Carolina; and
to express our surprise at finding so
many istinguished men, claiming to
be democr ats, advocating it. The
time was, if our fr$ It lessons in de-
mocracy be correct, when the adyo-
cacy Of Constructing a Railroad to
the Pacific ocean by the aid Of the
general government, would haze been
set down as the legitimate offspring
Of federalism. We have ever held
that internal improvements by the
general government were anti-demo-
cratic in the extreme. But from re-
cent Indications, which have mani
tested themselves since the agitation
Of a Pacific railroad, in Congress, it
would seem that to assert opposition
to such policy, would be equal to un-
churching or unlellowshiping one
With the democratic party. Never
theless, we stand opposed, and in ref
erence to this particular project, and
its tendenci rs, we cordially and hon
estly entertain the same notion with
Senator Butler, when he says
ave are about TO embark upon a.
system that will swallow up all others,
and willinerease the tendency Of this
Government once a free confederacy
of Republican States, to become a
consolidated empire. We are de-
parting fronl old landmarks, and en-
teying Upon / boundless wilderness of
unknown pc Eers, without chart and
without compass. We are commit
ting our desl inies to the discretion d
irresponsible legislation, instead of
allowing it ID be controlled and pro-
tected by Il obligations and the
guarantees IF a written hid once
respected Constitution
This IS trnk every word Of it true
and we are surprised to find dis
t;nguished d smocrats unnli ndful Of
its truth. B lt we must desist from
further remat ks, as our space will
only admit, al present, the substance
Of this stupen Ilous project the Rail-
read to the z aeific.-
"Tae bill proposes TO construct a {
rrad from thE Mississippi valley to +
some point on the Pacific ocean; and
how? The President, as | under j
stand it, is to Indicate the termilli at /
the Mississippi and the Pacific, and /
also the mod ntian passes through {
which the road is to go; and then he
is to employ 4ngineers to Gil UP the
intermediate 81 lace By Reconnaissance, /
or to- make stch examinations as
may be satisfl Glory to him. w bat q
next After the President shall !
layeperlormed this function Of say fl
ng where this great channel Of com a
nerce shall ram of having imposed j
ipon him pow frs so extraordinary, a
md such as, in my opinion, DO lotFiC
'elong to the Executive branch OF |
he Gevernmed t, or ever was before II
onferred upon 4ny American Pre- ST. l
emit we are Tdqaired to divest our q
elves Of all legislative jurisdiction nj
nd control over a measure involving 0bl
be abiding destl MES Of this Confed- il
raey, and perllak rs of the world It az
to be taken frd m the sphere of our sil
gislatiye iudgm bnt, and to be trans 81
rred to the exc lusive viii and dis co
,etion of the q xecutire-a propo- a |
tion heretofore dntirely unknownin rel
e history of federal legislation. ! ex
is, AIr. Preside nt, in my opinion, dn
precedent of feat ful import, So
Sc much as I'd mode Of locating agt
G road. Now a to the means and ser
encles to be EN- ployed for its ae- ca;
mplishment they, in my opih- SCI,
}, as shall shd w, are equally ul-
ecedented, dang erous aud unwise. "
bat are they? Why, sir, $780, tha
10000 are to b Supplied directly app
I'M the Treasury, to be paid out mi
der Che terms and conditions Of sue
e bib, which in practice would be tn
ore H,a,rhment provisions. to lie Fo
18Th If hood ha hKyI an an an.