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

Mr.. GEYER. Mr.. President the construction OF a
the Pacific has attracted the attention and
manded the appreciation of the people OF the United
States for number OF years Long before the acqois
ton OF California, when possessions upon The Pacific
were bounded by the forty second degree OF latitude the
popular mind had been earnestly directed to this great
subject AT that time there was no division OF opinion
MS 10 the pass OF the mountains through which it should
20. The Soaih Pass being within half degree OF the
southern boundary line OF our territory on the Pacific
wa. the only one deemed practicable then within our
territory. The will of the people was almost unani
m0usly expressed represented IN primary as
sembes. sometimes expressed through the medium OF The
legislatures Csng.ess was npo,ed 70 taks me suosc
for the construction OF such road, but they felt that Il
essential to their highest neresls-pollical, social
and religious Had Congress then seconded the voice OF
the people, road would have been nearly or
quite completed. and should be ready TO commence
second. instead OF spending our time in debating how
loc6 ! shall Be- POSTPONED came mon y, new
dhc9isies. Our line extended TO near the thirty
SECOND degree OF latitude Several passes were ascer-
tsasd 10 exist that perfectly practicable. and then
came up the daculty which stands in the way Of the
execution OF the work 10 this hour Difference OF opinion
arose as to the pass that should DC selected me
most unanimous voice OF the people, Is now, IN he udg
ment OF some gentlemen, unfit and we are divided in
opinion according TO the section oi country IN whcn we
town on the mississippi from ST. Paul 10 the Gulf OF
Mexico, is coniendng Tor the terminus OF the road
Every principal town supposes that II is entitled to that
favor and imagnes tha, the evidences are conclusive in
favor OF its point as terminus The senator from Call
fornia Mr. GwN attempted to meet these difficulties by
furnishing branch each one OF the States on the west
Of the Mississippi That did not appear to find favor with
The Senate. A select committee was appointed 10 take
into consideration the whole subject II had before the
various plans that had been suggested One OF them,
which seems TO find favor with the senator from Penn
sylvana, looked towards the construction OF this road
out OF the national treasury under the superintendent
OF the national governments another proposed 10 make
road by the Intervention of private company, TO whom
was 10 be granted bonus in money and still another
proposed make road entirely out OF the public lands
The committee has reconclled these difficulties by the
proposition now before the Senate.
proposes not to increase the patronage OF the gov
eminent. or the duties which devolve upon 1t, by
committing to il the management Of this railroad organ
izng the government into sort OF railroad corporation,
for the purpose OF the transportation OF merchandise
the continent That plan il rejected AT the same
time the committee aware that the work could not be
executed exclusively by private enterprise and private
1t has, therefore, combined lands and money, by
way OF assisting any company tnat may undertake 4! ;
and although do not entirely approve this bill, and II Is
not the plan which woaId be disposed favor, the
perience OF many years has shown me that member
must not always hope TO succeed carrying favori,e
plan There mus, be compromise on this as upon any
other subject.
The Multiplication of the difficulties has not decreased
in the least the intense anxiety OF the public that the road
should be built and that seems 10 he admitted on
all hands that il is practicable that is essential 10 the
public interests. that IL IS necessary to the national de-
fences and indispensable in time OF war cannot forbear
express my astonshment that there proposition be-
fore postpone the execution OF the work until some
future day II this work is found TO be impracticabe, II
10 because OF the impraclcabiy Of Congress, and not
because the work cannot be accomplished.
But il is ead to be ndispensably necessary that we
should have preliminary surveys. The honorable sena
tor from Ohio Mr. CHAsE tells US that the bill itself
provides for that and he states, and states truly the
question to be whether the location OF the ermlDi and
general OF the road shall be made by the President
by Congtess but he says that by transferring TO the
President abdica,e the power OF Congress was at
loss to understand bis meaning until heard the speech
OF the honorable senator from Pennsylvania, Mr. Coop
KR He requires survey IN order that The grades OF the
may be ascertaned and s exact line lad down. and
then that there shall be specific direction as 10 The
mode OF construction and unless Congress maintains s
power that subject, we shall be held TO have abd-
catAd IT, SIR would ask that honorable senator rheth-
ef Congress abdcated its power when II inusted TO
the PresideRt OF the United States the selection OF The
plan for the additions to the Cspoli Whether Congress
abdicates its power to raise and support navy when II
commits 10 the President the construction OF vessels Tor
the public service under his supern,endence Are we,
under the power TO authorize the construction OF this
road supeniend body OF contractors composed Of
two branches, the entire operations on the road
But it ia said cannot proceed without preliminary
survey that we have not knowledge enough upon the
subject that ii is necessary that detailed survey Of the
line and grades OF The road should be reported to Con-
grsss, and that Congress should then fix the termin and
locate the route by an act The honorable senator ~
aures IL Congress cannot locate the road, how shall
the President do III Sir II Congress has not been able
locate the road in years, is il 10 be expected that
would be very prompt, when the bone OF contention will
be presented 10 them in the form OF surveys OF the diff
ferent passes o the mountains and the grades OF The
road 10 the different points the river Shall not
encounter The difficulties that have encountered
all along DO not see il apparent now that one OF
the sources Of opposition 10 this bill is an apprehen-
sion that the President may select point which MOI,
the first choice OF honorable senaorsf Is there not
trembling anxiety upon that subject TO which much oil
this opposition may be traced
II 10 said that propose the sort of survey and
examination by the bill that is proposed ia the amend
ment. That may may not be- What we propose is
that there shall be sufficient examination, and that su
fcent information shall be obtained by the President 10
enable him 10 x the termn and The passage through the
mountans That is all the survey that s required The
amendment does not propose TO limit the survey the
inc airy particular points, but asks Tor survey and
an examination which shall enable Congress to exercise
it's power control the location OF the road But
suppose that the surveys TO be Of the character
and require the time we shall by the bill gain
this advaniage-tbat question which we have found
ourselves unequal will be decided On all hands II is
said that the incoming President may be trusted with
subject 40 momenlous this and in my judgment
without intending any dsespect TO either house OF Con
giess-he would be apt TO decide i correctly Than
the two houses OF Congress viii when the surveys are
brought in
honorable senator says the President OF the Un-
yea STATES will have enough do in the discharge OF his
hen functions without attending to the location OF rail
foao:' tnat he will not have time make examina
uon ,o mmse,i' and he must depend upon The reports
wnsn ave msoe by The engineers that be employed
And pray you, Mr. President will Congress have lime
10 examine The road for themselves WIFI the members
oil elmer mouse ieel II part OF their duty or
with their hgh Obligations TO absent for the
purpose OF making personal inspeotionl Congress
VIII nave ey ms lne PRESIDENT must upon the surveys
and reports that are made Congress then will have
to do than the President Congress will be emhar.
rassed as have already remarked by the conficng IN
erests OF various sections OF the country BORDERING On
the Mississippi, nay, SIR, the conflicting interests on the