The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-03-04

without debate, act on il al all We have much
liberty OF debaie thai really have none at all as 10
most OF the matters calling for the action OF Congress.
Hence after many weary months In listening, win what
lang TO anything else than legitimate subjects OF esisa-
uon we mud the moment at hand when the session mus
be closed We then snatch up the appropriation bills and
hurl them through the two houses. much as shot may be
thrown out OF shovel Nobody knows what they are,
or what they provide Tor, unless the honorable members
OF the Committee Finance of the Senate. and on Ways
and Means OF the House, be exceptions What rush 40
we witness OF secretaries, clerks and messengers 10 ana
from the two houses and to and from each and the Exec
ulive, all in hot haste, lest this or that appropriation
should be lost by the advent of the nexorable hour
Now, suppose all the surveys and explorations coh
tempated by the honorable senator from Pennsylvania
should be made. and all the different routes estimated
contain the books which would be writlen) and the
whole of this vast amount Of information should be
pitched into the two houses OF Congress, what would be-
come OF il' What chance would there be that the sub
ject would receive dispassonae aud proper examina
| lion! Should we not have ineImnable debates, and
either result or very unfortunate one, rushed through
the very heel OF the session. And, then, what heart
burnings, what Ieaousles, what sectional dlssensions
should we not have Would not the opponents OF this
policy, reinforced by those who are dissatisfied with this
that location, be TO defeat the whole scheme n
deed, on the question whether the fixing OF the temln
and the general course of the road shall or shall not
be referred 10 the executive departments depends, u my
Judgment the question whether we shall or shall not
have railroad TO the Pacific The committee have hit
on the only practicable scheme With the President
there will be proper sense OF responsibility, high IN
leigence, and just appreciation OF the true interests
OF the country am satisfied there will be no want OF
either inclination, ability, effort on the part of the in
coming Executive, TO make wise and safe disposition
OF this entire matter II Is possible that reference to
the President may location contrary my present
impressions Of expediency, prefer the route by the
South Pass, ractcabie because IRON thence we can
branch 10 Oregon whereas, II the southern route be
taken that will be Impossible. But am for road any
how, whether North OF South. Besides, believe we
shall have railroad within twenty-five years. between
MIpSis thaf f,I,,
believe il with almost as much confidence as do in my
personal identity and do not at all in the opn
ION expressed by my honorable Trend from Pennsylva
ma Mr. "COPPER" the other day. that the SHOWS would
render a railroad impracucable at the South Pass. II
such roads be worked to advantage in New Englan
Canada, and even IN Russia, in tho winter season. am
quite sure there can be no barrier to their use al all
lmes al the point mentioned and even at much higher
latitude.
1t is also insisted that il is improper pass this bill
Tor The reason that the surveys and explorations have
not been had which have usually been deemed i'm
portan ii not an Indispensable, preliminary 10 legislative
action on such subject II we were about 10 fix the ter
mini and general course OF the road this objection would
have great weight but when these points to be
referred TO the Executive, and when the bill directs these
very surveys and explorations 10 be made basis for
his decision, 1t obviously has no force have already
IN opposing the amendment OF the honorable from
Pennsylvania, Mr.. BRoDHEAD.] stated fully my obec.
ons TO surveys and estimates IN detail OF all the various
routes, and OF the notifications OF each route with view
TO comparison, and accurate and precise calculation
on their economy cheapness. say, If this is 10 be
done. there IS not senator IN this chamber who wall
live TO zee The day when the work is commenced !
maintain, however, that such fullness and precision OF
survey and of estimates Is wholly unnecessary In such
vast undertaking. one or two millions the way or
the other Is OF importance, and would be folly
the extreme TO waste ten millions IN order to one or
two. With respect to the practicaby OF the work,
much is already known. We need for example no sur
vey 10 satisfy us that construct a road to the
South Pass, and from thence 10 the eastern base OF the
| Sierra Nevada The ascent from the Missouri 10 the
pass is very gradual not to be peceptbe 10 the
he he nj al 10
barometer, he finds hlmseli If do not msrecoiect the
figures, from 10 thousand ee above tide
Every one admits we can bulid railroad IRON the
Missouri to the Sierra Nevada bu, whether get
over that mountain is a matter ol doubt. The Sierra
would have 10 be explored through several degrees OF
latitude and all the passes carefully examined; This
would be the oAy point that route OF serious difficulty
On the southern route several points would require exami
nation IL would be necessary 10 examine the ridge be-
tween the waters OF the Mississippi or It's tributaries and
those OF the Ro rande also the ridge between the
OF the Rio Grande and those OF the Colorado and also the
ridge between the OF the Colorado and those OF the
San Joaquin This would involve exploration OF all the
mountain passes Probably the grades would have 10 be
ascertaned al all the difficult points each route and
then the question, whether OF praclicaby economy,
must be decided either by Congress or as proposed in
| this bill by the Executive. ! believe all the iniorma-
/ uon requisite 10 proper disposition OF the subject
could be obtained in single season, and then we
can commence the construction Of the road at an early
day, Having determined the point OF departure and
the general OF the road the surveys and estimates
in detail then be made with safely, economy, and
despatch. You Will need no attachments oil The army
TO protect your surveyors Large bodies Of will be
employed the road, who will hold in check and prob
ably keep a, distance the savages OF those regions II
will be necessary ordinarily survey only two
hundred miles in advance of the road progresses,
and then the road itself will facilitate the passage OF
the surveyors TO and fro and the transportation OF their
supplies, and this will greatly reduce the expenses OF the
operation. Indeed, 1t is m my Judgment, indispensable
that surveys and construction should 20 forward At the
time, aud IN no other way could the former be
complIshed without enormous outlay. Every must
see at glance that the construction OF the road in part
will greatly facilitate surveys in advance
IT, for example, the President 10 decide that the
point OF departure should be at near Independence,
Missouri and IL we commence the construction and carry
the road forward, say four hundred miles il is obvious
that this would aid essentially surveys for the next one
hundred miles Probably The cost OF such survey would
not be onetenth part what Il would be the work
undertaken without the aid OF the road The combna-
ton therefore, OF the two operations, 10 some extent, s
| Indispensable 10 economy, II not praccabiliy And
who make the contract will have TO he at all the expense
OF these surveys and estimates detail They need not
i cost this government one penny. AL therefore, we
should provide for such explorations and surveys
would enable the Executive 10 fix the lermin and gen
era course Of the road and precise estimates and cacu.
Iaons such ordinarily laid before State egs-
laues in OF this Sort imprscticabe and unat.
tanabc. The case ~ peculiar one the object is to
coanec the sides OF vast continent, and the inter
mediate space is wilderness thronged with savages.
Explorations and surveys alike difficult and danger
ous and TO apply such the rules ordinarily OBJ
The necessities OF undertaking so novel and unexam
pied will furnish laws by which should regulate our
conduct
| wish now Mr. President, 10 assign briefly the req.
BY which, conceive, the policy OF this bill can
be vndcated II is not pretended that either private ci
80 nf he