The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-08-13

We rePublish, from the Washington linton,
corrected report of the retnarta of Jefferson Da-
Wis At Philadelphia, on the subject of the Pacific
railroad. Tt A
On the constitutional Question Of n. r,,,,s, of
Congress TO construct a military road through the
territories, if accessory for the defence Of the coun
try, the poeition of Colonel Davis seems 70 us
tenable. This principle would apply without ro-
ference to tho character of the road, whether of
iron rails to bs travsrsed BY cars, or Of earth
Passage-way tor wagons; But It will be seen that
the Secretary. of War is prepared to advocate
the construction Of railroad to California by
Congress only when 1t IL shown that such road
is absolutely required, |" and that it cannot be
built by any other agency than that Of the Gov
eminent. ajs 49, ~
Beyond this we see not how any Democrat can
60. If a road is demanded for the defence of our
Pacific possessions, and the means Of private cor
pOrati0ns are Inadequate to its construction the
enterprise may be undertaken by the Govern
ment. But If it is not necessary, or being neces-
sary, offers sufficient inducements to private cap-
tai to build it, then the Government should not
be asked to engage in the work.
We believe the road importantly perhaps neces-
sary-but that the very importance aud necessity
OF IT will secure its completion without any draft
upon the public treasury. Texas has offered three
millions eight hundred and forty thousand of
land, supposed to be be worth from us, 600 900 to
$l8 900 900, rs donation to any company which
will build railroad from Red River to FL Paso--
the distance of about seven hundred and fifty
mles-nearly half the route from the western
limit of Louisiana to the Pacific. .The charter
for railroad through the State of Texas, from
some point on Red river to Ell Paso, was granted
year ago last February, intended to be a con-
tinuntion of the road previously chartered by Lou
siana from Vicksburg to Shreveport, on Red riv-
er. The charter donates to the company eight
sections, or five thousand one hundred and twen-
ty acres of land for every mile of road construct
ed; and MS soon as the proof is made that five
miles have been completed, the Commissioner of
the General Land Office is authorized to issue
certificates for the same, which the company may
have located and surveyed, and patented imme-
diately after on any public lands in the State,
making twenty-five thousand six hundred acres
for every section of FIVE miles Of the road"
This munifcent donation will, we cannot doubt,
secure the completion of the road to the western
limit of Texas, whence nothing can stop its
progress until its terminus is fixed upon the
Pacific. g5, sti4S
Missouri is building already from St. Louis to
her western boundary. If that route offers such
advantages Us Colonel Benton claims for it, surely
the capitalists of the world will seze the oppor-
tunity to make their fortunes by building on It to
San. Francisco. The Government, MS u landed
enhanced in value, might offer to both these roads,
or to any others projected to the Pacific, alternate
sections Of public lands along their lines,, as q
means of facilitating their construction. This
would be proceeding according to the policy
which Congress has fully recognised as sound and
constitutional. IS st f ~ 5f5 -s