Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1853-03-02
Qoliticnl
SPEECH OF
HON. A. P. BUTLER,
OF SOUTH CAROLINA.


lection of the cmgran, route and Il tclcgraphi
line, and for an overland mail between the Mis-
souri, River and the settlements in Califurni
and Oregon.
Mr. Butler said
Mr.. President: We are engaged in tic con
sidrraton of Il bill of unusual Importance, an
it seems to be assumed, nv understand, that
is to he carried through this body and through
the other House by the momentum ofits owl
magnitude. listened, rs usually do, will
profound attention, to the able and intcrcsiin.
remarks the honorable Senator from Illinois
Mr.. Douglas; :; but must confess that when hi
announced that this was an enterprise wiIhou
parallel in the history Of the world, and lha
therefore We Were TO disregard all the IL ghts %
example, experience, usage and prcc, dc II, frl
somewhat asinri>hcd ut the attitude in w'Iirf
the American Senate was likely to bc placed, by
being forced to adopt 4 fnrcgone conclusion
without the advantage of examination or the sc
curly of drlibcraIion; in other words, to rul
all the hazards of legislative experiment il
reference 10 the greatest measure of tho klnt
the world has ever know. To borrow the Ian
guage Of the Senator from Illinois, "a measure
without = parallel"
The reason given by the friends of this bill
why we should not have such lights before III
az are usually consulted in such eases is, because
this is 4 measure whose magnifrcnce puts Il
defiance every thing that has preceded it. cihr
in the Congress of the United States, or in an,
other dclibrralivc body of the world. A measure
the success of which must therefore depend
more upon the chances nf blind fortune, thar
upon the counsrls of wisdom, or lights of cx
pcricncc
Mr.. President. ! have lccn referred TO more
than once, and appreciate the compliment, \.
one of the gentlemen who might have some con
siitutonal difficulties in rc.tion to this measure
| shall no, indulge in homiy upon the Con
stilution. No, sir. | shall 60 directly to the
merits of this bill; for, independent of all my
constitutional objections, shall he bound ia
oppose it on other s:ou .ds, such as have nc
doubt been well indicated by several other gen.
llemcn. Then. sir. come directly to the qucs.
tiun, What is the bill? II is the boliest propo.
si,ion that has ever been brought before this
Legislature fora system of rn,crnal improve
mcnts. give my. friend from Texas Mr.. Rusk]
credit for his inlrcpidi!y. / say it is the most
undisguised proposition which has ever been
brought bef"re the Congress OF, the United
SfaIs, Looking 10 n system of Nternal improve
nicrits. What, then, are the provisions of the
hill upon which this proposition is founded 3
Let me aaalvzc them.
The bill proposes to construct road from,
the Mississippi valley to some point on the Pa
c:tic ocean and how! The President, rs ! IN.
derStand it. is to Indicate the termini at the
Mississippi and the Pacific, aid also the noun.
tain passes through which the road is 10 GO; and
then he is to employ engineers to fill up the
space by reconnaissance, or to make
such examinations rs may be satisfactory to him
What Ecxt? After the President shall have per.
formed this function of saying where this grea,
channel of commerce shall run-of having i'm.
posed upon him powers so extraordinary, and
such, as in my opinion, do not belong TO the
Executive branch of the Government, or ever
was before conferred upon an American Prrsi.
dcnt-we arc required to divest ourselves of all
legislative jurisdiction and control over meas
ure involving the abiding dc>tinics of this Con.
fcderacy, and perhaps Of the world. II is to be
taken from The sphere of our Legislative judg.
mcnt, and Gc transferred to The exclusive will
and discretion Of the Exccuiivc-a proposition
heretofore entirely unknown in the history oi
federal Legislation. 1t *. Mr.. President: in my
opinion, Il precedent Of fearful import.
So much as TO the mode of locating the road
Now as to the means and agencies to he rtn.
played for its accomplishment. They, in my
opinion, rs shall show, are equally unprccc
drntcd. dangerous, and unwise. What are they
Why, sir, S2O,0000oo arc to BE- supplied directly
from the Treasury, to be paid ont under the
terms and conditions of the bill, which in prac
ticc would be mere parchment provisions, TO bt
dispensed with, if need be, BY an appeal to leg
isla,ive liheraliy. Besides this amount, smal
as il is in comparison with what it will be in the
progress of the work, we are to give alternate
sections Of public land, equal in amount to abou
twenty millions of acres and much more rs many
believe. Thus we shall have contributed, ut th,
very commencement of the enterprise, means
equivalent to $50,oo0,0oO or $6O,0OO,O0O, ant
this is hut small index of what may be TIT
future demands upon the Treasury, under til,
auspices and favorable indulgence of an inter
csted majority.
The next question is, what agencies are to b
employed in the enjoyment, direction, and ap
preparation Of these funds!
Why, it is to be 4 CORPORATION, to be invcste
with franchise that may be of immense value
and certainly, in its exercise will it be one q
great power. 1t is to bea body corporate tina
may WELD the influence of enormous wealth, an
acquire title 10 a tract Of country that may
regarded as an isthmus through The great Yves
tu the Pacific ocean, anG thus unite, under tn
influence Of capital, two Of the greatest section
of this vast continent, having the elements I
increase and rerpetuate its own power. 1t wi
WELD the lever of modern times-money, MOI
ey-and like the East India Company in the e,
ercise of its immense monopoly of pecuniar
power, may uSurp the attributes of sovereignt,
Wha, security have we in the future against sue
result? This corporation will have ever
temptation and induccment to comply with n
the conditions of its charter, to enable il to n
sumo the imposing condition which its weall
and political influence may give it, to become a
.impertum in impcrio" But it is contended b
the friends of the bill, that BY its provisions,
is subject 10 forfeiture for non-compliane
with the terms and conditions of the grant. D.
pend upon it, Mr.. President, there will he Il
forfeiture if the franchise should prove success
ful ard profitable and it is evident that $50
100000 will be first expended, before any col
,ingcncy for forfeiture can arise.
After that, the corporation will still be und
Legislative favor, if they have acted in good fal
Recent precedents go strongly to show the flc
ity with which Congress will bestow bount
to indemnify capitalists for any losses they ha'
sustained, or may sustain. Yes, Mr.. presider
| have long seen that the Federal Treasury HI
become an insurance Office, to afford indeml
ty for the past and security for the future"
the event of the enterprise becoming Who'll
worthless, there will be no occasion for any 70
fei,ure for the corporators would then be wlIir
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