Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1853-03-02

III lHe appllclIloil VI 'Ilc power VI P.i'uo', uu
they could not do it. And if this measure il
carried into effect, you will bcct the Presi,'en
| to influences to which no one human brln!
ought to be subjected You subject him to a
the fair and to all the sinister Influences OF talent
and of capital and what is more, you require
the President, bindfoldcd, to take the statement
OF engineers and scientific men who may bc
under the influence of capital. Could we guard
against it? do not know that wc could bat
there is something very wise in the instincts OF
interest; and perhaps after different propositions
shall have been brnugiIt before this body, each
one Of US may elicit something, or make salts.
fsctory explanations, so us to bring the truth to
bear. Furthermore, if | were 10 consult the
dictates Of prudence on this subject, | would
have three separate independent corps OF
engineers who should be bound, if possible, by
IN oath not to confer with each other, but to
have separate surveys. And # they should
concur, there would be some assurance that the
route they recommended would be practicable,
and such rs would commend itself for adop-
tion and if they differed, they might give us
their reasons for their difference and we could
Investigate and decide for ourselves. Therefore
[ oppose this measure on the broad ground that
have assumed, and | oppose it upon the still
higher ground that it is enlarging Executive
power far beyond what think yigant legIsi,
turc should allow.
| come now to the next objection. What is
the agency to be employed to accomplish this
goat enterprise! Why, we are creating an
immense corporation; to which we are to give,
ut the beginning, forty, or fifty. or sixty millions
of dollars. And what then? If the enterprise
be prosperous, they enjoy all the profits, re-
s:rainablr only be this consideration: That
Congress retains, by one of the provisions OF
this bill, Il potential supervision to this extent,
that Congress may, at all times, regulate the
tolls to be charged upon passengers and lreig!'ts
81 as, with an economical management of said
road, not to reduce the profits of said company
below eight per cent" According to this pro-
vision, Congress cannot reduce the tolls beyond
q certain minimum, bnt my allow them TO run
up to any amount and who supposes for 4 mo-
ment that Congress will ever interposc TO re-
duee the profits of this corporation! With a
profit of thirty CT sixty per cent, and welding
m Influence perhaps Of hundreds of millions,
the company can always forify itself against
Congressional interference. So FIR from Con.
gress ever interfering, either to forfeit this
charter or to curta The profits underi it, if the
company goes into successful operation, make
the prediction it will not even refuse to renew
the charter when it expires. The company will
have all ihc elements Of pcrpetuiy. Its own
success will increase the duration Of It's eyis-
tcncc.
know it is said that we can protect ourselves
and produce forfeiture As | have already
Stated, have not the least idea that We shall
resort 10 Forfeiture. The corporation vii 'sgo
on with our money rs long rs it lasts. The
first fifty miles will be finished from Memphis,
Or somewhere in that urighbnrhood. The com
pany will get the rich land which lies there.
The is entitled to take land six miles on each
side of the road through the States, and twelve
miles on each side where it runs through the
Territories, making strip Of twcnty-four miles
through the Territories.
Mr.. Ru>k. They only get the alternate sec
tirns for twelve miles on each side.
Mr.. Butler know that. but rs soon MS the
company gets the first section, they will quickly
take The other.
Mr.. Ru>k That is not the bill, though.
Mr.. Butler. was rot going 10 andc to that ::
but one thing that wish to aIude to is the
beautiful phrascology of this bill. 1t is the
most arcommnlng phrascology that ever | saw
used. 1t allows the company to select llnd in
alternate sections for certain distances on each
side, and if that land should be occupied, or
should not be fit for the purpose where 'lo you
suppose they arc TO take it? Adiac,nt lands I?
No, sir not adjacent. nor lands within fifteen or
twenty miles, as other companies have been
restricted to not in this State or that State,
this Territory or that Territory; but at any
point, or at any distance too that may be Deem
ed By the company the nearest, leaving to them
to decide the question OF distance. In this Sc
lection they have wide margin Of choice. They
may even 90 to one hundred, two hundred. or
for aught know, one thousand miles 10 take
up their lands and very greatly fear their de-
termination of this matter of distance will
depend in no small degree upon the quality and
value of the land.
Mr.. Rusk. Thcy arc 10 select those lands at
the nearest point.
Mr.. Butler. But five hundred miles may BE-
the ne lrcst point where they can get good land /;
and vou my be snrc they will select the best
land they can find. and instead Of selecting
lands that are worth Sl2j, they will take lands
worth $40 an acre and if they cannot get land
n ong the line o. the ro; d they my go "if int
Oregon or California; and will answer for it
when they come TO the ncares. point to get it
they will find the nearest point to be just where
/ they can iiml the richest Oascs.
The Senator from Illinois, tho other day, 8 nc
This extensive, wild desert was intrrspcrScd ailt
caYenrd and refreshed by many oaSes Per
! Eaps when this roulc should 90 into operation
! We my have something like another Palmvrl-
city of merchants and factors to distribute
from those oascs the goods which have becI
carried from different points. But unless ",
! have something of tlmt kind, Isay it is imprac
ticable Still, may be mistaken-t may b,
! practicable But is there nothing in grca
esterprisc of this kind which should induce u
to wait until ut least we give postcrity chance
to exercise some Of the ghts which we ar
about to usurp! 1t is said that we owe it It
California Why, sir, it California continue
for ten years to increase rs rapidly as she hi
done within the last two, instead Of hclpin!
California, We shall have TO call upon Californl
TO help U.S. If California goes on multiplyin!
in strength and resources, as | hope she Will
she will carry on her commerce rs she has dom
herctoforc-by ships-by g"ng across tn
Is,hmus of P;lnallla or going through this con
tempIated canal across Tchuantcpcc, when it i
completed.
No. sir. The communications with Californi
arc increasing IN their facilities These taci,ic
will be improved, rs We have every assurance, b.
more lban one route across the ls;hmus OF Gen
trail America. The competition for these route
is IL guarantee that they will be opened, an
that, too, in Il very short period, making tn
time of the passage between New York an
San Francisco not greater than fifteen or twent
DAYS. Aud besides, there is another view Il
this subject. These routes will be open to tn
enjoyment, and will invite the commerce, of a
the world, and thus add to the revenues of thi