The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-02-27


ime OF war for extraordinary transportation. and if he
aoes hot, Congress must determine II.
30 tha IN point of fact, this corporation IS whose
parallels not to be found IN the annals OF civilized legs
iuoh IN Inc rsi place, II is perpetual In the next,
mere s no Limitation TO the real estate which may
hoiu he property which 1t accumulate, the kind
be more capable of mischief, and better able 10
ate lnordinae powers than any other corporation
known IN this country, II wants those limitations which
our State governments think il necessary 10 impose upon
he most Insignificant corporations OF their creation for
heTe is no efficient restraint upon II the part OF Con-
gress' even in theory Congress do nothing towards
destroying IT. except 10 purchase It out upon terms which
have shown TO be mpractcable; and every year which
eapses alter the thirty makes and imposs
Ole 70 do IT. Tor the price, under this bill increases at the
rate OF ten per cent per annum The threat OF reducing
lht mel rrofs 10 eight per cent per annum upon their
Investments would have but few ierrors for company
like this with perpetual charter | know, Mr. Presi-
dent that 1t is considered quite ridiculous in this day Of
progress TO express an apprehension Tor Tree government
or popular rights; but If we were 10 SET ourselves to
work 70 try experiments upon the vitality OF both, can
conceive OF machinery better calculated for such pur
poses Than that created by this bill.
In whatever point view this bill, feel that am
thorzed 10 characterize il extraoTdiaary-as
it transfers from the Legislature to the executive II is
enormous in giving TO the general government jurisdiction
over the great subject OF railroad commerce and transport
taon within and throughout the States; for the
are here for purchasing the control OF this subject fiom
The States, as have endeavored to show before. The
bill IS enormous too, IN regard TO the powers which 1t
proposes to vest IN this corporation and believe in that
respect II is altogether without precedent, whether you
consult the legislation OF the States of confederacy
or OF foreign governments Ii is the most indefinite grant
OF power, taken in all respects, that have ever seen.
The President Is 10 determine the route OF commerce
the President is TO raise what troops and to organize
what military expeditions he may choose to guard it,
The whole thing is TO be done under executive man.
agemen, and that, too, upon question which gentlemen
say is TO determine not merely the commerce OF this coun
try but OF the world and this is to be done how and under
what circumstances Do we know that there is prac-
fIrah ha fnr do kpnu
tlemen have assured that they have heard these
counts from travellers from hunters from pioneers, from
military men, who have been making expeditions through
those regions for the purposes OF war or OF peasure but
have they carried the surveyors instruments upon the
road! Do we know the distance 10 which is to run
Do we know the amount which il appropria,esi - Can
any gentleman tell how much land is appropriated,
and where the lands that appropriate! Can any
gentleman approximate towards the length OF the pro-
posed road, or say how II is TO run Can he tell us
whether II is 10 in a direction where water may be
found, where fuel may be obtained where food may be
had, except at an enormous cost Nobody pretends to
give us any information which even approaches accn-
racy upon these subjects, important TO be understood
They give estimates; they have had no surveys,
and they refuse all preliminary inquiry or investigation
into the subject.
Now suppose the road shall be made, what is to be
the cost OF running after II shall be made Is alto
gether certain that the road be operated at all except
at cost too great TO be tolerated even by the friends OF
the measured The road is TO run through country
much OF which is desert, where fuel be found,
where man and horse experience difficulties in getting
water 10 sustain ean unnhabted deserted region, and
which, according 10 all the descrpt have had
OF IT, is likely TO remain uninhabied and deserted for
long time to come-observe too, IT is not road which
pays as you make il link by link. IL pays nothing until
you conclude H. You may make the links through the
Pacific States the west, and through the Mis-
sissippi States the east, each side up 10 the
desert, but these links will be worth but little until
you finish The road through the desert, aud In take
II there al what immense cost must it be done |
You have TO transport your provisions, your mate
mails, your laborers, at immense cost You find II
difficult 10 obtain, then, the necessaries of life
So deep the OF all these difficulties the part
Of the friends OF the measure, that the bill provides for
the OF the army 10 guard the road whilst under con-
sructlon. But when is made, how YOU 10 preserve
II, how you TO operate II, IN the present condition OF
things, unless you establish military posts all along the
llnel An Indian may come alsng, and acuated by wan
tonnes or malice take oil rail and wreck a whole train
OF cars; by accden, design be may IRE the prares
and the burning grass may consume who knows how
much OF the superstruciure OF you railroad ] have
heard that during the last year there was difficulty even
on OF the New York roads TO find water TO keep
the locomotives IN motion. DO We fear no difficulties OF
that sort Ia such region How do we know at what
cost in that country, denuded OF timber, are 10 OBJ
tain the fuel and that, observe very considerable
ltem IN the expense OF running these roads The ofis
nal price Of the coal which they in Pennsy
for this purpose is estimated at four dollars per ton
When you TO transport this coal from any aainable
points towards the heart OF that desert to what amount
will the price rise from the mere charges OF ranspora
tioni
These are difficulties which we are required 10 face
yet time is gwen for examination, lime is given Tor
consideration. for explorations, surveys but we
at once TO embark the United States government in this
business. aud plrlge ourselves 10 this immense amount
upon The Imagination that may conclude such a
road And sir, what j. there, until ths country shall
become settled, that is 10 pay tor II We hear great
deal OF the immense reights and OF the commerce for
which this road is TO be the avenue. We 10 get the
commerce oil the East, II is said, and thus establish
amongst ourselves the depots OF trade between the Eu
ropean and the Asiatic continents. Mr.. President, this
commerce will take that line unless there
discoveries yet 10 be made in the mode OF constructing
railroads, and in the and speed OF railroad anspor
taton oil which we know nothing now. Why, ind,
upon looking into the reports upon the railroads IN the
old S,aes-in New York, in Connecticut, and IN Penn
sylvania-thai the charge for railroad transportation Is
rather more Than three cents per ton per mile, reckoning
only two thousand pounds TO the ton,
A gentleman from New York, who is well informed
upon these matters tells that the charge Tor
transportation the railroads OF that State is little
more than our cents per ton per mile III, hen THIS road
10 bear the between Asia and Europe, as ~
affirmed by lie friends, II must carry it's feght from sea
TO over distance certainly not less than three thou
sand mules. AT the rate OF charge Tor The ton per mile
which ow made in tho old States II IA manifest that
the Cost VIII rise high 10 make the road an imprao
tcable route for this Tor we are 10 add to
these charges the OF transportation from Asia TO
San Francisco, -hpboard But is possible that goods
could be transported this route cheapy as upon
those to which have refered Not only the actual
cost OF transportation be greater upon such route as bs
but charges necessary make The eight per cen'ne
pToht upon The immense investment OF The company must be
greater Than The corresponding item IN the charges upon the
roads OF the old States When TO compare this
win me charges made by shps even by clipper SHIPS u
must De oOrOns that they must continue 10 be The yehl
ces oil The trade between this country and those distant
regions especially ii sbp-cana should be mace
lhrongh Nicaragua.
The cpper-shps bring freight now as am informed,
Rnsfnn and NJ, Npfk lnrf