The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-02-24
SEN ATE.
fAcitIc RAILROAD.

,innnp Ihe debate on the subject OF the bill which is
pending before the Senate at any great length Nor do
deseu 10 follow those honorable senators who have ad
voc1ed the bi through The long labyrinth OF questions Of
thaaeer entirely foreign TO the objects this BILL and
which they have raised and discussed before the Sem
ATE Nor shall follow the honorable senator from Ten
nessee [Afr BELLl in his inquiry whether peace or war
be probable in Europe. whether the event OF war
the United States is likely 10 be involved in il Nor shall
hbottaht for the United Sates and necessary
10 our safety. Nor shall indulge in vaccinations Of
what the present generation is 10 see IN the character OF
the improvements of the country. do not know how
many roads will pan the coptnent from ocean to ocean at
The close OF the existing generations is pertinent to the
issue now pending before the Senate whether one or more
roads shall follow the which is in contemplation
Nor will pursue the traces OF my honorable friend IRON
Connecticut Mr. SMiTH,l and inquire whether It would
be competent for England or any beligerent power
with single prvaeer to lay San Francisco under con
tribution and conquer from our Pacific possessions
Nor will indulge sir in ante facio encomiums upon the
incoming President shall rather trust TO my acts than
10 nv words, to show that my course OF conact TO-
wards his administration when he to be installed
power will not be actous one SIR, lregard as an-
safe altogether unsafe venture upon any great iauua
tions Of any Office in advance Sir even whe 'hey are
INDUCED in in the oil friends on whom we nave De-
slowed the most ex,ravasan encomnms ior lher WIS
dom ssd patriosml say in such cases we ae o,.tn
t;,es We therefore, TO lear somewhat
tnindnee II such encomiuns these upon those VINO
have not heretofore merited by Their conduct very ekeh
svey, appreciation But these are 10 esh
and shall not pursue them.
-Mr President rstated in the casual remarks which
had occasion make days ago on this sabect mat
nv opposition to this measure was not founded IN nos
,v 10 road between the Atlantic and Pacific sides OF
the continent. avowed then, and avowed IN spint OF
sincerity and candor, my approval OF some great line OF
INSTRUMENTATION OF this kind My objections TO this
measure however, were founded upon the fact that it
was to be commenced without preliminary survey and
reconnaissance, and because, II II were completed,
the company would possess powers that would make II
to the operations OF the government not
eventually dangerous Now, sir have other objections
which will state in the OF the brief remarks
which propose to submit shall hst 60 somewhat al
length into this objection.
We were told by the honorable senator from Massa-
chusetts (Mr. DAvIs.l in the remarks which he made
some days since, that II the opponents OF this bill mad
examined il with care, and proper degree OF candor
candor" the word he used-ihey would nave iouhd
that the reconnossances were already provided or by
the bill and the senator proceeded by inference to show
that such reconnossaRces provided Tor Yesterday
in the course OF the debate which took place. another ad-
yocate Of the bill, mr. SMITH, more ardent, more eh-
thusasiic if may judge IRON his manner on The oc-
casiou admitted that there provision OF that KIND
and he justified his posllion--upon what ground 10 you
think Why that TO make the and sur
yev would require more than to make the road H.
self That was the position which the senator from Con-
nsccut took One gentleman tells you The bill provides
for and surveys. while another tells you
itwould be foolish to make them. because y would axe
as much or more time 10 make the reconnossances and
surveys than build the road That was some what ex
travseant and allow one who generally follows that
senator almost blindy IN whatever course pocal OF
Otherwise he chooses 10 pursue, 10 doubt IN ihis case
whether his usual sagacy not to say his usual cando
was not wanting. | am, then, having no one TO follow,
obliged grope along and lind my way bs my own mis-
cradle rush-hgbts
Mr. President is il objection to such enterprise
as this that preliminary Teconnoissances and survey
have not been made We told by senators who are
the advocates OF tins bill all SIDES that this unDeces
sary We are told that Captain Si,greaves Major Emo
~ and Professor Bartlett have raversed these wastes
between the western limits OF what was formerly The
United States and California at various times, and that
they have pronounced opinions favorable TO The pacuca
biiy Of such route as this The honorable senator
from Tennessee told that hunters and trappers had
penetrated these wild wilderness wastes and that they loo
had expressed opinions favorable TO The pactcaoliy OF
great railroad between the waters OF The Atlantic and
those OF the Pacific Are mol these opnons, expresses
by men under circumstances such these under which
those expressed hem rather unsafe TO be acted upon
when measure OF such immense magniiude-"m magnih-
cenee" s The senator from Connecticut ss,a yesIeaay %
GUN in the chair and N nine, although every loot OF
the ground within their Limits has been ,rayersed and
has been known for amos, century, who would unoef.
take 10 make road from the Atlantic waters upon your
coast TO your wes,en border without preliminary and
preparatory survey Suppose you had need oi railroad
communication between the eastern and me western por
tons OF your State would be enough that you IN your
carriage upon horseback had rayetsed iot the last
forty years the country between the remote points, NO
SIR: Il would hardly be deemed sufficient by wise and
prudsnt induce them to embark IN great an
tsrprss-oHe, however comparatively insignificant when
co6s,sssd with this.
Is nv own State from Phlade phia on the Delaware
to Psburg. on tho MonongAh every foot OF ground
has been known for century-for II Is about century
snes Washington first iraversed IL his expedition 70
Fost susanesvery foot OF that ground Is known and
hsa been aversed thousands and tens of thousands OF
tfeA and every hill and every valley between those
two ponts were filled with intelligent population al
the time that The great system OF internal improvements
in that State was commenced But we did not embark
in il without noissance and survey, without hav
inx every foot of eveled, and the pract'cy OF the
work demonstrated. We knew that II vas practicable
We knew that money, If plenty OF il were expended
would conquer the intervening obstacles between The
Delaware and the Monongahela and although we EN-
barked in hastily and 'mpovdeniy, as after facts dem
onstraed yet did think safe to beg until surveys
and resurveys bad not only demonstrated It's practicable
ity bat its paecabilIty al unreasonable or exirsva
CANT cost not until then did embark in that system
Now, II this be so in States almost every acre oi
which has its nhabtants-if is necessary where every
foo Of ground known. where the condition OF the clI-
mate and the obstacles which Nature has inerposed
be foreseen and provided for with almost absolute
tanty---d snder such circumstances has been found
necessary thai reconnoissances and surveys should he
made, how much s IL necessary when you have TO
uavssse continent in which the foot OF civilization has
permanently fixed itself II 10 true that many have
crossed the comment with wagons, horseback, and on
loot and they satisfied that ills possible 10 get from The
Atlantic borders to the Pacific. But sir, when you en-
bark IN enterprise which to cost millions OF dollars,
when the provisions OF the bill itself propose an ef-
psnalne IN land and in money, of forty or hfy millions
ol dollars, ought you to Know, in the first place u
.he Iop'e - prao,cable without unreasonable and et-
uNaeabt delay In the second place, ought you not TO
secesh whether II is practicable TO furnish the motive
power winch will be necessary and fuel order TO keep
~ mo,on All these things require not only to be as
eertaned TO be possible but 10 be practicable and within
reasonable limits OF practicahilty Sir IL is moi enough
that the tapPe or hunter with bis traps or his re has
peneerafed ron one ocean 10 the
that Lewis and Clarke and their successors in adven
lure, bave iooweoe The tneandsrings Of the mountain