The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-02-08

proposes 10 invest this company, who may undertake the
work, with corporate powers This seems 10 have ex.
cited very great alarm IN the minds OF gentlemen
They look apon corporation as being
- "a monster of such Gightul mien,
That % be hated needs bu 10 be seen"
Why sir, this corporation be in their eslma
uon sort oil Trojan horse whose sides ring with armed
meni and we who come here support this bill
garded as voluntarily prostrang the walls OF the citadel
itself 10 let IN the monster But Mr. President think
little calmer view OF this subject will greatly diminish
IN this bill 10 confer upon this company the corporate
powers which usually conferred upon those who
dertake to make roads and ii there be State in this
Union that has not had the rashness and emery 10 ere
ate Just such corporations do not know which State II
Is IL is Certainly fact that Just such corporations ek-
st IN nearly all the States OF this Union creates by the
legislative authority oil those States. This matter has
been expemented upon sufficiently to test It's safety and
to test lis security The States 90 every year pursuing
this same policy Every time the Legislature sits IN any
one oil hem you hear OF more or less grants OF this de-
scrpon and II there has been railroad made in this
wide country that has not been constructed by corpo
ration created for that purpose know not where IL is
Yet the danger resulting from corporations seems
10 spring entirely from the character Of their pa,er.
nlty. IL one OF them be within State, lis claws
are cut lis teeth are drawn--t II be in the United
States, II becomes savage full OF evil and iull
of de6lement The only question here is whether This
work shall be done by corporatlon or by contract
from the government il IL be done at all confess that
am lillle surprised 10 find both OF my friends from
Pennsylvania lMr BRoDHEAD and Mr.. CoopERl making
demonstration against this through The nstru-
mentality OF corporation They spoke from their own
experience, especially the one who spoke first, M r..
BRoDHEApl He spoke OF his Disgust at the measures
which used to bring down oppr ssive taxation upon
the people. do not suppose that my trend intended TO
be understood by the Senate saying that this the
work OF any corporation II was The work Of the State
itself, sir The State OF Pennsylvania undertook 10
ry forward internal improvements, and out OF that fact
grew all the difficulties and the oppressive debt of which
my friend complains should have thought that the ex
ample OF his State would have taught him tals les
son at least, that corporation IS much safer than the
Stale ITSELF and much less liable TO deiement do not
doubt The truth OF all the honorable gentleman has said,
that agrea and unnecessary debt has been created In
his Stale butt through the inslrumenaity of the
management OF the Stale itself ask him now whether
he has any complaint TO make respecting the corruption
OF any railroad corporation existing within his Stalei
ask him whether he is willing get up here and say that
any corporation there is so dchied with corruption 10
set an example which IS offensive TO the community
Why sir, il we are 10 choose between these two modes
of constructing this road-that by of corporation
and by the government itself-the former is infinitely
preferable TO the latter, because all know from
experience and observation and we might know by
soning prori, that if the government undertakes by
It's own Immediate exercise OF power TO carry forward
such work as this under lis own direction and super
intendence, abuses will creep in, and II will necessarily
become political engine That is precisely the obec-
ton made 10 a corporation and yet how infinitely
greater are the abuses under the management OF the
ernmen itself than those which arise under the
agement OF any corporation whatever?
Nov, SIR wnat is this corporation 10 do should be
greatly obliged 10 gentlemen il they would rise here
and point out the probable abuses which will grow Of
this power We hear gentlemen substantially saying
that corporation OF that sort will come here and will
control Congress ltsel-tha It will have power greater
and higher than The legislation OF the nation should
like to nave gentlemen point oat the process by which
that TO be done should like TO the desig
mated by which that is TO be accomplished. should like
the OF the power and OF The corruption they
10 exist necessarily IN body OF this And If
there be any way 10 avoid evils OF this description,
should be glad II gentlemen would point them out and
lei what they and whether purer and better
course cannot be adoped-one that shall be free from
objection and that be carried forward more to the salts
faction OF The country.
My friend from Pennsylvania MIR CoopERl lkened
this 10 the Fox India bill Well SIR, the Fox India bill
is an old affair My learning does not go TO all It's
provsons but goes lar enough 10 inform me that there
is no similarity between that bill and the now before
us What was the East India Company II was a civil
government IN selt-a company with great monopoly
placed 10 It's hands, and aHong other things, with civil
power, The government OF The country, conferred upon
them As friend near saggesls, they author
zed to raise and did raise large armies, which brought
that country under the CONTROL finally, OF Great Britain
country containing two three millions OF people That
the great East India Company and at the time OF
which he speaks they had these enlarged powers Bot
they have since expired, and have been modified that
the Crown now retains the government oil the Eat India
possessions During the existence OF the earlier charter,
that company held and exercised complete monopoly in
It's business holding all The trade OF the country within
their own power and under their control
MIR. COOPER Will the senator allow me 10 ask hi
Question The gentleman says that the company orig-
nally bad the power TO false armies ask whether they
not in contravenon of the grant by which that pow
exercised, and which was Just such power as
that which protest against
Mr.. DAVIS | will answer the question | say that
whatever the opposition there may have been 10 the
exercise OF that power Great Britain holds every foot OF
the lasd TO this day and those people are conquered
and are under the authority and dominion Of the Crown
They resped the profits which out from the usurp-
alton of the East India Conpany-If gentlemen call il
ssufpation-aRd they sanctioned the act.
Mr.. COOPER. Merely because the company had tho
control of the legislation OF Great Britain
Mr.. DAVIS ] wish TO say, in regard 10 this, that I
referred TO the remark OF the senator iron
for purpose except TO show that there no, the slight
est resemblance similarity between the popostion in
this bill, and the circumstances OF the Eas, India Compa
ny and that that be fairly, and IN the exercise of
candor, quoted illustration OF the probable result
of the exercise OF power by this company.
These are the main objections, as | understand ii,
which have been urged against this bill. There are
some others upon which shall make NJ comment; bat
wish TO say word upon the merits OF the question it.
self
Mr.. President, when turn my attention to the great
valley OF the Mississippi, and remember that many
are now living who were born when that valley
solitary Wilderness the haunt Of beasts OF prey and OF
ages; dotted perhaps, here and there by le settlement,
bot wild and uncutvated, yet iere region when !
reflect that the meanderngs OF this great valley and its
great river extend for 1000 miles, with drainage OF a
magnitude commensurate with its length and fed by
maAy tributaries; when further see that there arc now
millions OF inhabitants living in freedom and in abun
dance when cast my eye forward little further, and
that this broad territory large enough for great
pre- Is capable OF sustaining in comfort aud happiness