Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-09-09
The Pacific Railr0a d.

The principal business that will engage
the time and attention Of the next Federal
Congress, will probably be the Pacific rail-
road question. If agitation is ever deS'
tined to accomplish any thing, this stupen-
dous work of internal improvement must be
built. The question has been before the
American people for the past foursyears,
and every thing that human ingenuity and
foresight can invent has been proclaimed
throughout the Union. Not only have pol
iticians informed themselves upon every
argumentative point, but the entire peo-
pie have made themselves acquainted with
the feasibility of the whole project. Per-
haps no political question since the adop-
ton of the constitution has been SO univer-
sally acquiesced IN as this.
Members Of Congress, therefore must re-
member that while speechifying for "Bun-
combe' upon this question, their constitu
ents are paying respectful attention to their
acts, and that mere words without action
will not meet it'll much respect. But not
withstanding this question is favorite with
the entire people, we have no doubt Con-
gress will speEd two or three months discuss
ing the propriety of the undertaking. Who
says that the members Of Congress do not
represent the wishes of their constituents?
We cannot perceive what earthly reason
Congressman can give for opposing such
bill. The Administration has already
signifed its intention to support such
measure and when the President has the
aid of q majority of nearly two to one in the
Senate, and more than that ration the
House, we shoald think it might be put
through with dispatch. 1t will not, how
ever, become o party question. Wings,
Free Sellers and Inde pendents, have as yet,
interposed no objections, and probably they
will give the bill their cordial support.
Still if such bill becomes law--as we
have no doubt it will at an early stage of
the session there will be some rather scien-
ti6c sparring among the powers that be.
Where shall the road be built? Gay, there
is the rub" When the question comes up
it will be the signal for hot work, and Union
speeches for of course we must have the
Union on the eve of dissolution, or else no
great work can ever succeed. Great and
momentous projects are always accompa-
MED by proportionats excitement. We
would not give snap for body of Legis-
lators, who agreed upon every subject
brought before them for consideration for
it is the threatening and wrangling discus
sions that give questions an important tone.
We have said we did not expect to see
much wrangling in the passage of the bill
itself, for the reason that it will meet with
but little opposition, vet this cannot be the
case in the location of the re....cc. =" me greas
Westiis getting to be 'tsome pumpkins
end each local section has rights which they
wish to have respected. Three different
routes, if we mistake not are now being
surveyed, and much, of course, depends
upon the reports of the Engineers. All the
routes will have their claims and facilities,
and they win each find powerful supporters.
What will be the result as to the location
OF the road it is impossible to determine, or
even to give creditable opinion.
That twenty million of dollars remaining
in the Treasury could never be better APP
propriated than in the construction of the
most stupendous piece of work ever under
taken by single nation. We shall wait
with much anxiety the action of the next
Congress.