The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-03-10

that bill will be taken up, amended perhaps IN some par
tcuars to sun the views OF honorable gentlemen
and passed. That is practical which desire
to have carried OUT aud therefore give this nouce that
as soon as the army bill is through, shall endeasor 70
The PRESIDENT. The Chair will state TO the Senate
that the senator from Maine did first make the mouoh;
but The Chair understood that was Withdrawn IN order
to proceed with the reception OF reports.
Mr. BRADBURY | supposed the Chair was under
that misapprehension. did not withdraw the monon'
however Ii the Senate do not see fit to take up iha oi
shall leave the matter in the hands OF the Chairman Oh
the Committee on the District OF Columbia - ,,yN
The question being then put, on motion oi Mr.. HUN
TER, II was agreed TO-
ARMY APPROPRIATION HiLL
The Senate accordingly resumed as IN comml,iee OF
the whole. the consideration of the bill iron he House
of Representatives making appropriations Tor the support
OF the army, for the year ending June 80, 1854
Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. President in the amendments ie
adopted yesterday providing for the payment OF the claims
OF the States OF Alabama and Georgia. there Was mistake
OF date in regard TO the passage of an act The IAN oil
August put in instead OF the 10Th ask unanimous
consent that the correction may be made
No objection being made, the mistake was corrected
The PRESIDENT. The question pending is on the
amendment offered yesterday by the senator from Ohio
Mr. CHAsE,] from the Committee on Roads and Canals
to add The following additional sections:
SEC And be further enacted, That the Secretary OF
War be- and he is hereby authorized under the direction
Of the President OF the United States to employ such nor
Of the m o. - asa such
tons and he may deem advisable 10 ascertain
s s
of hundred aud fifty thousand dollars or so much
appropriated. ofany money the treasury Otherwise
to deray the expense OF such explorations
SEC And be 1t further eHaeted That the engineers and
other persons employed in said explorations and surveys
10 be surveyed and their reports shall be laid
before Congress before the first Monday IN February
1854
"SEc Ind be it further enacted That, in making such
explorations and surveys the engineers and Other persons
employed under the authority OF this act may be directed
ACT in concert with any engineers employed by any ndi
vidual individuals, association or asocaons Tor the
authorized and required receive proposals from ndlvdn-
ais associations for the construction OF railroad between
the valley o the Mississippi and the Pacific ocean, and lay
the same before Congress at the next session
Mr. CHASE. MIR. President, this is the amendment
originally offered by the senator from Pennsylvania, MT
BRoDHEAD, TO the Pacific railroad bill and modlhed upon
my suggestion AS originally offered by that senator, II
provided for the examination OF single route Tor rail
road 1t was modified upon my suggestion so as 10 re-
might think proper II was further modified SO as to pro-
vide that in the examination OF those routes the engineers
of the government might be directed, il the President
should think fit, to act in concert with the engineers OF
private companies who might wish TO examine the same
routes and also requlres the Secretary OF War TO re-
ceve proposals for construction. section is now added
which simply directs that the officers OF The government
shall be divided into many corps as the President shall
select routes for examination. and II provides fufther,
that their reports shall be made and laid before Congress
early the first Monday in February next SO that
will be in the power of Congress TO act definitely upon
the subject al tue next session.
These the general objects contemplated by the
amendment which have the honor 10 submit from the
Committee on Roads and Canals. do not desire TO de-
tain the Senate by any extended remarks on the charac
ter OF the amendment, but do wish TO say that this
amendment it's present shape, will accomplish all that
think il s possible for Congress TO accomplish at this
session. | thought 80 al the outset; and although
perfectly willing to give 10 the bill reported from the
select committee that degree OF support which was neces-
sary 10 keep before the body until should receive
shape satisfactory to It's friends nevertheless my
judgment from The beginning that no measure OF that sort
could pass al the present Congress and is my Judg-
ment that II we had adopted this amendment al an
early stage OF the discussion. We should have saved
great deal OF time. and expedited the construction of the
road think it is the wisesl, the most Iudcious and the
most expedent course TO be pursued In that matter
have the misfortune TO differ from gentleman for whose
opinions always entertain very great respect, and with
whom II always gives me pleasure to act when can IN
consistency with my principles refer TO the senator
from California, [Mr GwIsl He thinks that this is
doubtful measure; do not so regard IT. regard 1t as
measure, which, il adopted at this session. will
tany the OF this road at the next
session. IL is emphaicay free from all objections OF
sectional or constitutional character We impose on the
President those duties which former laws have imposed
upon bimthe exploration and survey OF routes the col
lection OF information, and The submission OF that inform
alton to Congress for action that il intell
gently and efficiently This in my judgment, the proper
function OF the executive department OF this government
What remains will be for the action OF Congress- and If
il shall be found--as trust ii will not be foundihat
the anticipation OF senators on this floor is real
Zed and that Congress unable to select OF these
routes, then, with the whole information before Con-
gress, and before the country the question which Con-
gress may find itself unable to decide be referred
the President, who will doubtless act under proper
sense OF his responsibility.
In offering this amendment the Committee on Roads
and Canals has followed the course OF former egsla-
ton il will be found reference TO the army appro
priaon bull of lS49 that amendment made appro-
priang $50 900 for the general objects conempla
ted by this amendment. | do not know precisely The
circumstances (hough my friend from Texas Mr. RusKl
believe understands them perfectly WE'LL for II was
his motion that that appropriation incorporated in
the billy under which this appropriation passed into the
general fund, and was never employed tor the object
designated Now, four years afterwards, we propose
this appropriation to increase 1t TO sufficient
to efficient action, and ntrust the execution
OF the contemplated explorations. under the best
spices 10 the incoming administration | have no doubt
that the duties which devove by this amendme ent
upon the President viii be faithfully performed and that
Senate and the House of Representatives we shall have
information before al the next session which will Sc
the earliest speediest and cheapest completion OF
this great national work upon the best possible
Mr.. RUSk. The amendment, as heard II read, pro-
vdes for explorations and surveys would suggest to
sive term. survey in the technical would re-
qure perhaps great deal more labor than is proposed
by the senator Reconnoissance" would be the proper
word.
Mr. CASS. | think the word suryey,r which ia
generic term, and allows the department wide dscre-
rather French term, and is correct but think, accord
ing the amendment proposed by the senator from Ohio,
we had better leave the word surveys" That will give
the department full power to make the survey
less accurate. TO make strict survey or only general
order to ascertain The character of the
amendment
Mr. Risk | think that the objects which we have