The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-03-06

10 certain private 900 geo
in money and S2o.0oOo0o worth OF lands, by way OF
inducing them 10 make contract with you Tor the con-
slrucon OF the road is not that il IL " hath this ex.
tent--no more" Now what was the amendment! The
amendment provides that certain portion OF this dona-
ton (the $4,000 600 IN money shall be expended
cluslyely upon certain part OF the foadthal portion OF
il which through the Territories Now il lakes
optics sharp, ween, TO see an odlous monopoly IN
this Have attempted 10 change the general character
of the bill have only effected this object
suire that the money shall be expended where the general
government has the power under the constitution TO
pend the public money This is all repeat, this is all
the amendment proposes Sir, there is large portion Of
the democratic party, very large aorty OF that party
10 which belong. who have denied the power OF the
general government TO go within the limits OF State and
appropriate the federal treasury which belongs TO all the
States OF this Union, in the construction OF local i'm
provement In order therefore, TO obvate the difficulty
which existed in the minds OF many senators, simply
proposed in my amendment, that the $4,000 900 appro-
pated should be used where Congress had the right OF
exclusive legislation Can any one but the senator from
Texas anything like dangerous monopoly which is
grow up al each end OF this road under this amend
ment IA monopoly which will be enabled to impose
taxes to unlimited extent upon the people, The whole
bill rs based upon the assumption that this work is to
ba constructed by contractors and the President OF the
United States, by the second section, is authorized TO
Ter into contract for the construction OF the road and
these contractors the owners oil the road Ii s their
property, and will II be said that my amendment divess
them OF In what way does the amendment change IT,
except to require part OF the donation 10 De expended
TO perform Does give the States either more less
control over II than was given by the original bill Ger
tainly not
Now the senator from New York comes in with an
amendment which proposes give about million of dol
lars per year TO aid the contractors IN the construc
ton of The work To that amendment am utterly OPP
posed. In the first place, you give in money,
and 900 worth OF lands, as an nducement to the
contractors make the road the profits OF which to
result exclusively them Now it proposed that you
pay about ST. 900 per annum for carrying the mails
that road and that payment Is to continue fifty years.
making in the whole $50 100000 undertake to say
L..
magnificent speculatons in which the capitalists of
this country engage Why, sir the government, I'M
der the bill as II now stands pays nearly one half OF the
cost of The construction OF this road Ii you estimate
the at $so,O0OO 900, the government pays half,
while it remains the property OF these private contractors
Is not that sufficient 10 ndace capitalists TO invest in II
to construct the road through the Territories you will
have in all probability, line which will carry you f
teen hundred miles within those Territories, and over
large section OF country barren and desOiae To the
strucon of those fifteen hundred miles OF road, the $40,
900 900 be appropriated, giving you some Sl4 900
per mile, together with twelve miles OF land on each
side of which the government to contribute towards
making road and which the contractors for
their benefit. Is not that enough ask senators
whether have not already gone as Tar as due
to the public interest will allow US TO gol However
much desired the road, would not have il by doing
gross injustice to other sections OF the Union.
But, says the SENATOR the road cannot be constructed
in Texas, Arkansas California for the six miles of
land each side given by this bill IN It's present shape
Nobody ever supposed It would be sufficient 1t was
certainly designed intended that the appropra-
ton OF land which the bill makes within the States
should be sufficient to construct the road If that
the design 1t OF the most absurd propositions
submitted TO make the road atgovernment expense,
and then give TO individuals for their benefit, and let
them tax the people who travel over IT. That would
really be splendid idea 1t would be magnificent prop
osoD that you should give 10 the contractors enough Of
land The State of Texas TO make road through that
State and then allow these individuals. who own that
land and that road, American citizens who travel
over it! That is the shape in which gentlemen by their
| arg tn xUiah n he
bill does not propose that the government shall make
the road II is to be made by contractorst to belong
to them-they 10 derive the profits which may result
from lis The government simply contributes be-
ally towards its construction.
apprehend that if the bill passes in the shape in
which it is presented, there will be capitalists
enough in the country who will associate themselves to-
gether for the construction oil the road from the eastern
to the terminus. Ii will be IN the hands Of
company That company will get all the land and all
the money that the original bill proposed TO give them,
ask, therefore, why it is said the bill is dead What
difference does it make 10 the contractors whether they
expend the twenty millions OF money IN the Territories
or in the States provided il is expended in the cops,ruc
ton OF that road which they have undertaken 10
slrucl They make the road and get all the land and all
the money. Ii will require more than twenty millions
TO construct if through The Territories, and why
pend il there Can any good reason be assigned why II
should not
Sir senators upon the other side have argued this ques
ton if the bill had been evsceraled by proposition
requiring the express authority OF State before the road
could be constructed within ITS limits why, that ques
~
by my friend from Texas in the original bill. The bill
introduced by him required shat before the said road
shall be located constructed through any Stale, the
OF the legislature thereof 10 the provisions con-
trained in this shall be first had and obtained" That
is exactly where it stands now. have not changed II
in that particular in the slightest degree There is
further authority required from the State Legislature,
der the amendment than there was under the original bill
Ii is left where the committee placed IT. The Slate egs
latares have control over IL than they had
| under the the original bill.
WHY s il, therefore, that senators say the bill has been
killed. and that all that remains Tor usis TO pay decent
respect to it's memory, by buryng It's mangled remains
Why is that after this bill has, IN my Judgment, been
much improved, alter il has been made practical Tor
the construction OF the road and the accomplishment OF
the object than before should those who have the
bill IN charge announce that is already dead Why do
they labor produce this result II senators can
sustain that charge before the country II they can de-
monstrae by any act OF mine the bill has been Killed.
will not shrink from the responsibility am not afraid,
the senator from Tennessee seemed to intimate TO take
the full responsibility which is imposed upon me By my
position here and by the amendment which submitted
As said yesterday, no proposition although II may be
one vitality important TO that section OF the Union whence
come can receive sanction If violates what have
always regarded sacred in principle. Sir, my opinions
of The constitution and the principles which govern me
do not depend upon the latitude and Longitude oil the To-
calily into which may be thrown.
| Senators cannot expect me TO recognise principle
which believe would lead TO system OF internal I'M
provements OF local character within the States, calcu
lated TO bankrupt the treasury and disturb the peace and
tranquility Of the Union. that my constituents
will not ask TO do violence to any principles which
have always been regarded by those with whom am
ticay associated essential TO the perpetuy OF the
| Union
| Now, is,he bill dead MY friend from Texas, who
is honorable man." says that II IL. An attempt was
made to bury il this morning. Some OF those who have
l. a. IL. II H. i,l.nn I In