Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1853-04-09
From Me Nashville Whig
HoX. JOHN BELLS SPEECH ON THE
pAHIEIC RAII POAD

y, on the 9th aud 18th OF February In advoca
cy of the Pacific railroad. The speech is in
replyto Mr.. Butler of S. c., who had opposed
the construction of this great national work up
on constitutional grounds. Mr.. Bell, if we
rightly understand the tenor of his argument
on this head regards the constitutional author
ity to provide for the national defence a sufii-
cient warrant in the premises, for the employ
ment of the means and agency of the Govern
ment in aid of the construction of this work
so Indispensable is it as part of the national
defence, with view to the prompt and efec-
tive protection of California against invasion
BY any great maratime power. As a national
work, he deems it necessary to our national
defence in time of war, and also, in a CONNER
cial point of view, of incalcuIable importance
to the United States and the civilized world.
Mr.. Bell examines at some length the vari-
Gus proposed routes, and the explorations of
them by travellers, hunters, and scientific men,
and maintains that enough is already known of
the country, upon the greater part of the route;
to justify the proper authorities in deciding
upon the general location of the road-a sur
vey of the different passes in the Sierra Madre
and Rocky Mountains only being necessary in
addition to what is already known; and he pro-
poses, for the sake of despatch, and to give the
utmost satisfaction practicable, that the Presi-
dent be entrusted with the duty of designating
its general direction accordingly, leaving the
more exact location to be determined by such
local surveys as may be necessary to enable the
contractors to commence work.
In aid of the enterprise, he advocates the
proposition to give to a company or to individ-
uals undertaking the work, with adequate guar
antees for the public security, $2O,OOO,OOO of
FIVE per cent Government bonds and fifteen
millions of acres of the public lands, to be ap
propriated pro-rata, according to distance, as
they progress in its completiOn. ''In return for
mail over the whole extent of the road-all
troops and munitions of war transported-a
saving in the Quarter-master's department alone
of at least million of dollars annually;l and
whole country extended, the whole interior of
the continent settled and made productive,
peace preserved with the Indian tribes, and the
Union s-eementediands bound together by bands
of iron"
A daily mail by the present route, from the
Atlantic to the Pacific coast he estimates, oe it
sell, cost S., ,000 900 or weekly mail 81, 100000
10 secure all these, and other public advan-
tages enumerated, both of military and indus
trial character, he deems the outlay of an hun
dred millions, or even two hundred millions of
dollars, if it should be found to cost so much, a
cheap outlay for such a road-if it could not be
butt for less. "Money" he says, 'within any
reasonable limit, is no consideration i'll queS-
tions like this. It is possible that u state of
things may arise, which would show that it
would be wise to expend $3OO,OOO,OOO in the
construction Of this road, if so much were re-
quired." On this head we quote as follows:
| would like to know whether it would be pos
sible to transport five thousand troops, with a
train of artillery and other munitions of war, to
California or Oregon in one year, from the val
ley Of the Mississippi. Senators may say that
we could transport them by sea by the way OF
Cape Horn, or by the Isthmus of Panama. l ou
can get them there In that way with a sufficient
number of transport vessels, il they are not cut
OFF by your enemies lying in the way. But if
you were engaged in war, with a powerful mari
time nation, how could you do it! L am speak
ing of such an emergency; and l appeal to
honorable Senators who have recently had their
attention called to the questions affecting our
foreign relations, to consider this question with
reference TO the condition In which we shall be
placed III the event of a collision with any TOR
eign power 1t was In connection with that
subject that said $50, 100000 might be we'll
expended to secure road to California and Or
egon, on which troops might speedily pass to
those possessions. " hat do Senators suppose
it would cost to retain those possessions Ill the
event of war with England or France? l do
not know; but | believe i'll such case, as we
are now situated, it might be better policy to
abandon those countries. and let foreign yoke
be imposed upon them, until we could construct
upon the Atlantic coast sufficient number OF
vessels of war to be able to meet them success
fully upon the ocean. If you were to attempt
to hold those possessions at any cost, as proba-
bly, the country would feel it to be a duty to do,
how many millions would it take to do? That
is the idea upon which | set out to show that If
this road should cost even $200,000,0OO, it
would be better than to not have the road at all.
In this connection we have only room for the
following additional paragraphs, which embody
much sound sense and enlightened statesman
ship:
As for this road, we are told at every turn
that it is ridiculous TO talk of war in connection
with it, for we will have wars except those with
the Indians. Both England and France dare
not go to war with us. say this course OF ar,
gunent is not only unwise and delusive, but Ii
such sentiments take hold on the country, they
win be mischievous; they will almost to GER
tainty lead to a daring and reckless policy on
our part; and as each Government laborS under
similar delusion as to what the other will not
dare to do, what is more probable than that both
may get into such position-the result OF a
mutual mistake-that war must ensue! IL is
worth while to reflect upon the differences be-
tween the policy of Great Britain and this
country in her diplomatic correspondence and
debates in Parliament When we make threat
Great BritGili does not threaten in turn. We
hear of 40 gasconade on her part. If we de-
clare that we have just right to latitude 81
deg. 40 min., and will maintain our right at all
hazards, she does not buster, and threaten, and
declare what she will do, if we dare to carry