The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-08-12
F0''1 ''sS Nt''NaBV UeAi
The paeinc Raii,oad


Whatever interest may be felt abou, this or that i'm
poanl topic engaging The public mhd the existence
OF whig party among US, the relative superiority OF
American over English steamers, the CryslaI Palace
speculaon the great war question Ia Europe, &c. there
can lie no doubt but the Pacific railroad s par sIcenee.
ihe great question OF The day ia The Unel States As
ana as Tue day Tor lie meeting OF Congress draws near,
he SUBJECT grows and upon The public ptten-
uon nnui ~ me middle OF next winter, We make NO
question will override all other topics both Ia and out
OF Congr $, and completely nonopoze the public press
and there is 100 much ground TO fear in not the
amlcable discussions As we have hitherto said compar
aiiyely ie on the sui lec and what have published
has been necessarily Disconnected ard deu,ory ii may be
profitable to take brief glance The grea, question AZ
II now stands
Since the important step OF adequate provision by
Congress Tor the examination OF the pIactcaby of the
work. and the organization and sending out OF efficient
exploring pares occurrence has tended more strong
y 10 rivei attention to the subject than the speeches at
Philadelphia o Messrs Davis and Guthrie, members OF
The cabinet, Outing the presidential tour 10 the Crystal
Palace. While the country congratulated itself on the
favorable pospec, CT The different surveys succeeding in
demonstrating the entire paccabiy OF different routes
these speeches went lar towards solving the other still
more formidable question in reference 10 the source
tioni which 10 Obtain the means. While many had only
permitted themselves look 10 private capital, Others
still more bold, 10 donation OF public landsihe coun
Try taken by surprise 10 find The SECRETARIES
seryedy taking ground, in the OF the admnistIa
ton, m favor OF direct appropriations from the public
treasury. My heath, | am happy TO say, is good
said Mr.. Guihrie, sand so is that of the treasury"
With prospect Of surplus t twenty-five or three mil
eDee Of Tue III advised and most unfortunate disposition
OF the surplus former OCCASION not
strange that the Pacific railroad should be seizsd upon
most haIpy solution OF new difficulty that promised
10 be peculiarly haIassing and perpexHg. The Secrea
Ies, ana through them the administration then declare
unieservedly in favor oi direct appropriations from the
treasury They not only declare the expedency OF such
but they vinticate their constuonatY.
Without fnese cifcumocnt!os, the question is at
mon defence Under every ingenious construction
which had been placed upon the various powers ot gov
ernment,'' said hlr, Davis, ''nnder every anhcation
which ingenuity had suggested 10 supply that deficiency
OF INSTRUMENTATION, in vain had il been attempted TO
be shown him how The military power Of this govern
lnen which consisted in the snews and strong hearts of
It's citizens, could be used the slope OF the Pacific
less there railroad 10 transmit il 8aW
The position thus boldly taken by the government,
the these speeches have elected from the pub
lie press, clearly show is as unreservedy seconded by
The people. While there is undoubtedly respectable
minority opposed to the enterprise government meas
ue, folly 10 deny but that there is decided ma
oy ready sanction the gesea proposition of aid from
the treasury 10 the Pacific railroad
But while bere is thus difficulty in reference TO the
finding o pIaCt cable route, and while the countfyi Is
agreed The from which the TO be obA
tanned, il must be borne in mind there still pre-
linnary questions 10 be arranged IN the discussion sa
which year. may Yet be consumed, and the very iounda
lions oil Union shaken to their centre Fst among
these obviously is the selection of the route Tor the main
trunk Already are parties becoming ranged In favor OF
this that -o the Texas, Memphis, Chcotopee,
South Pass, Puget Sound route /" Suppose" the
Washington Union in an excellent article on this subect
southern iou,e-and not The first who have used
these words-how rs the selection 10 be made Who
does not in this question the little dark spot which
may grow into the storm cloud? We know not how
other friends OF The enterprise may regard the natter,
but for ourselves, we are constrained to say that
look forward to the issue with gloomy oerbodngs"
Another obstacle will be presented in deysing and
adopting the most iudicous and etectua mode of fur
n,shIng the aid OF The government Shal the govern
ment undertake the work itself, shall Inducements be
held out individual enterprise This is question
which. though not surrounded by many dicul,ier,
quite serious The other. Ii must be adaltted that
past experience, in The matter OF the Cumberland road
and other works OF the kind undertaken by the federal
aoveInmelt furnishes no argument IN favor OF making
II a governmen enterprise.
The, the olher and all similar questions, however
entirely open, aud IN their solution will require the
best wisdom OF The nation To close with another quo
tation from the Union, obviously 'he ireer the minds
of Legislators kei from fixed plans the better it
will be for The adoption Of The udcious proposition
On these .uhlecis there will necessarily be conflicting
views, and lhey only hamonze by rca1opable
sson after full investigation This process may
delay butwe nothing formidable in this obstacle
but The exercise OF moderate sb are OF prudence and
discretion may il reasonable time Our
suggestion then, is, that to the early commence
me nj and completion Of The Pacific raw way, its friends
must 60 for the work unembarfassed by collateral in
luences, and determined to look alone 10 lis accomplish
ment as their grand object"