The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-02-10

lated institutions Of The Commonwealth as II existed IN
the days OF It's primitive purity and simplicity anu
they arnlshed BY Augu5lan casuslry OF impeai
pollution ,4
The constitution has not been amended and expanded
TO accommodate itself TO the progress oi events. pu
what has been resored to TO supply thai wise possio
Deceptive consTuctiona construction IKE lhotd-Iuo
ber, that accommodates itself TO the interests OF lnose
who choose avail themselves OF the constitution wneh
an advantage is 10 be gained by any measue-compfo,
misses where there is provision OF the constitution
say deceptive compromises, 10 be violated .ne
is temptation to do so; and platforms decepuV
plafoms whip parties in and keep them 10 hafness'
aud scarcely Tor any other purpose These are lhe ise
able expedents that have been resohed to 10 supply 'he
place OF amendments 10 the constitution a " u1
eproached because appeal the spirit OF that sacred
instrument, allow me 10 say that have been dong more
preserve this Union, and the inagnty oil me ihsl'u
ions OF this confederacy, than those who oindiy oosy
the aggressive spirit OF progress. Progress, ieit eh"ey
TO legislative discretion, is law without lm't or certain
direction and must vary according 10 the nucuaoh OF
times and the temptations OF men. is az easy 10 ooeS
as to float with current but would be as unwlse as
to follow that current without knowing over what cala-
acs may fall II would he like committing The vessel
to The wind without rudder compass 10 make u safe
ia political point OF view, II nust nave Iight direc-
ton, and be kept within constitutional iimts
So much upon that general subject; aud say now
without going into the constitutional discussion that this
BILL in principle, il II be correct. allows you TO appropn
money any extent Tor system OF internal improve
ments ana everywhere Gentlemen cannot gel
over that proposition repeat IT, so ha, they may uh-
dersland it, 1t 10 appropriate money from The federal
treasury for system OF internal improvements - o ne
sure, lh> is internal Improvement through Iexas
or Iowa. or Arkansas, and California But if you can
90 through State, you can go through ten; and II
you appropriate $50 600 900, you can appropriate
$500 600 II The principle OF this bill be admitted, there
limit at all 10 the system OF measures that can be
accomplished by the appropriation of money BY this gov
ernment lE doctrine, II Is but prelude to other meas
OF the kind, such as the establishment OF an
Agricultural Bureau and National University both OF
which have been made the subject OF public meetings
and popular defamation
Having made these general observations come now
10 The specific provisions OF this bill. and intend 10 deal
with II with gloves oh say il is premature undgested.
and experimental and think neither OF these three
propositions be very well denied Ii is premature,
because do not know where The road is to Ii Is
undigested because have had survey, no recon.
nossance, means OF intelligence TO enlighten our
legislative judgment know II is very convenient to
transfer legislative judgment to executive conscience
but say we have nothing to guide our legislative adg
ment Have we ANY reconnaissance any survey TO ena
BILE say where the road shall how high this
that mountain is which has 10 be passed | heard an
able engineer, longer ago than last week, say that
the great difficulty in tnis enterprise the want OF
water along the route from which 10 make steam and
he said that unless Ercssons discovery Of calorc
motive power, could be brought into requiston, il would
be doubtful proposition 10 undertake 10 carry steam
car from the valley OF the Mississippi 10 the Pacific
ocean, and for very good reason That is one OF
the difficulties that may exist. do not say that it
will exist because have heard said that ii you will
give an engineer money enough be Will go anywhere
you were TO give an engineer money enough, do not
know that he would not find some way OF getting over
the Atlantic itself Give engineers money enough,
and know they may 90 over any route which may be in
dicaied by the President But when we, wit hin our
sphere OF legislative Judgment have option 10 say which
OF four five is the BEST 10 be deprived OF
that opporuny9 Now, suppose three corps of engineers
should be required 10 survey this route, and come in and
leave conjecture, but demonstrate that there would
be upon route and that upon j, the road could
be built for bali the money that would cost by the other
routes, should not have right 10 make choice Am
10 transfer my legislative Judgment upon ibis subject 10
the Executive Am | 10 AVOID the responsibility, and
throw upon him duty with which, in my opinion, the
constitution Of The United States never intended 10 invest
him
II is therefore, premature, because we have not this
survey and this intelligence togulde us IL is undgesied
undertake TO say, with due Difference TO gentlemen, be-
cause its provisions conflicting IN many particulars.
Ii 10 agencies, which II seems TO me, nowlth
standing my Difference for the honorable senator from
massachusetts,, Mr. DAvlsl ! must say 10 him have
heretofore been unknown in tue management OF the fed
eIal government. | know that he said there no
more objection to employing corporation to carry out
the plans and policy OF The federal government than there
carry the policy OF the State governments III
gentlemen OF the republican school have mind TO break
down all The old deiences and say that the federal
ernment has the plenude OF sovereignty that the States
have, then he IS entirely right Bu II we act under dele
gated powers, they lnaenabe, according 10 any doc
lrne OF ru. and have not the right TO transfer them
10 anybody, bat must discharge them ourselves.
Again | have said that this is experiment. How
do know that this road can be buIl know aud believe
that perhaps can be but have such satisfactory inior-
nation as would auihonze me TO go on and lay out road
in the way prescribed by this BILL when have option
TO have better way IL il is demonstrated that |
can have better route. will you deprive me OF the op.
pouuuity ol selecting i'll What has taken place here
There have been three bills presenled-one by the
honorable senator from California, Mr.. GwN,l who
has delivered speech upon IL, which do not in.
tend again to compliments another bill proposed
by the honorable senator from Illinois, lMr. DoUc-
Las. and the pending has been reported by
the honorable senator from Texas, Mr. RusK
The second bill is said 10 be better than the first, ana
the third better than the second perbapsa fourth may
be introduced TO morrow better than all But il is said
that are not 10 wait TO have one better than hs-hst
we must avail ourselves OF the temptations OF opportunity;
and II do not and make the experiment by a
trial OF this bill, have measure-that is in
other words, cannot wait ten months for
terpfse OF this kind say ten months, because sup
pose until the next meeting OF Congress there will be
great difficulty in getting 10 California overland through
the different routes, by water aud doubt very much
whether the route by not better than the BY
land There great necessity that this question should
be pressed Just at this time. Because il is OF such inn
mense magnitude, we 10 orego the opportunity Of
king the ordinary investigations which regulate prudent
men IN The management OF their own concerns know,
sr that zeal sometimes has iis delusons well as its
salulay effects; but in the zeal which some OF these
gentlemen have manifested very much disposed to
think that they overlook the gaver coun-els the surer
and wiser dictates OF prudence and wisdom. have
great deal OF confidence in the suggestions of time and
experience, and have iolerable reliance upon the
lights OF sciences but all those be dsrega and
this experiment Is 10 be made say therefore, tnat this
measure is premature, undgested, and experimental.
Tue next objection which urge to ii is this what
right have TO transfer 10 the President the power Of
deciding between the different roules live in the State
OF South Carolina, upon the southern Atlantic seaboard
and though this road may not confer any immediate ad.