The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1853-08-11
Pacific Railroad.


Secretaries" Davis and Cushing, have GRIM
mated the administration in favor of the con-
stitutonality of the government building the
Pacific Railroad. Mr.. Davis, in his speech
at Philadelphia, on the recent Cabinet tour,
avowed this doctrine, and said he spoke not
for himself, but for his honored chief, Presi'
dent Pierce. His speech was clear decla-
ration not only of the great advantages that
must result to the country, by the making of
this road, to connect by iron bands, the wa
tiers of the Atlantic and Pacific, but an en-
phatic avowal of the constitutional right, and
hence the duty of the government, to aid in
making it. The right and duty the govern
ment to do so, was put on the ground that its
construction was necessary to give that effi-
cheney to the army, which is essential to the
protection and defence of California and the
territory of the United States bordering on
the Pacific.
The President, who was present, gave
silent approval of what was said. The WASH
ington Union, which affects to be the organ
of the administration, but the claims of which
for such position are denied by one influential
portion of the Democratic press, backs up Mr..
Davis, and occupies the same ground. Mr..
Guthrie, Secretary Of the Treasury, also sus-
tanned Mr.. Davis, on. the same occasion, and
took the opportunity to remark upon the heal.
thy condition of the Treasury, which by the
way, is u very handsome compliment to the
Wing Secretary, Mr.. Corwin, who left it in
such excellent condition.
Thus standsthe administration on this ques.
ton, and thus is the question as fairly stated.
Wings, as we'll as an influential portion of
the Democratic press, are naturally startled
at this avowal from an administration placed
in power by party which had in all its pre-
vious history, made the opposition of the ma
tional government to take part in works Of
internal improvement, a constitutional prohi-
bition which no expedi ency or exigency
could overcome. Wings naturally look with
qualification upon the adoption, by their OPP
ponents, of one of the old cardinal principles
of the Wing party, and do not regret to see
its application to measure of such great ma
tonal imE ortance as this Pacific Railroad.
The old editor of the National Intelligen.
Ger, in speaking of the Unions article, says:
"The arguments were not new to US; we
had heard them in former times repeated from
year to year by the great champion of Inter-
nal improvements, the ilustrious Clay, with
all the power of his peerless eloquence, and
especially in his great speech in the House
Of Representatives in l8l7-lS, and we could
not suppress the qualification We felt at seeing
them substantially reproduced as Democrats
arguments in support of great national mea.
sure"
But, perhaps Democratic authority is re.
auired TO satisfy some Locofocos that the In
telligencer does not misstate the old position
of things in this connection. The Wheel
ing Argus, an old Democratic paper thus talks
Surprise as We were at the Russian ar
ticle which appeared as leader in the Wash
ington Union, and satisfied with the expla
nation given for its having found place
there, we are still more surprised at havin,
read leader in that paper of the 29th July
headed "The Pacific Railroad" and hop,
there will be some method adopted to recon
cile the doctrins therein contained, with thos
which have been entertained and openl
avored by the Democratic party for almost
quarter OF century. AS virginia demo
crat, we see in this document complete over
throw of a line of policy adopted and pursue
by the State, in regard to internal improve
ment to be constructed with the funds of tn
federal government"
There then. 1t appears all the sheep Q
the flock have not followed the old bell
weathers in leaping over the fence into tn
Wing party. Verify, it seems to US that thi
great Democratic party should be Statistic
with asking, "is there Wing party anon
usi"-but would steal from the dead, by filcl
ing its principles.
But the Argus is not satisfied with Il
above statement of its opposition as Virg
MAN, but they thus puts in its opposition c
national party grounds:
As a national democrat we were placed
an equally awkward position, if this article
to be considered as indicating the course
be pursued by the administration. Aft,
having read the Union manifesto we we
naturally led to enquire it this doc w
contained in the Baltimore platform, upc
which the whole party united in the election
President Pierce But not syllable of it
to be found in the instrument. Where tn,
has this exotic plant been drawn from al
introduced into democratic ground, Has Il
"Union" disnterring the remains of the VIII
party, and in SO doing has it found this
wholesome morsel to be preserved by Il
bo or, So
improvements by the general government
thought had become one OF the "obsole
IDEAS" never more to be dragged from its Il
lonn rasfinn nlaca fa 10 IL iusfIu daaaruod