The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-02-08
PACIFIC RAILROAD BILL.

PACIFIC RAILROAD BILL.
The Senate proceeded as in committee OF the whole,
10 The consideration OF the bill (S 396) for the pro-
lection OF the route and Telegraph line, aud Tor
an overland mall between the Missouri rver and the sell
Elements in California and Oregon,
The pending question the amendment OF Mr.
BRoDHEAD TO the amendment reported IRON the select
committee, strike out all after the word " that in the
first line aud insert:
under the Direction OF the Pfesdent OF the United Sates,
10 poy such portion OF the corps of topo2ra phea
gnee and such other as he may deem necessary
10 make such explorations and he may deem ad
vsabe ascertain the o practicable aud economical
route u railroad IRON the Mississippi river the Pacie
ocean aud that the OF 100000 be, aud the is
hereby appropriated out OF money In the
Otherwise appropriated to DELAY The expenses ol such
sso e. And De Il further enacted, That in making such
eXpoatons and survey, The and o.he persons
employed under the authority Of this may be directed
in concert with any engineers, or other persons em-
ployed by any individual or individuals association
socatons Tor the general oblect and the Secretary
Of War hereby authorized and required TO receive
posas from individuals for the
Of a railroad between the valley OF the Mississippi and The
Pacific ocean, and to lay the same before Congress at the
next session"
Mr.. DAVIS. Mr. President, when we adjourned yes.
teIday intimated that would reply to some OF The ar.
gumenis which have been urged in opposition 10 this
bill That shall do now, with breyy, noticing only
those which a re more material.
The first objection which vancei is that proper pre-
liminary surveys have not been made-hat suitable
reconnaissance OF the route has mol been hadabd conse-
quently that the Senate, II they act now upon inns sub
;eci will act without the information which is necessary
10 ae nd that action admit the full oce of this rea
soning. | admit that reconnaissance and survey are
necessary and indispensable before railroad Is
structed II would be idle 10 look Tor action upon any
other principle. But if can show that suitable provls
ions made in the bill before the Senate with regard 10
all these maers-provsons ample and as complete in
their character those proposed by the honorable
tor from Pennsylvania Mr. BRoDHEApl then, sir ap
prehend that the necessity which exists in his mind for
the adoption of the amendment will be overcome.
Now Mr. President, in order TO show you that the in
terps, of the country properly protected in this respect
and that nothing IS to he done unwisey or Tashly, will
ask the attention OF the Senate Tor one moment TO the
provisions that made in regard TO this matter In the
first place. the President is authorized to contract with
a company TO construct this road but at the time
the President himself is authorized 10 fix the teTnin OF
the road, both east and west, aud when he establishes
these termin he is required BY the terms OF The bill TO
take into consideration certain iacts, and among Them
this He is TO have regard 10 the expense OF the con-
s,ructon of the road 10 the grades OF the road to the
commerce and the Intercourse OF the country, and also
10 the defence and protection OF the whole county lie
is not authorized TO TX these termln without taking into
consideration all these facts The President is further
authorized to locate the point In the passes OF The noun
ains where this road shall go through and he IS alike
required when he establishes this point to take into
sideTaon FIRST, the expenses OF the road second, the
grades OF the road and, lastly, the commerce aud inter
course, the protection and deiences OF the country.
Now, when you come 10 sum up these provisions,
they amount TO this that he cannot establish the ter
mini, nor the passes in the mountains, without in the
first place having an estimate OF the expense and CON-
paraive estimates with regard 10 the different places and
passes He cannot establish road to pass the noun
iains without FIRST scerainng the grades by which it
is 10 pass, and then he comes 10 points general
He is TO establish road which will accommodate the
commerce and the intercourse of the whole country and
he is also 10 look TO lis protection and defence 1t is
perfectly evident upon the face OF things that this work
cannot be doae without preliminary surveys-suryeys oil
q suitable and proper characier-surveys which shall
bring TO him all the intelligence which is necessary to
enable him properly 10 perform this duty.
But, Mr.. President, this is not all the security you
have that proper reconnossances and surveys will be
made. The President is TO contract with a company
and every gentleman must be satisfied that no company
will contract until they understand the facts which
developed by reconnossances and surveys No company
contract with intelligence and with regard for their
interest until they make an estimate OF the expenses
and company determine that any route from here TO
the Pacific is practicable route and can be used
such after the road is constructed, until they have all
this preliminary Information Then, upon this point you
have two-fod pToiecion-larger, broader, and more
complete in its character than that proposed by the hon
orasle senator from Pennsylvania You have the con.
current interest OF The country upon the one hand, and
the company upon the other Both desire alike the
information and the information is alike lndspen
sable to both Mr.. President, need 90 INTO no eabo
rae argument 10 prove that ample provisions are made
for preliminary surveys, and that there is no danger oil
acting hastily incouslderately upon this subject The
bill as il stands gives You ample protection.
The objection, Mr. President which is urged with
some degree OF zeal, is that the bill is uncertain Some
gentlemen have said here that II was unlimited in ts
character II be so, IT is very easy 10 strip Il OF that
character by amendment; but apprehend that gentle
men who take that position take untenable one.
think they would find il difficult, when they read and
alyze ihis BILL 10 select from il anything which would
support tha, position. Lei ask The Senate 10 what do
commit ourselves in this bill by It's provisionsl In the
6si place, where the road passes through the States
there grant OF alternate sections OF land Twelve miles
wide six miles each side and where passes through
the Territories there is grant OF twice that quantity Of
alternate sections OF land-tba s twenty -four miles wide
Now. sir is there anything ndlsnc uncertain, or nde.
mite in bis Can thing be more absolutely certain
Cannot every individual comprehend and understand the
value, extent and character OF the grant! apprehend
that no intelligent man need be al any loss upon this
point.
The bill proposes next, sir, that the President may IS
scrip of the United States to amount not exceed
ing twenty millions Of dollsrs, upon the terms and the
conditions mentioned in this act The bill provides that
that scrip shall for fifty years and bear an interest oil
hve per cent This in my opinion, is sufficiently deh-
niie 10 sufficiently cealn-it is too easily and readily
comprehended by gentlemen 10 need any explanation.
And, mark you, this is the utmost limit OF the power OF
the President He has right propose TO contractors
these two considerations, and nothing else. He has no
,ower by which be transcend these limits or do
than profer these considerations 10 the public But
he has discretion the other way TO contract upon more
favorable terms.
Now, the country has all the security which springs
from the considerations which | about TO mention
The President il required TO make advertisement OF his
purpose TO contract, throughout the whole country, by
publishing il in two papers least circulating within
each State calling upon the whole public to make him
onef, upon The terms stipulated in this BILL to execute
thls work Is there no security in the competition which
70 arse IN this mannerl May not conclude. with
some degree Of certainty that of intelligence, ac.
nN..4al .ls laF