Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-09-16

TIA
its political strain the Imagination San Francisco
vonld hacom,the commercial emporium Of the eastern
world and 18th lavish hand pour out the wealth of the
remotest r Of the globe every section of
try un which Heaven has bengnantly and continually
m;leE continuous line of railroads between the two
greet oceans would become the highway of the nations
tie earth Our carrying trade In the Pacific now emount
ng to abort three hundred thousand tons and employ
ing upwards of hundred millions of dollars would be
augmented by the operation of this road UNNECESSARILY
beyond the proportional increase resulting from the NIL
neral wealth Of California and Australia combined and
the whistle of locomotive heard on the shore OF the
Ofc would do towards opening the ports Of China
and Japan than bayones and squadrons These results
nearly certain may be approached by ordinary
human reasoning. But there are other considerations
and advantages Of domestic character which need no
speculation theory recommend the establishment OF
this road by of the donation Of lands in the Terri
tory of New Mexico which regard including such
other territory has already been or will be secured
under the Gadsden treaty
The more rapid transmission of the mails, for which
service the Governments paying annually 81
will bring distant friends into close association with
Government and ourselves and thus duse In those
far-of regions social and political sympathy and an
expanded intelligence, which are the chief elements OF
national strength and national prosperity The prompt
transportation Of troops and munitions OF war will
strengthen our national deences and give confidence
and security the western pioneers whose cottages viii
flank either side of the road and constitute them its e
cent guards while they may derive present support
from the employments it would offer for their honest Ia
bor The diminution of the number of Government OIL
cas the reduction of the number OF Government troops
necessary to protect remote property ana
the greater security and rapdity in conveying Govern
stores and munitions Of war; together with the saw
ing of time and Of expenses incident to the extension OF
civil and military orders and the greater CELEBRITY given
to their execution make it OF unquestonable
economy The contemplated increase Of the army by the
organization Of three additional regiments and which the
wants of the country will otherwise require, will thus be
dispensed with.
My friend from California, (Nlr McDouaALL,) who
| seen tn hny subject
unusual care estimates the cost to the Government Of
military transportation to New Mexico and the Pacific at
ST. 1904 and the cost of keeping up its whole "naval
communication with the Pacific by Cape Horn and the
Cape of Good Hope of Quitting discharging, and sup
plying every thing required for that service and the loss
of service to the Government during these long
at another million of dollars per annum. Were we to
become involved in war with England, California the
exposed the most defenceless and the richest
ton Of country, would be the first attacked Such
portions of her standing army are on service in India
could be transferred to Pacific shore while were
enlistng to defend it. She has 667 war vessels
carrying IL $50 guns, while have but SO vessels of
and 500 guns all told. Should she form an ALI
with France with view to prevent the acquisition
Of Cuba by the United States France could bring to bear
upon guns which carried by 1913 vessels Of war
Could in honor in law stand aloof and Calfor-
MA the fares and youngest of the sister States paged
and ruined without effort to rescue herr And what
would it cost to march to transport by sea an ade-
quate army for her relief?
But sir in the name of humanity that this enter
prise makes its strongest appeals to us for support
avoids the per of the sea- and makes that appeal elo
quent by suggesting example of its dangers What
worldly consideration compensate for all the agony
endured by those who were appalled, and who died on
board the Inflated San Francisco? The heart sickens
and bleeds when contemplating the miseries which
compassed the men who encountered them by order OF
Government and the women who shared them by the
commands Of affection. And, sir, if, by "robbng the
exchequer'' of every dollar in its vaults could have
prevented their suerings and preserved their lives, my
vote should never have prevented their salvation.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS. -
Having satisfied myself that Congress has the const
tutional power make donations Of lands which lie in
the Territories and that in the under consideration
is expedient make them the remaining consdera
tons have reference the and conditions of the
REIMBURSEMENT. The bin provides as follows:
That for tho purpose Of aiding and securing the conruc
ton Of a railroad and telegraphc line from the Mississippi
river point not north of the thirty seventh parallel Of
north latitude the city Of San Francisco in the State of
California there shall be hereby appropriated and set
apart quantity Of land equal sections the
width Of fifteen miles ch side of such road from the ter
minus thereof on the Mississippi river to the one and
degree longitude Greenwich; from
thence westerly to the eastern line of the State Of California
alternate sections to the width of twenty-five miles each
of such road and from thence through the said State Of
California the western terminus of such road alternate
ons the width of fifteen miles each side thereof such
lands to be selected from the sections which shall be dosgna
ed in the public surveys said land when nade) by odd
numbers and be held and conveyed herein provided
Now, sir my principal objections to the bill are to be
found in the passage of it which have read, though
i
could never yield.
My first objection, then, is, that reasonable conec
ure approximate the actual location of the road
l would not as individual, and cannot agent
make any bargain so loose and indefinite. have said
granted that the most direct practicable route
would be pursued but by the terms Of the bill there is
nothing to prevent this road making q civizng sprawl
from the mouth Of the Ohio river via the great American
desert down to the Camsnche settlement, Ind from
thence back that point in the Rocky Mountains where
the senior member from Missouri (Nr BENToN insists
that "Col Fremonts mule died, but not his men, and
not of cold"
Again. it is very well understood that the city of San
Francisco and the point where the Ohio emptes into the
Mississippi be the ermni of the road should
it be built under this bill Now, sir it happens
that line from San Francisco to the mouth of the
Ohio river is the very longest airline which be
from the city Of San Francisco to the Mississippi river
any where from ST. Paul. in the Territory Of Minnesota
to Baton Rouge in the State of Louisiana. What will
justify Of the trustees of the public interests
in granting alternate sections of land upon this very long
line estimated be at least thousand miles in length
when by giving to the road different location,
duce its length and hasten the completion Of the work.
secure route which is comparatively unobstruced alto
gether by ice and and ut infinitely less cost
Of Government lands than to be transferred and
| nqushed by this bill? hold that, in great an en-
terprise connexon between the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans it true patriotism to disregard oil sectional in
terests and suppress aseconal feeling Sectional jea
ousies the bane of national individual eaousies
are of all local advancement From the operations of
road to the Pacific good enough will accrue to every
State in the Union propate the favor of each and it
is unmanly and iiberal to wrangle over the relative
value Of the different shares In great undertaking
choice Of route should be determined by other
considerations than its feasibility and COST together with
authority to aid in its completion in way and by the