Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-12-21
1GALLTPOLIs, OHIO DECEMBER 2I.@Is54-1n


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of money may probably be received il
a given time, for alternate sections, thar
could have been realized for all the sec
tons, without the impulse and infuenc,
of the proposed Improvements. A pru
dent proprietor looks beyond limited
sections Of his domain beyond presen
results, to the ultimate effect which
particular line of policy is likely to pro
duce upon all his possessions and inter
ests. The government, which is trus
tee in this matter, for the people of th,
States, is bound to take the same com
prehensive view. Prior to-, and during
the last session of. Congress, upwards
of thirty million OF acres OF land wer,
Withdrawn from public sale with a view
to applications for grants Of this charac
ter pending before Congress. A care
full review Of the whole subject led me
to direct that all such orders be sbro
gated, and the lands restored to mar
ket; and instructions were Immediately
given to that effect. r The applications
at the last session contemplated the con
struction of more than Eve thousand
miles of road, and grants to the amount
of nearly twenty millions of acres o.
the public domain. Even admitting
the rights on the part of Congress tC
be unquestionable, is it quite clear thai
the proposed grants would be preduc'
tive of good, and not evil? The diff
ferent projects are confined, for the
present, to eleven States of this Union
and one Territory, The reasons as
signed for the grants. show that it is pro-
posed to put the works speedily in pro-
cess of construction. ~ slf. p q,
When we reflect that since the COM
mencement of the construction Of rail
ways in the United States, stimulated
as they have been by the large dividends
realized from the earlier works over
the great thoroughfares, and between
the most important points of commerce
and population, encouraged by State
Legislation, and pressed forward by the
amazing energy ofipriSate enterprise,
only seventeen thousand miles have
been completed in all the States in a
quarter of a century when we see
the crippled condition of many works
commenced and prosecuted upon what
we deemed to be sound principles, and
safe calculations;--when we contem-
plate the enormous absorption of capital
withdrawn from the ordinay channels
of business, the extravagant rates of
interest at this moment paid to continue
operations. the bankruptcies. not merely
in money but in character, and the in
evitable effect upon the finances gen
orally; can it be doubted that the ten
dency is to run to excess in this matter?
Is it wise to augment this excess by en-
couraging hopes of sudden wealth ex-
pected to flow from magnificent schemes
dependent upon the action of Congress?
Does the spirit, which has produced
such results, need to be stimulated or
checked? Is it not the better rule to
leave all these works to private enter
prise, regulated, and when expedient,
aided by the cooperation of States?-
If constructed by private capital, the
stimulant and the check go together,
and furnish salutary restraint against
speculative schemes, and extravaganza.
But it is manifest that, with the most
effective guards, there is danger of 60
ing too fast and too far We may well
pause before proposition contemplating
a simultaneous movement for the con-
struction of railroads, which, in extent
will equal, exclusive of the great Pacific
road and all its branches, nearly one
third of the entire length of such works,
now completed, in the United States,
and which cannot cost, with equipments,
less than one hundred and fifty millions
of dollars. The dangers likely to re-
suit from combinations of interests of
this character, can hardly be over esti-
mated. -r,q l-, b. -,
But, independently Of these consid-
erations, where is the accurate knewl-
edge, the comprehensive intelligence,
which shall discriminate between the re-
latiYe claims of these twenty-eight pro-
posed roads, in eleven States and one
Territory? Where will you begin, and
where end2 If to enable these COM
panies to execute their proposed works,
it is necessary that the aid of the Gen
eral Government be primarily given,
the policy will present problem SO
comprehensive in its bearing and SO i'm
portant to our political and social well
being, as to claim, in anticipation,
the seyerest analysis. Entertaining
these views, / recur with satisfaction to
the experience and action of the last ses-
sion of Congress. as furnishing as
surance that the subject will not fail to
elicit careful REORGANIZATION and rigid
,sre13z5ab eea '-gsiFi 81 % ''oI
1T was my intention to present, on
this occasion, some suggestions regard
ing internal improvements BY the gem
eral government, which want of time at
the close Of the last session prevented
my submitting on the return to the
House of Representatives, with oblec-
tons; of the bill entitled, can act ma
king appropriations for the repair Of GER
tain public works heretofore commenced
under authoritv of lays.o but the space