The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-07-11

If national interests required that time that this city
should be thus considered how much its Importance
now when its commerce has become great From St
Louis nobody doubt TO the point upon the frontier
of the Territories to which il most practicable in ma
oa point OF view 10 carry the system OF railroads
within the States But this is not question for the
sideration OF Congress Within these limits il is settled
by private enterprise and settled that road is already
provided for to the city of independence the mouth
of Kansas and thence to St Joseph but short distance
above and within few miles of the line separating the
State Of Missouri from the Territory of Kansas This road
will be completed within few yearsperhas less than
three and in the time, other roads from the East
terminating at ST Louis will also be completed Then,
by the time the operations upon the Pacific railroad shall
be fairly begun bill shall pass at the present ses-
sion, there will be direct line of railroad communication
from the capital of the State Of Maine 70 the western line
of the State of Missouri the mouth OF the Kansas
river and this will have half II not more than
hall, the distance between Boston and San Francisco
Again. sir St Joseph the western line OF Missouri is
far distant from the mouth Of the Kansas river The
great chaia os rail Dad from Philadelphia, running due
west through Harrisburg, Ptsburg, Columbus indians
of twelve hundred miles, connecting the capitals OF Penn
sylyana Ohio Indiana and Illinois, and thence through
the richest portion of Missouri is in state of rapid
progress and bids fair be completed in the next two
years Hence this will be directly connected
with other roads running through nearly all the States of
the Union that il will be perfectly accessible from any
and every part of it. In reference to lis accessibility from
other points commercial importance in the country is
greatly superior either of the other routes 1t has already
been shown that the main lines of railroad
from Boston, New York. and Philadelphia to the West are
tapped various points by other roads from the most i'm
poant commercial portions of the Union Now sir if the
Pacific road is commenced the mouth OF the Kansas
river in order TO reach pass through the Rocky noun
ans south of the South Pass it must pass through the
great plain between Missouri and New Mexico and
the head-waters of the Arkansas river At this point or
other point in the neighborhood glance at the map
will show it easily accessible to branch roads from Chi
| cago, Memphis, and New Orleans
Then if these roads shall be constructed railroad
system will be complete and beautiful network starting
in New England spreading out all the country rs
to reach every State and almost every neghborhcod and
again coming to point western frontier
And the trade of Asia, which shall pass this rond,
is thereby made accessible to all parts of the Union and
| it will also furnish the means of dusing the gold OF
| California throughout the whole country e-a
Now, sir the only argument that can with any degree
Of pausbiy be made against the views here presented
that has given too much Importance to the products OF
the gnn-grOwing region and not enough TO the cotton
planting States The to that objection these
First The system of railroads which would be construct
ed TO reach this Pacific road would furnish the means Of
Transporting cotton to all parts of the United States and
would certainly induce gre ncreascd domestic con-
sumption Of that article.
Second The principal market for Great Britain
where than two-hirds Of the three million bales
nually produced in the United States find market Now,
these million bales Of cotton transported upon the
in ships consequently the cottonproducng sections
of the Union do not require much railroad facility for
interior transportation as the grain and metgrowing sec
| tons
Look at the population directly interested in this system
railroads already in existence and it will be readily
that it constitutes much the greater portion OF the popua-
ton of the United Sates and this fact is most important
the western boundary Of Missouri there twentyfour
States already united by railroads in successful operation 10
number of miles These States contain population OF
| eighteen million nine hundred and eighty-ree thousand
two hundred and thrty-fvc which is than fourfths
the entire population of the United States Does not this
show where the centre of the trade populations aud
mcrce of the country is to be found?
Again sir: There three hundred and seventyseven
establishments in the United States for the manufacture
pig iron about two hundred and seventyseven of which
directly in the neghborhood of the railroads already
extending from Maine to Missouri leaving about hun
dred for the balance of the Union But If add to those
thus situated such railroads also connected with
them but little remotely by roads already in OPERA
on have within less than twenty of the whole number
already within reach of the leading roadsPennsyvan
alone having within five of one-half the whole number
These establishments employ acapl of about twelve mil
lions than eight millions of which is used in the
three States of Pennsylvania Virginia. and Ohio And the
state of things exists in reference to wrought iron
nearly all of such establishments being in the States
through which these completed roads pass and eleven OF
the sixteen millions of capital invested in its manufacture
being employed in the States of New York Pennsylvania
Virginia. and Ohio, alone This sir, establishes the fact
that Pacific road connected directly with this region OF
country brinPs the Pacific coast in direct comnlnnc
ton with the iron Of the country and connects close
W together the gold and iron regions than any other pro-
| posed route
But sir cannot without trespassing upon the time OF
the committee pursue this inquiry further and shall pre-
sent but additional argument in favor of the central
| route 10
In the month of October, ls49 convention of the
friends of the Pacific railroad held in the city of St
|
eight hundred and thirty five delegates to wit: Missouri
Illinois, Indiana Kentucky Pennsylvania, New York. Ohio
Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan Virginia. Tennessee New Jer
sey and Louisiana Among the delegates to this conven-
ton find the names of some of our most distinguished
statesmen The question of route discussed for several
days and angry and sectional feelings manifested Al
period of its deliberations it supposed the
ton would be compelled TO adjourn without having
to any definite understanding AT this critical period OF
its progress my predecessor, Hon. Richard w. Thompson
! proposed the following resolutions:
Il in Tho nf his
the duty of the general government to provide, at early
period for the construction of central railroad
Reoired, That the opinion of this convention, grand
trunk railroad with branches to St Louis Memphis, and
Chicago, would be such central and national one"
These resolutions unanimously adopted Here then
sir is the unanimous expression of able and practical rep
resetatvcs from fourteen States of this Union in favor
House will be quite unanimous in the settlement of this
| question
And lastly sir how, and in what manner and by whom
shall this road be built This is the most difficult qucs-
ton to solve of all The constitutional power of the gov
crnment to construct this road admitted by the last
Congress in making the appropriation of money at the last
session 10 dctay the OF surveying the various
routes &c President Pierce in his message speaking
of this road, says:
That the has not been uumndul of this here
tofoc, apparent from tho aid it has Afforded through mp
preparations for mail facilities and other purposes But the
general subject Will present itself under aspects more inn
posing and more purely NATIONAL by of the
dcrcd by Congress and in of completion for
communication by railway the continent and wholly
within the limits Of the United Statcs"
Thc power declare war, to and support armies
to provide and maintain navy and to call forth the militia
to execute the laws, suppress nsurrecton and rcpe
son was conferred Congress as means to provide for