The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-07-12

'P'"SS '"o h'sc'IeS WHICH encompass
ed the men who encountered them by
order OF Government, and the woman who
shared them by the commands affection.
And, sir, il, by "ro5bing the exchequer"
of every dollar in its vaults, I could have
prevented their sutferings, and preserved
their lives, my vote should never have pre-
vented their salvation.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
Having satisfied myself that Congress
has the constitutional power to make do.
nations of lands which lie in the Terrific
rios, and that, in the case under considera-
ton, 1t is cxpedient TO make them, the re-
naming considerations have reference to
the terms and conditions Of the relnuuirh
ment. The bill provides as follows:
"lhat for the purpose Of aiding and Sc
curing the constitution of a railroad and
teIegraphic line from the Mississippi river
at point not north of the thirty-seventh
parallel Of north latitude, to the CITY of
San Francisco, in the State of California.
shere shall be, and hereby is, appropriated
and set apart quantity of land, equal
10 tho alternate sections to the width OF
iltteem miles on each side of such road
from the terminus thereof, on the MisSis-
sippl river, 10 the one hundred and sixth
degree OF longitude west from Greenwich.
anu from thence westerly to the eastern
line OF the State Of California, alternate
sections to the width of twintv-ive miles
on each side of such road; and from thence
hrough the SAID State OF California. to
he western terminus Of such road, alter
nate sections to the width OF fifteen miles
on each side thereof; such lands TO be
selected from The sections which shall be
designated in the public surveys of said
land (whtn made) by odd numbers, and
TO be held and conveyed as herein p owl.
dcd"
Now, sir, my principal objections to the
olI are to be found in the passape of it
Which have read, though there are minor
points IN its details to which my assent
could never yield.
My first objection then, is, that reason
a1I9 conjecture can even approximate the
as sa ihdiV3RHHRuaaf, haHu"r cahn5r a as nj
agent, make any bargain so loose and in.
definite. | have said take it as granted
that the most direct practicable route
would be pursued but by the terms of
the bill there is not,Ing to prevent this
road making a civiIizing sprawl from the
mouth OF the Ohio river, via the great
American desert, down to the Camanche
settlement, and from thence back to that
point in the Rorkey Mountains where the
senior niember from Missouri [Mr. Ben
ton insists that Colonel Fremont's mule
died, but not his men, and not of cold"
Again, it is very well understood tha,
the city OF San Francisco and the poiu,
where the Ohio emp;ies into the Missi,sip.
pi river, are TO be the termni of the road
should it ever be built under this bill
Now, sir, 1t so happens that line run
from San Francisco to the mouth of the
OHIO river Is the very longest airline
wAllch can be run 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 me, AS
one Of the trustees of the public interests,
III granting alternate sections Of land upon
this very long line, estimated to be al
least two thousand miles in length, when
by giving to the road different location
can reduce its length, and hasten the
completion Of the work, secure a route
which Is comparatively unobstructed-
altogether 40 by ice aud snow-and at
an inhnitel y less cos. OF Government lands
than are TO be transferred and relnousb-
ed by this bill. hold that, in so great
an en- .erprise as a connection between the
Atlantic and Pacific oceans, it is true pat.
rIotiism to disregard all sectional interests.
and suppress all sectional feeling. Sec
tonaI jealousles are the bane of national
as individuals je .lousies are Of all local
advancement. From the operations Of a
road To the Pacific, good enough will &C
crue to every State in the Union propri.
tiate tho favor of each and it is unmanly
aud iIliberal to wrangle over the relative
value OF the different shares. In so great
an undertaking, our choice of a route
should be determined by no other consd-
erations than its feasibility and cost, to-
sether with our authority to aid in its
completion in way, and by the means
proposed.
have remarked that, in my judgment
there was material difference in the
powers Of Congress over such parts Of the
public domain as lie within State and in
Territories; and it strikes me that the
power to donate alternate sections Of the
public lands which lie ia the Territory OF
New Mexico may be derived from the
tenth section, first article of the Constitu.
ton, which authorizes Congress ITO pro-
vide for the common defence and general
welfare Of the United States" / have
shown that the rapid communication ovei
thi, road, with the most distant portion
Of our country, would add more to the
common defence" than forts, magazines
and arsensls, and at cost Infinitely les.
than would be incurred by the establish.
ment Of local defenses, with all their ap
plianees Of men, munitions Of war, Hnd
military stores, on such footing Ne vii
promise reasonable security TO persons and
property.