Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-07-06


have remarked that in my judgment, there
was Il material difference in the powers q
Congress over such parts of the public domain
as lie within States and in Territories: and il
strikes me that The power to donate alternate
sections of the public lands which lie in the Ter
riory of New Mexico may be derived from the
tenth section, first article Of the Constitution
which authorises Congress TO provide for the
common defence and general welfare Of the
United States" have shown that the rapid
communication over this road with the most
distant portion of nuF-connlry, would add more
| to The common defence" than forts, magazines
and arscnals, and 1T Il cost infinitely less than
would be incurred by The establishment Of local
defrnces, with aIl their appliances of men, NUM-
lions OF war; and military stores, on such n
| footing rs vii! promise reasonable security to
persons and property.
The authority may also be derived from the
power OF Congress g To regulate commerce with
foreign nations and among the several States,
under which power Congress has established
lighthouses, beacons buoys, iarbOrS ofprotecllon
and public piers; and with revcrcntial respect Tor
the great author OF the argument, in the cecbra-
ted report of the memorial Of the Memphis
convention submit that the argument more
justly applies TO The donation of lands in the
Territories towards the construction OF this road,
! than it did to the Improvement, by authority Of
Congress, of the nay CATION Of the Mississippi
river
The distance from the Atlantic 10 the, wes-
tern boundary of Texas is estimated 10 be
about sixteen hundred miles In this direction
railroads are in successful operation as far rs
Montgomery, in the State of Alabama. Two
companies have been chartered 10 continue this
line through Selma. 10 the eastern boundary OF
Mississippi, both roads having been surveyed,
and one is progressing under contract. From
this point the Southern railroad is chartered, 4
part of it built, and the residue under contract,
the State OF Mississippi having guaranteed bo-
nus of four hundred thousand dollars towards
its construction A road has been many years
in operation from Jackson to Vicksburg, which,
including section east of Jackson to Brandon,
i, sixty miles long. From Eicksburg to the
road is chartered, and stock taken to the amount
of SS0O,OOO by the State of Louisiana. Other
stock, 10 The amount of S960,000 has been taken
by individuals, parishes, and the city Of Shrcve-
port, giving present reliable capital Of $780,
900 TO that road 1t is thus perceived that the
eastern boundary of Texas is reached by
comparatively straight liuc Of railroads, compile:
tcd or in progress Of completion, BY individual
and State enterprise and all lying between the
thirty second and tlIirlythird parallels Of north
latitude
The Legislature of Texas, as if anticipating
connection between the two oceans by railroads,
and also their locations, have passed law grant
ing twenty sections of land per mile for the con-
structon of road through that State from
point on her eastern TO her western boundary, in
the direction of Ell Paso. The length of the
road through Texas is estimated 10 be seven
hundred and fifty miIes-!hc lands granted up
wards of ten millions Of acres, which will be
worth, at Il reasonable valuation, when the road
is finished, five dollars per acre-glving the
handsome slim of fifty millions of dollars Now
if we estimate the cnlirecost of this road at forty
thousand dollars per mile, (Which is high cstl-
male.) but thirty millions of dollars of its re-
sources will have been exhausted in its construc-
tion This will leave twenty millions of dollars
to cover accidents; and should mono occur, may
be applied in aid Of the extension of the road to
the Pacific ocean, distance OF six hundred and
fifty miles from the western verge OF Texas.
How much of the remainder of the line lies in
the State of California, ito which section | am
unwilling that the Federal Government shall
make any contribution towards the construction
Of a road,) or how much of it lies within the
Territory of New Mexico, Ito which am un.
willing that the Government shall make liberal
and even muniliccnt donations.) have been ura-
bic accurately to ascertain, but am inclined 10
think that one hundred and fifty miles will
reach across the southern extremity OF Cali
lornia.
Liberal donations of lands in New Mexico
will be grccdiIy accepted by some one of the
companies before men;ioncd-most probably by
the Vicksburg and FL Passo company, or by
combination Of companies-and thus i railroad
communication be secured from the Atlantic TO
the eastern boundary of California, somewhere
near the confluence Of the Colorado and Gila
rivers. When road is there, the necessities of
commerce and sclt-interest will perfect the con-
ncction between the two great oceans. The
work is thus accomplished by private enterprise,
and al experience teaches us that any work
thus performed is always better and sooner
done, than if undertaken by the Government,
which is uniformly plundcrcd whenever it be-
comes y contractor. All Government patronage
and lis corrupIipns arc Tins avoided and securl-
Is given against p:olligatc extravaganza.
Among the other REASONS for donating lands
in the Territory Of New Mexico towards con-
struciirg Il railroad between the thlriy-second
and ,hrly-lhrd parallels of Latitude, find those
which are cogrnt, in the fact that 1t will be ad-
ding Il necessary link to what Is destined 10 be-
come i continuous line that it is probable such
donations will give impulse and energy TO the
individual and State enterprises upon this line,
which the wants of the country urge to Il speedy
establishment, and in the comforting possibility
of It's relieving the Congress from the numerous
,of 4. 1in
within the limits of different States
Another consideration in the location OF his
road, and one of great moment. is, that we avoid
the AlOrmons-a sect towards which the reiigi-
ous sentiment of the country will never be
reconcicd, and which is destined to be the
fruitful source of loca! and political annoyance
and trouble. The further we are seperated' the
better for US and for them.
am thoroughly convinced that no line OF
Railroad communication between the Atlantic
and hc Pacific Oceans will be established in
our time other than the route have lndIca-
tod II is the shortest route, the freest OF natu-
ral distractions the most convenient to carry
ont national policy, and to aid in executing our
treaty sripulalions under the treaty OF Guada-
upe uidago, and will distribute its commercial
benefits most equally among the States of the
Union. 1t establishes convenient and rapid
communication between each of the original
States and the EXTREMIST limits Of our natioral
domain, and brings the wealth OF Asia and the
Pacific Islands, from Jesse TO Australia, to their
very doors. This commerce will be distributed
through the Northern portion of Alabama, East
crn Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia,
bv the Alabama and Tennessee River Railroad
which divcrges from this line at Selma. The
Mobile and Ohio Railroad intercepts it, by
crossing the line near the Eastern border Of