Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-03-18
The PACIFIC RaIlrond.

Our Representatives haze certainly been very tardy in
maturing their plans for building great railroad to the
Pacific coast About the time the President and his Cab
met took their trip the Crystal Palace one might have
supposed that the first the Administration would
undertake to carry out after the assembling of Congress
would be this grand railroad scheme and that by this time
Government would be ready to let it to contract.
Congress have now been in session more than three
months and but little progress has been made in its pro
secutou. According to the importance attached to the
speedy construction Of this national IMPROVEMENT by
the Administration orgau-ihe great interests of the coun
try that to be promoted by it-and the soicude
manifested in its behalf by members of the Cab
net our representatives have been very rems in not at.
tending more promptly to the urgent claims OF the work
upon them.
We are someThat at loss to know why it il that
measure thus foot with the cordial approval and
under the patronage OF those high in authority should be
allowed to lag so far behind the energetic spirit with
which it was commenced. Secretary Gurthre still has
his surplus millions, which the Fillmore Administration
left in the Treasury, dispose Of according to his notions
(prior to Gadsen Treaty. in constructing the Pacific Rail
road. Secretary Davis, presume is as strongly i'm
pressed with the importance OF the n,iitary
road as ne was on his peregnaons the Crystal Palace
The Washington Union has never taken back any OF
the profound arguments it pleased urge from day
to day in favor OF its speedy construction Neither has
President Pierce recanted any OF the doctrines promue
ted in his first annual message Carrying out this i'm
provemcnt by huge grants of public lands to Pacific
Railroad Company Yet no definite action has been L,
ken Congress will have hurry along the measure rah
err more brisky If thing be for il this session
We see that bill has been reported last by Senator
Gwin from the select Senate Committee on this subject
IL proposes to prosecute the work by means of aid from
fl,a Il q +.
grant me '''ol OF it is to be let to any com.
pIny Prol.ss aest terms. They are TO begin the
work "'. gs,s and to finish it within seven years
th"resr. The rEa, these lands in sections of fifty
m-s cacn il 20 accrue TO this company as the improve
ment progresses The length of the road is es,mted a,
aooa. 1000 miles and under this plan it will require
vast amount of the public lands for s construction
That is one of the provisions of the bill for getting
around the constitutional scrupes of those strict construc.
tons who committed creed in opposition to ;e
construction OF internal Improvements by the Federal
eminent. Public lands in place Of public money is to be
the first plan for easing their cOnsccnce of all sctup.
against the bill.
Ii also contains another shrewi plan of "whippinr the
devil around the the stump for the benefit of the pous
regards of those strict consiruconss 1t proposes rich
bounty in money from the Treasury the Pacific Railroad
company for carrying the ma TO the tune of more than
double tho regular contract prices-amountng to come
thirty Elk millions collars. This in money appropri
aon together with that provided for by land appro
prat'on' will afford most material aid from the General
Government, aud give to spectators a fne chance to
plumber the public Treasury.
We shall wait patiently to how the provisions Of this
bill comport with the views Of party opponents p this
quarter who are not only committed against granting any
aid to internal Improvements from the Treasury of the
'enera Eovernmen but whose creed lays down the doc
ne that Congress has power grant drectly or in
directly the public and' the proceeds thereof" to such
purposes.