The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-06-17

For seats of government to eleven different po-
ltieal communities bz2el
Individuals and companies for various OBJ
;, jects 2797sC
| Saline reservations 42232t
Universities OF learning 5O6,ss(
\ For purposes OF internal improvement 4,869,s4s
! Canals aud rivers 5,83687a
4 For military services 25,99O 757
1 AS swamp and oyeriowed lands 35,79s,25a
For common schools 1884 l52
/ For roads 25l,355
| For railroads s,o0O,635
1 ------------
| Making an aggregate of ~ l24lbT,729
/ Ii viii not escape attention that the enlightened states
OF the early days Of the republic the Importance
of creating perpetual school fund which has already
reached more than forttwo millions of acres for the wise
parpose Of the continual diffusion Of knowledge as the
sustaining principle of selfgoyernmen AT the time
they ingrafted upon our school system principle that
will carry IT. with the progress Of settlement and survey
every OF territorial surface to the Pacific
shores They have literally and patrioucay dealt with
the veterans VINO defended our country in time of war; BY
grants to nearly wenty-six millions. To those States
portions Of which subject to nundation and overflow
from the Mississippi and Its tributaries and the great
lakes they have already conceded nearly thirtysix mil
lions Of acres swamp lands in order afford means
rebuke disease insure larger development of local
sources and establish ready and permanent highways Of
communication.
instrument under which assembled in these halls
The pmcce which conforms 1t has long since been
tablishedand that too under the recommendation of ad
mnistations OF different political enets embracing prom
nen statesmen of the strictest political school, and who
have enjoyed t eminent degree the confidence of the
great democratic family The warrant of authority being
undou5ted let us briefly advert to the extent of the work.
and the means proposed to be employed Its details must
of course be left to the distinguished committee in charge
of the subject and to other practical gentlemen who will
that form of enactment is drawn in proper and effect
1 ual terms,
The views proposed to be presented must necessarily
be general and not in advocacy of details simply in fact
suggestive OF few prominent considerations which should
control What is the probable extent Of the contemplated
Pacific railroadthat is, from point or me- the
Mississippi to the Pacihc2 Assuming the initiative the
latitude OF New York. 40 deg AZ min. north and in ong
tude 9l deg west from Greenwich, the distance in direct
line would not exceed seventeen hundred and fifty miles
or assuming another point say from Fond aa Lac the
west end of Lake SUPERIOR in latitude 46 deg. 80 mn
Pugets Sound where thers il conveyance Of the oon
nen the distGuce would be about fifteen hundred miles
Taking southerly latitude say in 34h 3hth parallel in
due west direction and the distance would not exceed
sixteen hundred miles.
There is no reason to suppose that would be
ected making due allowance for reflections to avoid
natural obstacles in which the whole distance would ex
coed two thousand miles Are not the cnepriseand ability
OF the American people equal to this task Sir what has
the State Of New York alone done2
The official shows that ON the Ist of January
1852 she had in operation two thousand hundred and
twenty three miles Of railroad, and nine hundred and
twenty our in progress making total of three thousand
and forseyen miles and that on the 3ls of December
1851 she had expended In railroad investments in her
limits sesenty-sx millions of dollars Other official
turns TO the ls of june 1853 show that she had then
pended S85,7l2 65 and will be moderate estimate
10 assume iha her present expenditures IN this respect
nineysx millions of dollars being about onexth Of the
whole railroad capital Invested In the United States In
this work she has defed all natural interruptions hewn
her way through mountains boring their bases of solid
rock bridging streams for the iron line and overcoming
difficulties not to be met with either the Rocky noun
ans or The more abrupt and precpous range OF the Cas-
cade.
The people of the United States have expended sikh
dred millions of dollars in constructing twenty thou
sand miles OF railroad through their individual property
In the States southern and western they have been
literally aided by donations from the government They
IN
limits which human want could suggest They have
crossed the Mississippi and ready and whiting to unite
with the great Pacific railroad trunk AT whatever may be
its starting point
Look the extent Of country Of the Mississippi
and that portion west of IT, and you will find that the in
dvidua andhodcr Of less than twohs of our territory
have done the work Of nersecting the country in such
to reyolutonze the mode Of travel and form
new ern in the march Of Improvement The great land
holder, the United States government Is the undispued
proprietor public lands In more than threefhs OF
territorial extent lying between the Mississippi and the
Pacific ocean
Within that region there are over one million nine hun
dred and ninety thousand square miles, composing the
greater portion OF Minnesota Territory and the tier Of
States ranging along the western shore Of the Mississippi
10 wit: Iowa Missouri Arkansas Louisiana, Beyond and
adjoining is the State Of Texas Then have Nebraska
and Kansas the Indian country and the Territories of
Utah, New Mexico Oregon, and Washington, the great
State Of Upper California by which IL s proposed 70 bring
easy aud rapid intercourse by the road under consd
Grafton.
The quantity Of land proposed by able and distin-
materially different in the aggregate from the bill before
the House proposes 70 grant equal to every alter
nate square mile within twenty miles each side OF this
road through the whole extent Upon the estimated dis
Of two thousand miles and twenty square miles for
each noal OF route have forty thousand square
miles Of six hundred and forty each resulting In
Of twenty-five million six hundred thousand square
acres
This Is ten millions less than the quantity already grant
ed 70 individual States for purposes certainly not more i'm
portant than the work proposed The reason which
prompted the grant OF overowed lands Just and be-
nevolent No win deny that the present domes-
VIC measure is not dictated by humane considerations
Over the breast of the continent thousands Of country
have toed their way for months leaving the eviden-
Of suffering, and not unfrequently their bones and
graves point the route 10 future travellers Nothing,
SIR can check tbs onward march Of settlement II is a
Law Of this continent ressess destiny II Is but jus
tee people TO smooth the way for settlement in that
territory watered by the Missouri the Columbia the
Arkansas and the Colorado This region, equal In extent
empires Is emerge from the darkness Of ecntu-
res It's features and natural characteristics Of singu-
lar grandeur and immensity II is trayersed by the
tnunton Of that chain OF mountains forming the spine Of
the North American continent running from the sthmus
Of Daren four thousand miles to the frozen bears
In the Mexican republic the general name Of Anahuac
with ma the Sierra Madre and Rocky mountains On
cade six hundred miles to the westward course Of
thousand miles pouring its immense volume into the Pa
cifc.
Coing It's stream within mile Of the Columbia, rises
the Missouri and trayeTsng three thousand miles u drains
extent Of territory three times the area OF the Mssiss
pi valley, and then unes its floods with the Father Of
Waters The Rocky mountains with base IN places Of
hundred and forty miles rises with gradual eleva
ton The traveller surveys from their summit the waters
Of the Columbia and Missouri sweeping past each other
for distant lands and contrary directions Standing upon
cmnence Of from sewn TO twelve thousand feet above
the only half that distance above their base be Il