Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-04-12

WASHlNGTGNs Aprl ~.
SENATE.-The Pacific Railroad bill being
under consideration, Mr.. Gwin, of California,
addressed the Senate at length. He stated
that this bill proposes grantof land by the
government similar to thatrepeatedly conced-
ed from the days of President Monroe down
through every successive administration to the
present period, with reasonable compensa-
ton for carrying the United States mails. 1t
establishes no eastern teIminus-it gives no
preference to any state in the great valley of
the Mississippi no advantage to any particular
locality, except that given by Nature herself,
and assigns the contract, on ample security, to
the best bidder, after full and fair COMPETE
ton. The means are no more than adequate
to secure the result, and not dollar is to be
paid from the national treasury except for SER
vice performed. By this bill the mail will be
carried daily, both ways, in less than week
from our Atlantic and Pacific borders for
little more than it costs now fora semi-month-
ly mail, occupying nearly four weeks in the
transit. Without the road lands contigu-
Gus are valueless, but with it the alternate sec
tions will bring millions of dollars into the
treasury; whilst an enterprising and indus
trious population will settle, cultivate and
readily fill up the country on either side Of the
route from the Mississippi to the Pacific. Mr..
&. then examined the subject in its postal,
commercial, military and political points, and
argued at great length the constitutional ques-
ton involved, and, in conclusion, said-"We
now come before you asking for an appropria-
ton of your domain for the construction of
this new means of Accommodation
dispensable not only to consolidate us at home,
but to guard against the shock of foreign war
and the consequent danger of political dis
memberment. The utmost stretch of your
interposition will not exceed, under the bill
before you, forty millions of acres for line
of two thousand miles that will unite the
Mississippi states with the Pacific. Its value
does not equal, by one half, our annual sup
ply of gold, and its concession will be more
than reimbursed by the enhanced value i'm
parted to the alternate residium of your land"
HoUsB.-Mr. Dean of New York, offered
a resolution affirming it to be the duty of the
United States to maintain, during the pend
ing war in Europe, the strictest neutrality
between all the belhgerents, and also to de-
mand from them the maintenance Of the prin-
ciple that free ships make free goods, and that
the neutral flag protects from unreasonable
search and seizure the ships bearing it; and
also to ascertain whether any correspondence
on these questions had taken place with other
governments. Mr.. Dean explained the
nature and scope of his remarks, touching
the principle that free ships made free goods.
He stated that our government had for some
months past been endeavorng to secure the
admission and establishment of this principle
as international law, and that our representa-
tive at st. James, i'll particular, has ably ac-
complished it, so far as its recognition depends
upon that government. The resolution was
referred to the committee on foreign affairs.
The house then went into committee on
the general appropriation bill, when Mr.. Nc
Donald, of Me-, spoke on the Nebraska bill.
He said that the resolutions of the Maine le-
gislature were not indicative of public opin-
ion in that State, and denounced their re-
quest that their delegation would oppose the
bill as arrogant and impude.lt.
Mr.. Faulkner afterwards spoke III favor of
the Ill. Adjourned.