Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-01-20
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
DEFERRED pRocEEDINes.


MIR. DAVIS, OF Indiana, offered an amendment
proposing one grand trunk central railway with
two branches, one running to Memphis, and the
other TO the most eligible point ON Lake Superior
lie hoped that a test vote would be taken on this
proposition.
Mr.. JONES. Of Louisiana, opposed the amend,
ment as II would be equivalent TO saying the South
shall have no road and would cut her of from rail-
road advantages a0
/ Mr.. OLIVER, of Missouri, inquired whether he
believed the United States are competent to build
! three roads,
Mr.. JONES did not understand that the United
States are going to build any road, but only give
assistance for that purpose.
Mr.. OLIVER asked il il Is to be National road,
should it not be- constructed as as possible in
the centre Of the population of the whole country
| MIR. JONES would never vote for ii as gov
] eminent work. He was for the bill before them.
4 Mr. DAVIS, of Indiana, said he was national
man in the fullest sense.
/ Mr.. JONES cordially endorsed that, but he had
stated that the effect Of the gentlemans amend.
| ment was to exclude the South.
| Mr.. DAVIS said one road would be sufficient.
If we attempt to do more, we will fail in our ef-
forts. He then gave way to
Mr.. HENDRICKS, who said that his colleagues
Mr. DAvIs's amendment ought to reconcile all
who cannot commit the country to three roads,
| Mr.. WALBRIDGE asked Mr.. McDouGAL wheth-
er he intended his original proposition should
stand on its own meritsY
Mr. McDOUGAL thought there could be no
misunderstanding or controversy among the friends
Of the pending bill as to that. He was, however,
willing to test the strength of Mr.. DAvIss amend
| ment.
Mr. HAMILTON protested against Mr. DAVIS
farming out the floor to the friends of the BILL ex-
Guiding from debate its opponents.
| Mr.. DAVIS said the gentlemen knew that the
enemies of the bill had had as much time as its
| friends
Mr.. LANE, Of Oregon, with consent Of the
| House, showed the necessity of having more than
one road in military point Of view.
| Mr.. DAVIS, Of Indiana, resumed, replying to
the constitutional scruples Of his Virginia friends
In conclusion he demanded the previous question,
| which the House refused to sustain---yeas 81,
| nays SO.
Mr.. TAYLOR, Of Ohio, said he believed that
two-thirds Of the country desire railroad to the
| Pacific, but not three roads.
| The House was not prepared to vote, and he
therefore moved that the subject be referred to
Select Committee Of thirteen. Without refec-
| ton on any other gentlemen, he desired that the
eminent learned and distinguished gentleman from
Missouri, Mr.. BENTON, be placed at its head ;
and with all his knowledge and experience report
plan to the House for a great Central Railroad
Mr.. DAVIS, of Indiana, modified his amendment
it to the Missouri railroad.
Mr.. BAYLY said he would not defend Virginia
politics from the attacks which had been made on
them for the reasons that when the Democratic
party are in trouble they find refuge of safety in
the Old Dominion He and his colleagues were
not in favor Of the government having anything to
do with such a scheme of internal Improvement.
1t was visionary. He did not doubt bnt the rail
road will, some day, be constructed, but there is
no necessity for it now Their would not be five
passengers and one ton of a day. 1t was
the most visionary scheme Il yer entered into
the mind of man. If the United States should
build this road, no company of capitalists would
accept Of it condition of keeping it in repair.
Mr.. BENTON rose to speak, and the members
crowded round to hear. He said : Instead of re-
ferring the subject to select committee Of thir-
teen, he would propose thirty members. The
bills before the House, substitute and ALL gave ex-
traordinrry privileges to individuals not incorpor
ated. 1t was impossible that a work of this mag
nitude could be carried ON without the benefit Of
an incorporated name and seal. There were vital
objections to the bills before them. With regard
to southern and northern roads, there were no
specifications as to where they shall end. He was
against the uncertainty-tkere was nothing on
God Almighty's earth to connect them with any
particular waters. Passengers might be set down
in deserts. What objection could there be for the
United States making these roadsY There were
seventy-two miles width of alternate sections In
the capacious NAV of this bill Good God! was
not.that enough to make the House stopl Must
they squander this amount of land without taking
time to consider, and without being cut off by mo-
tons, the effect Of which was to stop almost all
discussion
He did not ask the House make this or that
route, but to take time for consideration The
common road over which fifty thousand people
travel with their property and herds, neglected
until il was brought into this bill That route
which covers ten degrees Of latitude and embraces
every inch Of ground (which everything travels
TO the Pacific. What better capital could stock
gamblers have in New York or London than this
bill with all the land and pay for government trans
portations Men Of straw and wind would come
forward and get contracts and afterwards 60 into
insolvency which Is a short road, too much travel
led TO get rid of liabilities.
Mr. WASHBURN, of Maine, said that " men Of
straw and wind could not get the benefits referred
| to. He was constrained to believe that Mr. BEs-
TON did not want any bill. While this was as well
guarded as could be to protect the government,
and the subject having been discussed at the last
Congress, and all sections having been heard, IL
were we'll TO come 10 a decision at any other
time. He moved the previous question, but with
drew il at the request of Mr.. CAMPBELL, who said
that not ten men in the House had had time to
read the facts and the figures of the reports of the
Pacific railroad surveys recently printed; and yet
the gentleman from Maine asked the House to act
on the speeches made, Of which some were for
Buncombe, and nothing more. He was in favor Of
delay IL would enable the representatives Of the
people to avail themselves of important inforrna-
ton. He was favorable to sending the subject to
| a select committee.
The House refused to sustain the demand for the
previous question; ayes 81, noes not counted.
Mr. MoD0UGAL remarked that the motion Of
Mr.. TAYLOR was not made for the purpose Of re-
porting better bill but 10 bury il in the tomb Of
the capulets.
Mr.. TAYLOR, Of Ohio, disclaimed any personal
disrespect and denied that such was his object.
Mr.. McD0UGAL resumed. IL the gentleman
from Ohio and the gentleman from Missouri have
better plans than the bill pending, let them bring
the propositions forward They intend TO keep this
subject before the people, to be used in the next
canvass as a matter for a political fight IL the
subject be referred TO select committee they could
not report IL back in time to be acted on. No man
who expected Congress 10 legislate could make
such proposition.