Butte record., 1855-02-24
CONGRESSIONAL.


upon the Pacific Railroad Bill, occur
ring on the 18th, 10th. 17th, 18th and
l9th January, in the House of Repre-
sentatiyes. It will be seen that our Rep
resentative, Mr.. McDougal is the cham
pion of the measure in the House, and
has made gallant fight, whatever may
be the fate of the different propositions
now before Congress.
On the 10th the House went into
committee of the Whole on the State of
the Union on the Pacific Railroad Bill.
Mr.. Benton said a private company
and private enterprise, should pass on
the practicability Of arailroad to the
Pacific, and attend to its its execution
He had put himself to some trouble, to
see and converse with business and prac-
tical men, to ascertain Whether there
was anything feasible in his project He
had reason to believe there is. 4 pri-
yate company of solid men are now rea-
dy 10 enter int arrangements for con-
structing this work with their own re-
sources, without grants Of land or mou-
ey from the United States, and without
asking an army Of regular soldiers to
protect it as the bill provides He ex-
anined the several surveys Of the routs 5
and ridicuied them as being inappropri-
ate As to the northern route it proved
to be the most costly 1t was child of
the admin str&tion and British route,
proposing not ouly to run the road into
Uanada, but to turn our great rivers into
Canada. lie was speaking il sharp
terms Of the folly of purchasing the Me-
silla valley for railroad purposes-eon-
sidering we have seventeen parallels OF
Latitude covering very foot over which
man and beast travel to California.
bIr. McDougal dcuied that the north
ern route is a child of the admis traitor,
but was proposed by the gentleman him
self when Senator.
Mr.. Benton-That was before we ac-
quired California.
Mr.. Med ,ugal-Was it not as much
British route then.asnow As to the
objection Of graz ting lands, the gentle
man some years ago proposed to give a
hundred solid miles, all through to Cali
fornia for length Of two thousand miles.
And not only this, but was willing to
vote millions of money. Time was
when the gentleman would not take
bank promises to pay; hnnee he acquired
the name of "Old Bullion" He now
talks about getting solid men of Boston
to build the road, but they will not do so
unless they can get such terms as they
desire. There is 10 tangibility in the
plan, taking it for granted the gentleman
still lacks faith in promises; he cannot,
therefore, believe on the faith Of the
promises or suggestions Of those men,
that they are ever going to build the
road He answered the objection to,
and explained the provisions Of the bill
Several amendments having been made
10 the bill, all but the first sections were
stricken out in order to admit a substi-
tute BY Mr.. Dunhlr, who explained it
was introduced in the Senate to commit
tee, and after undergoing notifications,
was unanimously reported to the Senate
It establishes three different routes Of
railroad and telegraphic lines-the
sou horn commencing on the western
border Of Texas, the Central commence
ing on the western border Of Missouri or
Iowa, the northern commencing on the
western border of Wisconsin, in Mime
sofa. All these are practicable and can
be built reasonably. Besides the routes
will reconcile all differences AMI conflicts
of interest between all sections.
Mr.. Letcher of Va, moved to strike
out the enActing clause. That, he said
was the shortest WY at getting at the
end Of the road There were only forty
er fifty days Of the S ssion remaining,
and there was more important business
than this to transact.
On the 18th, the subject again came
up. The following amendments were
offered and rejected:
Mr.. Perkins. of n. Y. off fred an
amendment to appropriate three instead
Of twelve miles Of land on each side Of
the proposed roads. Nobody could con
ceive these roads could be made in less
than ten or fifteen years. If there was
anything Know Nothing in this matter,
this was scheme to bring into the
country millions of foreigners to build
the roads The great dnnger to our in
titutions Is . landIes- peasantry at no
distant period. IF public lands should
be disposed for the next sixty years, as
they have been up to this, all would be
gone.
Mr.. WAsHBURN, Of Maine, said the
tendency of the amendment was to de-
feat the I'LL which he favored The
measure is constitutional in the strictest
sense, and he hoped all the amendments
would be voted down.
Mr.. Hendricks, Of Ind, moved an a.
mendment to have only one route-the
central If the government undertake
the construction of three, all will be a
failure.
Mr.. McDougal explained The bill is
a compromises. combining Southern,
Northern and Central interests. lie this
shall not pass no other should,
Mr Warren, Of Ark, moved to make