Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-12-17

them that we are their friends, not their
enimies. In order to accomplish this
object it will be necessary, according to
the estimate of the War Department, to
raise four additional regiments /; and
this l earnestly recommend to Congress.
At the present moment of the depression
in the revenues of the country l am sor-
ry to be obliged to recommend such a
measure but [ feel confident of the sup
port of Congress, cost what it may, in
supprcssing the insurrection and resto-
ring and maintaining the sovereignty of
the Constitution and laws over the Ter
ritory of Utah.
l recommend to Congress the cstab-
lishment of a Territorial government
over Arizona, Incorporating with it
such portions of New Mexico as they
may deem expedient. l need scarcely
adduce arguments in support of this rec
ommcndation. We are bound to protect
the lives and property of our citizens in
habiting Arizona, and these are now
without efficient protection. Their pres
ent number is already considerable, and
is rapidly increasing, Notwithstanding
the disadvantages under which they la
Dor. Besides, the proposed Territory
is believed to be rich in mineral and ag-
ricultural resources, especially in silver
and copper. The mails of the United
States to California are now carried over
itthrouhout its whole extent, and this
route is known to be nearest, and believ-
ed to be the best to the Pacific.
Long experience has deeply convinced
me that a strict construction of the pow
ers granted to Congress is the only safe
theory of the Constitution. Whilst this
principle shall guide my public conduct,
l consider it clear that under the war
making power Congress may appropriate
money for the construction of a militia
ry road through the territories of the
United States, when this is absolutely
necessary for the defence of any of the
States against foreign invasion. The
Constitution has conferred upon Con-
gress power to ''declare war;" sto raise
and support armies" "to provide and
maintain a navy" and to call the mill
tia to "repel invasion" These high
POWERS necessarily involve imrortantand
responsible public duties, and among
them there is none so sacred and so i'm
perative as that of preserving our soil
from the invasion of a foreign enemy.
The Constitution has, therefore, left
nothing on this point to construction,
but expressly requires that ''the United
States shall protect each of them the
States against invasion" Now, if a
military road over our territories be in
d~ispensibly necessary to enable IS to
meet and repel the invader, it follows as
a necessary consequence not only thai
we possess the power, but it is our i'm
perative duty to construct such a road
1t would be an absurdity to invest a 90.
vernmcnt with the unlimited power to
make and conduct war, and at the same
time deny to it only the means of reach.
ing and defeating the enemy.at the from
tier. Without such a road it is quite
evident we cannot ''protect" Californi;
and our Pacific possessions against in
v~asion." We cannot by any other
means transport men and munitions O
war from the Atlantic States in sufficien
time successfully to defend those remote
and distant portions of the Republic.
Experience has proved that the rou'e
across the isthmus of Central America
are at best but a very uncertain and un
reliable mode of communication. Blu
even if this were not the case, they woul'
at once be closed against us in the even
ofwarw with a naval power so much strong
err than our own as to enable it to block
ade the ports at either end of the:
: routes. After all, therefore, we can on
ly rely upon a military road through
our own Territories and ever since tn
origin of the Government Congress ha
been in the practice of appropriatin:
money from the public treasury for tn
construction of such roads.
The difficulties and the expense O
constructing a military railroad to con
, meet our Atlantic and Pacific State
have been greatly exaggerated. TIL,
, distance on the Arozonia route, nca
the sd parallel of north latitude, be
tween the western boundary of Tcxa
on the Rio Grande, and the eastern
boundary of California on the Colora
do; from the best explorations no,
+ within our knowledge, does not excee'
f four hundred and seventy miles, an
$ the face of the country, in the main
favorable. For obvious reasons tn
Government ought not to undertake tn
work itself by means of its own agents
This ought to be committed to othe
!. agencies, which Congress might assis
either by grants of land or money, o
both, upon such terms and condition
: as they may deem most beneficial to tn
country. Provision might thus be mad
S not only for the safe, rapid and econom
ical transportation of troops and mum
tons of war, but also of the publ
i mails. The commercial interests of tn
whole country, both East and Yves
would be greatly promoted by such
1 road and, above all, it would be a pow
erful additional bond of union. Anc
: although advantages of this kind, whe
5 thcr postal, commercial or political, can
L not confer constitutional power, ye
: they may furnish auxiliary argument
r in favor of expediting a work which, i
my Judgment, is clearly embraced with
in the war-making power.
f For these reasons, [ commend to tn
friendly consideration of Congress tn
1 subject of the Pacific Railroad, withou
finally committing myself to any par
+ ticular route.
=, The report of the Secretary of tn
Treasury will furnish a detailed state
!, ment of the condition of the publ