Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1857-03-18
The Pacific ROad...'s CitiZen'' Syme.

L
The Register of Wednesday, in its notice of Pres
fdent Buchanan's Inaugural, submits the following
remarks in relation the proposed military road to
{the Pacific:
"Perhaps the Standard will oblignsly furnish all
1.-The information it has the subject, and tell us
c4nddly ift State Rights journal, approves ola
construction by Congress, TRder the acar-mdGhg
pouer, of railway to the Pacific Ocean. We would
be pleased, too to know if the Standard can con-
feive of a more gigantic power, and patronage-con-
Ferrin9 work, than the construction Of this road 10
the Pacific, by the federal government? If the gen
eral government makes this road, the general gov
sernment will own it. and manage it, and who can
stell the amount of men who will he employed in
8he construction of the road, and its subsequent
management in all its departments. and who can es-
ktimate the amount OF money which must be placed
in the hands of the federal executive to be spent in
the construction of the road If, addition to the
army and navy the post Offices the custom houses
and the other patronage of the President, we give
him the construction and management of road
spanning this vast continent what would not bad,
ard ambitious man--sOme Cromwell, Aaron Burr or
Bonaparte, be able to accompish9 Would not the
liberties of the people be completely at the mercy
of such man, invested with such powers?
* We have never joined in
the wolf cry about the danger of States Rights"
but very well See how they may be de-
stroyed, and We more wish to see the general
government destroy the State governments than we
desire to the State governments usurp the grant
ed, or necessarily implied, powers Of the federal
8 government, would never consent that Congress
zshou'd build this Pacific road. Congress has now
Insufficient power and means attain all the ends of
$the federal government, and would let the means
8pf intercourse with the Pacific States remain pre-
Ecsely what they to the end of time, before we
would see Congress build railway 20 connect these
States with the Atlantic. We write not this a
barty man. No party politics is involved in, can
be properly connected with the question. We write
las American citizen, free to express his opinion
upon all matters pertaining to the interests of his
country."
III Now, in reply to the foregoing have to say, in
n the first place. that Mr. Buchanan has said nothing
in his Inaugural about {" a rairny to the Pacific "
He says he considers it clear that under the war
smaking power, Congress may appropriate money
towards the construction of a military road, wher
this is absolutely necessary tor the defence Of any
State Territory of the Union against foreign in
n vasion" That is what he says, but not one wore
u about great national, commercial raitaony.' liz
does not even propose, as the Register assumes ht
does that the government shall construct this road
for he expressly reserves sopinion as to the wses
and most economical mode in which the govern
ment can lend its aid in accomplishing this great
y and necessary work" And he adds he believes
a !" that many of the difficulties in the way, which
now appear formidable, WILL in great degree. van
ish the nearest and best route shall have
been satisfactorily ascertancd" The President alst
states that he perceves sound objection to grant
ing alternate sections of the public lands to private
corporations, condition that they will construc
81 roads through the lands; and doubtless he has re
ference to this, when he expresses the opinion tha
the constitutional difficulties in the way, whicl
:l.l1. - i
ish upder further and fuller examination. So tn
road, if built at all, is not to be "madc" no
"owned" by the government. We therefore bel
IN our cotemporary dismiss his fears. There is n
III danger that some Cromwell, Aaron Burr, or Bo
x naparte" will destroy our liberties. Indeed, Crom
"a well and Bonaparte the Great Gerry good insti
tutaons in their day and they rose not up to act
and change, and purify, until they were wanted
Our people will never be completely at the mercy
of any man until they deserve to be. "Sufficen
unto the day is the evil thereof" Our Republic il
yet young, and fresh, and pure; and its very ganc
of Indignation would consume any tyrant who nigh
dare to lay hands on our liberties When Crom
wells and Bonapartes are needed, or when we de
serve to be scourged, they will appcar-but not be
fore. What we have TO apprehcnd is, not men-
not the ghosts of tyrants but sectional aggressons
unconstitutional majorities, tendency TO consolida
tion,and those luxnries and vices now so rapidly in
creasing among US. which have destroyed all for
mer Republics.
Our contemporary congratulates himself that h
mas never "joined in the wolf cry about the DANCE
OF State rights" We sorry to record this, fo
we thought our neighbor was State rights man
we nave always regarded him as sounder in thi
respect than most of his party associates; yet il
seems that he too is ready to characterize as fals