American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-12-18

. z
would be to encourage itand TO render il
formidable. We cough, 10 90 there with such
an imposing force as To convince these ds,u.
ded people that resistance would be VAN,
and thus spnre the cflusion OF blood. We
can in this manner best convince them tina,
we are their friends, not their enemies. In,
order to accom- plish this object it will be
necessary. accordug 10 tho estimate or the
War Department, To raise tour additional
regiments; and this | earnestly recommend
TO Congress. Atihe present moment of de-.
preston ~ the revenues of the country
am sorry 10 be- obliged to recommend such
n measure but feel confident Of the sun.
port Of Congress, cost what il may, i'm SUP.
pressing the resurrection and in restoring
and maintaining the sovereignty Of the con.
stitution and laws over the Territory of Utah.
Recommend TO Congress the establish.
ment OF territorial government over AriZo
ma, incorporating with il such pc, ton OF New
Mexico as they may deem expe,iient need
scarcely adduce arguments in support of this
recommendation. We are bound to protsc,
the lives and property Of our citizens inhab.
ting Arizona, and those are now wi,hou,
my efficient protection. Their present mum.
Der Is already considerable, md is rapidly
INCREASING, uo,w outstanding the disadvanta.
ges under which they labor. Besides The
proposed territory, is believed to be rich in
minera. and agricultural resources especial.
" in silver and copper. The mails of the
United States TO California are now carried
over It throughout It's whole extent, and this
route is known TO be the nearest. and beliey.
ed to be the best to the Pacific. .e g.
Long experience has deeply convinced me
that strict construction of the powers
granted to Congress, is the only true, az well
as the only safe theory of the Constitution
while this principle shall guide my public
conduct, consider il clear that under the
war.making power Congress may appropri-
ate money Tor the construction Of militia
~ road through The Territories of the Uni
ted States, when this is absolutely necessa-
ry for the defence Of any Of the States against
foreign invasion. The constitution has con.
rerred uponCongress power ''io declare war"
Ito raise and support armes," ''io provide
AMI maintain navy" and To call forth the
militia 10 "repell invasions." These high
sovereign powers necessarily involve impor.
tanl and responsible public duties,and among
them there is none so sacred and so impera !.
tive as that Of preserving our soil from the
INVASION Ola foreign enemy The constitn.
iion has, therefore, lief, nothing on this pnint
to construction, bnt expressly requires tina I
1.-THE United States shall protec, each of them
the States against invasion.n Now if a
military road over our own Territories be
ihdispensib'y necessary TO enable us 10 NEE [
aud repel the invader, it follows IA q ne ces-
sary consequences no, only that we possess
the power, 5nt II IL our Imperative duty TO
construct such road 1t would be an absur
diiy to invest a government with the un.
limited power to make and declare war, end
al the same time deny TO it The only means
ct reaching and defeating the enemy at the
frontier. Without such a road it is quite
evident we cannot protect California and
our Pacific possession against invasion -
we cannot by any other means transport
men and munitions Of war from the Allan
tic States III sufficient time successfully to
defend these remote aud distant portions Of
the republic. ... ..rt
Experience has proved tina, the routes a.
cross the lslhmus Of Central America are a /
best but very uncertain aud unreliable
mode OF communication. But even if this
were not the case, they would at once be
closed against US IN the event OF war with a
naval power so mnCh stronger than our own
AS To enable II 10 blockade the ports at either
end OF these ronlts, After all therefore we
can only rely upon military road through
our own territories; and ever since the or
igiE OF the government Congress has been in
the practice of appropriating money from
the public treasury for the construction Of
such roads ...
The difficulty and the expense Of con.
struCIng military railroad 10 connec, orr
Atlantic and Pacific States have been great
ly exaggerated The distance on the Arzo.
ia route near the 32L parallel of north aii.
tude, between The western boundary of Tex.
as on the Rio Grande and the eastern bound
aTy OF California on the Colorado, frum the
best explorations now within on. knowledge
does not exceed four hundred and seventy
miles. and the face of the country ia i'm the
main, favorable. For obvious reasons the
government ought not to undertake the work
itself by means Of lis own agents. This
ought to be committed TO other agencies
which Congress might assist either By grants
OF land or money, or by both, upon such
terms or conditions as they may deem most
beneficial iot the country. Provision might
thus be made no, only for the safe, rapid,
and economical transportation of troop. and
munitions of war, but also Of the public
mails. The commercial interests of the
whole county both East aud West, would
De greatly promoted by such road and o.
bove all, 1t would be powerful bond Of H.
mon. And although advantages Of this kind
whether postal, commercial, or political, can.
not confer constitutional power, yet they
may furnish auxiliary arguments in favor
OF expeditlng work which in my Judge.
meut, is clearly embraced within the war
making power.
For these reasons commend 10 the friend
~ consideration of Congress the subject of
the Pacific railroad, without finally commit.
ting mJsTll to any particular route.
The report Of The Secretary of the Treos
ury will furnish a detailed statement OF the
condition OF the public finances and of the
respective branches OF the public service
devolved upon that department. By this
report II appears that the am cunt OF revenue
received from all sources into the treasuary
during The Gisca Iyear ending 30lh June, 1857
was S6S 63l 5l3 ca, which with The balance