Mountain Democrat., 1858-01-09
The pnrlnc IIaI,r,nd.
In relation to the Pacific Railroad the Pres
idcnt in his mrrsnRc 10 Congress. saYA:


grcss Is the only true, well the only safe, the
Ory Of the Constitution. Whilst this principle
shall guide my public conduct, I consider IL clear
that under the war making power, Congress may
appropriate money for the construction Of militia
ry road through the Territories Of the United
States, when this IL absolutely necessary for the
defense Of any Of the States against foreign tnva-
sion. The Constitution has conferred upon Con-
gress the power ''tO declare Wal, !" "tO raise and
support armies" !" "tO provide and maintain ma
W." and to call for the militia ~ rcpWl nvasOna."
These high sovereign powers necessarily involve
them there 10 none sacred and 80 imperative ~
that Of preserving soil from the invasion Of n
foreign enemy. The Constitution has, therefore,
lcft nothing ON this point to construction, but eN
presuly requires that thc United States Shall pro-
tect each Of them tho StatcA) against invasion.
Now, II military road over our own territories be-
indispcnsably necessary to enable US to meet and
rcpcl the invader, At follows Rs necessary cOnso
quencc, not only that We pOsscas the power, but
Il IL our imperative duty to construct such road
II would be an absuTdity to invest a government
with tho unlimited power to make aud conduct
war, and at the Same time deny to II the only
means of reaching and defeating the enemy At the
frontier. without such u road II 10 quite evident
we cannot "prOtect" california aud our Pacific
possessions "aHaiust INVASION" We cannot By
any other means transport men and munitions Of
from the Atlantic states In sufficient time auc-
ccsshllly to defend these remote aud distant pOr-
tiOns Of the Republic.
Experience has proved that the r0utCs across
the Isthmua Of Central America are at beet u very
uncertain and unreliable mode Of communication.
But even II this were not the case, they would nt
be closed against Us In the event VI war with
q naval power much stronger than our own as to
bloc kade the ports at either end Of these rOutcs.
After ALL therefore, We can only rely upon militia
ry rOad through our own territories and over since
the origin Of the government Congress has been IN
the practice Of apprOpriating money fr0m tbs pub
lie treasury for the construction Of such roads.
The difficulties and the expense Of constructing
military railroad to connect our Atlantic and Pa
1 Ala aN.A Th.A
distance OIL tho Arizona route, near the SD pAral-
lei Of north latitude between the western bOundA-
| ry Of Texas on the Rio Grande, and the eastern
| boundary Of California on the Colorado, from the
best explorations now within our knowledge, does
not exceed four hundred and seventy milra, and
the face Of the country 10, In tho main favorable
For obvious reasons the government ought not to
| undertake tho work itself by means ot ATS own
| agents. This ought to he committed to other
| agencies, which Congress might assist either by
| grants Of land or money, or by both, upon such
terms aud conditions as they may deem most bcno-
teial for the country. rrovislons might thNs hs
transportation VI trOOps and munitions Of war, but
also Of the public mailS. The commercial interests
| Of the whole country, both East and WcSt, would
bO greatly promoted by such road And, above ALI
| II would be powerful additional bond Of uniOn.-
| And although advantages Of this kind, whether
postal, commercial or POLITICAL cannot confer con-
StitntiOnal power, yet they may furnish auHiliATy
arguments In favor Of cxpcditinEa work which, In
my Judgment, is clearly embraced within the war
For these reasons commend TO the friendly
consideration of Congress the subject Of the Pacific
railroad, without finally committing my self tO any
particular route.
This recommendation CmbodicS tho same
views expressed by Mr.. Buchanan in his letter
| To the Chairman Of tho Democratic State Cen
trul Committee, before the last presidential
election. The gcnunencss Of that letter was
then denied by his opponents, and his motives
for writing it numerically assaulted. We have
now u iorcible argument from tho President,
earnestly advocating in his official character,
the construction Of that work No desired by
Culifurnians. The President wisely rcirains
from committing himself To any particular
ruute. Numerous surveys and explorations
for the purpose Of fascortainng the most adv0n-
tagcous aud practicable route have been made,
and the reports Of the officers who madc them
will be laid before tho present Congress. We
trust that no unavoidable dclay will be per-
mitted in making the selection, and that the
work will be undertaken upon such terms as
will secure its most speedy completion. Lib
eral aid from the government must be extend
I'd, and doubtless will be, Our delegation will
permit no triiling difference Of opinion in re-
gard To details, to deter them from united en-.
deavOrs 10 secure beginning Of the enter
prise. II matters very little what places ARE
chosen as the terminI Of the road. We have
our preference Of course, and so have others.
Honey Lake settlers want q sight ut the iron
hOraO, and San Bcrnardino's people { those Of
them who have not gone TO Brigham Young
point to their plains Us peculiarly adapted Rs a
| course for that stced. We should rejoice ex-
cecdingly to see him rushing along In this vi
cinity, but We cannot all DO accommodated at
first. Once construct the connecting trunk
roud between the Atlantic and Pacific, and the
construction Of branch roads will speedily fol-
low. The contentious Of spectators must be
disregarded, their schemes thwartcd, practi.
cable route selected, and tho work com.
menccd under such encouragement as will in-
sure its completion.
Experience teaches that Mr.. Buchanan is
right when he says that the work should not
be undertaken by tho government itself,
through its own agents. No government can
have work done for it, or purchase material at
the same price that the samc could DO obtain
ed by private individuals besides, the i'm
mense power and patronage il would place in
the hands Of the government should be avoid.
cd, not only in this instance, but In all others,
where the concentration Of patronage In the
hands Of any branch Of the government, how
ever pure it may be, cOn bO dispensed with.
We shall cheeriGlly collect for our readers
all information Of tho movements Of our dele
CATION in tho flrthCnncC Of this great national
enterprise.