Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-04-29
Pacific Railroad Bill.


next December, took the people of the
Northwest by surprise. 1t vas supposed
that some Roadway would be made this
session. and many hoped that the bill COM
mended by the Senate Committee might
become a law. *s~.sreSf ~.
| We publish below sketch Of the re-
marks by Senators Wilson aud Douglas:
WAsHISGroS, April 49, 1858.
/ Mr. Wilson. Mass.) said that the sem.
timent of the State OF Massachusetts APP
proaehes aaanimity in favor of the Pacific
Railroad, and he would say that she had
on the subject none OF the sectional feeling
which she had been represented as having.
The people of Massachusetts are a CONNER
eial and manufacturing people, in favor of
the best route, North or South; for, which
ever way it may be, it will benefit them.-
But he would vote to postpone the matter,
for the reason that we have nothing yet to
act understandingly upon. There is d.
versity of opinion in the country in regard
20 the road. The work is a stupendous
undertaking, and every dollar expended
will bind the country together, hence we
can afford to sink the money in it. Rail-
roads are necessities, but the capital ex-
pended therein does not remunerate. Nine
hundred millions are invested in railroads,
and to-day they are only worth tire hun
,lred and fifty millions. Yet we have in
creased the wealth of the country hundreds
OF millions. The Treasury. however, is in
no condition to undertake this or any other
great national work. We are fastening
on with expenditures greater than at any
period ofour history. Our duty, therefore,
is to husband the resources of the country.
We are hardly out of great crisis. Com
melce and manufactures are depressed, and
there is no capital to invest He did not
believe that either Northern or Southern
capitalists would he induced to invest
Hence the organization of the company will
pass into the hands of bankrupt hacks.
commercial and political irresponsible par
ties without character. who will damn the
whole concern. When the Government
and the people are out of debt, we may then
find responsible capitalists to undertake
the building of the road, approaching the
magnitude of the work.
Mr.. Douglas ILL., said he had witness
ed with deep regret the indications of de-
cating the Pacific Railroad this session.
+ All the Presidential candidates were pledged
to it. 1t was almost the only question In
the last campaign on which there was but
one opinion. 1t was strange that meas
ure so long before the country should be
made subject of such disagreement. If
the bill was not the best that could be, let
it be modified, and let all unite in the great
object Of connecting the Mississippi Valley
with the Pacific The committee have al
really given the bill the most perfect con-
sidcratio,, and it is the best bill ever offer
ed on the subject The bill is fair in its
location--it fixes the termini and leaves
the selection Of the rocte to the capitalists
who have to put their money in It, for veal
, or woe. San Francisco is the great center
of the commerce of the Pacific, and no sys-
tenn will be complctc unless it reaches there.
: Hence San Francisco was made the western
| terminus. 1t is essential that the eastern
f terminus should be connected with the nav
igable waters of the Mississippi. FL Paso
: is thousand miles in the interior, requ-
ring railroad to reach it. He Douglas
had no objection to Mr. VERSIONS route,
but definitely fixing upon any point would
( divide the friends of the measure. For a
Northern and Southern route, his Doug
las's) opinion was, for the Northern, Ste
vens's, and for the Southern, the Albu-
qucrque But if there was only to be one
road, the public interest indicates that it
| shall be as near the heart and center of the
Republic as possible. 1t is great nation
, al measure, the greatest now before the
country, and the country has now arrived
at that point when each and every interest
demands it. Mr.. Douglas here went into
a heightened disquisition, showing the
probable traffic advantages of the various
descriptions of goods, saying that while all
are anxious for Cuba. when she can be OBJ
tanned legitimately, and for Central Amer
, lea, on account of the extension of COM
MERGE they would induce, their whole com
merce was but fraction of the mighty
! traffic of India and China that by this route
would be poured into the lap of the Missis-
sippi. The vote to postpone the subec,
! till December he regarded as test wheth-
or it shall be kept open until the next Pres
! idcntial election. He was in favor of the
| present Administration redeeming its
4 pledges and leaving the next, whichever il
b might be, to redeem its own. In conclu
e sion, he regarded the present as an auspi
/ cious time to undertake the work., The
country is through the financial crisis, and
!. political stagnation offers a favorable op-
!. portunity to unite and carry it through
!. The North must lean little and the South
$ also. to meet half way and have it done
r. The road would cause no Immediate drair
4 on the Treasury--its whole expense woulc
, not equal the little Mormon war, while i
e we had a war with an European Power i
would save its cost twenty times More
! over. the principle involved is quite con
hstitutional, and is the same as is involved
in every mail contract. He regarded tn
# measure as wise one, dictated by eyer,
: consideration of policyAwise as wa
Is measure, and as peace measure preventin.
; war, besides being economical in posta
:, service. He hoped itwould not be post
,e poned. PSI tsl
81 Mr.. Benjamin's motion to postpone tn
f,.f 4 nv of tho c,,l,;ocf mt;