The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-05-08

Pacific Railroad Bill.
The vote of the Senate to postpone the
consideration of the Pacific Railroad until
next December, took the people Of the North
west by surprise. 1t was supposed that
some headway would be made this session,
and many hoped that the bill commended by
the Senate Committee might become law.
The telegraph gave brief synopsis of the
debate, but it was unsatisfactory.
We publish sketch of the remarks by
Senators Wilson and Douglas, which were
wholly omitted in the telegram:
WASHINGTON, April IL, 1858.
Mr.. Wilson, (Mass.) said that the senti-
ment Of the State of Massachusetts, APP
proaches unanimity 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 commercial
and manufacturing people, in favor of the
best route, North or South; for, whichever
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 un-
ueTSLa0uluHlN
opinion in the country in regard to the road.
The work is stupendous undertaking, and
every dollar expended thereon will be sunk.
But such road will bind the country to-
gether, hence we can afford to sink the mon
ey in it. Railroads are necessities, but the
capital expended therein does not remuner-
ate. Nine hundred millions are invested in
railroads, and to-day they are worth three
hundred and fifty millions. Yet we have
increased the wealth of the county hundreds
of millions. The Treasury, however is in
no condition to undertake this or any other
great national work. We are Fastening on
with the expenditures greater than at any
period of our history. Our duty, therefore
is to husband the resources Of the country.
We are hardly out of a great crisis, Com
merce and manufactures are depressed and
there is no capital to invest. He did not
believe that either Northern or Southern
capitalists would be induced to invest
Hence the organization Of the company will
pass into the hands of bankrupt hacks, COM
mercial and political irresponsible parties
without character, who will damn the whole
concern. When the Government and the
people are out of debt, we may then find the
responsible capitalists to undertake the
building Of the road, appreciating the mag
nitude of the work.
Mr.. Douglas en- said he had witnessed
with deep regret the Indications of defeating
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 opin-
ion. 1t was strange that measure 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 con-
Meeting the Mississippi Valley with the Pa
cific. The committee have already given the
bill the most perfect consideration, and it is
the best bill ever offered on the subject
The bill is fair in its location-it fixes the
termini and leaves the selection of the route
to the capitalists who have to put their
money in it, for veal or woe. San Francis
CO is the great center of the commerce of the
Pacific, and no system will be complete un-
less it reaches there. Hence San Francisco
was made the western terminus. 1t is es-
sential that the eastern terminus should be
connected with the navigable waters of the
Mississippi. Ell Paso is thousand miles in
the interior, requiring a railroad to reach it..
lie (Douglas) had no objection to Mr..
VERSIONS route, but definitely fixing upon
any point would divide the friends of the
measure. For Northern and Southern
route, his (Dougas's) opinion was, for the
Northern, Stevens, and for the Southern,
the Albuquerque. 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
national measure, the greatest now before
the country, and the country has now ar
rived at that point when each and every in
terest demands it. Mr.. Douglas here went
into heightened disquisition, showing the
probable traffic advantages of the various
descriptions of goods, saying that while all
tanned legitimately, and for Central Ameri-
ca, on account Of the extension of commerce
they would induce, their whole commerce
was but fraction of the mighty traffic of
India and China that by this route would be
poured into tho lap of tho Mississippi. The
vote to postpone the subject till December
he regarded as test whether it shall be
kept open until the next Presidential cleo
ton. lie was in favor of the present Ad-
ministration redeeming its pledges and leav-
lhS tlic HeAt, WulCueNcE IL ulS III Dc W Tcueem
its own. In conclusion, he regarded the
present as an suspicious time to undertake
the work. The country is through the
financial crisis, and political stagnation
offers favorable opportunity to unite and
carry it through. The North must lean
little and the South also, to meet half way
and have it done. The road would cause
no immediate drain on the Treasury-its
whole expense would not equal the little
Mormon war, while if we had a war with an
European Power it would save its cost twenty
times. Moreover, the principle involved is
quite constitutional, and is the same as is
involved in every mail contract. He re-
garded the measure as wise one dictated
by every consideration of policy-wisc as a
war measure, and as peace measure, pre-
venting war, besides being economical in
postal service. He hoped it would not be
postponed.
Mr.. Benjamin's motion to postpone the
further consideration of the subject until
December, was then carried by yeas %, nays
%.