The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1858-04-23

AS to an extreme Southern route,
we might as we'll have a railroad to
the moon, inssmuch as IL would cost
eqnal to carry IL from South Cali
sornia to San Francisco,
Mr.. Ivefsoh was in favor of its
construction, and believed IL consti.
tntlonal to make sdch a contract
The Government now pays 81, ,3OO.-
VOO annually for carrying the mail
from the Atlantic to the Pacific: TINS
before thirty years, we will have ex,
pended, at tho present rates, $780,
100000, while railroad will cost
only S25 900, 900; which is the most
economical the Senate and country
can judge. He then explained his
plan, which had been noted down.
1t was compromise line; the Big
Sioux being on parallel with Chi
cago--the middle Of the line being
within the reach Of st. Louis and the
south crossing the Rio Grande. some.
where at Albuquerque-might cor.
meet with the Texan lines, thus Civ.
ing connection with all the railroad
systems Of the country; but as the
numerical strength of the North Of
fered but slight chance of justice
to Southern interests, he would vote
for postponement until December.
Mr.. Green did not like to hear an
issue raised on this question of North
and Sonth, for the reason that, if a
road is built at all, 1t will be for the
interests Of both. He believed in
doing justice, though the heavens
fall" We can have but one road,
hence the central route offers the
most nearly equal Justice to the
North and South. The course ofthe
trunk line is comparatively unim.
portant to the pnblic interest, but
the location OF the termini is import
ant. This bill locates the western
terminus at San Franciaco, but
leaves a floating margin for the east
ern. The reason that no eastern ter
minus is named is because naming
any particular terminus would lose
votes and hazard a loss of the bill.
While he wished to cooperate in
the great work OF connection with
the Pacific, he could not do it with
this suppression, which was virtn-
ally a fraud. If the bill designates
San Francisco es the western termi.
nus, designate the eastern terminus,
or specify neither.
Mr.. Douglas said that he had wit.
messed with deep regret indications
OF defeating the railroad this session.
All the Presidential candidates we're
pledged to it, and it was almost the
only question in the last campaign
on which there was a universal un-
animity. 1t is strange that a meas.
ure so long before the country should
be made the subject OF this disagree
ment. II the bill is not the best one
that can be made, let it be modified.
let all unite in tho great object OF
connecting the Mississippi Valley
with the Pacific. The committee
has already given the bill the most
careful consideration, and it is the
best bill ever offered on the subject
The bill is fair in its location. 1t
fixes tho termini, and leaves the SO.
=. lcctions Of the route to the capitalists
who have put their money in it for
veal or woe. San Francisco is the
great centre ofthe Pacific commerce
and no system is complete unless it
reaches there; hence it was made the
terminus. The eastern terminus is
essential to be connected with the
navigable waters OF the Mississippi.
Ell Paso is a thousand miles in the
interior, requiring railroad toreach
it. lie had no objections to Ivcr-
sons route, but. by definitely fixing
any point, would divide the friends
ol the measure for a Northern and
Southern route. His opinion was
for Stevens north and Alberquerque
southern, but, if only one road is to
be built, the interests indicate that
it shall be as near the heart and cen
Ter OF the republic as possible. II is
a great national measure-the great
est now before the country-and the
country has now arrived at the peri.
cd when each and every interest de.
mands it. Mr. Douglas here we ,
into heightened argument, show.
ing the probable advantages of vari.
ous descriptions ofgoods, saying that
while we were all anxious for Cuba,
when it can be obtained Legitimate.
ly, and for Central America, on ac
count OF the extension OF commerce
they would induce, their whole com
merce was but a fraction of the
mighty traffic of China and India
that by this route would be poured
into the lap of the Mississippi. The
vote for postponement until Decem,
ber he regarded as test as to wheth
er the subject shall be kept open un,
til the next Presidential election
He was in favor of the present ad
ministration redeeming it's pledges
and leave the next, whichever i,
might be, to redeem its own. In
conclusion, he regarded the presen,
as an auspicious time to undertake
the work. The country is through
the crisis, and political stagnation
offers favorable opportunity to
unite and carry it through. The
North must lean a little, and the
South also to meet half way and have
it done. The road would cause no