Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-06-22
,b as the thirty -eichth degrea of north lati

Olil Will De northern ToaU, having us lOcaton | on northern route-making connections with | a northern system of roads, pouring all it's Pa cific travel and trade into the northern States, and emptying all its rich fruits into the lap of northern cupiditv and capital The southern States of this Union will have little interest in such road Like large and flourishng tree, covered with ripe and rich fruit, it will be sur rounded by dense throng of eager northern gatherers, who will clutch all its choice produc- tions, leaving only d few decayed and worth less morses 10 their southern friends, who stand afar of, on the very outside of the circle of greedy expectants.
 Sir the public lands which,will be given to this road were purchased by the money and blood of the south As we'll as of the north They belong much to the south as to the north. The large sums of money to be appro- prated in aid of this road are to be taken from common treasury, 10 which the south con- tributes her full share. The south is entitled to a full participation in all the benefits which are to be derived by the aid of the government from the proposed pathway across the continent to the Pacific ocean. The amendments which
 propose to offer to this b;l look to this object, and are intended, and think calculated, 10 cure 1t. Whilst they coucede the aid of the government to the fullest extent, Tn the shape of public lands, to northern route, they also contribute the same amount of moneyed as sslance iu the form of a contract for carrying the mails and other property of the United States, to a southern route
 There is another serious objection, to my mind to this road project of the Senator from California. The circumstances and causes to which l have alluded, and which will inev-
 tably control the northern location of the road ,,,;H tI,, la al money to be advanced into the hands of northern company of jobbing speculators.- W hat guarantee is there that the road will ever be carried to the Pacific? They commence the road at some point on the Missouri river; they locate it through Kansas, Nebraska, or other habitable territory of the United States, and construct it as far out west as the country Is worth anything aud will afford remuneratng travel aud trade; they get the lands donated by Congress-twenty sections for every mile of road finished; they receive the advance of SIP 500 per mile for mail service and they com piete two or three hundred miles Of road get from two to three million acres of valuable land, receive ln hand like sum of money, and then cease its further c0nstructioul Sir l entertain very grave doubts whether, with all the propos- ed aid in lands and money, any company will ever be found to carry out the great leading Ob- lect of the bll-i railroad connection with the Pacific coasl-oyer any of the northern routes. The distance from the Missouri river to San Francisco caHuot be less than two thousand miles: the road cannot be constructed over any of the routes heretofore surveyed, or that can be selected, at cost of not less than fifty thou sand dollars a,,mile, or ore hundred million dol lars. he average cost of railroads iii the northern States ot the Union is not less than forty thousand dollars mile. How much. then, will the road cost, traversiug desert plains an! crnS9irg lofty mountains, covered wlth snow for great part of the year, and through re- -goaS uhahned only by Savages and wild beasts?
 II II ahoud cost only hurdre1 millions, wouldt ever ;ay? woU.d the stock ever draw d dividend? What shYewd, intelligent Yankee will ever invest nj, money, his labor, or h.s time. in such an undertaking! l do nos say, SIT that a northern road is imprtctjcate Money can overcome all obstacles. A road may be built even on the most northern route, but at such an enormous expense as woui render the stock utterly wortn,ess. l ip mt believe that such a road as the bill coatenplA $, and must ineyita. ply produce, will ever reach the Plc.iC oceau
 But, sir, whether thi~ he SD or u0t. whether aroad will ever be built on n0;urrn route with the proposed a.d of the government. think justice demands that equal provision should be made for d connection oyer southern route. l feel veiy confident that with the government ad prop by this i.!l, road located either upon the thriy-second or thirtv-fith parallel would be certainly and speedily Cor -ruc.ed. am not prepared to Institute all ex, ended com. paFs.on of these two routes. believe a first. c,ass ra lroAd mi sht he built on e. her Of them, With the assistance from the government which k suggested in my amendments. The route on the thirty-sacond parallel would have the ad- vantage of being much shorter in distance; for l consider the completion of the road now un- der progress through Texas, from the nei5hhor- hood ot Shreveport. in Louisiana, to Fl Paso on the Rio Graude, distance of seven hun dred mics, as fixed fact The munifca,t grant mad by the Stale ol Texas to that road. of twenty sections of land and s6OJO in mo. ney u each mile, will insure its raid const;uc. ton aud early completion. From the Ro Gralde to the Paelhc distance of seven hul- dred aud fifty miles, Is the only portion whirh wont ,ave to be provid ad for and couatructcl by the Pacific rajlrual company, winch would contract w,h the Prs for itS construction, and the tia spoH3t 1H If the majis and o.h.r goverameaJ proprrjy. NJ road o,. au. other route can be accomplished shof. of two thru- sdUd m,rs O. ,ue turrr-rith parallel the rotI must le-.n at Mymp.i or some other point elGti d!etart. l. would have to hc constructed hrouLa The -n,ire St,te of Arkai- sas, iht'cc uP the C"'a,llan river aHl on to the h'u GrA'i' at Albuquerque, and thence acto,s to the Pacific. Never hei sS 1 am much r cine to believe that, wi.h evei this di,pa,iy ol distance, over winch in. road would have tl be bu'it ihe upper route on the tAirtv-htth par.'lie! k the cheapest, safest aud best route. The whole route rom the Mississippi to the Colorado raveroes comparatively level coun- try aud elevated and hea,thy regoN, abouud:n, with wood aud wagar, and coutal.,ing a large quantity of valuable .lanis both for agricultural aud miuing purposes, Bus whichever of these routes k best or whichever may be solertel. i. Is certain that either Is practicable and at cost far below that O. any northeru route.
 feel assnred that the donation of public lands, and the nail contract proposed by my amendment will secure the construction and completion of a road over oue or the other of these routes, and within the time limited by the bill.
 Now, sir, I am un willing to vote the larre amount of aid in land and money contemplated by ths bill on any single road, unless the locai ty be fixed beforehand, and a practicable. cer. tain, a0d just one selected. 1 am willing 10 provide for the construction of two roads-a northern and southern road. am willing to make the same grant of lands to each. am willing tn authorize the President to enter iu,o a contract with both for the transportation of the malls, troops, munitions of war, and other puNllc serviceS-one to take the maiis and other transportation of it's section the other to carry them within it's own limits. Let the north take her lands, her contracts, and her route. ahd build her road. if she can The south viii be content to taNe the same advantages and, l trust, would make manly effort to accom- Pllsh this, the greatest enterprise of the asc.- If she Iali, the fault and the loss will he hers.
 l proceed now, Mir President, to read the amendments which intend to offer to this bill: and suggest to the Senator from Missiouri
 Mr. Green whether it would not be better for him to Withdraw hiA amendment at present until the selse o' the Senate is taken on the
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