Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-12-27

History teaches that the constant practice of
war IS incompatible with the permanence Of a
system of selfgovernment. If we ask why
the British race in this continent is republican,
we would say because the national activity as
sumes a peaceful character, as monarchial
countries assume a military one if the nation
al activity is 10 have a peaceful direction, it
must be confined in its energies chiefly within
our own territory our domain is already
broad enough, and the opportunity for our &C
tivity commensurate with il. The necessities
of order, safety and union require us to con-
solidate our energies within it. The Pacific
Railroad, with its connections, and lines of
tesegraphs, are the engines by which this con-
solidation must be effected He did not shrink
from the enterprise because Of its magnitude
were it less formidable, it would be less adapt
ed to the spirit and genius of the American
people, The enterprise is not really formid-
able, considering its relation to the benefits of
peace, wealth and strength, to be derived from
the agricultural, mineral, manufacturing and
commercial resources of the region"
The plan for building the road, suggested
by Senator Wilson in his proposed amend
ment provides that the general government
shall proceed directly, and upon its own finan-
cial credit, 10 its location and construction,
under the direction of board of five engi-
neers, to be appointed by the President
starting from a point on the Missouri River
between the mouths of the Big Sioux and the
Kansas, and terminating at San Francisco.
Within two years from the date of their APP
pointment they are to report to the President
the route which they approve, and if the selec-
ton is endorsed by him, he shall announce it
by proclamation The Secretary of War, the
Secretary of the Interior, the Postmaster Gen
eral, and the Attorney General, shall then con-
stitute board Of commissioners to direct the
building of the road, and shall issue proposals
from time to time as they deem expedient for
contracts for the work on sections, no one of
which shall exceed twenty five miles in length
The remaining features of Senator Wilson's
planproyide:
For funds to meet the expenses of construc-
ton the Secretary of the Treasury is author
lied, upon the requisition of the President, to
issue from time to time as they shall be need
ed, United States 5 per cent. bonds, payable
in 30 years, provided that the amount SO is
sued shall not exceed Sl0000,000 in any one
year. Until the location of the road is made
and approved, all the public lands between the
parallels mentioned, are to be reserved from
sale, although opened to presumption by actual
settlers. After such location and approval the
proceeds of the sale of all public lands for the
distance Of $50 miles on each side of the road,
except lands whose proceeds are reserved
Tor purposes OF education, are to constitute
fund for the payment of the interest and re-
demption of the bonds issued to meet the ex-
pense of construction.
By this bill the location would be confined
to one OF the other lines which are called CEN
trail, cutting off both the extreme northern and
southern routes. Of the six routes for Paci-
tc railroad which have been explored four lie
between the 34th and 43d parallels Of these,
two, the Coo-che-tO-pa and Mah-ee-chay-
pah, and the Coo-che-to-pa and Madelin pass
es, have been decided to involve a cost so
great that they are impracticable. There re-
main two routes, the practicability of which is
conceded, viz the route via the South Pass,
near the 4lst and 42d parallels and that near
the Both parallel, known as the Albuquerque
route. The surveys on the first of these were
conducted nom Fort Bridger, on Blacks Fork
Of Green River, to Fort Reading, on the Sac
ramento, by Lieut.. L. G. Beckwth, and the
estimated cost of its construction is about
Sll6,OOO,O9O; those on the second of these
routes by Lieut.. A. W. Whipple, and its esti-
mated cost of construction is about S17000O,-
900. The route via the South Pass runs
through 632 miles of avable lands; that near
the Both parallel through GA miles.