The daily Butte record., 1858-05-21
senator Douglas and the Paefnc Rail
road.

Douglas in opposition To the postpone
ment of the Pacific Railroad bill, is an
able and unanswerable argument, and
points him out as man and states
man who is guided by principle aud en-
deavcfs with signal ability to redeem the
pledges made to the people Of Califor-
MIA and the Union, during tie last ma
tional canvass. He was not answered,
but the opponents of the measure pro-
ceeded, with a dogged determination,
to postpone the consideration. of the
subject, thus demonstrating that a rail-
road to the Pacific forms no part Of the
programme sf the present administra-
tion. We say this with regret; for
the special pledge which Mr.. Buchanan
volunteered to California, while he was
a candidate for the position he dow oc-
cupics, led the people Of California, as
those of other portions of the Union,
to understand that Pacific railroad
would constitute one of the prominent
measures Of his administration. His
first annual message, dispelled the llu-
sion in part, and the action Of the Sem
ate in postponing the subject, has given
it the go-by. until the government shall
pass into the hands Of men who consult
the true interests of the nation regard
less of the sectional chickering's and
jcalousies interposed by demagogucs,
who will have no national railroad I'M
less it can be brought to their very
doors.
Mr.. Douglas demonstrated that the
people of the United States at the last
election, had decided in favor of rail-
road in manner so emphatic ms to
leave no doubt that their will was to be
carried into effect. He showed that
the bill then under consideration, was
tho least Objectionable that has ever
been introduced in the Senate upon the
subject, and that the contract il author-
ICED the government to make was just
as legal, as simple, and governed by
the same principles that control the let
ting Of contracts for carrying the mails
in four horse coaches, or in saddle bags
on horseback, merely designating the
points between which tho mail should
be carried, leaving the particular route
to be selected by the contractors. -
These termini were selected because
they were commanding points, the one
upon the Pacific, and the other upon
the great stream upon whose bosom
floats tho commerce Of the Southern
and Western Statos, and from which
every principle point in the Atlantic
States could be reached. He consid-
|
cred it tho greatest practical measure
now pending before tho country. and
that we had arrived at period in our
history when our interests required il
the interests Of commerce--of travel
and those greater interests that bind us
together aud are to make the continent
as one and indivisiblc.
1t was not a measure involving the
government in q countless expenditure,
and asked for no advance that was not
secured and to be repaid in service.--
The Mormon war which had been en-
tered upon without the consent of Con-
gress, will cost more than the Pacific
railroad. 1t was an economical meas
ure in carrying the mails, as the cost Of
their transportation to the Pacific for
thirty years under the present con-
tracts, is double the amount of the
whole expenditure under this bill for
the sa,ne time in the construction and
working Of the road.
| In commercial point of view it was
the great measure of the age, one tba,
had been neglected too long, and fal
exceeding in Importance the acquisition
of Cuba, or any other measure now
contemplated by government, making
tributary to our wealth, as It would
the great ports Of the world where the
articles that have built up the powerful