The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-01-19

exercise Of discretion which the legislature
OF the nation cannot transfer to another.
The people of the United States have con-
ferred on Congress, and not ON the Presi-
dent, or any other functionary of this Gov
eminent, the power to establish post roads,
the power to raise and support armies, the
power to provide for and maintain navy,
the power TO provide for the common de-
| fense and general welfare of the country,
and the power TO regulate commerce. 1t Is
proposed to accomplish all these objects 10 q
very great extent, By the construction Of this
Pacific railroad. Now, If this be true, | in
qnire of Senators here, as a constitutional
question, whether the members Of the Con-
gress of the United States have the right to
transfer this Legislative discretion 10 an agent
to be seleeted by themselves or secondary
agent to he selected by some other officer Of
the Gosernmenti Ii it were the enactment
OF law merely, none, perhaps, would con-
tend that Congress could transfer that dis
erection but il is not only the enactment Of
law establishing national mail route, AMI
military road, but the creation OF iron liga-
ments, with which to bind togsther discord-
ant States, and the establishment of great
avenue for travel and commerce across the
continent, connecting the people Of this eoun-
cry, by direct line Of railroad and ocean
steamers, with the populous and wealthy
Asiatc States, and the East India Islands,
~hich, it is said, is 10 control the trnde Of
this continent, of Europe, and Of the world.
Aud IT is proposed to confer power of such
vast consequences, not on the President OF
the Unified States, or any of the high func-
tionaries of this Government, but on mail
and army contractor.
But it seems to me that the location Of
the general route Of the road by Congress is
| necessary for the purpose Of securing COM
petition among bidders for contracts. 1t is
agreed that the construction of railroad on
any Of the proposed routes will cost in the
neighborhood of one hundred million dol
lars. This would be one. third Of the entire
surplus prophets of the United States, esti-
mated by the statistics of our foreign trade.
This bill provides that it shall be completed
IN ten or twelve years from its commence
ment, which will require the expenditure Of
from eight to ten million dollars per annum.
No one can, in good faith, become bidder,
unless be can control II capital yielding this
sum per annum, deducting the $4,000 per
mile, TO be drawn from the Treasury of the
United States, as the work progresses
the neighborhood of one thirtieth of the en-.
tire productive capital of this country be-
fore his bid TO coptruct this road can proper
ly be considered by the President OF the
United States. fear, sir, there are but
few individuals or companies in the United
States able to control such an immense pro-
duetive capital. The capital of this country
is invested in bank stock, in ships, in FORCES,
N in fac in alb
in staple products, that may huve accumula-
ted from year to year, in houses and lots, in
farms and plantations and their equipments,
in canals and in railroads. One hundred
million dollars cannot very readily be d.
yerted from the uses TO which II il now ap-
piled, by many inlisiduals or companies in
the United States: and II competition is to
come directly or indirectly from abroad If
we are to appeal to the capitalists of France,
under the provisions Of this BILL what guar
antee have we that the road nigh, not be
/ built in q south western direction from the
t eastern terminus proposed to the Gulf of
Mexico, and there terminate, leaving the
trade of the world to pass through the ship
canal now being constructed under the pro-
lection OF the Emperor Of the French. And
II we seek the capital OF England, what
| guarantee have we that it will not result in
. branch road running up in northwestern
direction, intersecting the great Canadian
! road to Puget Sound 7
10 secure fair competition among bidders,
| the general route or the road must be estab-
| ltshed by Congress. The route being 20 alb :
i iished, II NAV be divided into sections as
| proposed BIZ the honorable Senator from
| Pennsylvania, who has just taken bis seat
! Locate the general route Of the road BY in
! dlcatng the parallels between which il shall
/ be constructed as proposed BY the amend
ment offered by the honorable Senator from
Massachusetts, and the President of the Uni
ted States may receive bids for the construc.
of sections OF IS, 50, loo, or 500 miles
Individuals or companies desiring to control
the entire road would thus be brought into
competition with the bidders who were able
individually to construct each one Of these
sections. Unless this shall be done, or some
similar amendment shall be adopted hy the
Congress of the United States, contract 10
build a railroad two thousand miles across
the western portion OF this continent must
inevitably become monopoly for very few
individuals or companies in the United States
AT least, will be able TO make a proposition
that any discreet President Of the United
States would be likely to entertain.
ongress, IN my Judgment, should locate
the general route OF tho road, for the pur-
pose VI securing the most direct route This
ball, as 1t now stands, unamended i, seems
to me, holds out Inducements 10 contractors
70 build the road on the most circuitous
route. will suppose the contract to have
been made, TO have been signed, sealed. aud
delivered that then the contractor informs
the President ttat the general route of the
road, commencing at the mouth Of the Big
sioux, the northern extremity Of the eastern
terminus named, will run over the alluyial
lands near the Missouri river, across Nebras.
ka 10 the kaw river, thence across Kansas
and the Indian Territory, in southwestern
direction, towards the thirty fifth or the
thirty second degree of north latitude and
that be proceeds to its constructions ana
builds the FIRST division Of twerty-fye milea
lie Will receive his $40, 200 aud Gftean ssc.
tons of land for each mile of road Tins
constructed. he completion Of the nert
division Of twenty-five miles, would seenro
$4,000 10 money, to be drawn from the
Treasury Of the United States, and ,wentv
sections OF land per mile and should he
thus proceed across these very desirable nj.
sugial lands, distance Of 500 miles. he viii
have drawn from the Treasury Of the Inited
States 30 5000, 400 IN money, and secured the
title In Zee simple to lp,l64 900 acres OF tho
very best lands belonging to this Govern.
ment