New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-01-31
DEFEAT OF OWNS PACIFIC RAILROAD
BILL.

Corrc.pondense Of Thc y. y. Tneaus. ~
WASHINGTON, Jan. q, 1889.
TIE Senate, kavita devoted two months out o.
tb.ir ,es-ion of three TO the railroad to tue Ia
cfe. finally came TO conclusion taeTeon to-day al
5p m IN which notaitg Was concluded.
TIE bill, Of Mr.. Gsin, rs it stood, was demon
strs,.d by the hest s.pse of the Sen.te TO be an
III 6t hill for the object it proposed. Contributing
the must 10 this ~ were the various speeches OF
Mr. S,umous Of Rhode I.lsr6. No man IN tae
Sspst. is more competent ID deal with practical
an. s,ion like this, and every time he spoke lie
Demon strated the fact
John Bell cave pew evidence of his parliament
t,ry nil and practical sagscity in drafting tbe sub
sl,ite for Owns bill, which, in the midst OF con
dictipp views Of endless diversity, finally com
naudrd vote of most two to one IN It's adoption.
Itwasa very bitter pill for Dir. Gwln to swal-
low ard be came near losing his temper at the
close.
Tie Senate felt great relief as the end OF the
question gradually but surely approached, ana Mr.
Own thought the glceiul temper manifested mish,
as well have been depressed. But alter strain vi
six weeks over one question, 1t is no wonder that
members were Glad TO get out from under ITS pres
sure.
II is now past measure for this session, and 1t
is lot worth wuc to continue the discussion on 1t.
I must make two r, marks, however. Senators have
ia their debates almost uniformly assume that tue
people of To 5 country are in favor OF the racine
Rsioad, and desie il to'be made speedily. Nov,
! have no belief that there is any foundation Tor
this conclusion. The people generally do not
know anything about the PACING Railroad, as q
practical question: and have not, therefore, and
cannot have, any opinion ON the SUBJECT no
doubt. they want 1t. But they want 1t as child
wants rattle or the moon, for play thing. But
il is To DO them gross injustice to say that they
want a railroad and will have railroad, however
uudertobe aud at whatever cost. This Is to as
suiue The people 10 be fools. The people OF this
countr, do not want the Government 10 do any
thing that is not wise and proper to do, especially
When it concerns the expenditure OF their money
Aud the, expect the National Legislature to eIer-
else good sense and discretion in all they do. III Is
to insult their good sense it is to npugn their own
capacity, to think otherwise. 1t Is idle, therefore,
to assume that Congress is under any constralnt
whatever of this kind, that should in the leirst IN
terere with their calm and deliberate investigation
of the merits Of the question.
One observation more. Mr. Simmons has spoken
once or ~ lee of the commercial value of this road
ia relation to the Asiatic trade. lie said day or
two ago that 1t would rave an extensive freight
traffic of East Indian commodities. He assumed
that freight could be transported across the cooti-
uent by Iail Tor two cents pound There is no
good ground for this conclusion. -Four cents may
be fairly taken us The minimum. And this is less
than It ever uW BE- carried for, as will be seen if
The road is ever built But let us take two cents
per pound as the sum for which freight can be
transported from San Francisco to Nea York
" hat the productions of Asia that can be car
red over it, Mt This rate OF freight Here is
q table of our imports from Asia. ] take the trade
for the year ending June 80, 1857 as Offering
istr exhibit than the more restricted traffic OF the
last season.