The Placer herald., 1859-01-22
SPEECH OF
HON. WILLIAM NJ. GWIN,
OF CALIFORNIA,
O.N THE PACIFIC RAILROAD BILL,
DELIVERED
In the Senate Of the U. s. December 18th, 1858.


DELIVERED
In the Senate of the u s., December 18th, 1858,
MONDAY December 18th. 1858.
The Senate having resumed the consideration
of the bill IS, No. 65) to authorize the President
of the United States to contract for the transpor
tation of the mails, troops, seamen, munitions of
war, and all other Government service, by rail
road, from the Missouri river to San Francisco,
in the State of California. Mr.. Gwin said:-
Mr. President: AS chairman of the select com
mittee which matured this bill and instructed me
to report it to the Senate, am called upon to
open this discussion and invoke the grave and
earnest deliberations of this body in its action
upon question so replete with the most vital in
terest Of the Coniederacy. In again pressing this
measure to, as hope a final and successful VOTE
l claim the indulgent ear of he Senate for the
manner in which it presents itself, as we'll as the
peculiar relations hold TO it,.
This is the first Congress that has assembled
since the great Presidential CO ltest Of 1856
Three parties contended, at that memorable strug
gle, for the control Of the political destinies of
this country.
The Democratic party, represented in national
convention at Cincinnati, in June, 1856, adopted
the following resolution:
"Resolved, That the Democratic party recog-
nizes the great importance, in a political and
commercial point of view, OF safe and speedy
tUGOupn OuI IL DtlWctH
the Atlantic and Pacific coasts Of the Union. and
that it is the duty Of the Federal Government
to exercise all its Constitutional power to the at
tainment Of that object, thereby binding the
Union of these States in indissoluble bonds and
opening to the rich commerce Of Asia an over
land transit from the Pacific to the Mississippi
river and the great lakes Of the north.'
The Republican party also met in convention
in June, 1856. in Philadelphia, and passed the
following resolution:
"Resoloed That railroad to the Pacific ocean,
by the most central and practicable route is i'm
peratvely demanded by the interests of the whole
country and that the Federal Government ought
to render immediate aid efficient aid in its con-
sructon and, as an auxiliary thereto. the imne-
diate construction of an emgrant route on the
line of the railroad"
The Presidential nominees pledged themselves
to the policy of building a railroad c meeting
our Atlantic and Pacific possessions with The aid
of the General Government | viii not detan
the Senate by reading the letters Of the defeated
candidates OF the Republican and American par
ties but | will read that Of the present Chief Ma
gistrate as a brief, but one of the most powerful
arguments of this great measure, that has ever
been pcnned
WHEATLAND. Sept. l7th, 1856
SIR: have received numerous communications
from sources in California entitled to high regard
in relation TO the proposed railroad. As it would
be impossible for me to answer them all, | deem
it most proper and respectful to address you a
general answer in your official capacity. In per-
forming this duty to the citizens OF California, /
act in perfect consistency with the selt-imposed
restriction contained in my letter accepting the
nomination for the Presidency, not to answer i'll
terrogatores raising new and different issues
from those presented by the Cincinnati Conven-
ton. because that convention has it. elf adopted
a resolution in favor of this great work.
| then desire to state briefly, that, concurring
y ..l,..li l..
the construction of the Pacific railroad, and de-
rive the authority to do this from the Constitu-
tional power ito declare war" and the Consttu-
tional duty "to repe invasions." In my Judg-
mcnt. Congress possesses the power to make
appropriations for the construction OF this road,
strictly for the purpose of national defense, that
it has to erect Notifications at the mouth of the
harbor of San Francisco Indeed, the necessity,
with view to rcpel foreign invasion from Cali
MIA. is as great in the one case as the other
Neither will there be danger from the precedent,
for it is almost impossible to conceive that any
case, attended by such extraordinary and unpre-
ccdented circumstances can ever again occur in
our history Yours, very respectfully.
JAMES BUCHANAN.
To d. 7. Washington, Esq. Chairman OF the Demo-
cratic State Central Committee, California.
The President did not stop here in his advocacy
of Government aid in the construction of this
great work. In his inaugural address, after re-
IOrrlnE 10 lUe OOHSIltullOudl dutuOIlLy WHICH uc
makes SO clear that no man can successfully COM
bat it, he says:
"Now. how is it possible to afford this protection
to California and our Pacific possessions except
by means of military road through the Terrific
res Of the UEited States over which men and
munitions of war may be speedily transported
from the Atlantic States to meet and repel the in
vader?' And adds
1T might also be we'll to consider. whether the
love for the Union which now animates our fellow
citizens on the Pacific coast may not be impaired
by our neglect or refusal to provide for them, in
their remote and isolated condition. the only
means by which the power Of the State on this
side of the Rocky Mountains can reach them in
sufficient time TO protect them against invasion"
| He further enlarged on this pledge to the ma
| ton in his inaugural address, in the following
emphatic language, in his first message to Con-
| gress:
Long experience has deeply convinced me
that a strict construction of the powers granted
to Congress is the only true, as we'll as the only
safe, theory of the Constitution. Whilst this
principle shall guide my public conduct. con-
slider it clear that under the war making power
Congress may appropriate money for the construc-
ton of military road throu gh the Territories of
the United States, when this is absolutely neces-
sary for the defense of any of the States against
foreign invasion. The Constitution has confer
red upon Congress power ito declare war; SO
raise and support armies 'to provide and main
tain navy and to call forth the militia to re
pei invasion" These high sovereign powers ne
cessarly involve importantand responsible duties,
and among them there is none so sacred and i'm
perative as that Of preserving our soil from the
invasion of a forei gn enemy. The Constitution
has, therefore left nothing on this point to con-
structon, but expressly requires that the United
States shall protect each of them 1.-THE States]
against INVASION Now, if military road over
our own Territories be ndspensaby necessary
to enable us to meet and repel the invader, 1t fol-
lows - a necessary consequence not only that
we possess the power, but it is our imperative
duty to construct such road. 1t would be an
absurdity to invest Government with the un-