Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1859-02-17

OF expense, and within any reasonable
and convenient period of time. 1t has
been already demonstrated, by actual
survey, that this road can be made at
an expense varying from S95, 200. 900
to S125. 100000, on any one of, /
think. five several routes; and that, if
the requisite energy shall be exercised.
it can be built within a period of ten
or fifteen years.
But it is said the road will cost a
hundred or more millions, and will be
worthless when it is made, because it
will not be self sustaining-that it will
be a burden upon the Treasury of
$40. 900, 600 year. 1t does not lie
in my way to dispute or gainsay these
specifications of the old objection of
impracticability, as now modified. ]
grant you, sir, that railroads cannot be
made anywhere without great cost, and
especially if they are made through
mountain passes and over sterile plains
in a region absolutely y uninhabited on
ly by savagcs. 1grant moreover, that
railroads do not often pay dividends,
and seldom or never pay dividends
when they are constructed through a
region in which society has yet to be
called into existence. / admit the
truth of these objections, when stated
with any moderate limitations; but this
admission does not at all settle the
question of economy. We have fallen
into the habit of regarding that road
alone as feasible which could be made
by commerce, and sustained by COM
merce, because that has been our ex-
perience, and the experience of older
nations. A road is undertaken in
Russia, in Germany, in France,
in England, in Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, Virginia, Georgia.
Tennessee, everywhere in settled and
civilized States, for commercial pur-
poses only, or chiefly. 1t is underta-
ken upon the ground that the profits of
traffic upon it will pay for its construc
tion and its management. 1t is a very
wise policy on the part of the Gov
ernment of the United States to employ
for postal and military purposes, roads
in those States which are made by
commerce, and for commercial uses
But it by no means follows, and it is
great error to infer, that commerce
will make and sustain railroads every
where, adapted to the purposes of the
Government, or that the Government
Of the United States has no need for a
railroad across the continent, because
commerce will not make and will not
sustain it when made.
The error, Mr.. President, lies in sup
posing thatahe road is to be built ex-
clusively or chiefly for commercial pur-
poses, and that the test of its expedi-
ency is an exigency of commerce
This road for the present, perhaps fol
a long future, is to be chiefly a politi-
cal road-a road which will have three
purposes: the first, the conveyance oi
the mails of the United States, thus
making it a postal road; second. the
conveyance of the armies and the mil
itary and naval stores Of the United
States to the interior of the continent,
and across the continent to the I acifiC
States; third, the introduction and es-
tablishmcnt Of society in the rccesses
Of the continent. Independent of the
great central, desolate, dreary region
which intervenes between us and the
Pacific coast, we have already explo.
ded the ancient theory that the mails
of the United States can be maintained
by commerce alone; we are actually
maintaining postal communications
as political necessity, over eastern
portions Of the United States. and
upon the Atlantic and the Pacific
oceans, at q cost greatly exceeding ths
revenues derived from the postal ser
vice itself. A postal railroad acros:
the continent, within our own domin,
ion, would stand on the same footing
with our present overland wagon road
or our steamship lines between New
York and San Francisco. But this is
a very small element in the question
Other great elements are the maintain
ing of peace, and order, and authority
over the savage tribes in the interior
of this continent; and, if need be, Goo
forefend, hereafter the maintenance o.
authority and of peace and of law il
Territories organized within that re
} gion: and, still further, the protection
of the American communities which
are growing up On the Pacific coast
from the Gulf of California to tn,
boundary of British Oregon, as wei
: as the security of those communitic,
against danger in such foreign wars a.
our whole political system contem
plates as possible; and, lastly, there il
the object of consolidating the Unior
between those States and the Atlantic
States.
These are political objects, and it i
seen at once that the commercial use
of the road are entirely incidental
} For one, Mr.. President, ! believe tha
, if there had been Pacific railroad
J there would have been none of thos'
, recent disturbances and alarms il
: Utah, which cost us so many millions
r there would have been none of thos'
J fearful and distracting incursions o
the Indian tribes on our infant settle
ments in Oregon and Washington
If there had been a Pacific railroad
: there would have been a more rapit
: increase of the population and strength
9 and wealth and vigor of the new
, States upon the Pacific coast-Califor
MIA and Oregon. The emigrant goe
: for song from the Atlantic States t.
G the borders of civilization beyond tn
, Mississippi. Fifteen, twenty, or fift,