Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-05-28
FFo@ the Alta.
Cen J. A. 1CDOugall and the Pacific Rail
rad

Gen. J. A. 1ODOugall and the Pacific Rail-
road
EDIToRs ALTA: My attention has been called
to an editorial in the Daily Times Of the 9th
instant, from which the following Ia an ox-
tract:
"In looking back on the history Of matters
connected with this Pacific Road enterprise,
one cannot but be surprised that nothing has
a. yet been done, and the inevitable conclusion
is, that somebody has been playing false. The
scheme has each year been strangled IN the
house Of its pr0iessed friends At one time q
bill had been prepared, and there was every
chance for It 10 pass, and Il was not questioned
but majority Of the House we're In favor OF
It It was In the charge Of Gen. McDougall,
Representative from California He had the
HOor, and ought to have Insisted on their con-
sIdering the bill, but he gave way, In order
that the Nebraska bill might be taken up, and
in that way II was sacrificed for that session.
The South, with few Northern doughfaces,
led of by Douglas As their leader, insisted
that the Railroad must give way, in order that
that great swindle, that precursor Of sectional
discord, that promoter Of paternal animosity,
might be forced through Congress. The per-
son who thus betrayed the interests ofhis con-
stituents, was james A. McDougall."
This charge has been 80 frequently repeated,
that It Is now believed true by many In whose
| good opinion regard myself as interested.
An indisposition to engage In newspaper
controversy, has hitherto prevented me from
making any reply over my own signature. and
should not be induced to do no now, but that
the present political editor Of the Times is Mr..
q. A. Washburn, and that he Ia one Of the
perhaps few persons in California who know
tho charge to DO without any foundation in
truth.
The postponemcnt Of the Pacific Railroad
bill referred to, occurred May 18th, 1854. No
such charge was made In Washington, or by
any person from Washington, until the De-
cember following, when Mr.. SimontOn, then
the Washington correspondent Of the Nep
York 1imeS, and some Of the San Francisco
press, and at present editor Of the Bulletin,
made the statement in his correspondence. -
was then ct Washington engaged in the dis
charge Of Official duties and had no leisure for
outside controversies
short time after my return from Wash.
ingtOn, had occasion to participate In . rail.
road meeting at Musical Hall. Mr.. G. A.
Washburn, then editor Of the Alta, IN com.
menting on my relation to that meeting, re-.
peatcd the charge Hrst made by Mr. Simonton.
Il Was my opinion that Mr.. Washburn sup
posed the charge justly made, and that II in
formed, he would take pleasure IN correcting
his error. | accordingly made and furnished
to Mr.. Washburn an abstract from the Con.
9Te'sien0t Globe, Of the proceedings in the
House OF Representatives. l also furnished
him with copy Of the Globe with reference
to it by pages, and requested from him cor
rcction.
In reply to this request, on tho 9th June,
1855, the following editorial appeared in the
Alta.
From Ms Daily AHG CGItt6rnt6 Nay ga 1885.
GEN. N'DorGALL AND THE PACIFIC RAILROAD
1--WE have on various occasions spoken in
abrupt condemnation Of the course of the Hon.
MIR. McDOugall on the Railroad bill introduced
by him. II has been said that our structures
were unjust, and we now propose to give q
history Of that bill and Gen. McDOugall'S con.
neciion with it,
On the 10th Of January, 1854, Mr.. McDoug-
ell introduced his Railroad hill, and had It re.
tcrred TO . special commit. g. The bill was re.
ported from the Select Committee on the l4th
Of March, and on the 97th was made the spe.
cial order for the third Tuesday Of May. The
Nebraska bill had been reported two months
before the Railroad bill, and was ahead Of il
on the calendar. On the 9th of May it came
up IN regular order, and on the 10th, Mr..
Richardson having this bill in charge, being
recognized as the file leader in Congress Of
the Nebraska fNrces, gave notice Of his inten.
tion to close debate on the next day. On the
l4th he offered the resolution to close debate
on the succeeding day, when Mr.. Mace, an
Anti Nebraska man, from Indiana, asked for
. pOstponement until day In the next week,
to give time for further debate. Mr.. Richard.
son objected, by reason Of the Railroad special
order Several Anti. Nebraska members asked
fIr further time, and NJ. Ethridge, an Anti.
Nebraska Wing from Tennessee, proposed q
postponcment Of the special order. In re.
sponSe to this Mr.. McDouSall said he would
rOpnsent were il the unanimous wish Of the
EI0uaas Mr.. Hunt an Anti.Nebraska Wing
from LOGSiAOa, said the proposition Was fair
one, and ought to DO accepted, so It would
seem that several earnest and undOubtcd Anti
Nebraska men werO favorable to the course
proposed by Mr. McDougalL though the oppo.
ncnts Of the Nebraska bill generally opposed
Il bitterly. They saw that if the Railroad bill
was postponed and did not come up ut the
time Of tho special order, Il would probably
fail for tho session. They fought manfully
for it, inch by inch. -
IL was thought that II the Railroad bill were
not postponed, and the Nebraska question
were pushed at that time, 1t could not pass be.
fore the time when the railroad hill came up
as the special order. This would very likely
have defeated the Nebraska measure, and thu
Railroad bill, coming up at that period IN the
session, would probably have passed: There
would then have been ample time for its dis.
cussiOn; and as majority Of each branch Of
Congress are believed to have been favorable
to the bill. there Is no reason why It should
not have passed during the session.
At best Gen. McDougall made . mistake,
and wC think he must now admit It. Il could
not Be- worse than Il is. The Railroad bill is
IS far from being law As ever, and It could
not by . possibility have been in worse shape
had our representative taken different course.
He gained nothing for the road by his course,
and 40 believe he lost much. He did mate.
rial service 70 the Nebraskaites; for had he
been, like Col. Benton, I" q permanent Obiector
to the postpOnement Of the Pacific Railroad
hill" We believe It would have passed long
ago. a.
Il Is not 10 be supposed that Gen. McDou.
gall believed that ne was sacrificing the Rail.
read 10 the NebrAskA bill, for several Anti. Ne.
braska Railroad men acted with him; but such
appears to us to have been the result of his
OO0rss> The Railroad bin Was the great meas
urO for Calil6FniA, and We bellsve Gen. Nc.
DoUsall lAbored earnestly aud ably for its pas
aARA and he 0uRht NOT 10 have allowed that