Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-02-18
the constant argument Of the people building it


really did not understand whether he ssid The ex.
pence bad been some million Of dOllers, or some
millions Of dollars.
Dir. johnson, of Tennessee. A million, as I'M
deTstsnd. has been expended in printing and makS
ing the surveys
Mr.. Davis. In printing believe, the whole sum
the Senator stated has been, may be spent before
they get thro; but the surveys are different thing
The surveys, | think, cost about third Of nils
lop, with all the reports. What Congress has
speot in printing them is different question, altos
gether uuc0nnecied with making the surveys them
selves. suppose the Seoator thought that the ex-
pense Of making the surveys would cost that amount,
aud that he was going to weigh it down little mere
heavily with money, as TO increase its weight fJr
he used some Kind of a figure by which he spoke
of the weight of the railroad as tumbling the Union
to pieces.
Mr. johnson, of Tennessee. l do not think
said SO.
Mr. Davis, understood the senstor-in argu-
ing against the proposition Of somebody, that il
was bond to hold the UniOn-t, use that Ian
gaage.
Mr.. Johnson, of Tenn ssee. VIII the S nator al
low me-to interrupt him
Mr.. Dasis. Certainly.
Mr. johnson, of Tennessee. 1 always make it
| point, in answering speech, to answer what was
said. think The Senator misuBdsrsands me.
said it was argued, by come that the construction
/ of this railroad would be great bond of union. l
stated in answer TO that, that if The Union CO.
ing to be dissolved, the Dad would be tie towards
holding it together; that instead Of its being tie,
If these State prepared to be discovered, tie
road would more bind them together than rope
/ of sand.
! Mr. Davis l Should no agree with the Senator
| in that l hold that peoIl; held together by
their interests. hold that the people Of the Pa
cfe slope will remain attached 10 the pc ope of the
Mississippi valley, so or it is their nt,rcs nd
perhaps little longer frcm habit and affection; but
that it is necessary TO bind Them together to give
similarity TO their commerce; 10 prevent thas diver
/ siy which will result from one look ing exclusively
out 10 the Atlantic, and The other to the Pacific to
prevent that obstacle wGiCh exists 10 The in.
! tercourse between the wo by the cireGiious cute
aud the hazard 10 liferesulng from crossing either
of the isthmuses; think it will con ribute-it WAS
not in answer to my argument, however, and there
! fore will not puIsus it, as | am anxious not 10
consume time-but think it will contribute 10 hold
the two together. think it will contribute 10 that
end, if it gives to them greater similarity of
4 merce and greater similarity OF policy. 1t makes
the one more necessary to the other; and men who
are governed by commOd sense, who look TO the in
ttrtst which their communities have, will look TO
the junction of material aqd political relation TO
! bind them together
Mr.. johnson, Of Tennessee. do not want to
occupy the attention of he Senate more than few
minutes but l never ike TO submit-of course
speak that kindly-to q misreFrese taton of the
pos ton that / assume. | have no doubt the Sena
/ tor from Mississippi anssered what be understood
/ my position TO be. Ia referenceto the expenditure
for surveys, will state what intended to say. 1
have not beea in the habit of speaking great deal
! here, and do not speak with very great
/ racy, fixing my mind perfectly on the particular
expression i am going to as / would If were
| more in the habit of speaking. l may have said
| millions, but my idea was, and think l did say,
that the surveys and printing had cost about mil
! lion dollars.
. Mr.. Davis. l will say TO the Senator that before
NknE Il
what he he did say; and when he did say 81 ,000,-
600, treated it 81 900 900; but as to the print
ing an sure he will not find anything stated by me
! about that.
Mr.. Johnson Of Tennessee. 1t was my inten-
ton 10 say that the surveys had cost the Govern
ment over a million dollars. Tbesurveys we're made
! first, and the printing followed as matter of
1t is part of the cost of The surveys That
is what intended to assume. My understanding
is that the printing apd surveys together, and OBJ
! tanning the necessary information, have cost be
/ tween ten and twelve hundred thousand dollars.
/ So much for that.
/ Mr. Davis. The printing is not obtaining infor-
! nation.
! Mr. johnson, of Tennessee. 1t is a result grow
! ing out OF the survey, and an expenditure caused
! by making the survey as matter Of course.
J Mr. Davis The Senator might as we'll include
the long debate which has arisen on these surveys,
! and the cost Of print ng it in the Globe.
MIR. johnson, of Tennessee. All printing srder-
! ed by Congress is Incident to, and resulting from,
the action Of Congress, and it is a necessary Incl
dent that has grown out Of the surveys to ges the
information before the country; but let that pass
! The Senator took another position l understood
him to say that had made argument thst this
road should progress with settlement and that
had treated portion of the road as being des-
eTt, sterile anc barren. lie want ID 10 know how |
would carry settlement there That was not my
position. / assumed that, as far the lands were
good aud the country good, on the slope and
the other, by the encouragement Of agriculture
settlements would 60 on, and. after a while, they
would make the connection that was necessary be-
tween the settlemenis on each side That was my
argument l did say hat, if these lands bar
and unTr0ductiye, they would be worth nothing
if you granted them TO the company; and, if they
fertile and valuable lands, you would be grant
ing too much. That is what said, and say now
Then the Senator takes up the constitutional
question, and answers position which / did not
assume. read the provisions giving Congress the
power to declare war, aud power TO raise and main
tain army. l referred TO that provision of the
Constitution giving power to repel invasion and
suppress insurrection did say, though, that when
the Army and Navy called into sexual sew ce.
the President of the United States had command Of
them. say SO yet. l say the Cons tuition makes
him Commander in Chief Of the Army aud Navy,
when they called into actual service. If the
President saw proper, he could go into the field and
take The sword So much for that.
Well, the Senator made discrimination that per-
haps, 10 minds nicely balanced ard as well
trained as his, was perfectly clear, by which some
ridcule was likely TO follow. He asked would l
stand still and do nothing till war was declared?
read the provisions of the Constitution this sub
ject all together. II grants the power to declare
war; and there is also express grant Of the power
to raise army; bpt what is the object of confer
ring this power! put the question to the Senate,
it necessary IS an incident to the exercise of
the war power now TO construct this road? What is
there under the war power that now makes it ne
cessary and proper TO construct this road? That is
the point. Is there anything? If it is necessary
ard proper to construct road there, is it equal
ly necessary and proper TO relieve the States from
the burden that they have contracted and incurred
in making the other links of the road? l can see
no difference in principle to the idea that you
csnGot make a road in State, but can in a Terris
tory. confess | co not treat that argument with
much seriousness If it is necessary and proper TO
exercise any incident to carry the war power into
effect. that power does not stop at the line between
a Stale and Territory; you can exercise it any
where; and if it is not necessary and proper to
carry out tie war power you can exercise it in
neither State nor Territory That is my POSITION.
But the Senator presses he idea that l deny the
power to make cannon or powder in advance of
war Is not that necessary to the very existence of
the Government, and the proper preparation of the
power III the Constitution? Is it necessary TO eonS
s;ruct a road? Is it necessary to buy provisions 10
sustain an army, even On the peace establishment,
far in advance of their being needed? Is it me-