The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-06-04

people. In my Judgment tbis bssnoh Of ser
viee = assuming most dangerous preroga
tiyee. and leading us into treaty alliance
and false positions lhas endanger the peac
OF tAs country. Demands FOR force, de-
nan6s for pretsctorate In two Mexican
States, and demand Or %, O00, 900 to biz
and bartar for foreign islands, were all, as
believr, moro the schemes OF speculatorl
than the demands Of the public, and thsy
therefore received my cordial opposition. II
our foreign intercourse We should refraiH
from doing whatw We would not permit others
to do to ~, and edo unto others a. We would
they should do unto al"
4 PACIFIC RAILROAD.
have 90 often written and spoken on this
subject, that II 10 needless FOR me to say
much on this occasion. The Republican party
adopted Pacific Railroad az part of their
platform; and trust there will be no finch
ing or faltering on this Important subject
Az q western man and represents alive, claim il
as one part Of the bond. The travel to Gal
ifornia once passed overland through our
Westera States; and il our lines had re-
ceived the protection and aid which has been
given to foreign routes By our otDn govern.
m ent, in my judgment our interior route
would now DO preferred. A Paoi6s railroad
10 equally important to our Eastern friends.
The parade Of great ships and splendid
steamers, that come from the "waste Of
waters" and escape the perils Of the OCEAN,
dazzle and attract the admiration OF Eastern
cities, but it is the roads, canals, and trains
of cars that How from the interior land, that
night and day pour into their msfts stores of
riches aud food and raimsnt. Every iron
rail that is lain in the interior adds few
drops Of commerce that swell some great
channel that flows into our Atlantic oitiss.-
Railroads Develop the interior, and give
wider and more rapid circulation TO vital
elements that strengthen, invigorate and aug
ment the material wealth Of all parts Of our
country. A Pacific railroad 10 needed %
military defence, - means for transmitting
mails, az commercial channel for our peo-
pie, and the ago demands it ~ great high.
way for the world. Our network Of rail-
roads, measuring over twenty-sight thousand
miles Of lines, has now reached the Missouri
River, and only eighteen hundred miles are
needed to connect US with the heart OF the
California settlements and and tho navigable
waters of the Pacific world. A central route
through or new gold settlements, the Mormon
settlements, and the Carson Valley settle.
monts, which is equally convenient to the
North and the South, is shown BY the sur
veys to be the nearest and best route. This
view 10 also supported BY the report Of the Sc
leot Committee Of Is Of the last House Of
Representatives, which authorised me to re-
port 10 favor of tho Bill which had prepared
and presented to Congress. The plan | pro-
posed is, to start two converEing branches,
one from the frontier Of Iowa, and one from
the frontier Of Missouri, whore railroads now
terminate. These two branches, one from .
free and the other from . slave State, are to
approach and unite on the generally trav-
sled route, and thence proceed by . single
trunk through the mountains BY the shortest
and best way to the navigable waters OF
the Sacramento. The aid OF Government 10
to be given BY issuing bonds, which the
road 10 to pay back by mail, army, and other
public transporsations and besides these
bonds, alternate sections Of land ere to be
given adjacent to the road. Both the bonds
and the land augment, % the work proceeds
from each end towards the centre OF the line,
thereby encouraging the contractors to pro-
portion of the route. The plan il simple,
and fully developed in my speech made nsar
the close of last session, and published in the
cal interests to contend with, O. all lines will
have; and few members Of Congress op-
pose the granting OF any aid BY Congress
yet the route and plan evidently best accom-
m odnte oil sections, and must concentrate the
largest amount OF public favor. do not
suppose the plan is perfect, or the very best
that could be proposed; but have given the
subject much study and reflection; have
nv II cd vooff re ho 80.
others presented and with the aid of eminent
railroad men have incorporated and improved
the best OF these suggestions. | wish Iowa
and Missouri would unite their influence on
this identical plan; not because | am assoc
ated with it, but because such associated in
tiucnce on . determined plan would give grea,
influence and probable success to the road
] ask the Co operation Of the people OF al
parties to pray the General Government tc
efficient action in measure that will redound
10 the glory Of the nation, and the happiness
and prosperity Of the world.
rHR SOLDIERS or 1872.
A bill passed the House OF Representative o.
BY large majority granting . small pension
to the survivors, who participated in our SEQ.
ond war with Great Britain, which 10 prop
erly called our second war Of independence.
Il vas consequence Of the frst war, proving
our determination and power to vindicate
and maintain the nationality which the drs,
struggle had acquired. The soldiers received
twenty cents q day, which was no oompensa.
ton for their toll and exposure, and, tottsr
ing on the brink Of the grave, . pittance b,
way Of grateful remembrance, would chez,
them on their way in the fading twilight Of
their declining days. Forty years after th,
revolution, such pension was granted to til,
survivors Of the war; and now forty.fv
years after the second war with Great Brit
ain, the survivors expect similar token Of
national regard, and bill for that purpos,
received my hearty approval and earnest sup
port.
But it was insiduously and impertinentl,
assailed by the Executive branch Of the Gov.
eminent. The Pension Office. without an,