Daily national Democrat., 1859-03-08
41ailp 9lational democrat,
senator BrOderick and the Central Over
land Route.
We COPY the following extract from de-

hOts in the Washington Globe, Of Jan. 25th,
on the subject of the Pacific Railroad;
Mn BnoDERIcK MIR. President did not
;,tend to occupy any more OF the time ot the
senate upon this subject, until few minutes
ssnce> but the extraordinary speech made by |
~. senator from Tennessee has induced me to
t.kn notice of it. l want the Senator from
rTanressee and every Senator within hearing, |
90 understand that The State Of California is
10 mppdicant at the door of the Senate Cham
I,cr asking an appropriation Of money to
a,rsiruct n railroad from the Mississippi Val
1e,, to her borders | might say that we de-
,,ond it; and if there is any generosity in the
senate. thev should give it to us. The State
&C California has sent between six and seven
bundred million of dollars to the Atlantic
states: and what have you sent lis in return
for our money! Nothing. If the State of
California, for fifty days, should withhold her
roonev from you, the banking interests, the
commercial interests, and the manufacturing
interests of the thirty-one States on this side
cf the Rocky Mountains would be paralyzed
do not understand tle Senator from len
nessee. lie processes to be very strict con-
etructionist, and says he is controlled entirely
hv the Constitution. | understand that the
Senator is in favor of the thirty million bill
for the purchase OF OuDd. IL L dlu COlICCO
would ask i'm what clause in the Constitu-
siop he finds giving Congress the power to
vote $50. 900, 900 to the President to be used
ne n corruption fund to purchase Cuba with,
and to expend two or three hundred millions
more. if he deems it advisable? There may
he such clause in the Constitution; but the
last time | read it did not see any such
clause there. / am also surprised that the
Senator from Tennessee should lay so much
stress upon the proposed grant ofpublic lands
NV the Government | voted with him at
the last session, to give away to every man
who would take possession of it, one hun
dred and sixty acres without paying tarth-
ing into the Treasury and now he Is alarmed
at giving twenty miles of land on each side
of the road to the contractors who will build
If to California. voted, and will vote again,
with him to give away the public lands to ac-
tual settlers but should like to reserve
sufficient amount to build this road, if posi-
BILE. rose, sir, however, more for the pur-
rose Of taking notice of the speech made by
The Senator from Mississippi (Mr DAVIS on
Friday last He said:
81 mass to the route Of the 4lst parallel,
which has been described in the Senate as
having pecniar advantages. From the Rocky
Maintains to the Sierra Nevada, the country
an this route consists of alternate mountains
and plains, or valleys-valleys utterly barren.
The office examinations of the railroad eX-
nlorations show these facts.
Now sir. | will read from the report of
Lieut.. Beckwith, who explored this route
lie speaks Of it in this language:
mTbere is an abundance of good stone for
bridges and building purposes, at short inter
walls. upon all parts of this line. Water Is al
so found in abundance for railroad purposes
throughout those portions OF the Sierra Ne
voda. Wahsatch and Rocky Mountains ex-
nlored and also at few miles intervals In
the basin, where it usually occurs IN springs
ut the bases of the mountains, and IN small
streams descending from the higher peaks and
ridges TO the adjacent plains And simple
reference to the map Of the route will eXhi-
bit an important feature, in the fact that in
its remarkably direct course, for its great
length. from the Missouri west to the Pacific,
it follows the ascending and descendi7g g val
Ievs of permanent rivers and their tributaries
for more than two-thirds of its entire length,
and that water is abundant on all the inter
mediate spaces, affording the means of irri-
cation to a large extent wherever the lands
are suitable for it; and that they will doubt
less be found so wherever the sage plains are
luxuriant may be inferred from the rich aro-
matte odor and resinous properties of that
plant, and from the exceedingly nutritious
character of the grass scattered through it
and it is a we'll known fact that the Mormons
produce some of their finest crops from re
claimed sage plains"
This is land that the Senator from Missis-
sippi characterized as barren and sterile.
Mr.. DAvIs-The fertility is where it is irri-
gated.
Mr.. BRoDEEIcK-You will find that there
is plenty of water all along the route found
it three times day from the time left Car
son Valley until reached the Missouri river.
1 found grass and water at morning, noon and
night / continue to read from Lieut. Beck
withs report:
"By reference to the map and accompany
ing tables oflatitudes, it will be seen that the
route explored conforms throughout to re-
rmarkablv straight line, deviating, west from
Fort Bridger only at the Timpanagos canon,
if that line be preferred to the W Weber and on
the northern portion of the Sacramento river,
and then only by three minutes and four min
utes, respectively, from the line OF the forty
first parallel of north latitude. The length
of this route, from the Missouri to the Black
Hills, lnay be safely estimated not to exceed
six hundred and forty seven miles, the dis
tance given by Capt. StansburY from Fort
Leavenworth to Fort Laramie, outward jour
ney; and his distance from the Black Hills to
Fort Bridger, three hundred and forty seven
miles, is given from actual measurement -
From Fort Brdger to Fort Reading, by the
line of the accompanying profile, the distance
is one thousand and eleven and seventy one
hundredths miles, which may hereafter be
diminished by at least one hundred and six
miles before pointed out giving total
length to this line of one thousand, eight hun
dred and ninety nine and seventy one-hun-
dreths miles,"
If Mr.. Beckwith is to be believed, there is
some good land on this route.
Mr.. DAvIs-I will say to the Senator that
have paid very high compliments to Lieu
tenant (now Captain) Beckwith's report. |
think him man of rare judgement, as well
as pure character. SO far that land can
be irrigated it will be found productive; but
he is aware that at Salt Lake, where the
Mormons reside, they are able to produce
nothing except where the land is irrigated,
and that is one of the best valleys to be found
between the Sierra Nevada and the Rocky
Mountains.
Mr. BRoDERIcK-I will inform the Senator
from Mississippi that | followed the beaten
track along the Humboldt river to Salt Lake,
and that was never out of sight of water
and grass more than six hours at any one
time. The animals we used were in fine con
dition when we reached Salt Lake. They
found grass and water in the morning, and
from one TO three o'clock in the day, and
then at night when we encampcd. So there
rs plenty Of water and grass along the whole
route. The Senator from Mississippi also
stated that Nohleis pace ,vo, ;o,n.oato No