Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-02-12
Senator Gwin and the Central Route.

II is strange that parties most deeply interested
in the central overland mail route, who reap the
most benefits from It, who priess to be its warmeSt
friends, never let opportunity pass to msrcpre-
sent aud vilIfy the man who has done and is doing
more for It than any other With pertinacity that
knows no pause, hAlignity that never rclrnts. IA
reckless disregard Of truth fairness, these shame
less hirelings pervert every act Of Dr. Gwin aud
attribute "a him the worst Of motives. Because he
has perfect cipher for his colleague without ab-
~ or influence, who has done nothing, Is incapable
Of doing anything for the benefit OF California, his
friends organs and tools constantly hcaping the
vilcst abuse upon Dr. Gwin, whom they fear aud
hate and wish To destroy. Take DIR. Gwin from the
Senate and what would become Of California? Not
q bill would BE- introduccd, not an appropriation
made for our State. lie has been instrumental in
getting everything we have got from the Federal
Government. To him we are indebted for nearly
every appropriation, every improvement, aud while
his whole energies arc devoted to the interests Of
California Drodcricks hirelings engaged in the
cOugeniAl but iitless tnak Of trying to reduce him
to level with their master.
Scarcely day passes that the Union dives not
contain some snccriUG AllusOn ~ Dr. Gwin-somc
1attcring notice Of BrOdcrick 1t has mcanly insn'
uatcd time and again, not directly charged, that Dr.
Gwin is opposed To the Central route; that he has
done nothing for it that he favOrs the Southern
to the dctrimcnt of the Central, aud that We must
loOk to Mr.. Brodcrick for Gvors. What arc the
Gcts! Post coaches were placed on the Central
route before Mr. Frederick ever dreamed that was
contemplated. he nerer made more " rdised It
fnyer in its fdrOr. Utter the rOute had been cstAb'
liShcd and JforC ii Wcnt into oPrrdf'OA, 1t was urged
BY the contractors that the Post Master General
should at once reduce the time from IS tn 80 days,
and give them the increased pay. DIR, Gwin. fdrured
this and did kis btM ~ hare IL done As II member
Of the Pust0licc committee Of the Senate he induced
ercry mOmbtr Of the committee to sign resolution
urging the r. NJ General to give the increased SER
vice. lie was deferred from the enormous increase
in expense. lie had taken the responsibility Of
creating byestchI;"h;"S this route, aud that from
Kansas City cid Albuquerque to Stockton, and that
from New Orleans RIA Tehauntepec, without bring
ing the subject befnrc Congress. and that too When
Congress was in session. Then Mr.. Craig, Of Mo-,
and Dr. Gwin, both members OF the Committee 0f
POstOfIicc and post roads devised joint resolution
as security to the r. n. General against the charge
Of wasteful extravaganza, to authorize him to do
what he already had the power to do-to increase
this service. II passed the House by sweeping
majority. When II came to the Senate MIR. Brod'
erick was requested to Gull up, and in doing sO he
exposed his deplonlbe Ignorance Of the whole sub
icct. We quote from the Congressional Globe, part
Sd, page 3OO2:
"Mr. BRoDEMIcH. move to take from the table the
joint resolution Ill II. No. SD inrrEard to carrying the
United States malp from ST. Joseph Missouri, to fa
cervilr, In California. The Senate, believe, did not
understand 1t half hour since, when they refused to
| take IL up.
"The motion was agreed to and the Senate, as in
Committee Of the Whole, proceeded to consider the
jOint resolution.
from ST. Joseph Pacrrville is thrtyeght days. and
thirty days would afford ample time in which topeorHl
the Service aud the increased expedition II demanded
By the public interests, the Joint resolution authorizes
and directs the Postmaster General to order an
through In thirty days, upon pro T increase Of COM
! pcnsAtion to the contractors.
"Mr. BRODERIcI. This resolution passed the House
Of Representatives by very large vote II Is meas
ure Of great importance to California. The Senator
frOm Missouri and my colleague, believe, are tO'A BET
ter acquainted rfth he AnIject tAdR Tan. have beer
spoken to by several gentlemen from Missouri ~hO have
interest In this matter, and they believe II will bt
for the int benefit Of both States hope the Senate
will consider IL favOrably-
"Mr. GwIN. II will be reeolected by the Senate that
at the last session passed bill authorizing the Post
master General to establish overland mail cOmmunca
ton with California, from paint the Mississippi
river The Postmaster General located the route rUn
Memphis anu b. IOu1o, by Il fueO anu tue nlutn q
the ella, to San Francisco. 10, may gay, an eXclu
Sivcly southern route. II IL believed, not only by thu
people this eide but the other side Of the noun
tans, that the route named In this resolution, Whcl
Is already established, and upon which It 10 pTOpOse'
increase the speed, beitsr route and ceTtiR
~ erhere GHMe emigration, l may say, hGS gone
California;. hope that those who have heretofore
tanned the policy Of establishing southern route ~
1.s ~ .ne my. o. r I'M: ~
have doubt that cttcrs will speedily th
mail line as any other route. Ie<Pec to see ii ran d
f'renty days"
Senator Gwin declares on the floor If the Senat
that the Central is ga better route" than tn,
southern; that he looks upon 1t Increased speed
as question Of the most vital consequence; hope
that those who sustained the policy of establishing
a southern route will not throw obstacles in tn
way Of this ROUTE" and expresses the belief that tn
trip "will be made 10 twenty days" And yet thu
Union aud kindred prints say he is unfriendly Il
the central route, has done nothing for il, and i
devoted wholly to the southern. Ills acts and wOrd
prove their assertions false aud prove ton that thC
are not indispOsed TO misrcpreSent him ell ques
tiOns.
In reply to the remarks Of Mr. Tumbull, who III
tmatcd that the J.. n. General "h had made . Gun
tract W the prejudice Of the central route. Dr. Gwil
said:
al wish to say 4 single word in reply to what hal
bccn said In regard to the Postmaster General. w
Indebted 10 nObOdy much to him for thu
" this route and the other overland mai
routes to California, and have doubt he will maxi
time on all his routes"
DR.. Gwin has worked earnestly, zCalnusly and sue
ccsSfuy for the Central route and while he has beer
traduced others have received the credit AbOrs
Every BrOdcrick. Republican sheet in the State
is filed with attacks upon him, denOuncing him al
The enemy of the line, denouncing the President an,
bis Administration and especially the p. u. Gener
al who made the route. Contradict their assertion.
and prove them false to-day, tomorrow they will
itcrate them with additional mendacity. Arc The
men who thus systematically and Slanderously as
sail the friends Of the route the authors Of it. friend
~ to it-anxious to see It improved and continued
We think not. Drive Senator Gwin and his friends
from its support, and it would not be continued
long. Is further evidence wanted Of Senator Gwins
sincerity and zeal 10 advocating the central rOutc
We have il. Read the following letter from Hon
JAMS CRAIG, member Of Congress from Missouri
lie drew up the joint resolution. and he knows whO
assisted him most in its passage. His testimony Is
c1n neiHg aud 10 the Pt'int, aud proves what We
have always asserted, that not to Mr. Frederick but
DIR. Gwin we are indebted for the Central route.
HoUsE OF RRPREsENrArIvES,l
Warrington City, Japstth, lS59. I
DEAR sra; have this moment read letter written