The Shasta courier., 1860-08-18
Douglas and the Pacific Railroad.

Douglas and the Pacific Railroad.
The San Francisco Herald charges Mr. Doug
las with being unfriendly to the Pacific Rail-
raod, because he o-ce voted in the Senate
against motion to take the bill up, which being
carried, he then voted on motion of Senator
Hunter, that the bill lie on the table, which mo-
ton preyailei. Unfortunately for the Herald an /
all other enemies of the Democratic party, Mr..
Douglas briefly gave reason for that vote,
which has never failed to satisfy any reasonable
friend of the measure.
At the time the above vote was taken, on the
18th day of August, 1856, that session of Con-
gress which commenced in December the pre-
rceding year, had almost expired, joint resolu-
tion having passed both Houses to adjourn on
the 18th of August. Congress had then been in
session nearly nine months, and was to adjourn
in less than one week. The Naval Appropria-
ton bill, Post Office Appropriation bill, Indian
Appropriation bill, and other important mea-
sures involving millions of dollars, the passage
of which were indispensable to carry on the
government, had not passed. The Pacific Rail-
road bill then brought up for consideration was
Senate bill. So that had it been possible to
have passed so important bill through the
Senate at that late hour, it would have to go to
the House at still later period, on the very ex-
piration of the session. where, for want of time
to consider, its loss would have been inevitable
Such being the state of affairs, when Mr. Weller
moved to take up the Pacific Railroad bill, Mr.
Douglas rose and said,
+" Believing that there is no time TO perfect
this bill, shall vote against taking it up.n-Ses
Congressional Globe lst Session Of 34th Congress,
page 2056.
OF course the same reason that induced him to
vote in the negative on the motion to take the
bill up, would carry his vote in the affirmative
on the motion to lie on the table. The above
remarks of Mr.. Douglas completely annihilate
the groundless absurd charge of the Herald that
the nominee of the Democratic party is unfriend-
ly to Pacific Railroad. Why there was not
public man in the country more anxious TO pass
the bill that session than Mr.. Douglas. Only
four days before the above vote was taken, as
long as there was the least ray of hope that the
bill could be carried that session of Congress,
he voted to take this very identical bill up. On
the sth of August Mr.. Weller moved to take up
the Pacific Railroad bill. We quote from the
record
Mr.. Weller called for the ayes and nays on
his motion, and they were ordered, and being
taken, resulted as follows Yeas, Messrs Adams,
Bell of Tennessee Bigler, Bright, Brown. Clay
DooliLte, DOUGLAS, Durkee, Fessenden, Foote,
Harn, Sebastian Seward, Thompson of Ken
tucky, Trumbull. Wade, Weller, Wilson, and
Wrght-20.
Nays, Messrs. Biggs. Broadhead, Fisk, NAL
lory, Pugh, Reid, Slidell, and Youlee-s.
The President pro tempore-There is not
quorum yoting."-See Congressional Globe lst
session Of san Congress, page 1884.
1t is idle, however to dwell on these ground
less charges. Everybody knows that Mr.. Doug
las is now, and ever has been, the firm devoted
friend of the Pacific Railroad. His votes in
Congress, his speeches in Congress and out of
Congress, his speeches before mass meetings
and in Conventions, show that be is an earnest,
Jealous supporter of this most important mea-
sure. He has reported several railroad bills in
e4S SSh''ti anu lhc pVoJ4N ol tue "CIhE SOstSt
have seen them voted down by these ardent
secession bolters, Toombs, ..Iverson, Yulee and
others who are now supporting Breckenridge
and Lane.
But how stands the candidates of the seces-
sionists on this railroad question? VIII the
Herald please give Mr.. Breckinridgcs record on
this measure? Before Mr.. Breckinrdge fell
when he enjoyed the confidence of the Ameri-
can people, as General McDougal shows in his
speech in San Francisco-he gave vote after
vote agains. the measure when member ofthe
lower House of Congress. If he voted against
the Pacific Railroad bill when he was q Demo-
crat, what can you expect of him now he has
quit the party, Yanceyized himself and gone
off with the secessionists?