The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-07-26
Cot. Cursns am shs Pacific N.

ton throughout the Des Moines Valley, Northern
Missouri, and Western Illinois.
Cot. Curtis and the Pacific n. n.
The journal of yesterday pursues it's
war of personal vituperasion
and attempted ridicule by another long ar
ticle against Col. Curtis.
The distinct charge made 10 in the follow
ing words;
The committee OF sixteen had fully con-
sidered the question, and ordered Col Curtis
to report his bin. Why did it failp Why
was IL referred back TO the committee, and
thereby effectuslly killed for that session p
We affirm, upon the most indubtable evi.
dence, that the bill was recommitted, and
thereby killed, because it was drawn in so
bnnglng and unskillfnl manner by Colonel
Curtis that its abest friends considered il
impracticable and useless.
And in proof Of this the remarks of Winter
Davis, Southern member, who professed
to be friendly to the project, and those Of
Mr.. Mllson, who avowed his hostility to it,,
are Published. The objections urged were
that the bill did not incorporate company,
and that il did not confer authority to take
and condemn land for road bed.
Now for the anFwe-. 1t will be reco llect.
ed that there Was . committee of l6 chosen
men, which examined Col Curtis bill, and,
by the vote of decided majority, directed
him to report it to the House. And it fol-
lows as matter of course that the commit
tee we're responsible with Col. Curtis for
any defect in the bill. 1t seems, however,
that the bill was drawn in the shape present
ed, after due consideration and for good
reasons; though, as matter of course, there
would be a difference Of opinion upon the
general subject end in regard to the details
OF the bill.
TWAS the idea Of majority OF the COM
mttee that they would avoid the objections
ofthe State Rights strict constructo nists, and
Loeofoco anti-internal improv ement men, by
leaving the company to obtain their iuoorpo.
rations from the States and Territories
through which the road passed, after invest
ing the individuals to be incorporated, with
beneFai powers py congress.
The answer, then. to the first objection
was, that the committee were anxious to avoid
any conflict with those who professed Con.
shtntional scruples in regard to the right OF
congress to exercise powers of legislation for
she incorporation Of Improvement companies
in the States and Territories. And 10 avoid
ing this, no difficulty would be experienced in
obtaining Acts of Incorporation, from the
States and Territories through which the road
was TO pass. And for the same reason. thu
legislation necessary to secure land for thu
road beds was left to the Legislation OF thu
States within their limits; while in the Ter.
risories, as general thing, the land itself
being owned by the United States, no diff
Guilty would be experienced in converting i
TO the use OF the Railroad track.
All, however, who were opposed to the pro
jecs entirely, and oil who sought to modif,
the provisions OF the bill, for whatever pur
pose, unitsdlshsir forces, to recommis !. an,
cause delay, and they succeeded. Had i
passed the House in any shape, it could no
have got hearing in the Senate at the LAT
session; and Col. Curtis did the very bss
that could be done, by securingfths passag
OF resolution giving it precedence to al
other business in the House at the next ses
sion.
GT The Frssm0n's Journal, the Roma,
CAthosic organ of New York, il like Archbish