Daily national Democrat., 1860-10-11

grafton ana the establishment OF JeleSrapnlc
communication, and said (this was in 1882:
"Mr President, like the Senator from Mas
saehusetts, / am anxious TO be heard, and
came into the Senate, this morning, after
riding the entire night, for the express pur-
pose of being heard-not upon the fugitive
slave law, nor upon any other question cal
culated to have effect upon the pending
Presidential election | make my speeches
upon those subjects elsewhere, and come here
to make speeches upon practical subjects of
legislation. The Senate postponed the bill
to protect the emigrant route to Oregon and
California, ocith The amendments for railroad
TO the Pacific, until this day. The Committee
on Territories having reported the bill, and
it having been postponed until to day, |, as
Chairman of the Committee, expected to be
called upon to explain its provisions, and
do think that the subject of railroad to the
Pacific Ocean is a matter of more particular
Importance to the nation, the people of the
United States, and the world, than speech
upon the fugitive slave law Hence l shall
insist upon adhering to the practical matters
Of legislation before as"
Such, said McDougail, was Senator Doug
lass feeling toward the interests of Califor
MIA, at that early period Now let us see
what was Gwin's feeling.
On the sth of July of that same year, 1852,
Mr. Douglas said:
al move that the Senate now proceed to
the consideration of the bill reported from
the Committee on Territories, "IOr the pro-
lection Of the emigrant route, and tele-
graphic line, and for an overland mail be-
tween the Missouri river and the settlements
in California and Oregon" This bill was
reported from the Committee on Territories
some time since, and it is very necessary that
the protection should be furnished. | hope
the Senate will proceed to the consideration
of the bill"
This was Mr.. Douglass feeling. Now, what
was Gwin's, and what did he say? This
"If the Senator from Arkansas, (Mr. Bor-
land, who had been speaking) will permit
me, will say that | am desirous of going
into Executive Session. This is very i'm
portant matter, and lad better lie ouer until
aert Week."
Here was Douglas at one time moving an
immediate consideration of the important
matter, having ridden all night in order to
take it up, and here was Senator from Cal
ifornia at another time, urging that it lie over,
in order that there might be an Executive
Session for the confirmation of local appoint
mentS.
This was not the only instance, said Nc
Dougall of DR.. Gwins hostility to Calfor-
mia interests. In 1856, the Post Route bill Of
Mr. Olds being before the House. proposed
an exceedingly important amendment, with
the following remarks
al have an amendment which 1 wish tc
offer to the bill to establish post route.
think there will be no objection to it on the
part of any member of the House.
1t merely provides for a post
route from St. Louis to San Francisco, and
makes certain provisions for postal service on
that road, / think there can be no objection
to it."
had obtained, said McDougall, an infu.
ence amounting to majority vote in favor
of this amendment and went to my room
jubilant over the prospect Meeting, shortly
after, with Mr. Faulkner, OF Virginia, who
had already voted in favor of my amendment
on test vote, he said to me, "Gen. McDou-
gall, You have led me into error in this busi-
ness of an overland mail to California. Imet
Senator Gwin, not long ago, and he expressed
his surprise that l would lend my aid to SO
impracticable and so humbugging a scheme"
Col. Faulkner, l replied, you have known
me, as | think well, and did you ever know
me to be guilty of any buncombe or humbng
gerry? Certainly not" he answered, "but
then you must readily see that, with the Sen
ator from your own State in opposition to
your measure of an overland mail, you can
not expect tho Oupport of members in no de
gree interested" saw at once, said McDou.
gall that this great measure was defeated,
and it so proved upon the vote shortly after
wards. II was Senator Gwin who thus pre-.
vented overland communication by mail, at
that early day in our history, and struck
serious blow at the vital interests of the coun
try.
As for Gwin's Pacific Railroad Till, he in
troduced it on the last day of the session,
when he knew there was no earthly chance
to pass it, and for the very evident purpose
of deceiving the people into the belief that
he had actually done something for the bene-
fit of that great enterprise
When the bill for the establishment of the
Collins line of steamers was pending, the Pa
citic Railroad bill was also on the tapis. In
conversation of Senators on the subject,
Douglas declared that he would not vote for
the Collins line of steamers, unless the same
vote given to them should be given to the
Pacific Railroad. Gwin walked back and
forth in the room and vehemently declared
that the Collins line shoaH not be sacrificed
10 tile Pacific Railroad Here was friendship
for California interests with vengeance
Douglas was determined not to support the
Collins steamer bill, unless its friends would
also support the Pacific Railroad bill, and
Gwin declared that no such sacrifice of the
Collins line should be made!
Gwin, said McDougall, has sat in the SEN
ate of the United States, ever since the Or
ganization of California as a State and what
has he done? Had he manifested the same
zeal in behalf of California interests that he
has lent to big contracts and heavy jobs, he
might have long ago passed the Pacific Rail-
road bill and other measures of importance
to California. True, he can boast of having
secured extensive appropriations, but they
hare lad big contracts in them, and have sell
dom, if ever, been of any other character
Gen. McDougall made other pointed and