The Placer herald., 1860-09-08

the Squatter Sovereigns, and, in our quiet
way, inform the people of California that it
was Stephen A. Douglas who killed the
Pacific Railroad Bill in 1856, at a time
when, of all others, it had the best pros.
pect of becoming law; for the Presiden-
tial election was then pending and all par
ties were anxious to have a clean record on
this important question. We will indulge
in no idle general vitupera,ion, as is the
wont of the Douglas orators, but make and
prove, too, from the record, this grave charge
against the "Friend of California" Early
in the first session Of the 34th Congress
le55-6-Senator Weller, from the Select
Committee on the Pacific Railroad, reported
we'll matured bill for the construction of
the Pacific Railroad. After mastering all
the known and processing friends of the bill,
on the 18th of August, 1856, he moved to
take it up for discussion and final passage.
The motion prevailed-ayes "a; nays 2l-
to the surprise of many Judge Douglas vo.
ting in the negative. Mr.. Hunter of Vir
giuia, who was opposed to the bill, moved as
TEST QUESTION that it be again laid on the
table, which motion if it prevailed, would,
as all knew, and AS was admitted in debate,
be death blow to the bill. With this un,
derstanding the motion was made, and the
bill was "lad on the table" and killed for
the sesson-Mr. Douglas voting for the
motion and against the bill. But, that the
record might be the more damning and no
excuse left for his course, it was his single
vote which killed and might have saved the
bill.
But we will let the record speak for Itself
We quote from the official report of the
proceedings of Congress- Congressional
GLOBE, lst session of 34th Congress-page
2O5G:
The Pacific Railroad bill being under con
sideraton, Mr.. Hunter said:
81 move that the bill lie on the table, and
on that motion ask for the yeas and nays
there be a majority against laying it on the
table we can 90 on with it; but if there be
majority for laying it on the table we get
rid of it,"
Mr. WELLER-The Senator from Virginia,
of course. has right to make motion to
lay the bill on the table | do not wish to
keep it before the Senate if there ia a major
itv against it; and, therefore, if | can have
TEST VOTE on a motion to lay it on the Ia
BILE, shall effect the object desire. There
is no sort of propriety in continuing the
discussion of bill before the Senate if 1t
canuot pass If there is a test vote, desire
1t to be so understood.
The yeas and nays were ordered an being
taken resulted yeas 25; nays 23-as fol-
lows
YEAs- Bayard, Bell, of New Hampshire,
Benjamin, Biggs, Bright, Brodhead, Brown,
Butler, Clay, DOUGLAS, Fessenden, Fitz-
patrick, Hale Houston, Hunter, Iverson,
Mallory, Mason Pearce, Reid, Slidel. Thomp
son, of Kentucky, Thompson of New Jersey,
Toombs, Yulee-25.
NAYs-Adams Allen, Bell Of Tennessee
Biger, Cass, Dodge, Durkee, Fish, Foot
Foster; Geyer, Harlan, James, Jones of Iowa.
Jones of Tennessee, Pratt, Sebastian, Seward
Stuart, Trumbull, Wade, Weller, Wright
%.
1t will be observed that had Mr.. Douglas
voted no on this motion there would have
been tie vote and the question lost. His
single vote would have saved the bill at this
critical stage and it could then readily have
been passed. By this vote was the Pacific
Railroad consigned to the tomb on the 10Th
of August, 1856. Thus do we "commend
the poisoned chalice" to the lips of Doug
las and his friends on the Pacific slope
There stands the record-August 18th, A. D
1855; Cong. Globe, lst Sess., 34th Cong.
page 2o56.