The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-07-14

went with him TO sec General Warren, whom
We found engaged in making up his reports
,p the cynmination no had previously made
q tbs pAole line Of road. In Conversation
With tho aenera hssaid 10 had slGsady ex-'
lmlned forty - be SyhtYsix luilmI and
bat was ri nj essai{ IL he shd1d ex-
amiae thse sein Hd Hat also III Mr..
.vilss, Sc couh prepea on cx-
ave-, y me forty miles he had Alrcady seen he
Immediately after this interview 1 went To
The Interior Department to consult with the
Secretary, but found so many persons walt
Ing TO sec him that I despalred OF an oppor-
tunity. / however. called on John b. Bioss,
ESQ.,, clerk In the Interior Department, who
has the Pacific railroad matters In charge,
l requested him 10 write 10 me at Quincy,
Illinois, when the Instructions to the com.
missioners would be issued. Two DAYS amer
he addressed methe following letter, which
received three days after It's date:
lsfHnon pHrARrnnsr, April 20.
DEAR Sin; In accordance with my prom
ise, have now to advise you that the prob
abilities are that by Tuesday or Wednesday
next Instructions will be issued TO the COM
missioners to examine tho Union Pacific
railroad.
Very respectfully, JSo. B. Boss.
A few days afterwards I received from
Mr.. Wilson letter dated Fairfield, Iowa,
May 4, 1859, In reply TO one addressed to
him from this city, Dust before my depart.
ure,) In which he says:i'T will meet you at
Omaha on the 18th inst; have not yet re-
cclved instructions" In pursuance Of this
appointment, and hearing nothing more
from Mr.. Wilson on the subject, 1 arrived
nj Omaha thu 10Th annnrdt.a~
pointment. 7hcre found dispatch from
him, saying that he had heard from Wash
ington that morning; that instructions had
not been Issued, and he had no desire to go
without thom. i telcgraphed him to come
to Omaha, but received no reply. re-.
malned at Omaha twenty-four hours, con-
suited with railroad mon, as well as othors,
about tho course best for mo 10 pursue.
The conclusion reached was had as well
90 Con-" II Is due, however, TO myself to
say that upon the receipt OF Mr.. Wilson's
dispatch, sent one to the President, stating
my situation, and asking what had better
do. Tho Secretary Of ths Interior replied
wAsHISaroS. n. C, May H. 1850
To ISAAC n. MoRRIs; The examination
has, at the suggestion Of the president of the
company, been deferred until the affidavit
showing the completion shall have been
received. 1t Is daily expected. You can, II
you choose, await Instructions at Salt Lake.
J. d. Cox, Secretary.
proceeded over the road, and after having
remained long enough to examine II, hoping
and expecting to be Joined by the other com.
rnissioner- before my labors were finished,
returned to Omaha. There learned they
had not been heard from. At my sugges-
tion, Mr.. Snyder, the general supcrinten-
lent OF the road, tclcgraphed to Gen.
Warren. at Washington, TO know when he
might be expected. No reply was received.
Amer staying at Omaha thirty.six hours, I
lcft for Quincy. Upon my arrival there I
communicated with Mr.. Wilson, saying I
had been over the road, and did not think II
again, but u II teds, I would do so; that de-
sired to meet him aud Gen. Warren at
Omaha and consult with them at all events,
and would do so If knew when TO expect
them there. A day or two afterwards | re-
ceived a dispatch from Mr.. Wilson, dated
May 90, saying: 81 start to-day for Omaha
on dispatch from Dodge" 1t will be per-
ceivcd that the dispatch says not word
about Gen. Warrcn's being expected there,
or that Mr.. Wilson himself was going on
official business. Not knowing where to
find Gen. Warren, and despairing of getting
intelligence when he and Mr.. Wilson would
not having the time to spare from my private
business without 1t was absolutely necessary,
| started for Washington. Upon my axSival
In this city ! called upon the President aud
disclosed to him The foregoing facts, and
said If he thought II incumbent on me to 20
over the road again, would do so. His re-
ply was: IL Is not necessary. Tho lnstruc.
lions are mere matter OF form. You have
gone over the nOad once, and there Is no
need OF your doing so again. ! had an inter
view with the Secretary Of tho Interior like
wise, AFTER which ] commenced preparing
my report, expecting and intending to see
the other commissioners. II possible, before
made any Official or other use OF it.
The reports of Gen. Warren and Mr.. Will
son were prepared and signed in Utah. Mr..
Wilson remained there and Gen. Warren re-
turned to Washington. An interview took
place between us. | read him my report
more than week before IL was filed, and
examined those prepared and signed by him
self and Mr.. Wilson. II was agreed that
both should be filed, and whatever differ
cnces existed between us should be the diff
ference between honorable men. Their re-
ports were fled In the Interior Department
on the 23d and 24th of June and mine on he
26h. This plain statement OF facts puts to
flight the rumors set ailoat by the advocates
Of the road that l sought to avoid passing
over II with them, and hastened to file my
report before their reports were prepared.
In my report did not enter into detailed
explanation Of this matter, because did not
deem II OF sufficient importance, and should
not now give this explanation but that
have been misreprcsentcd, and TO satisfy
your inquiry. M lar and facts no one has
yet dared to assail, and leave an intelligent
public to discriminate between truth aud do
nunciation.
Certificates have been obtained by railroad
men from those who have enjoyed Its boun-
ties Of Its general good character, but 1t Is
a poor way OF sustaining reputation; net
not one Of these "certltiGrS" has dared 10 san
that the road Is constructed as The idr reguires.
The most they say Is, that 1t is a "good
road" for Its "nsrn,ss." This term Is sigA
nihcant, and as used means anything or
nothing. 1t would be far better for gentle
men to talk definitely. Do they expect by
wholesale language to overthrow tho csti-
mate OF $1,000, 900 made by Gen. Warren, or
the truths disclosed by myself Their tele-
grams arc like shooting ut the whole world
and missing II, too, at that. Unless the de-
fccts OF the road could be covered up and
the law and standard Of construction be lost
sight OF entirely In the "newness" of tho
road, there must be some accounting to the
Government. insist on the observance of
tho tdW ana protection " M Government
bonds. II the railroad company Is not to he
required TO abide by Its contract, but is to be
shielded by general certificates" of good
character and good intentions, Iii will need
all such II can get,) AMI the people arc sat
isaed with this, lei Il b. 80.
The severest censure ever passed upon the
road Is the resolution Of Congress approved
April 10, 1869. The meaning of its language
10 the company Ia, "You have not been act
Ing honestly with the Government. You
have Its bonds but you have not given the
couitry the road you contracted 10 con-
struct. Bring back enough of the bonds
which have been paid you IN error to insure
.he completion of the road and deposit them
IN the Treasury rs security that you will
complete 1t as you obligated yourselves to
do. We arc unwilling to take your word,
and want the bonds, and II you do not bring
them willingly II shall be the duty OF the
Attorney General Of tho United States TO In :
stitute legal proceedings to recover them or
their equivalent" When Congress talks
thus advisedly II would seem to DO folly for
telegraphs to be coming In from the line of
the road that 1t Is all that can be devised +!
II Will be time enough for the company to
DO knocking ut the door Of the Treasury for
more bonds when the road Is completed II
any more arc coming, without depending
upon telegraphs TO obtain them, sent by gen.
tlemen who are not able to see one faul. in
tho road. oh no, not onel though General
Warren saw deficiency enough to amount TO