Middletown transcript., 1871-03-11


The House having under consideration
the joint resolution extending the time to
construct railrond from the ST Croix RI
yer or lake 10 the west end Of Lake Supc
! rior aud bayfield, =
Ma, Knott said Mr Speaker. If
could be actuatci by any conceivable in
ducrment 70 briray the sacred trlst re-
poscl III M by those 10 whose generous
confidence am indebted for the honor of
a scat on this ilper; il could be inin-
eneod By any possible consideration to be-
come instrumental in giving away, in II
olatian of their known wishes, aus portion
ot their interest IN the public dnluan for
tho mere promotion ofany railroad enter.
prise whatever, ! should certainly feel n
strong inclination 10 = sc this measure my
most earnest and hearty support for am
assured that its success would materially
enhance the pecnniary prosperity Of some
OF thn most valued friends have ON earth:
friends for whose accommodation would
be willing to make almost any sacrifice not
involving NY personal honor Or my iidel.
y us the trustee of an express trust And
the fact Of itself wanli be sufficient 10
couniersal any Objection | might enter
thin to the passage Of this hill not inspired
by an imperative and inrsrolble sense Of
public duty,
But, Independent Of the seductive in.
iluenees of private friendship. to which
admit | am. perhaps, Us susceptible Ms any
of the gentlemen | see around me. the in.
trinsic merits of the measure itself ere Of
such an extraordinary character as to com
mend it most strongly to the favorable
consideration of every member of this
House, myself not excepted, notwithstand-
ing my constituents in whose behalf alone
| am acting here, would not be benefited
by its passage one particle more than thy
would be BY project to cultivate an
orange grove on the hleakcs, summit Of
Greenand's icy mountains. Laughter
Now, sir. ms TO the great trunk lines Of
railway, spanning the continent from
ocean to ocean. | confess my mind ha.
never been fully main up. II is true they
may afford snmc triiling advantage to To-
eal traffic, and they may even in time be-
come the channels Of more extended
commerce. Yet have never been thor
oughly satisfied either Of the necessity or
expedieney of projects promising such
mcagrc results to the great body of our
people. But with regard to the tranccnd-
cnt merits Of the gigantic enterprise con-
tcmpla,ed in this bill never entertained
the shadow Of doubt, Laughter
Years ago. when first heard that there
was somewhere in the vast terra iacognita,
somewhere in the bleak regions Of the
great Northwest. n stream of water known
to the nomadic inhabitants Of the neigh
borhood as the river ST. croix. | became
satisfied that the construction Of railroad
from that raging torrent to some poin, in
the civilized world was essential to the
happiness and prosperity Of the American
people. IL not absolutely indispensable to
the pcrpetui;y Of republican institutions on
this continent. Great Laughter felt
instinctiycly that the boundless resources
Of that prolific region of sand aud pine
shrnbbery wonld never be fully developed |
without railroad constructed aud equip
ped at the expense Of the Government. |
and perhaps not then. Laughter. had
an abiding prcsentmcnt that. some day or
other, the people of this whole country,
irrespective of party affiliations, regardless
Of sectional prejudices. and /" without dis
tinction Of race. color. or previous condi-
tion Of servitudc." would rise in their ma
jcsty and demand an outlet for the enor-
nous agricultural productions Of those vast
and fertile pine barrcns, drained in the |