Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-03-07
Duluth ---Iand Grants. ;,
OF MIR. KNOTT, OF KY.
NTHE SPEECH OF THE DAY. .
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
January 81, 1871.


January 81, 1871.
Mr. SPEAKER: If could be actuated by
any conceivable inducment to betray the sacred
trust reposed in me by those to whose generous
confidence I am indebted for the honor of
seat on this floor if could be influenced by
any possible consideration to become instru-
mental in giving away, in violation of their
known wishes, any portion OF their interests in
the public domain for the mere promotion of
any railroad enterprise whatever, | should GER
taiInlv feel strong inclination to give this mea
sure nv most earnest and hearty support; for |
am assured that its success would materially en-
nance the pecuniary prosperity Of some Of the
most valued friends have on earth: friends
for whose accommodation would be willing to
make almost any sacrifice not involving my
personal honor or my fidelity as the trustee OF
an express trust. And that fact of itself would
be sufficient to countervail almost any objection
might entertain to the passage of this bill, not
inspired by an imperative and memorable sense
Of duty. ,.
But, independent Of the seductive influences
of private friendship. to which admit am,
perhaps. as susceptible as any of the gentlemen
I sec around me- the intrinsic merits OF the
measure itself are of such Ill extraordinary KIND
rs to commend it most strongly to the favorable
consideration of every member of this house,
myself not excepted, Notwithstanding my con-
stituents in whose behalf alone am acting
here, would not be benefited by its passage one
particle more than they would be by PROJECT
to cultivate an orange grove on the hlcahGS'
summit of Greenland icy mountains. Laugh
ter. r.
Now, sir, az to those great trunk lines OF
railway spanning the continent from ocean TO
ocean, T confess nv mind has never been made
up. 1t is true they may afford some tlflng
advantages to local traffic and they may even
in time become the channels ola more extended
commerce. Yet have never been thoroughly
satisfied either of the necessity or cxpedlency
of projects promising such meagrc results to the
great body of our people. But with regard to
TIE TRANscENDENr MERITS
of the gigantic enterprise contemplated in this
bin | never entertained the shadow OF Il doubt.
Laughter;
Years ago, when first heard that there WAS
somewhere in the vast terra iMcOgnitd, some
where in the black regions of the great north
west, Il stream OF water known to the nonladIc
inhabitants Of the ncig hborhoolas the river st.
Croiy, became satisfied that the construction
of a railroad from that raging torrent to some
point in the civilized world WAS essential to the
happiness and prosperity oftlleAmerlcan people,
if not absolutely Indispensable to republican III
situations on this continent. Great Laughter !
| felt instnctivey that the bounllcss resources
of that
PROLIFIC REGION OF SAND AND PINE SHRUB
Berry
would never be fully developed without Il rail
road constructed and equipped ut the expense
Of the government, and perhaps not then.-
Laughter | had an abiding presemtlmcnt
that some day or other the people Of this
whole country, irrespective Of party affiliations
regardless of sectional prejudlces and without
distinction of race, color, ~ previous condition
of servitude would rise in their majesty and
demand IN outlet tor the enormous agricultural
products of those vast and fertile pine barrens,
drained in the rainy season by the slrglug
waters of the turbid ST. Croix. Great Laugh
ter
These impressions, derived simply and solely
from the eternal fitness OF things, We're not
only strengthened by the interesting and clio.
uucnt debate on this bill, to which | listened
with so much pleasure the other day. but in
tensifcd if possible: rs | read over this lnorn-
ing, the lively colloquy which took place on that
OCCASION.
WHO WILL HAVE THE MANHOOD
to rise in his scat ON this floor and assert that,
excepting the pine bushes, the entire region
would not produce vegetation enough in ten
years to t;ltten Il gr;lsshopper? Great laugh
ter Where is the patriot who is willing that
his country shall incur the peril OF remaining
another day without the amplest railroad con-
ncction with such an inexhaustible mine OF agrl-
cultural wealth? Laug liter. Who will an
swer for the consequences of abandoning great
and warlike people, in possession OF Il country
like that, to brood over the indifference and
neglect Of their government? Laughter. !
How long would it be before they would take
to studying the declaration Of independence and
Matching out
THE DAMNABLE IIERESY OF SECESSION!
How long before the grim demon Of civil dis
cord would rear again his horrd head in our
midst, 'gnash loud his iron fangs and shake
his crest of bristling bayonets? : Laughter.
Then, sir, think Of the long and painful
process of reconstruction that must follow,
with its
coNCoMITANT AMENDMENTS TO THE CoNsTT-
TUITION
the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth
articles The sixteenth, it is of course under
stood is to be appropriated to those blushing
damsels who are, day after day, bcseeching us
to let them vote hold office, drink cocktails,
ride astraddle, and do everything else the men
do. Rours Of laughter. But above all, sir;
let me implorc you to reflect for moment ON
the deplorasle condition of our country in case
of foreign war, with all orr ports bockaded,
all our cities in Il state Of siege, the gaunt
spectre of famine brooding like hungry vul-
ture over our starving land; our commissary
stores all exhausted, and our
FAAus1ING ARMIES W1THER1NG AWAY De-.
in the field, helpless prey to the insatiatc de-
mon OF hunger; our navy rotting i'll the dock
tor want OF provisions tor our gallant seamen,
whatever with the prolific pine thickets of St
Croix. Great Laughter.
All, sir, could very well understand why
my amiable friends from PENNSYLVANIA (Mr
Myers, Mr.. Kelly and Mr.. O'NeilD should be
so earnest in their support of this bill the other
day, and if their honorable colleague, my friend
Mr. Randall, will pardon the remark | will say
I considered his criticism of their action on that