Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1878-05-24
x PACIFIC Road.
Synopsis Of Senator LamaF's spssch-A
Stress Argument 10 FaVur Of Govern.


msHt Aid.
WAsHIHeToS, May 22.-.In the Senate
after the morning hour, the regular or
der was laid aside, and Senator Lamar
proceeded to address the Senate on the
Texas Pacific Railroad. He spoke Of
the great importanc ) Of the work, said
the Company had slready completed
AS miles, which Is doing va!uatle SER
vice in developing the country through
which Il passed. The length Of the
road TO be constructed Is ! 400 miles,
and while the amount OF b nds to be
issued could not exceed $1,000 900,
the amount Of interest 10 be
guaranteed by the Government could
not exceed in round numbers $1,000
600 per annum. The friends Of the
bill advocated lie passage TO complete
q part OF the great railroad system
Of connection between the AT.
lAntice and Pacific O3eans. The
construction OF this road will
open new aud valuable markets
for our surplus products, and the ad.
vantages 10 the Government and the
people to be derived from the road
would be ample compensation for the
aid now asked. He then argued that
the Government would be secured for
aid in the extension by mortgage on the
entire road, by all earnings of The
road, and by all dues from the Govern.
men. for the transportation OF mails,
military supplies and troops. He then
spoke Of objections 10 the bill, and said
the single question before the Senate
was whether the Government woAld
expend 100000 annually for the
purpose ofthe construction ofthis road,
the value Of which could not be
measured in dollars. The amount ask
ed was not half that appropriated An.
nually for rivers and harbors; was not
&c much as the Government expended
before the wal for mail transportation
alone to the Pacific coast, and that was
at q time when we had but 100000
people, aud the postal demands Of the
country we're not what they are now.
II was not q fair statement OF this case
10 say hat the passage OF this bill com.
mitted the Government 10 a great debt,
Take the appropriations for the army
for tho next 6hy years were they re-.
garded now as debt? They brought no
remuneration, but in the case Of the
road the Government became q creditor
OF the road.
Referring 10 the Pacii; States and
territories, be said the sudden acquisi.
ton Of our Pacific empire was a re.
markabie epoch in the political history
OF this country. Some Of our states.
men regarded the event with an enthu.
sias;ic feeling, and others were defect.
ed. He then quoted from the speech
Of Webster on this subject 10 the effect
that it was almost impossible for this
vast empire 10 be integrated into our
political system. NJ. Lamar next
referred 10 the views that were
entertained on the subject by VIM. H.
Seward, John P. Hale, and other
statesmen, and said It was held that the
United States, to maintain lie hol on
that Western empire, must connec, /,
with the Atlantic by a series OF rail.
roads which private enterprise could
not accomplish, but must be done by the
Federal Government. He then spoke
OF bill introduced in the House OF
Representatives in 1852, by Mr.. Rusk,
Of Texas, and said 1t was defeated by
those who at that time doubled the
constitutional power of the Govern.
ment to construct the road. Had II not
been for those constitutional objections
q railroad would be running over this
route. He argued that there were no
Constitutional grounds against Gov.
eminent aid in the construction OF the
road, and read a letter from Il. NJ. I.
Hunter, Of Virginia, who formerly of.
fered a bill, on the Constitutions
grounds. He states he still retained
these general views, but in many re-
specls they had been modified BY ex.
perience and the results Of the war.
He next referred to grants 10 other
Pacific Railroads, and said to the
Northern Pacific The Government had
given a land grant Of a, 900 900 acres ;
TO the Union and Central Pacific Il had
given 100000 acres OF land and i,s
bonds to a ~prodigiOus amount, and aid
10 the Texas Pacific was but Is. OOO,0O 0
acres. The people Of the South had
already invested a million In the road,
and built AS mileP, but were unable 10
build more. The Legislature OF every
State in the South had passed resolu.
tons fsvoring Government aid in the
construction Of the road. lie spoke OF
the advantages OF soil and climate in
the South, aud argued that the cost Of
living there was cheap, and taxation
every year growing less b~urdensome.
Throughout her territory we're great
rivers which neither frcze up in the
Winter nor dried up in Summer, and
could turn her spindles all the wear
round. The Southern States had but a
small portion Of their cotton land under
cultivation they could raise cotton
, enough TO clotte the whole world. The
markets Of China, japan, and other
eastern countries presented greater ad.
vantsges to the United States, and
with the construction of the Texas Pa.
cifcroad we would be brought in more
intimate relation with these countries
He was satisfied that the construction
Of The Texas Pacific road would be 4
prompt and most Efficient means for ths