The Washington herald., 1915-09-10
HISTORY BUILDERS.
Gov. Marcy as Railroad Advocate.
Written expressly for The Washington HeraldJ
BY DIR. E. J. EDWARDS.

tNrltten iNITpSsy inr Inc "asHHst'h
BY DIR. T.. }. EDWARDS.
while the State of New York has
furnished only two men who were
elected Presidents of the United States
although there were two other sons
of New York who. having been elect
ed as Vice Presidents. succeeded to
the Presidency-stillt the record which
New York State has made in the State
Department at Washington is unsur-
passed by that of any other state"
This statement was made TO me by
the late Charles G. Clarke, who was
at one time assistant treasurer OF
New York State and was afterward
associated for forty years with the
Vanderbilts in the executive manage
ment of the New York Central sys-
TEN.
1T was my good fortune to have an
acquaintance with Martin Van Buren,.
with William l.. Marcy, with William
II. Seward. with Hamilton Fish. and
with William NJ. Evarts all Of whom
served as Secretary of State. all sons
of New York, and all of whom per-
formed brilliant service in that ca
pacity While / was a personal friend
and warm admirer of William III. Sew
ard, nevertheless. | am inclined to
think that perhaps the ablest Secre-
tary of State New York furnished was
William l.. Marcy. 1 knew Gov. Marcy
well I used often to see him in AL
bany and he paid occasional visits TO
the State treasurer's office when
was serving as assistant treasurer. One
afternoon l had a very pleasant con-
versation with him. although it was
after he had retired from the State
Department at Washington. where he
served for four years as Secretary of
State under President Pierce.
Marcy told me that one of the first
things which he advocated after the
Cabinet was organized was the sending
of a corps of engineers to explore and
then to survey a satisfactory route Tor
a railroad from the Missouri River 20
the Pacific He furthermore told me
that Daniel Webster. who was his prede-
cessor rs Secretary of State when Mill
lard Fillmore was President. had been
very anxious that the government should
take steps to secure a survey for rai.-
road through to the Pacific. California
had Just been admitted to the Union as
a State. II was known that her deposits
Of gold were very great and that NM
ing on q large scale would be carried On
in the State Webster felt that the best
means of securing good government and
of maintaining tne SioPc
the Union would be secured by building
a railroad. Marcy agreed thoroughly
with Webster in that view and he founi
that President Pierce and the Cabinet
we're in accord with him. Thei efore. tine
government organized corps Of army
engineers and sent these men out to eN-
More and then survey a route suitable
for a railroad from the Missouri River
TO the Pacific. These engineers did sur
yey a route which. 1 believe. was suo-
stantially the one adopted years after
ward when the Northern racine Ral-
road was built. I inferred from what
Gov. Marcy said to me that he regarded
this act as one of the most important
NJ all the acts Identified with the al
ministration Of President Pierce"
lcorrrsht. 1915. by 4. J. Edwards. All nsn''
reserved)
Tomorrow DR.. Edwards will tell what
We Actually Paid Mexico.