Year: 1859




ferred to the Committee on Finance.
Mr.. johnson of Tennessee said he would
call up the Homestead bill at all early day.


The Pacific Railroad bill was taken up.


Mr.. Gwinn expressed the hope that the final
vote would be taken on Thursday next.


Mr.. Wilson of Massachusetts, addressed the
Senate.


SENATOR WILSON on THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.


Mr.. Wilson said that two years before the
acquisition of California, before its placers OF
gold had lured our countrymen to the shores OF
the Pacific, the idea wUs conceived ofa railway
transit across the continent which would make
our country the great highway between Eu-
rope and Asia. Since the treaty Of Guada-
loupe- Hidalgo gave our Republic the title deed
of empire, the construction of railroad to the
Pacific had engaged the profound attention of
the nation.


The opinion of the people had been pro-
nounced in favor of the speedy completion Of
that national work, which would carry into the
heart Of the Continent the light of Christian
civilization, develop the wealth and power of
the nation, and bind together the dwellers on
the Atlantic and Pacific slopes Of the Rocky
Mountains. He should not discuss the general
issues involved in the construction of that
great work. for those issues had been discuss
ed, before the people, and they had pronounced
for it.


The sole questions for consideration were
"On what route shall the road be construct
ed g and GLOW shall it be built" The route
from Lake Superior to Puget Sound was the
shortest; it had good hard wood and water ;
but the nation can hardly be asked to take
route on the extreme Northern frontier. He
would willingly vote to give at least 30, 900
acres of land to the mile, to aid in the con-
struction of such work over that route.


The central route across the continent, from
the Missouri to San Francisco, would be pre-
eminently national route. 1t would accom-
modate the country, North and South. He
was for that route, because it was for the whole
country The route on the Southern run of
the country, by the way of Ell Paso, was
mere sectional route The country from Ell
Paso to the Pacific, was an arid region of bar
ren sands; over most of it sterility reigns-
birds can hardly fly over it without carrying
their provisions with them.


The Senator from Georgia, Mr. Iverson, had
proposed to build Two roads-a Northern and a
Southern road-one bordering the territories
of the British Queen, and the other on the
frontier of Mexico. That Senator thought the
time was at hand when the South must 90 out
OF the Union, or give up slavery and was for
going out if the Senator from New York, or
amy Of his compeers, shall be elected President
in 1860, which he seems to think may be the





the free States.


That Senator might rest assured that the
threat to raise the demon of disunion in 1860
would not make the Senator from New York,
Mr.. Seward, Mr.. Chase of Ohio Read of Penn
sylvania, Banks of Massachusetts, or their po-
lltlcal associates whose names had been CON
nected with the Presidency, any the less dear
to the freemen of the country. But the Sen
ator from Georgia would construct a road over
the I'll Paso route preparatory to receding from
the Union.


This Southern route had been known as the
Desert, but hereafter would be known as the
Disunion route. While he (Wilson would
not vote for any plan that would make that
route the national highway to the Pacific, he
would vote any amount of lands to build it as
local route. He would give the whole south
of the 34th parallel from El Paso to the State of
California, to the construction OF this local
road


He was opposed to the bill reported by the
Committee, because he deemed it wholly mad
equate to construct the road. 1t would not Sc
cure money enough to locate the road. Men
OF capital would not embark in any such
scheme, and it would pass into the control of
class of greedy spectators, men like the OPP
orators in the Texas Pacific road, men who
would take millions of stock when they had
not dollar to invest.


If the bill pass, in its present form, we may
see the road constructed through four or five
hundred miles Of the best land of the Missouri,
from the Big Sioux to the State of Texas, and
we may see the road in that State built to the
slaked plains where the desert begins, one hun
dred and fifty miles this side of Eel Paso. But
we should then find that the road would not be
made over the sands and barren plains from
that point to the borders of California.


Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota,
had millions of the richest lands ON the CONT
nent, and, with money at and per cent. in
New York, those States could not raise money
to construct their magnificent railways. How
and when could seventy-fiye or one hundred
millions Of money be raised for lands, only one
third of which were available, to construct that
great national work


He was for the speedy construction of rail
way to the Pacific, over the central regions of
the country, and to accomplish that object he
had proposed to amend the pending bill, by
providing at once for the location and construc-
tion Of the work by the money of the nation.
lie proposed to set apart the proceeds Of the
public lands within one hundred and fifty miles
of the road, as fund to pay the bonds issued
to construct the road Adopt this plan enter
at once upon this great work, at the boundless
credit Of the nation, and in ten years, perhaps
sooner, we should see railroad from the Mis-
souri, to San Francisco and, although he be-
ieved the road would not for years pay divi-
dends upon its cost, it would illume the plains,
passes, and recesses of the interior of the
Republic with the light of civilization de-
velope the power and wealth of the nation
and tend to the unity of the country by bind
ing together with ties of interest, and affection,
the millions who are hereafter to live on the
Atlantic and Pacific slopes


To accomplish an object so vast, so compre-
hensive, so national, so important to the safety
of the country, the expenditure of $l50,000 900,
even if it should be sunk in the work, would
be but small and insignificant affair."


1t was work Of great magnitude, of meal
culable importance, and he was ready now to
enter upon the work by voting the money ne
cessary to accomplish it, and in giving such a
route, he was sure he was taking the only
practicable course that would make railway
to San Francisco consumnated fact


The rest of the day till five o'clock was oc-
cupied by explanations which rose out of Mr..
Wilson's remarks without disposing of the
subject, the Senate adjourned.


HOUSE.


Mr.. Hill of Georgia asked, but failed to OBJ
tain, consent to offer joint resolution, declar-
ing that no new State ought to be admitted
into the Union till it has been ascertaned by a
census that she has sufficient population for a
member of the House, according to the federal
ratio.


The House took up the resolution reported
at the last session, from the Committee on For
eign Affairs, disappearing of the act of Com.
Pauldng III the seizure of Walker and his
followers. lnasmuch as the view of the
President is in accordance with his position,
the committee think no action is necessary
Special amendments thpretn are nendinp