Mr. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, this question, like allgreatnational questions, ought not to be discussed and is not to be decided either by butfoonery or vulgar denunciation. There are times and places when such things are pertinent, but not in the grand council of the nation when considering a great question of national importance. There we ought to have the calm judginent operating upon well ascertained and not perverted facts. There are large minds that can take in the whole of a nation. There are small minds that can see only the purlieus of Delaware county or other places. What does not affect them cannot affect the great questions of legislation. There are none such here of the latter kind. I refer to that simply as illustration. [Lnughten] Now, let us see how we can look over this whole nation, from the Pacific to the Atlantic ocean, and not inquire how this particular measure affects my village or my constituents alone, but how it affects this great nation and posterifly; for this is a subject worthy to comman a consideration of this kind: and when that is done, and the facts which have been grossly perverted by gentlemen who have madetheir speeches here shall be put right before this House, I shall willingly leave it to the cool and sober judgment and candid action of this American Congress, and whatever may be their decision upon the ques 1tion I shall submit to with pleasure. I may i regret a decision thntis adverse to what I deem to be the interest of the nation. butI shall have no comlaint to make against any. None who have fairly treated it can fairly be complaiiied of, for they had a right. so to treat it. In the 1st place, therefore, let us consider the importance of this question. Is it as important as I have indicated? In the 2nd place, let us consider the liability or the risk which this nation is to incur; whether we are to embarrass the finances of the country, as the heated imagination of some entle men seem to suppose by this measure. orif this is to take from other and more worthy objects, such as the compensation to our soldiers and sailors, and especially our one legged soldiers, [laughter] I certainly shall expect no man to vote for it. In my judgment it is the most important measure ever presented to an American congress, and it is one in which the most good can be conferred upon this nation and upon posterity with the least possible risk. But before I enter upon that view I will take up a few of the preliminary objections, so that the brush being cleared away we may build more firmly upon a solid foundation. Our distinguished friendfrom Illinois [Mr. WENTWORTH] thinks there are no rewrds, no by lsws of this company. Now, I know that people as far out West as Chico o are not to e expected to enter into the light literature of the East, and read the matters connected with the great western railroads, and therefore I do not wonder that myfriend had no knowl edge that shook called “the Northern Pacific Railroad Corn any and its Charter and organization, ” which I hold in my hand, containin the charter, the by laws, and the origina orfinization of the company. existed.