Mr. STEVENS. Very well. Iwill give the gentleman an opportunity before the expiration of my time. Having shown who the present corporators are, men I will venture to say, from what I have learned from good authority. who are in ferior to no set of men in the U.S. for energy and for skill in railroading, or for honor and integrity; having shown that this corporation is a true and vital corporation, let us proceed to inquire whether the object is worthy of the bill which we have before us. I confess, sir, with some degree of humiliation that until it became my duty, 2 years ago, as chairman of the ComPacificRR, to examine thoroughly into this question. [was in a deplorable state of ignorance with regard to the great interests of the Northwest to be affected by this project. I would rather not answer I propose to speak on the subject, and I knew less about it if possible than some of these gentlemen who are now up osing the road. HLaughter.} But, sir, I did evote considerable labor; waded through all I could find on the subject; the exlorations of Lewis and Clark, the surveys O General Stevens, down to the latest and most interesting explo rations of Captain Mullin. I there learned, what I have hoped all know but what I was late in learning, that there was in those Territories land enough uninhabited, where scarcely a white mans foot had ever trod, to make 11 States, each equal in size to the State in which I reside, and that of those 11 States 8 at least would each contain more arable land and land more fertile than the great State of Pennsylvania. It is true that in some of them there are many mountains, that there is much barren land; but not more in proportian to the whole area than there is in gennsylvania and Virginia and those very mountains, like the mountains of my own State, are the most interesting and valuable portions of the whole territory. M own State, filled with coal and other miners s, is very hilly and mountaine us. Yet those very barren hills, every acre of them, are worth more than 5 times the number of acres in the grand val ley in which I reside, and which is the most fertile and grain growing, I believe, of any in the Union and so it is with the very broken land, which is not arable, in the Territories to be traversed by this railroad. Those barren hills are filled with still more valuable minerals. Gold is yielded, not only in the sands of the rivers accordin to the Scriptures, but it is also found in the so did rock, an silver is found there in veins, pervadin a larger portion of that territory than any 0t ierportion of the U.S and if I have not allowed my imagination to delude my judgment I declare to you that I believe this is the richest mineral region upon the face of the globe, and that it contains more solid acres of gold and silveraud cinuebar and the other precious metals than any Other like portion not only of the U.S. but of the world. I may be mistaken, butl challenge those who have read and examined the authorities to contradict me by known facts, and not by any imaginary statement of facts.Now there is northward of the 45th parallel of latitude, and south of the British American line, territory sutheient to make more than 8 States, each equal to Pennsylvania, more than an average portion of which, a rest deal more than an average portion of which, compared with the State of Pennsylvania, is arable and fertile land. I had supposed that it was a barren waste until I had informed myself, as I supposed it to be my duty, by examining the subject. But I find that the soil is more fertile than that of the beautiful garden spot of my own county, although that is highly cultivated. Along the Red river settlements, wherever the country has been opened, to the Selkirk settlements, spring wheat will produce at the rate of 60 bushels to the acre, a thing unheard of in Pennsylvania and in most of the States of this Union. The smaller kind of corn will yield from 60 to 90 bushels to the acre, and in grass the country is not rivaled by any portion of this Union. Now, I assert I am giving no ovorvlrnwn picture, unless those who have dwelt there for years, and who are my guides, have misled me. Now thatis a country that is wholly unsettled and that is the reason urged by my most respected friendfrom Illinois [Mr. Wasniwaxn] for not building this railroad the cofintry is not settled, is not developed. Hence, I suppose he thinks it never should be. Sir, it is because it is not settled that I am in favor of aiding the construction of this railroad. These very railroads are in modern times the great civilizers, the great means for promoting the population of a country and roads were used for this purpose in ancient times, though not railroad is operated by steam. Rome built her solid roads which have stood until this day, her Appiau and other ways, leading from her great city to her provinces so that people might be induced to settle there, because of the means afforded them to bring their products to market at small cost and what has really settled the rent State of Illinois but her system of railroad s, her means of communication with the Atlantic sea board, where her people can find a market? Who would have gone there had their products been given no Opening to market, her corn worth but ten cents perbushel, and cheaperto burn as fuel than to transport to market? When markets are opened where products will realize a fair price, people will settle there rapidly and one oft. e main objects! have in moving this substitute is to settle this country alou this road. Give to this railroad the means O living for a little while, of commencing to draw her breath until she reaches a vigorous youth, then she will go on herself and pay her parents allher expenses; and she will people this whole country. Mr. Speaker, I happen to know the fact that a part of the scheme of this company is to bring into that region forthwith from Euro immigrants, 1st as laborers to build the railroad, and 2nd as settlers on the land, which they will purchase as payment for their labor. A gentleman of Boston, one of the men named in this bill, one of the largest shipping iner chants in the U.S. I need not mention his name informed me that he was along making prearations to send a line of vessels to the nort of europe, to bring from Ger many, from Norway, from Scotland, this very season, a large number of immigrants to settle upon that land, the climate of which is congenial with that in which they were raised and which they refer; so that if this bill should pass it would)not only be the means of securin5 the construction of this railroad. but it won] establish a line of packets which would popu late that country With the hardy free men of the north of Europe, men who will always be upon the side of freedom, who will always be read to aid us in any rebellious outbreaks which may come upon us from other quarters. Sir, God grant that we may soon fill up that country with such a population that, with the people of the great illorth, may be a counterpoise to the rebellious South, whose representatives when they come here will never permit us to do anything which may interfere with their projects. Sir, you must carry out this grand measure now if you are to do it ever. and, sir, when you thus fill u that grand country, what have you done? on have furnished for this nation the productive industr of millions. You have furnished for the pronets of the manufacturing portions of the country an outlet to that great region. God grant that men who represent here the great manufacturing States, such as my own, where the loom and the anvil and the spindle are heard, may fully realize the bearings of this question, and understand how by voting against this measure from merely captions and narrow considerations, they assist to crush their own people and the interests of the nation. But sir, by the assage of this measure, we not only help to (li upthat country with a poulation of which I doubt not we shall be pron, but we aid in establishing across this continent is great thoroughfare between lndin and Asia and the millions of Europe. None of the great thoroughfares of communication with Asia or India over carried half the wealth that would be carried upon this grand thoroughfare, starting not simply from Boston or Portland, but starting from Philadelphia, from NewYork, and every enterprising sea port of the country and extending in the direction I have mentioned. By such a measure as this, sir, we bind together our nation, because by it the countless millions which would soon swarm into that western world would be united by bonds of interest of affection I hope, but certainly of interest, which is stronger with those of the East, so that in the next half century, when this country shall count its 100sof millions of inhabitants, no man shall wish to break loose from this eat nation, this brotherhood of free man. s there nothing in a consideration like this? Cannot my friends around me realize its force? I know, sir, that some western people think there can be no western railroad unless it starts from Chicago. That is a narrow view. I do not expect this railroad to start from Lancaster or pass through Lancaster. I should be ashamed if any such motive should influence my vote upon this great question. But I do know that when this immense commerce comes upon those great inland lakes, a series of lakes more gran than the Baltic and the Black sea, it will distribute itself according to the enterprise and necessities of the different sections of the country. Some will go to Cleve land: some will go to Erie; some will go to Buffalo; some will pass on below; and what is left will go to Odensburg and thence find its way across NewEngland. Iperhnps ought not to speak thus loudly of a section of our country which some have threatened to “leave out in the cold.” But it will affect them all. The fur seeing men of that region are willing to take their chance. It extends the great thoroughfares from Erie, from Cleveland, from Chicago. We judge it will establish such a system of railroads as will be to the interest of the whole countr. Gentlemen. talk about speculators and a out particular sections. They would warp this own to a speculation for building up a articular section of the country. It is noting of the kind. Mr. Speaker, I am not well, and I am afraid that I have been somewhat diffuse. A man is always diffuse when he is feeble, and always feeble when he is diffuse. [Laughter Now let me proceed with the consideration of this bill. 2 years ago a munilicent grant of uncultivated lands was made to this company. What did we grant? nothing at all. By our general law any man could go and take up anyone of those sections without paying a dollar. We only aggregated on the same terms what individuals might take up. We granted to this corporation what each individuallycould have taken forhimselfunder our preemtion laws. When we grant lands to railroad companies we are not granting anything the Government has, because the Government gives it to every man who goes there. They say by this bill we are incurring great liabilities. What are they? The amendment of the bill provides that when they have 25 miles of the road built, and only then, shall the Government guaranty any money. When they have built 25 more we are to guar an more. We only guaranty the payment of interest as the road is constructed. At the end of 20 years allliability is to cease. This road will ay every dollar of interest by tolls alone. I it does not the Secretary is LutgOrized at the end of 90 days to sell the n. The Gentfrom Illinois caviled in ref erence to the section granting a relief from taxation for 2 years. In the substitute I have stricken it out. It provides that all the direct ors shall he citizens of the U.S. The gentleman is afraid we will have foreign capital in it. I hope we will get capital from Frank fort, for by the contraction of currency which has been provided for at this session we may need it. It is provided in the amendment that the Government shall be called upon to guarant for the 1st year 50 miles, for the sec on year 150, 3rd year 350, and in 1870, 550. If they cannot be called upon faster than that, why no one will doubt that by 1870 the whole will be paid. The most that any moment can be charged is $1,000,000. Yet they talk of $60,000,000 or $70,000,000. I know, from a distinguished source, of a wagon road from Sacramento to the valley of Nevada paying tolls on supplies from miners of over one million dollar. When this railroad gets into the valley of nevada it will times the amount suggested. Madng 100 miles off or 200 miles 05 you strike the head waters of the Missouri, and I say that the carrying trade not to speak of emigration that the carrying trade to supply the miners of that country will pay 20tive%. 3 titnes over. Gentlemen delu e themselves, and try to delude others, when they talk of loss to the Government. It will be recollected all these things are in the amendment I have proposed. This is a road w in will run all the year unobstructed by snow. Among the information I obtain when I was chairman of the committee was that the buffalo went there to spend the winter to get away from the Black hills where the staid formerly. I learned that at Walla Walla, in 46 degrees, the mean temperature was precisely like that of Washington. In the willamette valley, in 4cl ht degrees, it was precisely that of Philade phia in 40 degrees and so on. I am afraid that there is not time enough left for the Gentfrom Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, how much time have I left?