Mr. DRIGGS. Mr. Speaker, as no Gentfrom in State has et been heard on this question, I eel imclle to present some re marks upon the subject; and I shall be as brief as possible. Sir, when this question was 1st presented to the attention 0? Congress, I feltit in duty as a citizen of the State of Michigan, eeling an interest in everything that concerns the N orthwest, to leave my seat here and visit the cit of Boston to ascertain all that I could in reerence to the responsibility of this company and everything connected with it. I met in Boston, under the auspices of the Board of Trade, the representatives. of the Northern Pacific railroa. As the result of my exami nation, I can only say that, according to my information, the standing of this comny for respectability and responsibility is of the highest character. have no doubt, Mr. Speaker, that the company now representing tie grant of land by Congress to aid in the construction of this road are as respectable as any gentlemen who ever associated themselves together in a public work. It would be a little curious to notice the geo graphical location of the gentlemen who oppose this measure. It will be noticed that they have made the discovery that this road is to start from Puget sound on the Pacific and end at Lake Superior. They have also discov cred that it may have an eastern outlet across by the Straits of Mackinaw and down to Detroit fthere connecting with roads leading south from that point. I want rit understood by Gentlemen who oppose this bill because Chicago has not been ffited upon as a point, that they can tap the road. by their system and have a branch road from akc Superior to Chicago. In the winter season until the road can be completed East, across the straits through Michigan, it will have to make its connection with the Wisconsin and Illinois railroads, so as to reach the eastern roads at Chicago, for it is known that the lakes can be navigated only for a portion of the year. It was my good fortune on visiting Bostonto be the wcom anion of Captain Mulliu, who surveyed and ms been asso ciated with the Northern Pacific railroad from the commencement, and from him I learned some very interesting facts. The captain is a very practical man. He stated to me thatby building a short road over a portage of some 350 miles between the navigable head waters of the Yellowstone and Columbia rivers the entire connection between the Atlantic and Pacific can be elieeted, and goods and assengers transported from the Atlantic to the Pacific inten days. 4 I have not the time to go into all the details of this proposition. look upon this as a local work. Some of the gentlemen who oppose the bill are interested in the construction of the Central Pacific railroad for which a magnificent grant of land and money has been made, and now when the great Northwest seeks to secure an outlet to the Pacific, for local reasons these same gentlemen come in and oppose the measure. When the Gentfrom Illinois [Mr. Wasanramz] was speaking on the details of the bill it did occur to me that some amendments in reference to the conveyance of the lands were necessary. By the amendment before the House I understand the title does not pass until the road is built. That obviates that difficult. The next question is as to the liability of the Government. As the bill has been amended not one dollar is guarantied until the road is built. I undertake to say even if every dollar of that money was lost it would be the cheapest 60 millions ever expended on a great national work. My friendfrom Ohio [Mr. BINGHAM] says very truly that not a dollar would be lost, and I indorse that declaration. We can get it back on account of the carriage of the U.S. mails, and by security or 1/2 of the land, and in various other ways. The Government can hold securities until it gets back every dollar. In the upperpeninsula which I represent there are coppermines, and if the road be bnilt it will open that region to commerce. But I regard it as a national work, and one of the greatest importance. No Gentfrom NewEngland, NewYork, NewJerse, Indiana, Ohio, or any of the other States should oppose it. For by connecting at Detroit, in the State of Michigan, with the southern system of roads and the roads leading to the Atlantic cities, they will all have the hehefit of this Northern Pacific railroad, and the bill for the encouragement of the building of which I hope will pass, but as I promised to occupy but ten minutes of the time of the Gentfrom Ohio [Mr. Bmousm] I muste ose my remarks and yield the floor to him.