Mr. WOODBRIDGE. There is no written report, and of that the gentleman has already been several times informed.Mr. Speaker, sooner or later this great work must be accomplished. The natural growth of our country and the immense emigration which is now and will continue to pour upon as demand it; and in my opinion it will not be done by our citizens an for the interest of our country without the aid of Government, and I hope to be able to show in the course of my remarks that the passage of the bill will neither deplete our Treasury norinjure our credit at home or abroad. The question is, shall we pass the bill now or delay it to some future day? Delay is fatal to the grant; for unless 50 miles of the road is completed within one year the charter is for: feited. I know it is said that the charter is not worth protecting; that it is a mere speculaqtion; that the line is so far north, that it is not, practicable; that the snow would interrupt the) operation of the road for 4 or 5 monthsj in the year, if it were built. The fact is thatA l until you reach the Rocky mountains the team erature is about that.of Philadelphia, as shown" by the isothermal line; and that at the highest point upon the line the mean temperature is about that of Albany. Thus it appears that the road may be run the entire year with less difficulty than it could be in my own State. I will now consider this bill as a national, commercial, and economical question. For mineral wealth no portion of the earth equals the slopes of the Rocky mountains and thither the great tide ofemigration will naturally flow. To make these masses, coming from every quarter of the globe, homogeneous and ada ted to our institutions, the fostering care of government must be extended to them. Cut off from the great commercial centersand the high est civilizations by immense distances and no facilities for communication they will naturally take but little interest in our Government. It is estimated, sir, that in the year 1900the U.S. will have a population of 100 million souls. what the condition and character of that population shall be is a question of the deepest interest, and may well engage the thought ul attention of both states men and philanthropists. Our immense emi gration from the 01 World is from the poorer and industrial classes. Afier arriving upon Our shores they ordinarily have but little eft, and are mainly dependent upon their own industry. To make them healthful elements in society they must become producers instead of consumers. to enable them to become producers they must be provided with lands at cheap rates. Now, sir, this railroad runs through a productive country of an area sufficient to make 12 or 14 States as large as Pennsylvania. By grantin the aid asked for in the bill, in a few years this territory will be opened up and be within reach of he industrious emigrant. That which is now undeveloped and worthless will become occupied and valuable. The lands now entirely without value will become a source of large revenue to the Government. Again, Mr. Speaker, let us consider this question in a commercial point of view. The strength of a nation, next to the intelligence of its people and the purity of its ballot box, is in its commercial power. What will be the effect of this route, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, upon the commercial interests of the country? The terminus of the route upon the Pacific will be within 4,000 miles of China and India. England will be within 36 days of Hong ong, and NewYork within 27. The tea and silk and coffee and spices of the East for ourselves and for the largest portion of Europe will be transported over this line. In a word, this country will become the carriers of the vast trade between Europe and the East. The measure also commends itself in a military point of view. The distance between the oint where this route strikes the Pacific and SanFrancisco is about 1,000 miles. In case of war all military supplies must betrnns ported along the coast, as well as all the Military forces, exposed to destruction from the vessels of the enemy. With this road in operation men and supplies could be transported from the Atlantic sea board within one week and in perfect safety. Again, the route runs near the boundary line between our country and the British possessions, thus affording the greatest facilities and protection in case of a future difficulty with England. Mr. Speaker, I will now for a moment consider the question as an economical measure; and 1st, it will be the means of bringing into market a vast amount of land, which must necessarily remain unoccupied until by means of a railroad it becomes accessible. The lands, now valueless to the Government, will be taken, and by means thereof a revenue returned far exceeding any amount of interest which, under any circumstances, can be called for. Again, Mr. Bazaker it appears from a communication of General Meigs that during the I fiscal year ending June 30, 1865, the cost of transporting military stores across the lains was 6, 388, 856 37. In my judgment, if this road was in operation, Government itself during the last year would have saved in transportation more than the interest on $57,000,000, being the maximum sum upon which, under any circumstaiices, the interest is to be guarantied. Again, sir, it is estimated by GenlSherman that 100,000 men will cross the plains this year. Montana has probably now a population of 30,000, and by estimation her population will double the coming year. As the (population of the mining regions extends an increases an increase of military force for their protection is demanded, and hence the expense of transportation to the Government Wlll enlarge year after year. Hence I believe that as a national, commercial, and economical measure the bill commends itself to our favorable consideration. Now, sir have we any recedents to rely upon I when the Central acifie charter was granted Congress made large donations of and, and loaned the bonds of the Government to something over 30,000 dollars permile, taking the 1st security on the road. At the last session of congress the corporation asked Congress to permit them to issue their own bonds to an amount equal to those to be advanced by the Government and make them a prior lien to the Government advances. Their prayer was granted, and in addition thereto there was a further grant of lands, and although it was then said that such legislation would bankrupt our Treasury and greatly injure our public credit, the result has proved otherwise. This bill provides that Government shall for 20 years guaranty the interest at six%. on about 57 million dollars, being about half the estimated cost of the road. As a security to the Government it provides that as the lands lying upon the sout side of the road are sold the avails shall be paid into the Treasury of the U.S. in liquidation of the interest advanced. It further provides that as soon as 25 miles of the road is put in operation 25%. of the gross receipts shall also be paid into the Treasury for the same purpose. I have estimated that at the end of the year 1867 50 miles of the road will be completed. Government would then be obli d to ay $96,000. In 1868 100 andity mi cs will be built, and Government be obliged to pay $288,000. In 1869 350 miles will be built, and Government be obliged to pay $672,000. In 1870 the entire distance finished will be 550 miles, and Government be obliged to pay $1,056,000; so that at the end of the year 1870 Government would pay in all $2, 112,000. At that time 550 miles of the road will be in operation, which will have cost the company $17, 600,000. Vast amounts of land will be sold and occupied, and Government be receiving 25%. of the gross receipts of the road and the proceeds of the sale of all the lands lying upon its south side. If the above estimates are even approximately correct, and the figures of my friendfrom Iowa [Mr. PRICE] are true, then at that time, and for the remaining 16 years, Government will be receiving from the company amounts fully equal to the guarantied interest. Mr. Speaker, the future of our glorious country justifies this legislation. Its progress, if we are true to ourselves, can hardly be estimated. By looking the Pacific to the Atlantic the Orient will be brought to our doors, America will be the highway of the nations, and “NewYork the banking house of the world.” In the language of an eloquent writer"This is the age of the people. They are the sovereigns of the future. It is he a of ideas. The people of America stand on the threshold of a new era. We are to C"moin contact with a people numbering nearly half the population of the globe claiming a nationality dating back to the time of Moses. A 100,000 Chinese are in California and Oregon and every ship sailing into the harbor of SanFrancisco brings a load of emigrants from Asia. What is to be the effect of this contact with the Orient upon our civilization? What the result of this pouring in of emigrants from every country of the world of all languages manners customs nationalities and religions? Can they be assimilated into a homogeneous mass? These are grave question deevemraynEdhinrigstthiaen earnest and careful consideration of philanthropist and patriot. We have fought for existence and have a name among the nations. But we have still the nation to save. Railroads. Telegraphs steamships, printing presses schools, platforms. egg pulpits are the agents of modern civilization through them we are to secure unity strength, and national life. Securing these Asia inn send over her millions of idol worshipers without detriment to ourselves. With these, America “is to give life to the long slumbering Orient. So ever toward the setting sun the course of empire ltiabkeerstyit.soivfncyiV.niloilatiocne, mapnidrethoefd Cehsrpisottiiasnmr.beuligt ioofn.i"fc.