ine of quasi fortifications, a line of posts and stations, with
settlements on each side of the road. Every few miles you will thus
have settlements strong enough to defend themselves against inroads
of the Indians, and so constituting a wall of separation between the
Indian tribes, composed of a white population, with arms in their
hands. This object alone would, perhaps, be worth as much as the
road will cost; and when I speak of what the road will be worth in
this respect, I mean to say, that besides the prevention of savage
warfare, the effusion of blood, it will save millions of dollars to
the treasury annually, in the greater economy attained in moving
troops and military supplies and preventing hostilities.

. . .

I have been thus particular in noting these things because I want to
show where or on which side the balance will be found in the
adjustment of the responsibility account between the friends and the
opponents of this measure--which will have the heaviest account to
settle with the country.

For myself, I am not wedded to this particular scheme. Rather than
have no road, I would prefer to adopt other projects. I am now
advocating one which I supposed would meet the views of a greater
number of Senators than any other. I think great honor is due to
Mr. Whitney for having originated the scheme, and having obtained
the sanction of the legislatures of seventeen or eighteen States of
the Union. Rather than have the project altogether fail, I would be
willing to adopt this plan. It may not offer the same advantages for
a speedy consummation of the work; but still, we would have a road
in prospect, and that would be a great deal. But if gentlemen are to
rise here in their places year after year--and this is the fifth
year from the time we ought to have undertaken this work--and tell
us it is just time to commence a survey, we will never have a
road. The honorable Senator from South Carolina [Mr. Butler] says
there ought to be some limitation in this idea of progress, when
regarded as a spur to great activity and energy, as to what we shall
do in our day. He says we have acquired California; we have opened
up those rich regions on our western borders, which promises such
magnificent results; and he asks, is not that enough for the present
generation? Leave it to the nest generation to construct a work of
such magnitude as this--requiring forty millions of dollars from
the government. Mr. Preside