The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 78, July 1974 - April, 1975 Page: 127
562 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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To Build a Pacific Railroad I27
James Gadsden, who had recently returned from negotiations with Santa
Anna, rose to defend Pike by concluding that most of the delegates had
misinterpreted Pike's resolutions. This was simply one proposal to build a
Pacific railroad, he said, nothing more. The corporation Pike planned
would naturally include only those states interested in it and would not be
binding on the others. Something had to be done, he told them, before
some northern concern took advantage of generous Texas land grants and
then refused to build a railroad.1
After a brief debate on Gadsden's comments, Dawson temporarily resigned
the presidency in order to enter into the discussion.32 In support of Pike's
general plan, he said that the real problem appeared to be whether such
a proposed interstate corporation could be formed and whether, if formed,
it could complete a transcontinental railroad. He pointed out that at this
time almost every southern state had incorporated companies to build rail-
roads toward the Pacific. Although most of these lines stopped, or would
stop, at the Texas border, a Texas charter and land grant would enable
them to continue to the Rio Grande at El Paso. He did not feel that build-
ing west of El Paso posed a serious problem. He suggested, as Memucan
Hunt had in 1853, that various companies unite and persuade Congress
to grant alternate sections of land to finance this last portion of the project.
He was sure that, after the land grant and subsequent allotments to the
companies, they would collectively build a railroad to the Pacific."
As Dawson returned to the president's chair, Pike again took the floor.
With reinforcement from Dawson and Gadsden, he proved far more effec-
tive this time. First he dismissed his attackers by declaring that their argu-
ments were based on neither fact nor reason. Some delegates had called his
scheme "impracticable." Attempting to disparage such remarks he replied,
"Whenever in all past history was there a great scheme propounded which
some men did not declare impracticable?" Building a Pacific railroad was
difficult, he said, only because certain individuals were unable or unwilling
to take charge of the situation. No one, Pike insisted, had yet proposed a
plan that was within the means of existing economic and political realities.
For instance, most plans required land grants. But exclusive dependence on
land grants was useless, he told the delegates. Texas lands east of El Paso
slIbid. Could Gadsden have been this ignorant of the work Walker's New York com-
pany was doing in Texas?
32His chair was occupied by Maury.
s3Charleston Daily Courier, April 18, 1854. See Hunt's speech in Daily Chronicle &
Sentinel (Augusta, Georgia), June 17, 1853.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 78, July 1974 - April, 1975, periodical, 1974/1975; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117149/m1/162/: accessed April 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.