The thought naturally occurs here: If such matter-of-course mention of
appalling debauch cry of political honor and morality reflects the
character of a conscience and foreshadows the scope of a purpose, - if
such were his estimate of Congress, and such his belief then - how much
are the Central Pacific magnates disposed to promise now to soon evade
and eventually escape payment of, say, $67,000,000 now nearly due to the
Government?



"The People Can Never Have an Open Highway."



In 1874, Thomas A. Scott, of Pennsylvania, proposed to build the Texas
and Pacific Railway, and to secure subsidies for that purpose from the
Southern States, as well as from Congress.

[With the question of subsidies in the abstract, this writing has
nothing to do.]

If he succeeded, the Southern Pacific would lose its early clutch on
the throat of our commerce, an hundred thousand voters would escape from
political bondage - its paralyzing grip would be weakened, if not
broken. There was deadly issue at once.

Scott wrote to Huntington Dec. 9, 1874:

"We expect to build our road to San Diego, as already pledged to the
public to do so." (No. 416. N. Y., Dec. 10, 1874.)