1850 American Gold Baron

Chapter 319 Complete California

As a relatively mature politician, Fillmore's policy agenda is obviously more mature and more practical.

After these two rounds of debate, Fillmore won the debate without any doubt.

After the debate, Liang Yao and others congratulated Fillmore.

If nothing else, Fillmore should win 35 votes in his home state.

The Crystal Palace has generally been renovated and the main building is ready for normal use.

Taking advantage of Fillmore's speech and debate in New York, Liang Yao invited Fillmore to cut the ribbon for the opening of the Crystal Palace.

Fillmore is now a top figure in the United States and is a native of New York State. It is most appropriate to ask him to cut the ribbon for New York's new commercial center, the Crystal Palace.

Faced with Liang Yao's invitation, Fillmore did not refuse and readily agreed.

Fillmore walked off the debate stage at New York City Hall. He looked up at the magnificent marble palace belonging to Stewart and said: "If the Crystal Palace in London can be replicated in New York and used as a shopping mall, other shopping malls in New York will be eclipsed.

Eclipsed."

Fillmore did not personally attend the 1851 London World's Fair, but he had seen daguerreotypes of the London World's Fair, and he was deeply impressed by the grand buildings made of steel and glass in the photos.

I heard that the Crystal Palace in London has been demolished. It would be a grand event to recreate a building like the Crystal Palace in New York.

"I'd like to lend you your kind words," Liang Yao said with a smile.

Fillmore invited Liang Yao to ride in a carriage with him. He also had some things to discuss with Liang Yao alone.

Originally, the split within the Whig Party prevented him from having high hopes for a successful re-election. However, after personally contacting Pierce and debating on stage today, Fillmore has become more confident in his re-election.

The Democratic candidates are no different.

Fillmore is now beginning to think about what to do after re-election.

He didn't want to be an unknown president of the United States. Of course, Fillmore understood. He could also see that the conflict between the North and the South would inevitably lead to an unavoidable civil war in the future.

Mild means cannot resolve the conflict of interests between the North and the South. Only by reshuffling the country through war can it be completely resolved.

After so many years in politics, Fillmore still has this vision and judgment.

Since there is no way to avoid civil war, and we don't want to bear the reputation of a civil war president, the only feasible way is to delay the outbreak of this civil war and prevent it from breaking out during his term.

As for when the civil war will break out, let it be left to the next president.

"As long as I am re-elected, I will fully support the Pacific Railway."

In the spacious carriage compartment, Fillmore said to Liang Yao.

"But I hope that this railway can be completed during my term of office and I will personally cut the ribbon for this railway."

Fillmore hoped that a great project like the Pacific Railway across the North American continent would become a political achievement during his term. This was also the condition for Fillmore to support Liang Yao in building this railway.

He didn't want this railway to become his successor's political achievement and give his successor advantages in vain.

"Done on your watch? It's a little difficult, but I'll try my best."

Regarding Fillmore's harsh request, Liang Yao looked reluctant, gritted his teeth and agreed, and he also put forward his conditions.

"However, the Pacific Railway Act needs to be passed in Congress as soon as possible. It will take four years to complete the construction of this railway. It is equivalent to building about 2 kilometers of railway a day. There are also many sections in mountainous areas that require bridges to lay the railway.

."

Historically, the Pacific Railway took 6 years and 5 months to complete. Completing the project in 4 years was a big challenge for Liang Yao.

However, Liang Yao also has his advantage, that is, the western starting point of this railway is no longer Sacramento, but Reno or Carson in Nevada, and the railway mileage to be built is reduced by more than 200 kilometers.

Historically, when the Pacific Railway was built, it was still in the midst of the Civil War, and the federal government, which was in financial distress, gave relatively limited substantive support to the Pacific Railway.

Although the current federal government is divided among people, it is still a unified government, and its finances are better than during the war.

Furthermore, Liang Yao now has the ability to mass-produce nitroglycerin explosives, an advantage that was not available when building the Pacific Railway in history.

Completing the construction of this railway in four years is not an impossible task.

Furthermore, Liang Yao himself also hoped that the railway would be completed during Fillmore's term, so as to avoid long nights and dreams.

"I may pass this bill within a month after I take office." Fillmore promised Liang Yao, his tone was very firm.

"With your words, I feel relieved." Liang Yao said.

"You have been in charge of the US-Mexico border for some time. What do you think of Mexico's military strength?" Fillmore continued the next topic.

"Mexican army?" Liang Yao pondered for a long time. After confirming that the Mexican army had nothing to boast about, he gave the Mexican army a very pertinent evaluation, "It is a piece of loose sand and vulnerable to a single blow."

This is not because Liang Yao looks down on the Mexican army, but because the Mexican army is really unbearable.

Mexico has a standing army of up to 30,000 people. In terms of the number of standing troops, Mexico's standing army is larger than that of the United States.

However, the Mexican army lacks training, the soldiers are undisciplined, the commanders are of low quality, and the weapons and equipment are relatively backward. This is the evaluation of the Mexican army by Liang Yao's capable general Elvis.

Elvis was employed by the Mexican government in his early years and trained troops for the Mexican government. His evaluation of the Mexican army still has certain reference value.

The above are not the fatal flaws of the Mexican army. The most fatal flaw of the Mexican army is that the Mexican president cannot fully control this 30,000-person standing army.

Mexico's standing army is controlled by different bureaucrats and politicians, large landowners in various places, and the emerging bourgeoisie, and they are not subordinate to each other.

Moreover, Mexico has not completed the construction of a modern country, so there is naturally no way to talk about a modern military mobilization system.

This is why at the beginning of the U.S.-Mexico War, Mexico was able to take advantage of its military strength and win a few battles by taking advantage of the carelessness of the U.S. military.

However, after the United States began to mobilize and a steady stream of new troops joined the battlefield, the Mexican army could only be beaten passively and was unable to organize an effective counterattack.

"Today's California is not complete. California is complete without Baja California." Fillmore said with some humor.

Baja California? What is Fillmore's plan? Liang Yao is full of doubts. Could it be that Fillmore also has the idea of ​​​​Mexican territory?

(End of chapter)