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get' —»———■*"* ■ 21
From the Richmond Enquirer.
SOUTH WESTERN IMPROVEMENT.
We now lay before our readers the mag
nificent scheme, which in our last paper we
promised to bring out. It cOntempla’es an
extensive improvement from Knoxville South i
west th rough Alabama, and thence to New',
Orleans. According to this exhibit, Knox- :
ville is destined to be one of the most impor
tant points in the Western country. First,
the New Orleans mil Nashville Railroad,
running in a moredirvcl title Rom the Missis
sippi, nnd the railroad from Memphis on the
Mississippi to Nashville, will probably be run
to Knoxville; 2dly—The grout Cincinnati and
Charleston rond will touch at the same point;
nnd 3dly—■ if evt r this Sou'llwettern Railroad
should be Undertaken, n will also passthrough I
Knoxvill on its way to the Virginia line. We ,
leave the question of this eentempbit* d South ,
western improvement in tho bunds oi nil the
parties concerned.
The House of Delegates have broken the
ice on Saturday, by passing a resolution, for i
running a railroad on State account from the ;
Tennessee Linn to New River—and I uni :
which, two Railroads are to diverge, one br i
way of Lynchburg, nnd the other by* way oi
Danville, towards each of which the State will
appropriate 3 sths, open the joint stock prin
ple. This is a most valuable improvement.
It brings to our market, not only the largo
produce and mineral treasures of tho rich sec
tion of Virginia, which lies to the South-west,
but also the productions of about 140 milesof,
country, which extends from our line to Knox- '
ville. It does more—lt will bring to our mar
ket a large portion of tho transportation, |
which lies west of knoxville—and almost nil ,
the travel which is passing through the State, 1
or to the Northern Cities. Who will prefer
going to Charleston, when he can cut short I
his route by passing directly through Virginia,
to the North? Indeed, most of the travellers
down the Cincinnati Railroad will take our
route, when they reach Knoxville rather than
lo go oft’ to Charleston, and there take a steam
packet, or the land route for the Northern Cit.
res. Now, it is generally admitted, that the
largest portion of profit on a Railroad arises
from Travellers—With them rapidity of
movement is economy of time and ol money
—Net so wi'h bulky produce, which gene
rally prefers canal or river navigation, w here
it can be obtained. Il is calculated, we un
derstand, up'inun average. that transportation
yields no more than two or two nnd n half per
ceni., ’Mt a Railroad* while the frorr/gives all
the rest. Os course whv<o water communi
. cation is not to be obtained, as for example,
from t 1 e Temtessre Line to the James River
the choice will bo between the Railroad, and
tho present >low, expensive transportation by
wagons. The advantage is so inurh in favor
©f the former, that it will be adopted—Much
will thus bo saved in the carriage—and a spur
will be given to the industry of the whole
South-west. Rich lands will be turned to the
Jx'St account—Mnny poor lands will be put
in cultivation^—Th© rich minerals of the
Weet will be dug and brought to market, in
- "
order to come by the South-western Railroad.
Let us then strike a bold stroke at once.
We have a rich and enterprizing rival to the
South of us; who is looking to our move
ments, and stimulating, her own people by
our example. We must play the same game
upon her, and excite our own citizens by her
example. We have now before us and ex
tract from the address of General Hayne, the
President of the “Louisville, Cincinnati and
Charleston Railroad Company,” just publish
ed. It comes to us, as the Charleston Courier
says, in the form of an “eloquent Call on the
Stockholders, in this great and magnificent en
terprize recently put forth in pamphlet form
by their able, patriotic and indefatigable Pres
ident, on the occasion of announcing the re
quisition of a second instalment of five dollars
on each share, payable on or before the first
Monday in April next.” The following ex
tract speaks home to oursclVes:
“The truth is that the trade of the West,
at this moment, the grand object to which
the earnest attention of the whole country is
directed. Our sister States, and sister cities
of the South, are all struggling to supplant us,
and if we do net now put in, and press our
claims, with a proper spirit, the prize will be
snatched from our grasp. The Georgia
State Road, which is intended to ferm a
continuous line of Railroads from Savannah,
through Macon to the Tennessee river near
Rossville, under the patronage of the State,
and with the advantage of a Bank already in
fidloperation, will most assuredly secure to
the cities of Georgia, that immense trade
which Charleston may now command, by
merely putting forth the manly and undivided
energies of her citizens. Virginia, too, is I
extending a line of Canals and Railroads,
towards the borders of Tennessee, for the
I purpose of forming a junction at Knoxville,
with the great road, which Tennessee pro
poses to carry to that place from Fulton, on
the Mississippi river. Let these schemes be
carried into effect, and South Carolina will be*
cut off forever from a fair share of the com
merce of the West which her most enterpri
sing neighbors will have secured to them
selves. At this time the people of Tennessee
would prefer connecting themselves with
Charleston, than with any to the North or
South of us. Knoxville, is nearer to Charles
ton than to Richmond, by at least 50 miles,
ahd 100 miles nearer than to Savannah, by
the Georgia State Rond. The valley of the
French Broad River and tho Butt Mountain
Gap, afford too n far better route for a Rail
road, by which Knoxville can bo connected
w‘h the ocean. But should we fail to avail
ourselves of these advantages or if, after all
that we have said nnd done, we should falter
in our course, or abandon the enterprise, our
sister cities will very soon establish those
connections, by which our doom will be sealed
—and we shall deserve our fate.”
And if ice should “falter in our course,” we, >
too, shall “deserve our fate.”—We call upon '
Virginia, then, to be up and doing. Shall wc I
j permit a city so far to the Smith of us, to '
seize upon the advantages, which ought to
i belong to us? Though Knoxville may be I
nearer to Charleston than to Richmond, yet
] how much nearer are we to the whole North?
| No State can cope with us in our locality as
■ to the neighboring States, South or \\ est of
: us —nnd none can surpass us in the treasures, j
i which lie at the surface or in the bosom of
our earth. All that we want is, to be true to ■
ourselves—and show ourselves worthy of the
i blessings which a gracious Providence has
showered upon us.
The great and new scheme which our elo
!quent Correspondent has opened upon us, may
i not come immediately within the scope of our
resources, except do far as it falls in with the ;
South.western Railroad, which is now under
the consideration of tho General Assembly.
The House took tho first stop, and passed a
resolution in its favor on Saturday last. We ,
trust they will go on and carry that measure- ■
And when that road shall be fairly under way, ,
we cannot entertain a doubt that the citizens
of South-eastern Tennessee, of Georgia, and
Alabama, will then begin seriously to agitate
the improvement from Knoxville to Mobile:
WETUMPKA, Ala., March,2d, 1838.
J To the Editor of the Richmond Enquirer.
Sir—l have just been favored with a peru
sal of the Report of the survey of the Vir
giuia and Tennessee Railroad. Having once
lived in your State, 1 look with interest io ev
! erv movement having the least tendency to
unite the Ohl Dominion with my adopted Ala
bama —‘And no project on foot in Virginia, in
my humble opinion, is so intimately blended
with the great interests of these Slates as the
one of uniting the James River with the Gulf
'of Mexico. It may, also, be truly called a na
tional work, involving national blessings. I
’ shall not, however, attempt to prove what I
have asserted, as I think it must be clear to
| every intelligent politician.
My present object is, to refer to the best of
the connexion that can possibly be pitched on
to unite the navigable waters of the North
east with of the South-west, and to place
W isdom, Justice, and moderation
ROME, FLOYD COI.VIY. GEORGIA, APRIL 28, 1838.
before your readers what, from my knowledge
of the country to be traversed, 1 should deem
decidedly the most eligible method of accom
plishing this grand object in the shortest time
and at the least expense. I shall begin my
view of the route in your State.
Let a Railroad start from Richmond, and
another from Petersburg, and converge to a
junction on the dividing ridge between the
James and Appomattox rivers and thefice pass
. by Lynchburg along the line surveyed, to the
i boundary of Tennessee. Let Tennessee then,
; take the road to Knoxville, where it would
I meet the Hiwassee road how building, and
: which commences at Knoxville, and is to ex
tend to New Echota, on one of the main nav
igable tributaries of the Coosa river. This
river (Tho Coosa,) is navigable (or will be
made so at an expense of 850,000, as repor
ted by an intelligent Engineer) for steamboats
down to Fort Williams, a point about fifty
six miles above Wetumpka. Here commence
the great falls in the Coosa which terminate
at Wetumpka. Around these falls, tho We
tumpka and Coosa Railroad, which is now be
ing built, is to extend.—The Wetumpka and
Coosa and Hiwassee Railroad Companies set
out to unite Wetumpka and Knoxville, influ
enced by mutual interests and the expectation
of mutual benefits. South Alabama must j
always remain unrivalled market for the pro- ,
ductions of Eastern Tennessee; and there of
course she would purchase annual supplies of
groceries and West India goods. These roads
are on a line from the South-west to the North
east, as will be readily seen by a glance at the
map, and are destined to afibrd, (on this sec- |
tion of the route,) altogether the best and ,
most practicable links tn the great chain from !
Boston to New Orleans.
Our first notion was, that the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad would extend to the valley of
the Holston —but your road is preferable.
I will now, Sir, ask your readers to place
their maps before them: and with their left
hand on New Orleans, to pass their right from
thence over Lake Poncbartrain, &c., to the
Mobile Bay, thence up the Mobile, Alabama,
and Coosa rivers until they come to VVetump
ka; a distance of about 600 miles by water.
Never was there better or safer navigation—
always an abundance of water, and, of course,
never frozen up. Then commences the We
tumpka and Coosa Railroad, which will be
finished in two years at most. It is only fifty
six miles long—the first four miles now nearly
graded—and the whole way to be put under
contract this spring. The experimintal sur
vey is now finished, and the Board ordered
jthe Engineer to advertise the whole for con
tract as fast as he can locate it* Pass from
the road thence up the Coosa to Rome, in
Georgia, and thence up the Oustanaulla to
New Echota, a distance by water from the
head of the Railroad of something upwards
of two hundred miles; all of which, with the
expense above named for its previous improve
ment can be navigated the year round, by
steamboats drawing five feet water. After
leaving the river they ga’n the Southern ter
minus of the Hiwassee Railroad, which is
pursued to the city of Knoxville, including a
distance of about one hundred miles. Forty .
miles of this road are already under contract, '
and will doubtless be completed in two years '
as the State has made a loan to this company j
a few weeks since of 8650,000. In about
seventy miles farther, the Virginia line is i
gained —the Western terminus of Capt. Cra-I
zet’s survey.
Now, Sir, to form an uninterrupted and '
highly adequate channel of communication
between New Orleans and Knoxville, it is on
ly necessary to construct about one hundred
and fifty-six miles of Railroad; nnd let it be
remembered that the construction of this extent
is already begun and progressing.— From
Knoxville to Petersburg and Richmond there
will be about four hundred miles more requi
red; and as I am, 1 believe, well acquainted .
with the route proposed I am certain that it is
the best that can be found through any moun
tainous region in the United States. I will
venture to affirm, also, that there will not be
required a single stationary engine upon the
whole line from Wetumpka to Richmond.
Then 550 miles of Railroad will complete the
already partially formed connection, through
I the heart of the Union, between Boston and
New Orleans’ which must be one of the
greatest thoroughfares in the world for
, travel, for the transportation of material of
war, and merchandize and commodities of all
kinds; and constitute at the same time an in
dissoluble bond of union between the South
ern and Northern States.
When we remember, too, that the Charles
ton,* Louisville nnd Cincinnati Road would
cross our line at Knoxville, we might expect
on a fourth of July celebration to see volun
teer companies collected at this from more
than half the States in this Union to do hom
age to the day which gave birth to American
liberty.
The consummation of these things rests
with the generous and patriotic sons of Vir
ginia. They are to say, whether or not they
will have us ns their neighbors; and bold
J themselves our friends in the bonds of social
intercourse. I leave, Sir, to the gifted minds
and enterprizing spirits of the Old Dominion
the pleasing and profitable task of placing be
fore the proper authorities and their fellow,
citizens, in their just light, the eminently im
! portant benefits and blessigs, commercial t so
-1 cial and political, that would accrue to all but
! especially to Virginia, by the completion of
the great North-eastern and South-western
thoroughfare. Ido most earnestly desire, as
a well-wisher alike of my naiive State, to see
the route above designated occupied as pro
posed; because I believe it has advantages in
distance and cost over any other that can ex
ist. Moreover, it has a decided advantage m
the great extent of navigable water, necessary
to be connected only, by comparatively short
links of railroad.
I might here stop, for I have perhaps, alrea
dy extended this communication to an undue
length, but the magnitude of the project pre
sents itself with increased force to my mind
at every dip of the quill, and I must be indul
ged a little further.
After having reached Knoxville, a passage
is afforded down the Tennessee river, by using
the Tuscumbia and Decatur Railroad, around
the Mussle Shoals, in steamboats to the Ohio.
This river it will be observed, from Gunter’s
Landing runs West and then North-west, and
then empties into the Ohio, and that into the
Mississippi just in the neighborhood where the
Wabash, Illinois and Missouri rivers dischar
ges their waters. On all these there is good
stream navigation. The Wabash is connec
ted with the lakes by canal; so that the project
we have under consideration would not only
effect a close and intimate union between the
North-east and South-west-but likewise an un
ion of the East and West. So, then, if your
road is built, all the travel and transportation
going North-west, West or South-west, must
pass over it, and at Knoxville take either the
northern end of the Charleston, Louisville and
Cincinnati Railroad through Kentucky to
Ohio; the Tennessee River through North
Alabama, Western Tennessee and Western
Kentucky to the States of Indiana, Illinois or
Missouri, the Hiwassee Railroad, Coosa river,
and Wetumpka and Coosa Railroad through
Alabama to Mississippi, or by Mob ile to New
Orleans, Louisiana, Arkansas, or the Repub
lic of Texas* the Georgia improvements to the
interior of Georgia; or the southern end of
the Charleston, Louisville and Cincinnati Rail
road to Charleston, all of which Channels of
communication are already or soon will be
available. 1 would ask you, then, Mr. Editor,
in view of this picture, which lacks a thousand
touches to make it perfect, and in the name of
common sense and common calculation, would
not Virginia be extremely foolish— extremely
suicidal, not to aid and urge this magnificent
scheme to an early and certain accomplish,
ment?
A voice from suffering humanity would
urge us on; for, then tho invalid from any di
rection, could gain an easy and speedy access
to the celebrated mineral waters of Virginia
in the summer, and the mild climate of the
i South in tho cold blasts of winter. Fathers
i and mothers in Virginia could leave, and in
a week or less, be by the bedside of an afllic
j ted son or daughter in the remotest part of
: Alabama or Mississippi. Old friends, who
| had, as they supposed, shaken hands for the
■ last time, could in a few days exchange a
i cheering visit. And I might hope, Sir, in my
' last illness, to see the same pious minister at
my bed-side in Alabama, who held out the cup
I of consolation to my dying mother in Virgin
' ia.
i I would, in conclusion merely suggest the
1 propriety of a Convention at Knoxville as a
; central point, in some short time to consult as
to the wisest measures to be adopted toad
! vance this most important enterprise. All are
i certainly interested in this great work, from
; Massachusetts to Louisiana, and I should be
highly gratified to see a representation from
all concerned throughout the whole line.
With high regard,
Your friend and servant,
AN OLD VIRGINIAN.
MERCHANT’S CONVENTTON.
The following excellent resolutions were
adopted by the convention recently held at
Augusta:
1. Resolved, That a direct trade is the nat
' ural channel of communication between na
tions, which offer to each other the best mar
ket for their- natural productions; and that
the intervention of a third party must operate
as a tax upon the exchanges between them.
* 2. Resolved-, That the Southern and South-
western States of this Union afford those sta
pics with which are purchased nearly the
whole foreign imports of the country; that
they are the consumers of a large portion of
these imports, and ought naturally themseh es
to furnish the channel through which the ex
; change is made; that on no occasion have
i ’ their citizens been found incapable of main
taining themselves in fair competition with
other sections; and that the diversion os their
H trade from its natural channels, must have
Vql. I.- —VO 15.
been brought about by the unequal action of
the Federal Government, or by the abstrac
tion of our people towards other pursuits.
3. Resolved, That in the opinion of this
Convention such a state of things should no
longer continue; that the present condition of
the commercial relations of the country, and
the disruption of the existing channels of
trade, afford an opportunity of breaking down
the trammels which have so long fettered our
commerce, and of restoring to the South its
natural advantages; and that it is incumbent
upon every man, who has at heart the good
of his country, to lend his best exertions to
the promotion of these subjects and to estab,
lish our trade upon a sound and permanent
basis. •
4. Resolved, That this Convention is fully
aware of the difficulties to be overcome in the
prosecution of their enterprise; but nothing
daunted thereby, and fully relying upon tho
public spirit and zealous co-operation of their
fellow-citizens, they are determined to advance
with uniting preservance; and with that view,
do earnestly recommend the adoption of the
following measures.
1. That an effort should bo made to afford
to the importers and purchasers at Southern
seaports, the same facilities which arc offered
elsewhere; and with this view it is recommen
ded that the Banks in the seaports should im
mediately apply a portion of their respective
capitals, to the purchase ol foreign exchange,
and to the procurement of credits or funds in
Europe; and that they should afford tho use of
the same to the importing merchant upon a
discount or collateral pledge of such good pa
per as he may take from the merchants of th®
interior, and that this accommodation be af
forded as well upon paper having more than
six months to run, as upon that having less;
and that tho Banks of the interior co-operate
by collecting and remitting the proceeds to
such paper to tho banks on the peacoast.
2. That with a view to the important sub.
ject of equalizing tho exchanges between S.
Carolina and Georgia, this convention earnest,
ly recommend to the various Banks of th®
principal cities of the two States, or such as
may be conveniently located, to receive sh«
Bills of each other in the general business,
and to adopt such arrangements for settle
ments, at short periods, as they may deem
suitable arid proper; the Banks against whom
the balance should fall, to furnish funds for
settling the same, or to pay an interest of six
per c,ent. from the period of settlement, and
that the Banks in the cities and towns of the
Atlantic States, make arrangements by which
the notes of all of them shall be at par in
each.
3. That tha Merchants of the South and
South-West, be earnestly recommended to
give preference to the importers in their own
markets, and that they afford them an oppor
tunity of fair competition with other sections,
by making their first calls for purchases at
Southern and South-Western seaport; and on
tho other hand, that the merchants at the sea
ports shall, forthwith, set about importing such
stocks of goods, as well ensure, at fair rates,
a supply to the demand from the merchants of
the interior.
4. That an earnest and united effort should
bo made to draw home the capital invested by
the South in Banks and companies abroad;
and to employ the same, together with such
surplus capital as exists at home, in mercan
tile operations; and that with this view men
of influence and character be earnestly invi
ted to afford tho benefit of their example, by
entering into Limited partnerships, under tho
Laws lately passed by the states of Virginia,
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tenncssc®
and Florida.
5. That this Convention cannot but view
with deep regret, the neglect of all commer
cial pursuits which has hitherto prevailed
among the youth of our country, and which
hat necessarily thrown its most important in
terests into the hands of those who by feeling
and habit are led into commercial connexions
elsewhere. This Convention, therefore, can
not too earnestly recommend the speedy adop
tion by all their fellow-citizens of measures to
introduce commercial education among our
youth; to train them up to habits of business,
and thereby to establish a body of merchants
whose every interest and feeling shall be cen
tered in the country which has reared nnd sus
tained them. .
5. Resolved, That this Convention is of
opinion that the establishment by manufactu
rers in foreign countries of agencies in tho
chief southern ports for the sale of the vari
ous articles exported by them to the United
States, would conduce to the restoration of
the direct foreign trade of the south.
6. Resolved, That a committee of five bo
appointed to prepare an address to the people
of the Southern and South-Western States,
urging upon them the expediency of giving
their hearty co-operation, in the accomplish-
1 ment of the great object of this convention.
7. Resolved, That when this Convention
: adjourns, it shall adjourn to meet at Augusta
I on the third Monday in October next, and that
n committee of correspondence be appointed.