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NEWS & PLANTERS’ GAZETTE.
D. Cr. COSTING, Editor.
No. 50 —NEW SERIES.]
Netcs and Planters ’ Gazette.
TE KM S ;
Published weekly at Two Dollars and Fifty
Cents per annum, it paid .it the lime >! Subscri
bing ; or Three Dollars if not paid fill Ihe expi
ration ot three months.
* No paper to be discontinued,unless a’ the
option of the Editor, without the settlement', of
all arrearages.
Q* Litters, on business, must be postpaid, to
insure attention. No communication shall he
published, unless toe are made acyuainteu with
the name of the author.
TO ADVERTISERS.
Advertisements, not exceeding one square, first
insertion, Seventy-fire Cents; and for each sub
sequent insertion, Fifty Cents. A reduction will
be made of twenty-five per cent, to those who
advertise by the year. Advertisements not
n. when handed in, will be inserted till for
bid, and charged accordingly.
Sales of Land and Negroes by Executors, Ad
ministrators and Guardians, are required by law,
to be advertised, in a public Gazette, sixty days
previous to the day of sale.
The sales of Personal Property mu st be adver
tised in like manner, forty days.
Notice to Debtors and Creditors of an Estate
must be published forty days.
Notice that application will be made to the
Court of Ordinary, for leave to sell Land or Ne
groes, must be published for four months—
notice that application will be made for Letters
of Administration, must be published thirty days;
and Letters of Dismission, six months.
Mail Arrantc. events.
POST OFFICE, ?
Washington, Ga., Sept. 1, 1843. y
EASTERN MAIL.
By this route, Mails are made up for Raytown,
Double-Wells, Crawfordville, Camack, Warren
ton, Thompson, Hearing, and Barzelia.
ARRIVES.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at 9, A. M.
CLOSES.
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, at 11, P. M
WESTERN MAIL.
Byt this route, Mails are made up for all Gift
cesra South- Western Georgia, Alabama, Mis
sissippi, Louisiana, Florida, also Athens, Ga. and
the North-Western part oi the State.
arrives—Wednesday and Friday, by 6 A. M.
closes —.Tuesday and Thursday, at 12 M.
ABBEVILLE, 3.C. MAIL.
By this route, Mails are made up for Danburg,
Pistol Creek, and Petersburg.
arrives.
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, by 1 P. M.
CLONES.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at 0 A. M.
,v IEXINGTON MAIL.
By this route, Mails are ru:l^ e up ?^ r Cenlre
ville, State Rights, Scull-shoalj and Salem.
arrives —Monday and Friday, at 9 A. M.
closes —Tussday and Saturday, at 9 A. M.
APPLING Mh(L.
By this route, Mails ar a ~-itde up for VVrights
boro’, While Oa£, Walkers Quaker Springs.
arrives—Tuesday and S.itufday, by 9 A. M.
closes —Monday and Friday, at 9 A. M.
ELBERTON MAIL.
By this route, Mails are made up for Mallo
rysville, Goosepond, Whites, Mill-Stone, liarri
sotgfjdle, and Ruckersvilie.
Arrives Thursday 9 P. M., and Closes same time.
LINCOLNTON MAIL.
By this route, Mails are made up for Rehoboth,
Stoaey Point, Goshen, Double Branches, and
Darby’s.
Arrives Friday, 12 M. | Closes same time
ET The Letter Box is the proper place to de
posite all matter designed to be*transported by
Mail, and such as inay be found there at the
times above specified, will be despatched by first
post.
f COTITNU&, BUTLER,
ATTORNIES,
H AV,E taken an OFFICE on the North
side of the Public Square, next door to
the Branch Bank of the State of Georgia.
October, 1843. 28
NELSON CARTER,
DEALER in
’ Choice Drugs and Medicines,
Chemicals, Patent Medicines,
Surgical and Dental Instruments,
Perfumery , Brushes,
Paints, Oils, Dye-Stuffs,
Window Glass, f\-c. Syc.
R EI) lIORTAR \ AIIGUSTA : Ga -
October 12, 1843. ly 7
HAVILAND, RISLEY & Cos.
Near the Mansion House, Globe and United
States Hotels,
AUGUSTA, GA.,
DEALERS IN CHOICE
4JRUBB AND MEDICINES,
Surgical and Dental Instruments,
Chemicals, Patent Medicines,
Perfumery, Brashes, Paints, Oils,
Window Glass, Dye Stuffs,
See. See.
. t> Being connected with llaviland,
a Kee.se & Ca, New-York, and Hav-
F* icand, Harrai. & Allen, Charios-
Miip. .-ton, they are constantly receiving
■Bfypjg.’.resh supplies of .every article in
jheir line, which they are enabled to sell at the
lowest market prices.
CT Alt goods sold by them, warranted to be of
the quality: represented, or may be returned.
Augusta, August 1843. 51
MINERAL RICHES OF THE SOUTH.
To the Editor of the Tribune:
Two years since I spent some time in the
“ Cherokee Country” of Georgia, ami while
there hud an opportunity of examining in
to its mineral resources. A short account
of the Country sent on to tluqEditor ot the
Boston Courier was published in that pa
per. It may not be uninteresting to some
of your readers to learn the amount of
mineral wealth in this region, particularly
as it can be so well exemplified by the spe
cimens 1 brought away and have now in
rfly office in this city.
The tract of country to which I particu
larly refer, lies in Cass,Cherokee and Cobb
counties. It is in part a limestone, partly
a granitic region, hilly but not mountain
oils, traversed by fine quick running
streams, abounding in good soil, and enjoy
ing a delicious climate. Though settled
by the whites only about ten years, the
land came to them in such a state of im
provement from its original proprietors,
that finely cultivated farms and the richest
peach orchards are almost as common ns in
many parts of New Jersey. The gentle
man at whose house I resided in Cobh
County, possessed an old Indian peach or
chard, which yielded about five hundred
bushels of peaches yearly. The fertility
of the land is such that the necessaries of
life are procured as cheaply as in any por
tion of the United States. Towns and vil
lages have sprung up, and a railroad has al
ready been constructed extending from
Cass County to Augusta, about 209 miles,
and is graded in the other direction to the
Tennessee River.
This road crosses the Etowah River in
the midst of the Allotoona hills. These
hills extend in a North-East and South-
West direction, and are made up of Quartz
Rock and the Slates which contain the
Gold Ore. The Limestone range is paral
lel to these ridges on the North-West side.
Between the line of the belts of rock
which contain the Gold, and the Limestone
formation, are immense beds of Iron Ore.
They lie inQuartzßock,and are sometimes
close to the Limestone, sometimes near the
veins of the Gold Ore. The quantity of
the Iron Ore is so gn at as to form knobs,
which appear to consist of nothing else but
Iron. Every rock exposed is this cltarac
ter, and the piles of ore ready almost with
out any selection for the furnace, ate heap
ed up so that one cannot ride over them on
horseback, Some of these beds I have
traced with scarcely any interruption for
more than eight miles, and recognized them
at different points on the same range for an
extent of forty miles, while they are known
to continue into Paulding County much
farther.
I have carefully explored the famous
“Iron Mountain” of Missouri which has
been so boastingly described as containing
Iron “enough to supply a nation’s wants;”
but must say I was much more struck with
the apparent extent and value of these beds
of Geoagia. For the show of ore in the
Cherokee Country is greater, there arc more
knobs covered with it, which appear on all
sides, while none is to be seen on two sides
of the “Iron Mountain; and besides this,
though the Missouri ore contain a large
per centage of Iron, much of that of Geor
gia is far superior to it for practical pur
poses. It is not the “richest” ore that is
the most valuable, but that which is most
easily wrought into good Iron. The Iron
of the Iron Mountain is of a most refracto
ry character, such that no Iron Master will
attempt to work without brinking it down
by a large admixture with poorer ores.—
I: will yield on analysis about 20 percent
more Iron than the ore from which is pre
pared the Juniata Iron, or the well known
Salisbury Iron ; yet there is no question as
to the much greater value of these last
named ores. Now the Georgia ore is in
great part of precisely the characterof the
ores which make with the least expense
the best quality of Iron, viz : a Brown He
matite. Beds of this 1 have (bund by pacing
to be, some twenty, some fifty yards across,
and as the dip was very steep, a line across
would give about iheir true thickness.—
Other parallel beds contain other varieties
of ore of less value, but greater per cent
age. Any amount may be obtained of the
same character as the micaceous Iron ore
of the Iron Mountain, or of other varieties,
which give the smelter the means of mak
ing any variety of cast or bar Iron he may
wisli for.
But it is not in the quantity andqtialities
of the ores above that they appeared to me
of more importance than the Missouri ores.
They are situated in a practicable regio : ;
one that admits of a high state of cultiva
tion,'already traversed by a railroad, and on
the very point where the railroad passes
over the Iron Ore beds traversed also by a
river navigable for laige boats, and within
about fifty miles of steamboat navigation
below. At this same point the Etowah
Falls give any amount of water power,
and the hills around are covered with the
greatest abundance of fine trees for fuel.
The Etowah gos into the Coosa, and the
Coosa into the Alabama River, and for the
whole extent of these rivers to the sea,
through the midst of rich cotton growing
districts there are no Iron Works. The
railroad crosses the Chattahoochie about
forty miles East of the Etowah, and that is
navigable for flat boats* to Columbus, the
head of steamboat navigation. The coun
try on each side of the Chattahoochie is
like that on the borders of the Coosa and
Alabama. When the convenience of the
ore to beds of good Limestone, adds great
ly to its importance. There are places
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY MORNING.
WASHINGTON, (WILKES COUNTY, GA.,) AUGUST 8, 1844.
whe,p all the materials, Ore, Limestone,
abundance of fuel and good water power
may be obtained within the compass of
three or four miles, in one instance of one
mile.
The hills, which will not repay cultiva
tion, and which contain these ore beds, are
covered with a good growth of oak, hickory,
chesnul and yellow pine; and the land three
or four years ago could be purchased from
$5 to s>4o per lot of forty acres. But the
rich bottom lands were worth about S3O per
acre. These are extensive fields, general
ly planted with the tall Southern corn, and
yielding large crops.
Most of the Iron which suppliesthe States
of Georgia and Alabama lias been brought
from North Carolina and Tennessee. Two
years since the only furnace in operation
in Georgia was a small one in this district I
have described. It could not then keep
those supplied who came to it for Iron.
Since that time some farther improvements
have been made there.
There is a want of Northern skill and en
terprise and capital, to render these great
advantages productive. The fine climate
and beauty of the country and other induce
ments have led many there from the North,
but none vet who have the means to improve
its resources in Iron. One man from Penn
sylvania, first a contractor on the railroad,
saw its value and selected a large tract of
laud, rich in soil, and at the same time in I
ron Ore, Limestone and Timber. Two
years ago he was desirous to associate him
self with men of capital or to dispose of
such interest as they might desire to pur
chase. His terms were most favorable, as
he looked to the benefit he would derive
from the market for his farm produce,
which a large establishment would bring
to his door My business suddenly led me
away to the Island of Cuba, and after a
long absence I lost farther communication
wiih this region. I have since heard a
Company from South Carolina have estab
lished themselves at one of the localities !
near the river. Specimens of the ore and
Limestone I have brought away, as I men
tioned,, and have now with me.
Respectfully yours. &o.
J. T- HODGE, 73 Chambers.street.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNAL
IMPROVEMENT CONVENTION.
Held at Huntsville A/a., 17 th June, 1844.
According to previous notice, the Inter
nal Improvement Convention assembled at
Huntsville, on Monday the 17th day of
June, 1944, and was organized at the Meth
odist Church by requesting Gen. B. M.
Lowe to take the Chair, who called the
Convention to order. Delegates appeared
from South Carolina, Georgia and Tennes
see, arid a numerous attendance of citizens
from the counties of DeKalb, Marshall,
Jackson, Limestone, Franklin and Madi
son .
On motion of J H. Lewis, Esq., C. C.
Clay was unanimously elected President
of the Convention, and Wm. Spencer
Brown and George Cox were appointed
Secretaries.
On taking the Chair, Mr. Clay address
ed the Convention, thanking the gentlemen
who composed it for the honor conferred on
him, and entering diffusely, into the impor
tance of the subjects for which they had
convened. The more immediate purpose
of the Convention, to construct a Rail Road
from the Tennessee to the Coosa river,
thereby forming a connection with the lines
of Rail Roads from the commercial empo
riums of Georgia and South Carolina and
with the tributary waters of Mobile Bay,
was particularly enforced on the consider
ation of the Convention. Mr. Clay said
that this enterprise called for the instant
and energetic action of the people of the
Tennessee valley, so as to meet the Geor
gia works, which were advancing to the
borders of our State and would be comple
ted within the year 1945. That personal
interest, as well as national security was
involved in this great work, and lie appeal
ed to the Convention on these high consid
erations to lend their aid to its accomplish
ment.
Gen. Lowe then introduced to the Con
vention the Hon. John P. King, of Geor
gia, who addressed the Convention iri an
emphatic and interesting speech on the
subjects before the Convention. He gave
statistics of the Georgia Roads to show
that bv proper management and direction,
Rail Roads judiciously located, could be
made profitable for investment as well as
beneficial to the community at large. He
dwelt, particularly, on the advantages that
must result to mis country from opening
the communication with the Georgia Rail
Roads, in the immense Saving of time in
sending cotton and other produce to market
and receiving returns ; in the charges in
cident to transporting and selling ; and in
the reduced prices at which all articles
consumed in this country would be import
ed. He suggested that the work could be
done without the assistance of a dollar
more in money than would pay for the rail
iron, locomotives and engineering. That
labor diverted from the production of cot
ton, which was likely to be greatly depress
ed in piice, would accomplish the work
without embarrassment or hindrance to any
one. He insisted, strenuously, that the on
ly way to succeed and prosper, was to avoid
going into debt for the work, and gave in
teresting statements illustrative of the cor
rectness of this position.
On motion of Mr. Lewis, it was unani
mously Resolved, That a committee of fif
teen be appointed by the President, to re
port this Convention, as its next meeting,
the best means of accomplishing the ob
jects for which it was assembled.
Pursuant to this resolution the President
named the following gentlemen to compose j
the Committee, viz: Hon. J. P. King of]
Georgia, Mr. Reynolds of do; Col. Gads
den of South Carolina; Wm. Spencer
Brown of Georgia; David Deshler of Ala
bama ; Col. Edwin Hickman of Tennes
see ; Gen. J. P. Frazier of Alabama;
Gen. J. T. Bradford of do; Dr. Morrison
do; Judge Wyeth do; Jas. I. Donegal)
Esq. do; Jno. H. Lewis do; Thos. Bran- 1
don: Gen. B. M. Lowe do; Win. J. Mas
tin., Esq., do ; and at the request of several
gentlemen, the President was added to the
Committee.
On motion, the Convention then adjourn
ed, to meet again at 3 o’clock on Tuesday,
the 19th June.
Tuesday, 18th June.
The Convention met and was called to
order at 3 o’clock P. M.—After the Jour
nal of yesterday’s proceedings was read,
the Committee appointed yesterday, sub
mitted through their chairman, Mr. King,
the following Report and Resolutions :
REPORT.
The Committee to which was referred
the subjects of deliberation beg leave to
report, That the Legislature of Alabama,
at its last annual meeting, granted an act
of incorporation upon certain terms therein
named, the object of which was to author
ize the construction of a rail road, from
some point-at or near Willis Creek on the
Coosa river, to Gunter’s Landing on the
Tennessee.
The utility of tiiis work, and the means .
of its accomplishment, have been duly con ]
sidered by the Committee, with the limited |
information at present before them. The j
subject has been, recently, much discussed, ]
and the Committee do not deem it necessa !
ry to dwedi upon the importance of the
short link in a great line of improvement, j
It is the last link unprovided for in a con- j
tinuous line of Rail Road and steamboat j
communication for the seaports of Georgia t
and Catolina to the Mississippi River.—
The Committee have the fullest assuran- j
ces that lines of rail roads from Charleston i
and Savannah will connect with Rome i
on the Coosa River in the course of the’
next year. They are also assured,
that the Coosa river isnavigable at all sea
sons, for boats of moderate draft, from :
Rome to the mouth of Willis’ Creek a sim
ilar capacity for navigation is at all times
found in the Tennessee River from Gunt 1
er’s Landing to Decatur. The Decatur j
and Tuscontbia Rail Road avoids the Mus- i
cle Siioals and connects with the navigable !
waters of the Tennessee below them; j
which, through the Ohio, connect with the
Missisippi. The Committee also entertain
strong hopes that a growing conviction of
the importance of this great line of im
provements may lead to new and success
ful efforts to revive and complete the Mem
phis and Lagrange Rail Road, leading
from Memphis direct to Tuscumbia. This
work is partially executed, and it is hoped,
is only temporarily suspended.
The national importance of this lino of
improvements has been frequently noticed
by the statesman and politician, and being
too obvious to question will not be dwelt
upon in this report. Its importance to the
people of North Alabama and of the valley
of Tennessee, it has been the duty of the
Committee more especially to consider,
and its importance to them the Committee
believe cannot be too strongly urged. It
will secure to them a cheap, easy, expedi
tious and certain outlet to the Atlantic
coast, open to all seasons of the year, and
from eight to fifteen hundred miles shorter
than those channels of communication now
open to them, and which they have been
heretofore accustomed to use. The vast
improvement in the locomotive engine, by
increased adhesion and improved power,
the saving of insurance, higher prices
north of the Florida capes, lower charges
and the great advantage of quick and cer
tain returns, induce a strong conviction up
on the Committee that a very large portion
of the cotton crop of this section will be
transported over this line with much advan
tage to the producer, and the conviction is
yet stronger that the freight on merchandise
is to return to the same point will bear no
comparison to that now paid. Little doubt
seems now to be entertained by practical
men connected with Rail-roads, that with a
heavy business , one dollar and thirty-three
cents per ton, per one hundred miles, will
pay a fair profit on the investment. Nogood
reason is perceived by the Committee, why
this lino should not, with the same heavy
business, transport as cheaply as any other.
Its cost will be less and an examination of
official reports will show that the economy
of management has been as good, if not
better, upon those links of the line alieady
in operation. Making the liberal allow,
ance, however, of $12,00 per ton for the
entire, distance from the sea coast to Gun
ter’s Landing, being about double the esti
mate named, and the consumer will be tax
ed i! one sixtk of the freight he now pavs
from tie ports with which lie is now aeons
tomed to deal. Ho may deal even with
the same ports through tiiis channel and a
coast navigation at generally much less
than one-half the rates he now pays. The
Committee could not without statistics ap
proach accuracy on the subject, but do not
believe they would hazarj much in assum
ing, that the saving to the people of the
Tennessee valley, by the completion of
this work, will pay the entire cost of it in
a single year.
The Committee having duly considered
the importance of the contemplated im
provement, will now briefly consider its
practicability, and value as an investment.
On the first branch of this subject it is re
gretted that more satisfactory information
is not’ immediately at command. The
whole of the route has never been survey
ed, and no part of it, perhaps, with that at
tention necessary in fixing a final location.
From information receivedpiowevtr, and
facts communicated by persons well ac
quainted with localities on that part of the
route vvii ~e most difficulty is supposed toex
ist, tin? Committee entertain but little doubt
that a route may be procured by no means
expensive, and with grades not objectiona
ble. It is deemed unnecessary further to
enlarge on this branch of the subject, as
prudence will dictate that no decisive step
betaken for the execution of the work until
a careful survey of the route shall be made
by a competent Engineer. From views al
ready expressed by the Committee they can
entertain no doubt, that the proposed road
if practicable, will be a most profitable in
vestment to the stockholder. Every ele
ment of cost in the construction of rail
roads is now extremely low, and no proba
ble estimate for the work can greatly ex
ceed $300,000. On this small capital the
profits would be large, unless the Commit
tee have greatly over estimated the business
that will be done upon the road. Free
from all apprehension of delay in summer
by low water, or in winter by ice, this route
will naturally be preferred by a vast sec
tion of country, to the uncertain and dilato
ry route of the Ohio river. It will also,
to a great extent, concentrate the inter
course between North and South Alabama,
which will probably be much increased by
an ultimate extension of the route to Sel
ma and Wetumpka.
The committee are not deferred from the
opinions here expressed, by the general
opinion, which they know prevails, that
Rail Roads have, heretofore proven an un- |
profitable investment. This impression j
has been produced by general results, but j
without a knowledge of facts, or a full and I
proper understanding of the subject An j
examination of the subject has fully satis- j
fied the committee that Rail Roads, welllo- j
caled and well managed, are, perhaps with- !
out exception, yielding a fair and constant- |
lv increasing nett profit, and if the stock- j
holders in all of them do not receive regu- ]
lar dividends, it is because the profits are i
applied to make up a capital, originally de- j
ficit, instead of making additional calls on j
the stockholders. It is important further ]
to consider, in this connection, that the j
Roads now in operation were built anterior j
lo many great improvements in Rail Road j
economy, and at a cost more than double j
that ai which similar works may be now con- j
sir uett and.
Though the committee are decidedly of (
opinion that the stock, with good manage- j
ment, will he a profitable investment, they
are unwilling to believe that this is the only j
consideration that will stimulate the people |
of North Alabama to accomplish a work j
so clearly within their means. A glance
at the map is only necessary to demon- j
strate the effect of this work in the emanci
pation of tiicir commerce. Land-locked
at present in all directions, and compelled
to seek distant seaports through obstructed
and uncertain channels, they will, on the
completion of this improvement, be able to
reach healthy seaports, in their own latitude,
in 48 hours ; and being north of the Capes
and Straits of Florida, will have before
them the cheap navigation of the broad
Atlantic, to foreign ports, if they wish
them, from Archangel to Calcutta. No
one can be charged with disaffection to our
political Union, by exhibiting a wish to do
something for thit section of country to j
which lie belongs. All good citizens wish ,
to be recollected after they are gone, and j
by their useful works whilst living, to es- j
tablish a just claim to the gratitude of
prosperity.
As the whole subject has recently been
much discussed, and, it is hoped, generally
understood, the Committee deem it unneces
sary to extend this report to an inconveni
ent length. They will, therefore, close,
after adding a few words upon the means
necessary to execute this short but impor
tant work. They cannot doubt the ability
of those most immediately interested, to
complete this work without delay or em
barrassment. The work, however, should
not be left to a few public spirited individu
als, but a confiding spirit of co-operation
should prevail; each contributing accord
ing to bis means, and no one asked to ex
ceed them. A large amount of money
will not be required, as the charter con
tains a provision which authorizes an ar
rangement with stockholders (who prefer
it) to work out their subscriptions. It is
believed that this privilege may be used to
great advantage by many of our planters,
upon the contemplated work. There
seems to be every indication at present of a
very abundant cotton crop the present year,
and the market for this staple being now
much depressed, a still further decline may
be reasonably apprehended. The com
mittee therefore believe that many planters
could uot employ their labor and surplus
provisions so profitably in any other way,
as to rest their cotton lands, and execute
contracts for stook during the next year.
In this way much of the work may be done
without embarrassment to any, whilst the
benefits will be felt by all. Whilst mak
ing a profitable investment for themselves,
they will be contributing to the accomplish
ment of a great public work, the benefits
of which will descend to their posterity,
HI. J. K APPEL, Printer.
and be felt and acknowledged by millions
yet unborn.
The committee conclude by offering the
following resolutions, viz:
1. Resolved, That the completion of a
Rail-road, connecting the waters of the
Coosa with those of the Tennessee at Gun
ter's Landing, is a work of great national
as well as local importance, and especially
to the people of the valley of the Tennes
see.
2 Resolved, That the commissioners
named in the act of incorporation be re
quested to take early measures to procure
subscriptions and o ganize under the char
ter; first being satisfied of the practicabil
ity and cost of the work soma careful sur
vey bv a competent engineer.
3. Resolved. That the said commission
ers he requested to raise the necessary
funds for said survey, by a provisional sub
scription or Otherwise, as they may deem
must expedient and proper.
Previously to taking the vote on the a
doptionofthe Report and ResolutioWS, the
President invited Col. Gadsden, of South
Carolina, to address the Convention, which
he did in an earnest manner, setting forth
the vast importance of the work in contem
plution to the people of the Southern Slates.
He said that South Carolina had been the
first to project and execute Rail roads in the
South, and hud turned her attention at an
early period to the trade of tl Mississippi
Valley ; but through ill-advised friends,
her energies had been directed towards the
city of Cincinnati instead o! Memphis. That
this work failed because of the impi ssihility
of constructing a Rail-road aero tie- im
passable chains of mountains tiiat int rpos
ed. The observation and sagacity of Col.
Elliott, of South Carolina, had first direct
ed attention to the proper channel of com
munication through the Coosa and Tennes
see valleys towards Memphis, and more re
cent observation shows the practicability
and usefulness of this great project. Col.
Gadsden then repealed the assurance al
ready given to the Convention, that Rail
roads could be made profitable for invest
ment and cheap modes of conveyance for
any description of produce. The planter
would thus be enabled to get his cotton to a
better market, and to realize returns (at a
considerable saving in charges and insu
rance) within a week or ten days. He did
not doubt but that the people of this fertile
valley would go to work, immediately, to
overcome the only remaining obstruction in
the line of communication with the Altar,
tic sea-board ; a work which, compared
with what has already been accomplished
in Georgia and Soutli Carolina, is of cuu
siderable magnitude.
The report and resolutions were then u
uanimnusly adopted.
The following resolutions were then of
fered by Gen. B. M. Lowe :
1. Resolved, That a committee of 21
mem Ik is be appointed by the chair to pre
pare a memorial to the ensuing Legislature
of the State of Alabama, asking the appli
cation of such portion of the “ two per cent
fund,” relinquished to the State to aid in the
connection of the Tennessee r;rer with the
navigable waters of Mobile Bay, as they
may deem just and reasonable, regarding
the spirit and objects of said act of relin
quishment.
2 Resolved, That said committee cause
copies ofsaid memorial to be distributed in
the several counties ofNorth Alabama, and
elsewhere if they deem it expedient, to pro.
cure signatures and the most general ex
pression of the sense of our citizens.
3. Resolved, That a committee of corres
pondence be appointed by the President, to
consist of three members, whose duty it shall
be to communicate with those engaged in
the construction of the Montgomery and
West Point Rail-road, and with such others
as they may deem necessary to facilitate
the accomplishment of the proposed mea
sure.
Col. Terry of Limestone, here asked per
mission to make a statement relative to his
vote on the bill offered to the last Legisla
ture to loan $120,000 of the 2 percent to
the Tennessee and Coosa Rail road Compa
ny. It had been whispered about for the
purpose of injuring him that he was opposed
to the bill, and that it had been lost by his
vote. Ilis position in the Senate was such
that he had to record his vote before any
one else, and of course the fate of the bill
was not m his hands. But his reasons for
voting against the bill embracing the loan
of the Tennessee and Coosa Rail-road Com
pany was, that it came before the Senate as
an amendment to a bill to loan a similar a
mounttothe Montgomery and West Point
Rail.road Company, on what he deemed in
sufficient security. He had always been
willing to appropriate even the whole a
mount of the “two percent, fund” to the irr
provement now contemplated by this Cor,
vention.
The Preside nt here rose and gave
Convention a history of the “ 2 per cent,
fund,” its origin and object. It had be
relinquished to the State of Alabama on the
express condition that it should be faithful
ly applied to making a connection between
the Tennessee River and the waters of the
Mobile Bay ; and also for a road leading
from West Point on the Georgia line to
wards Jackson, Miss. The State had ac
cepted the fund on these conditions, and the
Legislature had no right to dispose of it
for any other object. It certainly bad no
right to lend the money to any company,
but was bound in good faith to appropriate
the fund to the works in question whenever
there was an assurance that the money
would be faithfully applied and the works
[VOLUME XXIX.