True American. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1835-18??, 1839-03-05

Charlcs Exchange, by the dozen or single
copy.
internal IMPROVEMENTS OF I.ours1ANA.-lt must
be confessed that state is behind the times in the
undertaking of those measures which to result in
the speedy development of;her resources. Possessc!
Of n suil and cline unsurpassed in fr'tulness and &C.
nay for the richest productions, a large portion
hcm,ned in with impcdncns transportation, That it
is rendered almost entirely imperative and useless
whereas by the timely construction of work. of i'm
prnvemont those districts fertile ns any, would have
f'c'lc avenues to market, md rapidly fill up with an
enterprising AMI industrious population thereby adding
Immensely 10 the wealth and prosperity of the State
Every thing that tends to improvement, increases the
State caral and swells the Land thu, is not
at present worth dollar per acre. may be raised to
the value of 800. Other States whose domain is not
one-fh Of the productiveness of Louisiana have be.
come satisfied of this fact and arc pursuing course
which will, almost at once advance them to the highest
degree of prosperity. and raise them to an importance
of which the sluggish States do not dream.
What has iven to New York and PENNSYLVANIA the
superiority which they have acquired, owe, tho Old
Dominion, if it be found in the liera and energetic
system of Internal Improvement which they projected
and have vigorously prosecuted. Virginia has become
satisfied of these advantages and is beginning to throw
Off her leorsy Her pride is getting the better Of her
supinencss and she is taking steps for the improve.
ment Of her natural advantages and ths dcyeopement
OF those resources which have forever lain dor
n'ont unless dragged from their latent condition by the
busy hand of Improvement Already had the young
State Of Ohio left her behind and Indiana was treaaipg
on her heels 1t was time that the land of the Lees md
kandoPhs should do something to prevent this head
long umhl'ng from the proud position she had occuped
IN the Federal Union. She could not submit TO the
nsgnifcance of middle station.
Has Louisiana no pride to take rank among The
Southern Stotes' Has she no pride to stand is the
Union, where her indigenous but untlcveoped wealth
and resources would place her Her products IRE
capable OF being increased beyond the amount raised
by any agricultural State in the Union. She has the
command Of the outlet Of the most magnificent river in
the word-lnost magnificent no, from the vast volume
OF water that it rolls along through half continent
but from The iruitfuness of the immense territories that
wait their products to market on its broad BOSOM
AS an agricultural and commercial Stntu Louis,nnn
should have no superior. She should hold the great
West h"- tarr;'"r" Sh. 81 .,..-,...s
as VIII prevent her rivals from drawing Oft her trade to
other points. She should strive to be the first in carry
ing out grand schemes of improvement, and not wait
until they have been tested elsewhere and other places
have reapcd the advantage.
One OF the ancient philosophers has said, and it has
heen repeated by modern sco!as ics that is easier to
instruct the entirely ignorant, than to nnbuud the ill.,
constructed education of who has Lccn the pupil
of bnd mustcrs and imbue, him with the proper cle-
ments of useful knowledge. Let it not be .aid that
l np cSnr,o .etH t, II
she prefers TO drag along in the footsteps of shallow
Ignorance, rather than seize once upon the ndya-
,agcs held GU, by the light of intelligence erhe path
of her prosperity greatness open before hcr-le
her not shrink from entering upon and prosecuting
her way till tho goal is reached. Individual enterprise
frs, blazed the line.
The most splendid scheme ofpublic improvement that
has been devised has bcen the projection of the Nash
vile Rail Road, opening the way through the most fer
tile portion oflhis State, Mississippi and Tennessee up
to the very capital ote latter State with which at pre-
sent we carry uncertain trade during high water,
but which would in the Of the completion the
Kali Road be rendered certain nnd Of inca culuhle id
vantage. Already turnpike is under way and nearly
completed from Nashville 10 Bowling Green XIV. ON
Big d rrcn, branch Of Green River, flowing into the
Ohio, about one hundred and fifty miles below Louis
vile. Should the Rail Road he completed 20 Nashville,
It is not difficult forsec that Tennessee and Kentucky
would very understand this advantages to result
from the construction Of continuation on to Louisville
thereby uniting the Ohio River at the ,aost important
point with New Orleans, which is the natural depot of
the products Of the West.
The Nashville Rail Road has been already commenc.
ed. The State has individual interest in its compe-
ton. 1t is the policy of Louisiana open all the IA.
ciitcs of trade within her borders, and when once
works are commenced To that end they should he PROS
ecntcd with every energy to their completion.
Has New Orleans has Louisiana tor their interest.
are identra') an interest in the completion Of the
Nashville Rail Road! Is the direct l,nde which il will
secure worth securing! Is it of sufficient value TO risk
capitn and toll, to prevent being drawn off by the
branch which is to be constructed from Nashville to the
Charleston Rail Road-anI which latter may eventual
ly make Nashville the terminus? Ii this be conceded
the S,ae owes it to herself her energies in fprc.
ing its rapid completion 1t is urged that III, State las
already invested Infa million in the undertaking, md
that the stockholders have paid but one or two dollars
per share. Well, wIm, have been the causes which
have produced these results! The hesitation fhe State
10 aid the company when application nude, and
the extreme reluctance which has hccn manifested to
aid the work with State credit together with the diff
cues in the moneyed affairs of The country crppled the
kholders and closed to tcm the facilities they mrb,
otherwise have enjoyed in raising the necessary funds.
The difficulty which has been thrown in the w~v Of
the Company, and the dsirus manifested both of their
ability, and zeal and motives, mnst MATERIAL n,urc
their credit ahroal, and now, unless The Legislature
came to their aid, prevent the procurement of the ne
cessary funds to prosecute the work. The jeaou-ywhch
seems ocxist towards the company or members Of the
company, has resolved itself into determination to
prostrate this magnificent scheme of Improvement, in
order to reach individuals. We did not look for such
conduct from our Legislators.
One Of the argulentI. against the State making n
ursr loan to the road, that $780, 900 has been al.
eady loaned, and that the State has now mortgage
m the road, materials, &c. to the payment of
hat amount, when shall fall due, and that the Com
'any only propose mortgage on the same road and
Materials TO The payment of the further loan
sked. This is begging the question: on the part of
hose who oppose the loan. What If the State has |
n..gnge, is not the road valuable completed Ms
ar MS il is finished than hen the mortgage given
md does the State wish to- have that mortgage fore
losed by withholding legitimate aid and placing the
ompnny in situation that they cannot prevent fore
Insure Let it be remembered, that the very acts Of
he Legislature at this SeSyi0n have so nil;tnted |