Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-04-28

is too inconsiderabIe and UNCERTAIN, and
the country lying convenient to Big
Black on the west, and the eastern
prong of Pearl on the east the inhabi-
tants would have every convenience of
| navigation they ought to expect. The
Yalobusha and Tallahatcha would not
Erequire more than one hundred thous-
and dollars; Chickasaw thirty thousand
Land $4,000 divided amongst the
smaller streams, would be amply sufi-.
cient. That would make but an ag-
Igregate Of three hundred and sixty
Thousand dollars.
If it should be thought advisable,
forty thousand dollars would be more
THAN sufficient to perform the same
kind ofwork, on that part of the Beck
bee river lying within the bounds of
Mississippi.
Can the Legislature hesitate one
moment, in making so small an appro
priation as four hundred thousand dol.
lars, to accomplish purpose of such
vast magnitude to the State? A pur.
Ipose whietfwiA afford to so great a pro
Iportion Of the State, the convenient
and cheap means of conveying the pro
ducts of the country to market; and
which will be the means ofimproving
the value Of every acle Of land in the
State, and bring into speedy cultiva-
ton millions of acres Of our wild
lands.
There is no country on the Globe,
where such Improvements would pro-.
duce as great results TO the whole face
of the country: And there is no coun-
try whose rivers are susceptible ofim
pr0vement at so cheap a, rate. Big
Black, with her bed of about sixty feet
wide, Is as deep a stream as the Wa
teree and Congaree rivers, in South
Carolina, with their beds of four hun
dred feet wide. The same may be
said ofmost of our other streams. The
Ohio, with her great width, is a shall
low stream. .
Let there be action on this subject
by the Legislature-prompt and judi
cious action. Our rivers, if cleared
, out, thoroughly, will answer allthe pur
poses of the country. We care not
for constant navigation.
By that period Of the year when the
crops are prepared, for market, and al
i most as soon as it is safe for the peo-
pie of the interior to visit the river mar
kets, our inland streams, if thoroughly
6 cleared out, would be capable ofbarge
L or fat-boat navigation. Our interior
d streams, which now require rise of
d eight feet, at least, to admit of boats
d with produce, to pass over the logs
o which encumberthe passage, would be
% navigable for the same boats, with a
e rise oftwo and halffeet.
st We care not for large steamboats, on
IN our small rivers. The multiplicity o.
90 ba, ges would ensure large amount o
10 competition, and keep the price O
We freights at a reasonable standard.
That would especially be the cas-
y with up-freights-the steamboat char
ny ges on which, are now at rulnouS pr
'e- ces.
le. Planters, living convenient to tn
ne streams, would, very many of then
ON have their own boats-as is the cas-
en- on some ofthe rivers of the old State:
Ie' and they give rise to an active compe
he tition in back freights, which very gre;
We y reduce the prices.
en- The people of Mississippi expet
this Legislature to cut loose from a
ig corporation connexion, and to CON
is mence a system OF practical measure
o. for the improvement Of the conditio
It's Of the State. "Now's the time, an
as now's The hour"
RS -Four hundred thousand dollars wi
to be fully sufficient to give lasting in
nd pulse TO the prosperity ofthe State
ITS is resources are surprising great, an
on only require an enlightened legislatio
ch to develope them. Already Mississip
al pi is the largest producing State in th
it Union. Who, then, will venture [
predict her unexampled prosperity
of whenever her vast forests shall be vi
is locked to pour forth their treasures?
he Command the amount to carry OIL
he the great purpose promptly. Was
ur- it not on petty impracticable stream
tut Away with contemplate local iealou
IN les, and petty scrambling for the publ
US money. 1t is not intended by natur
ed that every spot in the State can be be
of Gifted to exactly the same extent. B
our it should be borne in mind by eve
on, enlightened legislator and true patric
md that every improvement, or measu
ofthe State, that brings within our b
al ders, FIVE citizens, with their propert
MD resources and enterprise, adds to Il
% wealth of the whole State-improv
,ev It's general prosperity-elevates
ess character and standing-and thereE
9b, improves the value ofevery mans p
Pc perry. 1t will also be the bringing
emf of additional aid, in paying our Sta
az debt and public expenses.
-. It may be asked, where is the fu
- of four hundred thousand dollars TO
- ;ob obtained7 Who can presumptuous
10 doubt the capacity Of this great ST.
to command so small an amount !?
Where is the States portion of the :