Mobile register and journal. [volume] (Mobile, Ala.) 1841-1849, 1845-11-20
THE MEMPHIS CONVENTION

The New Orleans Bee has account Of The
ganization of the Memphis Convention through It's
correspondent, under date Of the 18TH inst.
The Hon. Ohm C. Calhoun was elected President
of the Convention, with fourteen Vice Presidents
from each State seven Secretaries
Upon ling the char Mr. Calhoun addressed The
convention in a speech of about an hours duration
He remarked that there three great portions
of our Union here present for the similar object Of
ascertaining how much has been could be done
To derelope their resources and promote their intel
ests. The first portion, the mighty valley OF the
Mississippi; the second, that region of country
which stretches irnm the Gull of Mexcn the At
lantic coast; the third that portion which extends
firm the Gull OF Mexico TO the Mexican shores
These he looked upon the great agricultural por-
tons of country, capable Of producing cotton and
bread siuiis not only for this country, but the entire
world. independently Of these there the sta.
pie productions of lead in the North, sugar in the
South, and hemp and tobacco in the West, produced
in similar ratio. The annexation Of Texas,
when contaminated, would add another large sugar
| region. Now, the only way to obtain fair renune r
ating prices for our products was by commensura e
cheap, free and ready transmit of them other parts
OF the world.
MIR. Calhoun next adverted to the mighty stream.
tine recipient of IA thousand tributaries, which rolled
along the loot OF these bluilS bearing upon its boz
SON The products Of the Great Vailey"-the ne
cessiiy Of aiding its navigation by art, and the ad-
vantages, either in time Of peace war, that would
be derived from connecting il by railroads with other
| portions OF the Union; by connecting Memphis
and Charleston by means of railroad, the distance
| OF transportation of heighis and passengers would
| he reduced two-Ihrds, and the delays and danger
incident upon river and ocean Navigation 1000
miles in extent, around the Florida Keys, upon
which not less than $5O0,0O0 per annum was lost
IN merchandise and shipping, would be avoided,
while the distance would be shortened 10 about 700
miles, which could he accomplished in three days.
The terminal ion Of The Allegheny chain of noun.
tains in Georgia left vast plain between the pro-
posed points of location, INTERRUPTED only by the
river bluffs 81 The Tennessee, which were easily
overcome. Ii was an astonishing TACT, remarked
Mr. Calhoun, that all the different railroads which
hads been surveyed and proposed for the purpose OF
Connecting the Atlantic with the West and South,
mus; concentrate AT Atlanta, Georgia. The Two
railroads from the Atlan,c-irum Charleston 10 Sa
yannah-he projected rallroads from Knoxville,
Nashville, hemphis, Vickshurg, Natchez and New
Orieans Mobile and Pehsacola, are all Of necessity
compelled In Concentrate III that point. MIR. Cal
houn then alluded TO the necessity Oi connecting The
Vale, ofihe II. Lawrence with The Valley Of the
Mississippi Dy means Of ship canals, nj the same
time adyertlng 10 the advantages of certain and
speedy communication which the Southern ioutes
would offer when compared with the Northern
routes. in consequence OF the rivers and lakes
along The latter being frozen over several months 10
the year.
lie looked upon the Mississippi River us u great
Island Sea. as much as the Chesapeake Bay or
Northern Lakes, and was as much entitled To the
supervision and fostering care Of the General Gov
ernment as either otthem. In regard To improve
ments Of minor import, which only benefited ndi-
vidu interests, he commended thew should be ac-
compIished BY individual enterprise. Such rs ben
eft more than one particular Siae-and those of ill.,
terest to The country al largeshould be accomplish
ed 10y the General Government. Appropriations for
deepening the channels al the mouth Of the Missis-
sipp Riyer-for an extended naval station at Pea
sacoa, some other point on the Gull-and for the
forifcation of the Tortugas, he considered strictly
within the powers Of the General Government, but
he did not believe that the Government POSSESSED
the constitutional right to subscribe to railroad.-
II Inc numerous internal improvements made by the
Government, at The cost of some 800, 900 900, were
sold, not 81 900, 900 could be realised for Them.
He then remarked that il was not his wish TO
bring the subject Of the tariff before the conven-
ton, but the crest difficulty under which the rail-
road system lab0red, was the heavy duty upon
Iron. The duty apon heavy L iron for railroad Dur-
p"ses amounted TO $4,000 per mile. II the duty on
this article were stricken of. il would be equivalent
10 subscription Of the General Government of $1,000
per mile 10 our railroads. He had been info, med by
large manufacturer, that the article could be manu-.
featured from s55 to $50 per ton. There were but
two manufactures oil railroad iron in the United
States, and the increased demand would Of course
raise the price. He therefore hoped this body would
unite IN petisnng Congress for the repeal ofthe duty.
We were then, me SAID, deiiberating how TO con-
meet This valley with The Atlantic. In less than 20
years, we will be celebrating how 10 connect it with
tqe faclhc Mr.. Calhoun terminated by fclcilous
aliuson 10 the boundess resources OF our coniede.
racy. depicting with great force and beauty her fu
lure destiny and feryently hoping thar Osr bond Of
anion might endhrs forever.