The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-10-25
RAILROAD CONVENTION.

the project Of the Atlantic and racine na"-
v.v. Il the Great Western Railroad Con
yent;on held in ST. Louis during the last
week. arise before us when we attempt a
de.cription Of that Convention. We can
not determine the commencing point Or the
terminus. Az we have but small space
this week, we will merely indulge in ie"
random remarks, reserving the subject tor
more extended common, hereafter.
Ii Is very doubtful whether any good
will be effected by this gathering OF the
people. The spri, displayed throughout
the entire Convention, and foslered by the
leading paper of St. Louis, was inharmon',
Gus. sometimes amoun,ingto invec'ive and
personality. There was continued ebul-
liiion Of sectional feeling, so much SO that
before speaker bad occupied the floor H.
teen minutes a stranger could tell the State
he represented. and, not unfrequently, the
portion Of the State in which he resided.
The northern, central and southern routes
each had its advocates, who urged with We
hemence the feasibility and the practical
bility Of the route in which they were in
tere.,ed. Happy hits we're loudly ap-
plaudsd-as the advocate Of each route re-
Elected the views Of many Of the vast multi
tude that thronged the Rotunda.
We left before the adjournment and upon
the eve Of speech from Benton, which
was the more regretted as we had not
avai!ed ourself Of the opportunity OF hear
ing him the day previous, anticipating
richer treat. His views in respect to the
construction of the Road are we'll known.
As the advocate Of the central route ne
brought out in reply Judge Douglass, the
champion ofthe northern route.
Prejudice may exert its influence, bu,
certainly the suggestions Of Douglass should
have recommended themselves to the can
dor and consideration OF every member OF
the Convention. Directly be did not urge
a northern route, but maintained that some
place on the Missouri river should be Sc
!ected as the commencing point; that the
government should construct the road up
on public lands and leave each State to
build its own branch. With the sectional
feeling now perysding the Union, for gov
eminent to commence the road at st. Louis,
would be to array Iowa against Missouri.
northern aganst southern Illinois, the
whole south, in brief, against The nor,h.-
Favor one State and all others would be
clamorous for similar favor; but build the
road commencing al the Missouri river and
running West, favor no State, aud each
thrown upon its own resources would speed
jly construct branch 10 intersect the Ma
tional Road. This was the gist Of Doug
lass remarks the evening We had The pleas
ure of forming one Of bis auditory, and We
though, Mt the time tina, no one could pos
.ib,y object TO The conci.iaiory views he
proclaimed. We were mistaken; tho Re.
publican Of the subsequent morning came
out in an article condemning Judge Doug
lass SO harshiy that that gentleman, in the
spirit Of cancellation with which he entered
the Convention, Yielded his honorable sta
ton Of President of the body. That the
Republican acted injudciousi'.y, to speak Of
its course in no harsher term, the editor
himself must admit.
Preparations on scale that did honor !"
the citizens Of 81. Louis had been made for
the reception Of the Delegates. and all ap-
parently were gratifed with the attentions
shown them. The Western States gener-
ally were well represented in the Conven-
ton and some few we're present from eas-
tern States. Iowa was represented by
more than one hundred OF her citizens
the uames OF not more than ihree-fonrths
Of the number being reported on account
of absence at the time Of organization.
Among the more prominent persons in
attendance at the Convention we would
mention Hons. A. r. Ellis, r. W. Thomp-
con, Oliver II. Smith, and Albert S. White.
Of Indiana. Hons. S. A. Douglass, N.
Pope and r. Saith, e Illinois. Hons.
Judge Williams and w. Thompson, of Iowa
Col Benton and U. Wright, Of Mo. There
were others present who rendered them.
selves even more conspicuous than the
above. and 10 whom we may have occasion
hereafter TO allude.
The Convention adjourned on Thursday
last st IL o'clk. NJ, previous to which time
all differences were reconcied by fixing