Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1849-06-23
from the Memphis (Tenn.) Eagle, eth-I
LETTER FROM JOHN c. CALHOUN
ON TIE MEMPHIS RAILROAD
CONVENTION.
Fonr HILL, 2eth May, ls49.

from every part of the country to be held
there on the 4th of July next, for the pur-
pose of aiding, by expressing public
opinion, the project of constructing a
railroad from the valley of the Mississippi
to the Pacific ocean.
would be happy to accept your in
vitation, and to be present on the occa-
sion, but regret to state, that have am
engagement with which cannot dispense,
and which will not permit mes
The object Of your meeting / regard as
very important. Of all the projects of
the age, | consider it as the one of the
greatest magnitude, viewed either in its
commercial or political aspect. 1t would
do more than any other to facilitate inter
course between the two great oceans of
the globe--thc Atlantic and the Pacific
and thereby unite, commercially and po
litically, the western coast of this CONT
nent and the eastern coast of the old,
with the eastern coast of this and the
western coast of the old, far more init
mately than they have ever heretofore
been. The valley of the Mississippi
would become the common center of the
intercourse between the two oceans and
the extremes of both continents, with all
the great benefits it would confer.
Thus far there can be no division Of
opinion; but it remains to be determined
whether rail road is practicable !; and
what point, if it is, should it commence
on the. Mississippi and terminate on the
Pacific? and what intermediate tract
should it take between? what will be its
cost? and what plan should be adopted
for its execution 2 All these questions
should be deliberately and carefully set
tied before the work is undertaken, No
thing ought to be hastily or prccipitately
done in a case of such magnitude. A
careful recognizance and an actual survey,
where necessary, ought to be made by
able and faithful engineers of all the
routes, preparatory to determining the
question of practicability and, if found to
be SO, to determine what would be the
shortest, the most easily constructed, the
cheapest, and the most open and readily
passed over at all seasons, and what the
actual cost OF constructing each would be.
All this information would be necessary
to determine the point at which it should
commence on the Mississippi and tcrmin-
ate on the Pacific. But in determining
on these points, other considerations
would have to be taken into the estimate.
In determining the former, twill have to
be considered, first, what point on the
river will best suit its valley, and in the
next what VIII best suit the rest of the
Union, all things considered THE for
mer would involve the question, what
point viii, at all seasons, be most easily
chearly and certainly approached by its
waters, including its great tributaries |?
And the latter, the question, what point
would. in like manner, be approached by
railroa from other portions Of the Union?
These are questions which will demand,
at the proper time, grave and careful ex-
animation. The selection should be made
in reference to the general good of the
whole Union, and not in reference to any
particular portion,
The selection of the point of terminus
on the Pacific will be fless complication.
The goodness of the port, its position in
reference to the general trade of that
ocean, and the facility of reaching it by a
Rail Road, should be considered in de-
termining it.
But candor eompels me tc state, there
still remains another ante greater ques-
tionfor us of the South TO determine, be-
fore soe finally decide what course we
should take in reference to this great pro-
ject: and that IS, what position are VIC to
occupy In reference to our territories ON
the Pacific acquired from Mexico by the
late treaty with her? Are we to be ex-
Guided from them ? Are we, after having
spent so much of our blood and treasure
for their acquisition. to be deprived, con
trary TO tne provisions Of the Constitution
and yiolstion Of every principle Of equity
and Justice, Of our equal right in them?
Are they 10 be made the means of oui
humiliation and subiection to the rest ol
the Union, instead of our prosperity
And, If SO, shall we still 90 on, and spend
millions. in addition to what we have al
ready, In aggrandizing the rest of Tho
unaDl Of tOnr csgn expense, and for oul
suhiection? Ttfast not. L, trust VIZ