Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-11-15
Speech Of Mr. r. w. Thompson, Of Indiana.
Delivered before the UNational Railr00d Convention

| speech Of Mr. r. w. Thompson, Of Indiana.
Delivered before the mNaiondl Railroad Conrention'
On the 18th October, l849, the CON-
mittee appointed for that purpose, reports
ed series Of resolutions to the "National
Railroad Convention" at st Louis. Mr.
THOMPSON moved 10 strike out all after
the word resolued, in the first resolution,
and insert the following, to wit:
Resolued, That in the opinion Of this
convention it is the duty Of the General
Government to provide, at an early period,
for the construction of central national
railroad from the valley Of the Mississip.
| pi, TO the Pacific ocean.
Resolred, That in the opinion of this
convention grand trunk railroad, with
branches.to St Louis, Memphis and Chi
cago, would be such central and nation
al road.
Resoired, That committee be appoint
ed TO communicate to the convention to be
held at Memphis the foregoing resolu-
tons, and to request the concurrence OF
said convention therein.
Pending the consideration Of the ques-
ton upon substituting his resolutions for
those reported by the Convention, Mr.
THOMPSON addressed the Convention as
| follows:
Mr. PRESIDENT: Before proceed TO
say what feel il my duty to say, in sup
port Of the amendment have moved 10
the report Of the committee on resolu-
tons, it is due to the Convention that !
should offer an apology for not having
spoken when called on yesterday and the
day before. did not decline responding
to these calls from Discrimination to OBJ
lige the Convention or from any want Of
zeal in relation to the great object Of its
meeting. preferred to postpone what
ever suggestions might have to make, 10
a subsequent period, when we had before
us some proposition looking to more prac-
tical ults than any heretofore submitted.
In all matters Of the kind profess 10 be a
practical man, and have no desire TO speak
merely to be heard. We have now be-
fore us such proposition, and | shall,
without preface, state 10 the Convention
the conclusions to which my mind has
come treating this question, in what l
shall say, as the great question Of the age !;
Of quite enough importance TO call forth
the energy and best talents Of the nation !;
and yet examining 1t, more particularly,
with view to its practicability within the
means and power Of the General Govern
| ment.
1t is much to be regretted that any
thing should have occurred here 10 dis
turh the harmony Of our deliberations, and
TO give room to the suspicion, that the
magnitude Of the question we are consid-
ering should have been forgotten in the
men have devoted themselves TO mere To-
cal and sectional interests. That this feel
| ing has been INDUCED is beyond dispute,
but do not think it has yet been carried
so far, as 10 preclude the possibility Of a
return 10 some common ground OF COM
promise, upon which we can all stand
The excitement of this afternoon, may
alarm some gentlemen, but it has not that
effec, upon me. have witnessed such
scenes, before; and could scarcely refrain
from fancying while ago, that we were
/ sitting in the House Of Representatives at
Washington,- which, as we all know, is
very deliJeratiue assembly! These
things are but the mere effervescence of
feeling, common to all Of us, which pass
away, with the occasion Of their birth:
leaving us more calm, and better prepar-
ed for practical results. Such, | hope and
believe, will be the case with this Con-
vention.
am not satisfied with the resolutions
reported from the committee, although a
member Of it. They are too general and
indefinite. They do not fully enough cx-
press the idea, which, It seems to me, it is
the duty Of this Convention to express.
They leave too much 10 future speculation
Such do not understand 10 have been the
object Of the Convention certainly, such
was not supposed to be its object by those
who sent me and my colleagues here
We have understood ourselves as assem-.
bled 10 consider OF some means by which
Railroad may be made 10 unite the com
merce Of the Atlantic with that Of the Pa.
tific, and to determine upon some plan OIL
operation which may promise speedy
contamination Of this great enterprise.
do not suppose il 10 be our legitimate pro.
vince to dictate 10 Congress the terms and
conditions upon which it shall legisla,e or
the subject, but, SO far as we can, for our.
selves and those for whom we speak, ,c
let Congress and the country know what
are our views and wishes in regard 10 it
We represen: very large portion of the
people of the United States, chief,
from the valley Of the Mississippi. live
have not: our constituents have, the un-
doubted right to speak in a tone Of author
| ity upon all questions which effect The
public welfare. They expect US to speal,
out like men, and declare, in emphatic
terms, what they want and what we want
They have not given countenance to thi:
Convention, that our time here should be
consumed in idle and childish debate abou
the advantages of one town or city ove1
another. All these things may be vel
enough at the proper time and place-bu
this is neither the time nor the place fo
them. We have called this a .Nationa
Convention. 1t cannot be .Nationa
Convention, until we shall elevate our
selves above sectional considerations