The Arkansas banner., 1849-01-23
Proceedings of the California Railroad


 Proceedings of the California Railroad Meeting.
 At meeting of the estizsDs of Pulaski county, the members of ta lerisatare of the State of Ar kannas snd other citiIens of the StAe, held al the capital in the city of Little Rock, Saturday evening the 6th of JaBnsry. lsI9, for the purpose
 of memoyalizipg the Congress of the United States
 in relation the survey and establishment sf rss | road route to California. from some point on the
 Mississippi river, through the State of Arkansas,
 the indian country, New Mexico and California. to { the Pacific ocean-kis exeeIlepey Thomas :. Drew
 was calied to the chair, and Messrs Gordon N Peay 1 ana Lambert J. Reardon appointed secretaries. 1 The object of the meeting was explained where
 upon, preamble and resolutions were offered by r.
 l.. Anthony. Esq, and an sHseaene ns submitted by l.. A. Whteiy, Esq, which were laid on th@ table for farther consideration
 ! The meeting was then addressed by Albert Pike, George C. W atkins, Thomas ". Newton. Phillip l.. Anthony, t. II. English and Sam't Hoyt, Esqrs.. 1 and thereupos. on motion. the chair appointed Messrs William A. McLaa. Josiah Gould, Robt McAmy, Philip l.. Anthony, Frederick w Trap nall. Thomas W. Newton. Ebert H. English, Geo. c. Watkins and Charles Rapley, Esqrs., to draughs
 a memorial to Congress, praying that q competent corps of United States engineers may be inmedi- ] ately ordered to survey and mark out a railroad roule from Fort Smith, some other point western frontier, via of Santa Fe, to the Pacific ocean.
 On motion of F.. II. English, Esq. the preamble, 1 resol liions and amendment were referred to the committee aforesaid to draaght a memorial to the Congress of the L nted States, and 10 report the l same to this meeting Moaday evening, sth inst. On motion of Charles Rapley, Esq the meeting
 adjourned until Monday evening. tie sth inst. MONDAY EVENING, Jan. 8, ISf9. ] The meeting was called so ordsr Hon Tbonaas l g. Drew in the chair.
 George C. Watkins, Esq introduced the follow ing resplutions to wit:
 l Resofred That thH meeting Is deeply impressed with the necessity of direct overland cammunca-
 ton between the valley of the Mississippi and the newly acquired territories Of the United States
 the Pacific ocean, ard that regard 1t as important
 for the interests of the southwestern States that this comm 6 nca ton should bc made from Memphis. or ! some other point the Mississippi river, 10 Mon terey or San Francisco, the Pacific; that in
 opinion, and from all the informalonwe gather, ! a road over this route be easily and cheap " constructed, Is much shorter, more direct, less liable to be obs,rueted by Ice in winter, or
 extreme heat in summer, than any other route that has been proposed.
 Resotred farthsr, That regard this a great
 national work, fully within the constitutional power
 of Congress for the reason that the proposed route | tcs wholly within the limits of the United States,
 her territories. yet admitted into the nion, and will be needed as government road for mi-
 tary unicafoa, and the transportation of troops and munitions of war for the ports the western
 frontier; and that, incdeutafy t will be the outlet
 for emigration 10 those distant reConsand so bring 1 into market the newly acquired public domain which would otherwise remain unsoid for ages;
 and, besides opening a highway for foreign
 merce ofthe eastern hemisphere, will afford eneoar acernest and facilities for vast inland trade be-
 tween the people of tbis Union and that for these
 considerations, deem it the duty of Congress 10
 construct this read and the first step thereto to
 cause the route to be surveyed by competent orps
 of engneers-this meeting being sat sfed that upon
 fair comparison with any other proposed route.
 the one from Memphis to Monterey will be selected
 as the one in all respects the most eligible and fea-
 sibie-
 1 Rssol,e9. i1tfer, That in furtheranee of these views, deem it advisable that convention of the neighborng States should be held at Memphis. to
 consider and report 10 the sane and that recon-
 mend the ith day Of July a suitable time for
 s;:=.: EzsatBg and invite the people Of our sister
 States, who feel interested in this subject, 10 meet
 and appoint delegates to such convention; ana that
 the chairman of this meeting appoint twelve
 delegates to represent Arkansas in that convention. 1 Phiilip L. Anthony, Esq. ou behalf of the com
 mittee appointed to draaghI memorial To the Con-
 gress of the United States, reported the following
 To thc Honora5is Seaals and the House of Resresea | fatres of Gs DRiicf St7tes is C5Rgvrss assembled l he memorial of fie HHasrsigae5, cti=eas of tde l Sfate q 1rkans7s, respectively shosreta. { That he acquisition of California having opened a wide field for the enterprise of oaf citizens upon the Pacific coast both of America and Asa, it be- comes matter ot the highes importance 10 bind, by indissolahe tie, said acquisition 10 the Atiaauc
 portion ol cur country and that the most effsctaal way to accomplish this, will be by constructing railroad from Memphis, or some other point on inc
 Mississippi ryeg 10 Monterey or some other suitable termination en the Pacific ocean. Yoas memoriaiists persuaded that when the great necessity for a direct and speedy commnica- ton with western possessions is taken into view, there be hesitation in arriving at the conclu sion that ihe road proposed by your memOfialists wiil be conceded 10 have decsde,s advantages oyer all others. Ii is thousand or fifteen hundred miles nearer than the route proposed by Whitney, and, being in medium climate wi i'll have the advantage of an open communiea alton from cold and snow and 1t is several thousand miles than the route by the sthnus, and not subjected 10 casualties by sea- or epidemic incident to tropical climates. As a route for the transportation of nayal and military stores. it will have decided advantage. ffom the fact 0ihs lying wholly within boI- ders, exempt from tbe hazard of storms, nr captures by sea in the eveEt of var blockade of the sth- mus rorts, independent ot the advantage of speed in ihe transportation. upon which oilen rests the fate of armies and the success of campaigns. One stipulation in Ibe treaty with Mexico, par tiCnarly demands such road. Your mefnofahSts refer 10 that article which makes it incumbent upon the United Staes to guarantee the peace of Mexico from Indiana lncuIsions along the line. ln order that the goverHm@nt be in a condition 70 fulhi this treaty stipulation, it must have at command inc means 10 transport troops ~th the greatest ceiertty 10 point ies:e osa ihousand miles, and to supply those troops with Subsistence and mgni- ton, ol war, which cannot be done economically any other way, ss by railroad communication. Your memorislists wcusd also advert 10 the neces- sity of telegraphic communication across the con- iinent by which important dsspa'ctes may be ttaRs-
 mit'ed from one portion of inc Union to the other with the utmost speed, necessary st ail times to he public service, but most especially 10 titae of war.
 Your memoriasts, therefore, respectfully pray that ! your honorable body will immediaiey order com
 potent corps of engineers 10 surrey and mark out a
 railroad route from the Mississippi river, via Santa
 Fe Fl Passo, t0 suitable termination tfs Psehc ocean; and, a soon as he practicability o the foute shall be asceftaiaed. that your honorable ! body wil make appropriations for he completion
 Inf ha same at fhe earliest nernd ypfr "A f.doo may