The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1850-02-01
SENATOR THORN RNBURG.

Among those in the present Lcgls
aturc who have most distinguished
themselves by an able and unswcrv'
inc advocac" of n we'll regulated sys.
TEN Of Internal Improvements, is the
gentleman whose name stands at the
head of this article. Impressed with
the great Importance of the subject,
and entirely free from. m.those local and
sectional prcjudices, which, unhappi.
ly for the country. bias the minds and
destroy thr usefulness Of so many Of
our pubI:oGHnn. he has upon all pro,
per occasions shown himself the de-
voted friend not oaIv Of measures cal.
culatcd to benefit his own section,
but others, in which his immediate
constituents were not presumed to he
SO intimately interested. We take
pleasure in tcs,ifying to the zeal he
has dis splayed and the ability with
which he has Iaborcd. and avail our.
self Of the present occasion to return
him the thanks of the people of this
section for his exertlons in behalf of
the East Tennessee aud Georgia Rail
Road. Below will he found some
extracts from a speech recently dc.
livcrcd hv Mr.. Thornhnrg in the
Senate on the Internal Improvement
Bill, and we regret we are not able
10 publish it entire.
After referring to the main fea-
lures Of the Bill, the great advantages
that must result from its passage. and
speaking of the benefits other States
have derived from the adoption OF
similar measures, ilr. I'hornburg con.
linues:
That The State is now more able to
embark in new enterprises of this
character than in 1888. when she first
began to patronse works Of internal
improvement by the use of her credit
can be ahundan,!y and clearly shown
We. then. were inexperienced, and
wcre in possession OF no data, upon
which to base proper estimates. sue!
works were more expensive then thar
at present. We hal no excess Ct
capital and enjoyed far less credit
,han now. The wealth and resources
Of the State were comparatively IN,
developed at that time, and our popu.
lntinn was much smaller; and in ad-
d,inn. public sentiment bad not been
aroused 10 the importance oi such
works, ard !hey were entered upon
with suspicion and disirIst. But =
brighter day has dawncd. and now
there is 4 deep and anxious solicitudf
among the people to he furnished
with mart for the sale Of theprodncl,
Of their lands. A fruitful field %
profit pow lies before us. We have
i, in oul power 10 dcvc!ope, TO the
fullest extent. the vast resources o.
the State. end especially Of its Fast
ern division. wi;rh contains over tc,
millions Of acres o! land. covering an
area of about lG.0aH square miles
abounding in mines of iron, lead, COP,
per, coal and zine. Her quarrics Of
marble are unsurpassed by any in the
Union. She is favored with salu.
brious climate. and can produce rs
great n variety OF the naccssarcs and
Injuries of lie rs any territory n
equal cx,cn. or the Continent. l'cr
water power is abundant and amply
sufficient for manufacturing purposes
The trade Of East Trnncsecn has
been estimated Mt l5.OA0.OOo annu,
ally. Including her imports. and cx
ports. She has Il population Of about
$50. 900, and is capable OF sustaining
upwards of n million of inhabitants
Even with the present population she
is capable of exporting large quanti
ties Of Corn, Wheat. Oats. Potatoes
Fruits, &c, &c. but her exports arc
limited. owing to the want of outlets
to a remuncrating market.
The road from the Georgia line &c
Knoxville is now rapidly progressing
in its construction. and there arc 20,
less than 500 labo,crs daily employed
upon it, This will give MS Il partial
oulct for our surplus products.
And Just here. Mr.. Speaker. allow
me to digrcss from the main subject
little.
was greatly surprised Mr.. Speak
or. the other dav. when | saw the
Senator from Overton present his re.
port as the minority report Of the
Committee appointe;; 10 investigate
the condition and affairs Of the EaS
Tennessee AMI Georgia Railroa.
Company. was. however, mucI
more surprised when ! heard the re
port read at the clerks desk. and saw