Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-05-04


in actual operation nearly 500 miles of railroads. equal
that Of any Of the Southern States if any State in the
Union, arising from proper administration of her proper
onae share Of that depose by this Government among the
States, and her and individual resources All the
other States received their shares but unfortunately some
of them managed badly and their credit and public works
went to decay But is this any reason, Mr. President,
why those who have udciousy managed and economically
controlled what they had, should be deprived of their equal
participation Now, sir look the State Of Georgia
From Augusta to Atlanta, and from Augusta the dividing
line between South Carolina and Georgia. the Tennessee
river, running eight miles into the State of Ten
nessee, Georgia thereby unite the Atlantic with the valley Of
the Mississippi. And, sir to-day you may start from
Charleston, and go by steam TO Cairo the point which
designated the southern termination of the railroad
contemplated by the State Of Illinois, And how was this
done By individual enterprise, and by the funds of that
State and udcous appropriation of the proceeds which
divided between all the States Then turn your eye to
Savannah in the Stae of Georgia you have 500 and odd
miles, nearly 600 OF continuous railroad from the Allan
tic to the Valley OF the Mississippi tapping the Tennessee at
Chattanooga.
This was all done by enterprise. We ask nothing
of the Government for it but when you going divide
the paimony although have been exceedingly indus
tious and economical home, having made these roads,
merely for advantage but for the comfort Of ALL
will object to take share My friend from Kentucky
has rode railroads, and smingy sad These the
fruits Of the distribution Of the proceeds of the public lands
according my wisdom. Loud laughter, in which Mr..
CLAY Joined. The honorable Senator from Kentucky
understood disavow the wisdom, though he admitted
the sme My friend from Kentucky disavows the wis
DOM but admits the smile and he wants to 60 fur
ther But what next He says that this great
country should be improved by system of internal i'm
provemen;s. The States supporting the General Go
by indirect taxaon and the public lands
coded the United States for the benefit Of all the States
After the payment of the debts Of the Revolution, the
States entitled the money for the purposes OF internal
improvement and education. admit it. But now let US be
just, and in the language of friend OF mine in Georgia,
" Divide fairly do things honestly do them justly" But
you do by the mode that has been proposed in the bill
now under consideration submit it now to the udg
ment of this body, do you believe that stand by,
Senator from Georgia. and see three millions OF the public
lands given Illinois There is another bill your table
for appropriation of the character but to what extent
do not know How far they to carry this road Four
hundred miles. Who pays for it The General Govern
men Why the State of Georgia has constructed her part
of this great enterprise upwards of six hundred miles, already
completed, and going by steam from the Atlantic to tie
valley Of the Mississippi, all at our own expense.
have another view of this subject which intend to pre-
sent, and do not do it with any view of embarrassing this
question ALL voted against the distribution Of the pro-
cetds Of the public lands when 10 the other branch OF Con-
gress ard would vote against to-day but would say,
with my friend from Tennessee, that if you to divide
hem avoid this nusics to avoid this inequality, let
divide them fairly and equally We Confederacy Of
States all entitled to equal rights and to equal dividends,
according to the extent of the population These internal
improvements for the benefit Of not only the citizens Of
the South but of the citizens of the North. They league
together make better acquainted with each other and
cultivate affections and personal convenences. We will
do this by nercommuncaions between the States We may
be asked what do you want in Georgia Haveyou not
got eight hundred miles Of railroad Now what do you
want But, sir this, that every year the losses
tanned property by going round the cape of Florida would
be sufficient build railroad from Mobile to point
within the limits of the State Of Georgia. by which that dan
passage round the cape of Florida would be avoid
ed MY frierd from Florida will concede that this is
have proposition to make, which intend to present.
When you through Illinois you touch at Lake Michigan,
and take the Senator from Michigan and unite him. not by
thnN huo tho S,1fh Van
get him into it by railroad from Lake Michigan down TO
Cairo the mouth of the Ohio river then through Ken
lucky, and then through portion of Tennessee and then
down to Mobile That is the whole of the road And when
get to Mobile, where we' We are on the Gulf of
Mexico, and all communication between Mobile and the
Northern cities has to be round that dangerous cape For
da Now, to avoid that my proposition is to give TO the
State of Georgia. just precisely upon the same terms upon
the conditions, according the extent Of the line which
she intends to make from Mobile number of Of land
in proportion the distance for the benefit OF Georgia.
because she is complete in her SYSTEM far relates
to her internal facilities, but for the purpose of
connecting every section Of this country.
IF you make this road from Mobile, by way Of Columbus
in Georgia. the Chaahooche direct through Macon to
the Central road the Georgia raoad to point
above the city of Augusta, you have connexion then by
railroad 10 the Atlantic at Savannah, to the Atlantic at
Charleston, and have direct road to Cairo through Ala
bama through Mississippi through Tennessee ard through
Kentucky What would the road be worth through Illinois,
through Tennessee and through Kentucky, unless you
could 60 down to Mobile And after you get to Mobile,
of what value will be you have not this road to the
Atlantic, through Georgia You will be in precisely the
same condition if you had come down the Mississippi
There is the river Mississippi, with nothing in it but
here and there snags and sawyers, and now and then
boiler bursting, Laughter but is always open highway
down New Orleans 1t is dry When you get to
Mobile you to stop. Your object is to on towards
the Atlantic and strike the improvements OF Georgia
with Carolina and coming the old
North State through the Old Dominion north to ashngon
Now, sir, there the great link which is wanting from
Mobile to the Georgia railroad and all ask is that you
appropriate public lands the States Of Alabama, Mis-
sissipp and Illinois, their railroad, that you
shall appropriate $780, 600 that Georgia may go on and
complete this link which is wanting We will pledge our
selves construct the raosd within ten years. but with
in five years. Now, why do you not do it, Thereby is
you tack many amendments to this BILL Illinois is gone
Now is there not as much propety in Illinois losing this ad
vantage Georgia Alabama What gives to Illinois any
advanagei Now show you the position that occupy
humble about this NATTER and only claim IT upon prnc
pie If Georgia makes this road from Macon she will not Go
from selfish purposes but in order to complete the road
through the State Of Alabama down Mobile for public and
the stockholders alone but for the Union When you give
take money belonging the Union to appropriate it. let
be for public purposes let be upon general principles upon
which all stand
may be replied to in this WISE You opposed to an
appropriation OF the proceeds of the public lands for internal
improvements by State am sir. But when this Con-
gess decides principle, and says that shall be the policy
OF this Government to give the public lands for internal I'M
provelhents, yield my constitutional objections, and go
with the country upon the principles which have been
established though against my view will not stand
still sentative from Georgia because my opinion
that this unconst;u ona and say that Georgia shall not
hprs At no 4 he