Mississippi palladium. [volume] (Holly Springs, Miss.) 1851-1852, 1851-10-24

subscribed, amounting to very nearly
S4OO. 900, should be transferred to the
Memphis anc Charleston Company, and that
the citizens of North Mississippi should
within period to be fixed by the Board,
increase this subscription to at least $500,
600, in addition to the unconditional stock
already subscribed, amounting to upwards
of S10o,o 900, and ma king the aggregate
of stock subscribed by Mississippi at least
6 or $4,000. Ifthere should be failure
on our part to raise the proposed amount
of stock by the time limited (the lst of
November was suggested in t be PROPOSE
tion) then we were to forfeit all claim to the
location withdraw all opposition, and per
NIT the road to be built wherever the Board
might desire.
This proposition, like every other which
has been submitted ,,v onr people, was
promptly rejected by the Board, and in
stead of listening to proposals for adjust
ment, they proceeded to adopt measures,
by memorialising our Legislature and 9th
erwise, to effect change of the Charter to
suit their views.
Here ends the narrative of the origin
and progress of this unfortunate controver-
sy, and in sketching it, have endeavored
to present the simple facts as they occur
red, and nothing to extenuate, nor aught
set down in malice" And now with these
facts before them, what will be the judg-
ment of an enlightened and candid public
as to the course pursued by the respective
parties We are charged With manifes-
ting a selfish, iliberal spirit, and of desiring
to extort concessions from the Board,
which we aught not to ask, and which they
in Justice to the stockholders should not
grant. Is this true? Would it be any
departure from faithful, conscientious
discharge of duty on the part Of the Board
to locate the road where the ldW directs it
should be done, and are they required to
look away from the law as explicitly de-
clared BY the act of our Legislature, to
some "higher law" in order to find the
standard Of their duties, and preserve their
consciences inviolate ? If desire to take
care of our own interests be AZ exhibition
of selfshness, it is one Of the foibles of
poor human nature from which We can
claim no exemption, but We may at least
console ourselves with the reflection that
we have in this respect, but followed the
example set by Tennessee and Alabama
Memphis is point designated in the Ten
nessee Charter, as the Western terminous
of the road, and Huntsville is point de-
signated in the Alabama Charter, through
which the road is required to pass. Sup
pose the Board in locating the road had
refused to recognize the provisions of their
respective Charters and instead Of pas
sing through Huntsville and the heart OF
the Tennessee Valley, and making Mem
phis the western terminus, they had for
some real or supposed causes satisfactory
to themselves, skirted along upon the Nor
thern boundary line Of Alabama and tap
ped the Mississippi river either above or be-
low Memphis. Would not their act have
been regarded as wholly unauthorized and
void, and would it not at once have raised
storm Of Indignation among the citizens
of these two states whose local interests
had been thus trifed with, and the proyi-
sions of their Charters treated with ut
ter disregard Would any one have
thought of denouncing them as selfish and
illiberal for uttering their complaints, and
ISSfStlEE ILLS uuWdII Ot t1C DodIu.
And pray tell me in what respect this
supposed case differs from what has actual
ly been done by the Board with reference
to Mississippi The express provisions OF
her Charter have been disregarded, her To-
cal interests wholly overlooked, and the
road arbitrarily located by the Board along
upon the border ofou, State, where its ten
dency would be rather to act as drain up
on our population, our revenue, and our
individual wealth, than to increase and pro-
mote these interests.
And yet there are those who do not hesitate
TO denounce us as selfish and illiberal when
we protest against such an act, and we are
tsuntingly told that we want to build roads
for our accommodation with the money Of
other people. Does not the statements OF
facts which have given above stamp the
charge with the seal of falshood ? Have
we not offered time and again to contribute
our fair proportion towards constructing the
road, and upon the same terms that the
stockholders in Tennessee and Alaba ma
took their subscriptions, viz that it should
be expended for our own benefit Our
subscriptions were refused upon these
terms, and then because we were not stu
pid enough to permit ourselves to be delu-
ded, or generous enough to bestow our
stock as a gratuity, we are to be told that
we have no interest in the matter, and that
the stockholders have right to build their
road where they choose
Memphis is to be one of the termini OF
the road, and Shelby County is to be pen
otratad hv If from ono oyfrpreifv to the n
ther, and yet with all of these anticipated
advantages the citizens of that city and
county have taken, all told, but about
100000 of stock and $500, 900 of that
in Memphis Corporation bonds of uncer-
tain value in the market. The remaining
subscriptions in Tennessee would not, in
all probability, exceed 5000 or $780,
900. This subscription gives to the citi-
zens of that State an unquestioned right
to be heard, and to have their local inter
ests respected and yet a proposed subscrip-
tioE of very nearly the same amount, and
at least as reliable, on the part of the citi-
zens of Mississippi is to pass for nothing.
and the act of their Legislature in fixing
the provisions of the Charter to be stig-
matised as fraudulent and unjust
It's not only the right, but the impera-
tive duty of the Legislative authority to
guard and protect the interests of the citi-
zens, and to preserve that line of policy
best calculated to develope the resources,
and increase the population and revenue
of the the State. and no State has guarded
their interests with more watchful jealousy
than Tennessee. It was for this purpose