The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1851-05-01
Tha nnAaiinn.

was or ever can be submitted 20 Ihe declsIod
of an intelligent and enterprising communl-
ty; Il question, in fact, which involves the
social and commercial destinies Of eastern
mississippi, probably for all time to come
They are to decide by vote whether the
great Mobile and Ohio Rail Road project
shall receive that assistance from this coun-
y which will ensure its speedy and success
ful completion, orwhether ~ Che refusal Of
1 this assistance, the whole schcme, on the
eve, as it is. Of hopeful consumation, shall
fall through
propose to offer afew reasons favorable
to the affirmative decision Of the questicn sub
niitted to the people Of Lovndes county,
Before proceeding 10 ever to ennmerate
some Of the gast advantages which would
accrue from tie constitution Of TIE proposed
road We would simply throw out q single OBJ.
servation, to disabuse the minds Of those
well meaning persons who are friends Of the
Road, but who nevertheless conceive it i'm
proper and arbitrary, toconstrain by taxation,
a cooperation on the partof others. On this
point ne think there arc mistaken seruples as
to the legal features 81 the question.
No one viii deny Tie general power to the
State, which in this instance is specially
delegated to the county. If the people of
Mississippi, for instance, through their re-
representatives. in the Legislature, thought
proper to encourage any species of internal
improvement by subscribing for stock in the
name Of the State, their right to do 50 could
not be questioned. She might even, as
Georgia herself has done, construct Rail
Road upon her own responsibility and solely
chargeable to her own treasury, if the public
interests required it, and this too though a
large minority of her citizens opposed it.
This is.onevof the prerogatiyes of State
government which is universally acknow-
lodged and which can only be destroyed by
special restrictions in the organic Law.
If the above be true, it follows, that the
Legislature of Mississippi could with great
propriety delegate to that portion of the peo-
pie interested in any local enterprise, the spe-
cial authority to determine whether or not
they would be taxed for its encouragement.
To deny this, seems to US as a general abnc-
cation of the powers which have not only
been claimed, but have also been repeatedly
exercised in one way or another by all the
States.
In cnumerating some of the reasons which
should influence favorable decision in re-
gard to the proposed tax of 100000 we
would remark
First. That the road has already been com
meneed in earnest, and assistance is asked
not to begin but simply to finish the magnif-
icent enterprise. BY November next cars
viii be running on thirty-tllreo miles Of the
road, for the completiop,of WHICH, $500, 1000
will have been expended. The donations
made by Congress-the depot grounds, ware
houses, wharyes and other acquired property
already amount to the munifcent sum Of S.
100000, to the rich benefits Of which we
become equal participants by our simple rs
sent.
Second. The road will be Of incalculableI
advantage in furnishing speedy, certain
and permanent communication with the
great commercial marts Of the country. We
will thus be enabled, not only to sell our pro-
duco of every description at its highest mar
ket value, but also to purchase all supplies
at slight advance upon the cost of produc-
ton. The saving to this county in this re-
spect, will be found almost incredible, altho
sustained by moderate principles of calcula-
ton. Without including as an item, our
losses upon cotton consequent upon the un-
certainty of navigation, it is reasonably es-
timated that Lowndes county alone would
annually save about $500, O00 in the reduc-
ed cost of staple supplies such as Bacon,
Flour, Bagging &C., including the enhanc-
ed value of lands. In addition to this ge.l.
eral saving, it is but fair to presume that the
annual dividend which would fall to this coun-
ty would be some $40, 900 Il as increasing
the immense pecuniary advantages which we
have glanced at. The Dry Goods equally
with the Grocery market uld feel the
healthful and natural result Of this improy-
ed intercourse Our merchants from the re-
duced rates Of insurance heights, 6c. com
bined with the facility Of filing oaders, and
renewing their stocks at pleasure, viii be ena-
bIed realize their present PROFITS at cheap
Third 81 Will deyelope IN an infinite and
inooncen aple variety ST ways al the domezs
tic resources Of TIE country, l,y creating 8
demand and furnishing i ,narket, for every
species q productive industry and economy.
lastly viii have tendency to eonsol-
date those mntual interests, and encourage
that free ereourse, upon which the perpetu-
lily Of orr Union chiefly depends. 1t viii fur
nish acheap and zpeditious means Of 6lavel,
and inteT-con nication, embracing in i
common neighborhood, the rernotest parts Of
lour common country. Only few hours.
viii be necessary to land us either IN n. Or
leans on the one hand, or st. Louis on the
otlor