Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-01-24
SOUTHERN RAILROAD CONVENTION.

The Southern Railroad Convention, which met at
New Orleans on the 5th instant, adjourned sine die
on the evening of the 9th. It's proceedings were
characterized with great harmony and unanimity
The following resolutions designate the leading
routes which received the favor of the Convention.
They were reported by Mr.. BURwELL, of Virginia,
from the Committee on Routes, and adopted by a
unanimous vote:
Resorea That the Committee Routes regard the fol-
lowing system of internal improvements only ndis-
pensabe to the development of the agricultural
ca and mineral wealth Of the Southwestern States and
cities but also essential TO the equality and unity OF
the States of this Confederacy; and they earnestly
commend the to the patriotic consideration of the
Legislatures and citizens of the Southwestern States
1st national road to the Pacific ocean, with ter
minus the Mississippi river north and south of the
mouth of the Ohio divide the advantages of each road
equally possible among the different States of the
Union.
ID The Southwestern national railroad from Washing
ton to New Orleans passing through the States of vr
4 gina Tennessee Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana,
constituting the shortest practicable line of mail and
vel transit consisting of the following continuous sections
under consideration to wit the Richmond and Lynch
burg Railroad the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad the
East Tennessee ana Virginia Railroads the Georgia and
Tennessee Railroads the Alabama and Tennessee River
Railroad the Selma and Jackson Railroads the New Or
leans and Jackson Railroad
! 3d. For Kentucky: The Memphis and Louisville RAD
road; the Louisville and Nashville railroad
4th For Tennessee: The Memphis and Louisville rail-
roads the Memphis and Charleston railroad; the LolfE<
vile and Nashville railroads the Nashville and Southwest
railroad the roads embraced in the national route
above referred to-
9Th For Alabama: The Mobile and Ohio railroad, and
the roads embraced in the national route referred to-
9Th. For Georgia and Florida: The Gulf railroad,
continuation of the Southwestern railroad of Georgia to
Pensacola Bay; the Florida and Peninsula railroad.
eth. For Mississippi: The Mobile and Ohio railroad !;
the New Orleans, Jackson and Nashville railroad the
New Orleans, Holly Springs and Ohio railroad theVicks
burg and jackson railroad extended by Brandon CONT
nued to Selma.
Sth For Arkansas The Arkansas and Mississippi, river
railroad from Fort Smith to Van Buren,, to Little Rock
and thence to White river, and there dyergng to Mem
phis and Helena. road from Northeastern Texas to
Little Rock crossing Red river Fulton road
from Fayetteville to Van Buren, and from the Central
railroad leaving the same the st. Francis ridge
through Jackson and Independence counties South
western Missouri. road from Little Rock the Lou
isiana line to intersect with the New Orleans and Ope
lousas railroad
9th For Louisiana: The New Orleans, Algiers, Texas
and Ell Paso railroad; the Madisonvie and jackson rail-
road: the Vicksburg and Shreveport railroad the New
Orleans and Nashville railroad.
10th For Texas The continuation of the New Orleans
Opeousas, and FL Paso railroad through Texas road
from point the northeast part of the State
ing with the Little Rock and Fulton road to on the
dividing ridge of the Sulphur and Red river the ridge
between Bots Arc and Sulphur: thence Dallas and
to connect with New Orleans and Ell Paso route
18th. For Missouri The road from St. Louis westward
the Hannibal and ST. Joseph's railroad
The ways and means suggested for prosecuting
the improvements above recommended are set forth
in the following resolutions, reported from the Com
mittee Of Ways and Means, and which were also
unanimously adopted:
Resolysd That the great system Of internal communi-
cation by railroads through the Southern and Southwest
States is object Of such Importance justify
and require liberal application of the resources Of the
States interested in these works
Resolved That the voluntary subscriptions of private in
dviduas are inadequate to the accomplishment of works
of such magnitude.
Resolred That public lands in the Western and South
western States of this Union ought be literally appro-
priated to the objects proposed and that this appro
priaton ought to be made by general law, applicable
within proper restrictions to all the railroad enterprises
in which the people of the West and Southwest ne
rested.
Resolved That the great additional value given par
lie lands by railroads passing in their neighborhood and
the augmented derived by the Governme from
the increased population and wealth which result directly
from such works render il peculiarly proper and equta-
bic that the General Government which shares in the be-
nef should contribute by grants Of land to the cost of
such works.
Rssoed That it is the right of the people, whenever
they may deem it proper to subscribe through their
nicpa and parochal corporations for the stock of rail-
roads calculated to advance their interests and that the
Legislatures Of the different States ought by law autho
rze their cities parishes and counties to make such sub
crptions when desired by the respective inhabitants
Resoced That the for the payment Of such
subscriptions when made ought be derived from taxes
levied landed property inasmuch that species of
property than any other benefited and enhanced in
value by works Of internal improvement
ResoLred, That, whenever subscriptions made by
cities counties, parishes it is nexpedient that the adj
minstraton Of the stock thus subscribed should remain
under the control of the local authorities and that ought
to be distributed amongst those whose property has been
taxed for its payment in proportion to the amount paid
by each; to the end that each individual may be stmua
ted by personal interest vgan supervision Of the
conduct Of the work.
Resoued, That committee Of three be appointed by
the chair to address the Congress Of the United States
and to the Legislatures Of the separate State ceremonas
in support of the principles contained these resolutions