The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1852-10-23
ADDRENS
Of the COMMITTEE on Roads, ap POINTED BIZ
the Palestine Conrsni,el.
TO TIE rroPip or rrxAx

The undersigned, committee appointed
by the Convention assembled At Pairs,lns
on the 10th Of September, lsJ2. to address
you on the subject OF Railroads, now pro
coed to perform the duty assigned them.
The subject is OF vast importance to the
present and future welfare of the State,
and, under the circumstances in which we
find ourselves placed, has most important
national bearings. The present is An age
OF rapid progress and Improvement through.
out the world, and in no part Of it is there
manifested more active and energetic Of.
forts than in the United States. TIE nat.
ural resources OF Texas are at least eaua
to any extent of territory, of the size, on
this continent and she only needs capital
and enterprise TO become in n short time,
one Of the most populcus and ilourishing
states in this great republic. The climate
and soil is perhaps unsurpzsse'', and all
that is needed is, the facilities OF reaching
the markets of the world with the products
of wlch our soil is capable, in order to
insure a production which, while it secures
our prosperity Ms a State, will largely
increase the foreign snd domestic commerce
of the United States, snd add to the gener.
al industry, wealth, and prosperity OF the
country. The most difficult step IN al!
great enterprises is proper and Judicious
beginning, and upon few subjects is that
step more difficult than the one which the
undersigned have been appointed to address
you.
The State is one Of vast extent, OF di-
versfed interests, and means of commu.
nicatlon necessary at SO many points, that
there is great danger that our resources
may he exhausted or suffered to remain uu
improved by the irui,Iess rival interests of
the dileren, localities and sectional pref
udices 1t is natural that the inhabitants
OF each section should desire tina, their own
interests should be attended to. The I'M
dersigned vii! not pretend to claim that
they are exempt from this feeling. but de-
sire to be distinctly understood AS having
no hostility to any portion OF the states and
to be fully impressed ~iih the conviction
that the prosperity Of any portion, will have,
in greater or less degree, beneficial IN.
tiuence upon the whole.
The undersigned believe that it would
be the part OF wisdom to select from the
multitude Of propositions for the construc.
ton of roads, such MS shall be the mos,
general in their character, which will, as n
consequence, add most largely to the wealth
aud resources of the State, and create the
ability To construct road. more local in their
character.
1t is known that propositions have been
before the Congress OF the United States
Tor the construction of y great national
road from the valley of the Mississippi to
the Pacific Ocean, and the undersigned feel
graiI.ied at being able to state, upon what
they regard rs good authority that that
project IL now more favorably regarded
than it has been at any previous period In
fact, when its Importance to the United
Ststes is considered it seems Difficult, to be-
leve that it will be much longer overlooked
by Congress, or its commencement be de
layed. The obligations resting on the
General Government, to defend its nhab.
itAnis on the Pacific. demand a speedy route
over our own territory to tina, mos, exposed
portion Of our country. The prompt and
speedy means OF intercourse between the
different parts of our widely extended
country, made ucoece.r, by the iandameni
al principle. upon which our government
rests, renders such road matter of i'm.
perious necessity and when We add to this
the almost certain result that, upon the con
,truction Of such road, the travel and in
tercourse with the Eastern nations would
and their way through our territory, with all
the national advantages which transit
would secure, We cannot regard II ms at all
doubtful that the cn,.rpri'e wi! receive
speedy and efficient aid from the General
Government.
We are aware tina, there have been diff
cutie. in Congress AS to the route which
should be selected, and that those dih'cul
ties have retarded the action of that body
upon this subject; but when We reflect
upon the advantages which a route through
Texas present. AS we'll in regard TO the cost
of the road. IS the great increase which Il
will cause of the domestic aud foreign com
merce OF the country, We feel confident
that those advantages will not be over
looked in the action OF Congress upon this
subject. When the immense resources OF
the Valley of the Mi.sissIppi--its large
commerce aud its rapidly increasing and
enterprising population, are considered, IN
connection with the works OF improvement
now in rapid state OF progress, connecting
IL with the Eastern and Atlantic States and
commercial cisies. it Is very evident that
,ny road to the Pacific must connect at
some point with that stream and when It
ia remembered that line drawn upon the
I'D parallel of north latitude. or l,s vicini.
~ on either side, will pass through terri.
tory at least five hundred niles in length in
the State of Texas alonc-~ territory com.
pr,sinu the finest cotton lands upon the
globe. is reduced to certainty that
such advantages As this route prcsen,S will
not be dsregarded by the Government or
men OF capital and enterprise who may en'
gage in the construc ton of the road.
unde, these circumstances. i, appears
to the undersigned that a road to be con
structed from tho Eastern to the Western
portion Of the State would for the present,
combine the most advantages, bring larger
means to bear within the State, and con-
nec,sd ~ il necessarily would be with the
interests and enterprise o! the adjoining
States. AS we'll AS the. General Government,
woald offer stronger guarantees Tor a
s,e.dy and prompt execution than any
other scheme which may be presented.
Every one must a, once nee that II such
4 IL. IL