The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-01-22
Soafhcsstern Railroad Conrention.
The New Orleans Crescent gives the follow.
ng as q brief svnons;s .,r NJ p..-uIt, =

/ C0ufncestern Railroad C0nrentiOn.
The New Orleans Crescent gives the follow
1 ing as brief synopsis of Mr.. Burwelrs re-
marks on proposing his resolutions:
DIT. burwell, in favor of the resolutions.
spoke at great length. He was in favor Of n
great trunk Railroad from Washington CITY TO
New orleans, through the States of Virginia.
East Tennessee, North Alabama, Rississippi'
and Louisiana. He confended that this was
the shortest mail route from New Orleans 10
the Atlantic cities, as shown by surveys made
| thirty years ago by Gen. Barnard, of the
/ nearest postal routes from Washington 10 New
Orleans, with certain branches towards the
| capitals Of the various South Atlantic States.
II was remarkable fact, that the lines drawn
by. .Generel Barnard, were. now under consiruc-
tion in sections, for the whole distance-these
lines pursued the ancient tracks of the savage
and the buffalo. After an elaborate summing
OF up the many peculiar advantages attending
the construction of road by this route, the
speaker passed to the consideration Of the
greatcontemplated enterprises which are to
connect New Orleans with the commercial
marts of the West.
Memphis, he said, is the great centre of trade
Tor the Southwest, and that it can never be
| superseded by any other. In view of this
| tact. ne would urge the immediate construc-
| @ non OF Railroads to bring the products of the
west Memphis, whence, by the Mississippi
rlver, transportation TO New Orleans wns al
| ways uninterrupted and Of rapid accomplish
! ment.
1t had been shown, he said, that capital in
New Orleans was not wanting. We had al
ready abundance Of capital, more in propor-
ton to population than any city on the Cont
nent. We wanted enterprise to open rapid
communication between this and the Atlantic
seaboard-that the imports of New Orleans
were farinlerior to her exports, and .hat when
| the means of rapid communication between
this and the Atlantic was established, this city
would be enabled to supply the traders of the
MIssssippi Valley by imports, and thus be
enabled to retain the millions arising from our
exports and which are now poured into other
cities ofeaser access. Rapid communication
with the cities of the North was the great de-
| sideratum. By this means we would avoid the
| expense and dangers of coast transportation,
and that the millions of expense which the GO
vernment is compelled to sustain for the erec-
ton of light houses on the Southern coast
would be avoided. We would avoid the dam
| ages OF the sea and save time and money by
| the completion ofthese enterprises-that what
| the planter loses by delay in getting to mar.
ket, would build all the railroads in Christen-
| dom.
| He spoke of the enterprise of the North and
said that the profits oftheir railroads arose, not
| from the facilities of communicat on with their
own territory, but from the trade which they
drew off from Us. We can excel the North
We have resources they have not, and can
build roads cheaper than they can.
That there should be such wonder as rail-
roads-iron rivers, without disease on their
banks, without overfows and without crevases
was q revelation forthe South. The Anglo
Americans were master race and had har-
messed that engine of improvement to their SER
vice. 1t was labor saving improvement and
the men of our race, although condemned to
eatthelr bread in the sweat OF their brows, by
Its use had determined to eat as much bread
and sweat as little as possible. He spoke of
the cheapness of railroads at the South, and
OF the labor at hand to construct them. I'M
provements may be made with slave labor, for
il is cheaper than free labor. and by construct
ing roads by means ofthe former, the cost of
their construction is paid to our own citizen
and remains to increase the active capital
among ourselves. The difference of cost in
Virgi ginia between free and slave labor was as
two to one in favor of the employment of slaves.
There was no advantage, he said, to commu
nifty in the employment of foreign laborers to
construct our public works. Such system
carried money out of the country--increased
crime-and when forei ign laborers went from
among US they left nothing but their demoral-
zing influence, few empty wh;skey barrels
and the remembrance Of their vicious courses.
The warmth of this climate, he said, which
would kill an Irishman, would only serve to
bring to the surface negro's fragrance. Four
| negroes are equal to FIVE Irishmen, and besides
are not quite SO handy with their fists.
The speaker continued He weuld not re-
mind the people of Louisiana that it was their
duty to build railroads. for it was their inter-
est to do SO, and that was stronger motive
than any moral suason.
The speaker harangued at great length, and,
from want OF space, we are enabled to give
scarce a synopsis of his entertaining and in
structye discourse. He concluded with some
remarks going to prove that there is no need of
extension ofterritory on account of surplus
slave population; that hybridism will absorb
them, and great proportion would pass from
the laboring 10 the menial condition, thereby
becoming the slave aristocracy of the country.
He finished by saying that abolition excite
nIents must soon cease to annoy US, for that the
| North finds it to their interest to cultivate
| friendly relations with the South that the
time is coming when we can demand abolition
lists as hostages, and have them mailed to or
! der; and that the North, in exchanging the pa
trunage and friendship of the South for the
! friendship of the abolitionists, would make a
damned bad swap! The speech was received
with decided demonstrations of applause.