Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1852-01-13
Internal Improvement.

state of our columns last week, we
we're unable to notice the proceed
ings of a public meeting, which as
sembled in this place on the lst inst.
But for this, we would have been
pleased to have sad what may now
seem somewhat out of time. Not
withstanding the meeting assembled
after quite a Limited notice, it was
respectable in point of numbers, and
equally SO as to intellect, embracing
as it did a number of our best in
formed citizens of the county and
town. We are confident that, with
more favorable weather, and more
general knowledge of the time Of
meeting, there would have been four
times as many present. This, how
ever, is altogether unimportant, since
we arc enabled to state, upon the most
reliable information to be obtained,
that the meeting did nothing more
than express the sentiments Of nine
tenths Of the citizens of Lincoln CO.,
on the subject of internal improve
ments. If we understa nd the senti-
ments of the people of Lincoln upon
any subject, it is this. While they
are as much in favor Of opening suit
able outlets to market, by construct
ing turnpikes and rail loads, and i'm
proving the condition Of all streams
susceptible of navigation, as any
people upon Gods earth, they have
ever been of the opinion that it Was
wrong in principle, ahd ruinous in
practice, to employ the. means Of the
State to aid in such projects. To
them, it has ever appeared unjust to
burden the credit of tile State with
even portion Of the liabilities con-
sequent upon constructing works Of
internal Improvement, which at best
can only prove incidentally advanta-
gcous to the wholepeople, while they
are always intended to directly en-
nance the interests Of those in whose
Immediate vicinity the roads or other
improvements may be located. To
illustrate the idea ihtendedIto be con
yeyed, we have only to refer to the
result of past legislation upon this
subject. The aid the State has af-
forded from time to time to different
projects of internal improvements in
East Tennessee. allowing them to
have proved to be beneficial and con-
venientIto that section, has not mere
than incidentally benefited the ives t
end Of the State, while its means haVe E
been as freely used iowa rds the pro
jects, as those of East Tennessee, if
not more SO. The policy that would
tax one section Of the State for the
exclusive benefit of the other, can
not receive favor from the people Of
Lincoln. The argument that goes
to prove the great utility and adyan4
tage Of rail roads, &c, and the direct
influence they have in inc reasing thd
value of land and other property
only tend to more fully confirm Q u1
people in their well established prem
Uses, that, if these arguments arc VIZ ELI
founded, they only prove that the
people who are to derive these adj
vantages should construct the roads
without asking the aid of the State.
We viii go further: They admit all
these arguments prove, and are really
as much the friends of internal inn
proYements on a proper basis as the
most Jealous champion of the policy
that has for a number of years been
attempted to be fastened upon the
State of Tennessee, None would be
more pleased to have convenient and
cammodious channels to the different
markets of the world than the people
of Lincoln county; but they have
not permitted their desires to inlu-
ence them to ask East Tennessee to
furnish means to do that which they /
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