The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-16

gpoech or General Thomas j. Rusk,
TEXAS;
Dslirusd al Aun 6usmber 4 1858. al barbecue g'psr
tt6 ty the atzens Of IyoSss county
Eu1ow.crizEss: am Indebted to the kindness OF
the citizens oil Austin and the county OF Travis Tor the
pesent occasion 10 address you. ! assure you II al
lords me great pleasure to do SO see around ms
many faces that were familiar 70 me ia ihe days oi
who mingled III the struggles OF thai
tiHe. ihoss dark days Tor Texas. Many strong
attachments then formed aud feelings oil The warm,
friendship originated among those with whom had
the honor 10 stand side by side in the cause OF right
which, trust, will be mutually INDUCED as long as
shall live II is proper that should express those ieei
ings; but the expression OF them argues no want OF
proper regard for those who come IN since; we are
happy To receive them he early pioneers OF Texas won
an empire OF vas, extent and value but their numbers
were so small that il comparatively useless IN tne'r
hands To those who have come IN weareindeb'ei ioI
The deyelopmen of our resources aud the only regret
have is that their numbers have not been huntfeu-
fold greater and their prosperity and success IN proper
ton. f
MANY of the actors in our early days OF TRIAL are no
more among us; the gallant Bureson and other sterling
patriots thar spent their lives and their all in defending
his nov happy and ~ ous as
ping otf What can do we must DO qoickly. Tor our
time draws 10 close A few words in regard to the
co, rse which have pursued your representative.
When Texas went in,o the Union there were many
exciting questions a1ating the whole nation there was
the imp 5rant question OF the tariff which, upon
fou occasion. ENDANGERED The Union itself Ihs lan
OF l.46 eI ended upon the OF your senator's We did
not hesitate give our support passed. and has done
better Than expecied and whatever may be said OF
thai arlh in certain quarters, this much believe WI
be acceded that il is better to have settled policy
than Facilitating one, especially Tor government
large as ours Then the question in regard 10 the
boundaries OF Oregon, which WAS settled by adopting the
parallel OF 40 deg instead OF 81 deg 40 mn and war
with England The question OF the Mexican war fol-
lowed We took active hand in that. We knew the
people we had 10 deal wi,h-we had had something 10
do with them bsiore. Applause.
has been settled the satisfaction generally OF the peo
pie OF Texas, well as the Union. The Mexican
brought into the Union goinen empire on the Pacific,
and fertile country, rich in agricultural well
mineral resources The compromise MEASURES well
remembered. Ii is well known how those questions
shook the nation TO lis very cenlre hazading the Union
and casting gloom the political prospects OF
country 1t s certainly satisfaction Tor man 10 know
whatever private opinions may have main ,ained)
ina, those questions wers settled to The satisfaction and
benefit OF the whole nailon. 5 =
Ne have nothing in the past history OF Texas in ref
erence TO Mexico with which 10 reproach ourselves
nothing Our history, taken as whole, stands out in
bold relief to the present day. and Will show that
were magnanmous.to them, even IN ermliy; and since
we have become member OF the Union. We have
need TO be ashamed OF Inc standing which We have
among the older States for efforts maintaining that
Union So, in looking over our ast history whether
separate republic, among many sister States,
Sill nothing with which 10 eproach ourselves
That history was male BY much trouble, much suffering,
and many priva,ions and hardshps which but those
who underwent them can fully know What our fu
history will be, depends upon the present generaton
and much, very much, upon the conduct of The gsla
which these halls in few days hope,
nay believe, that their acton will be such
mend them 10 the gratitude of the people. We have a
country, great State III lis and in it's re-
sources. should have iel myself mortified if any one
had told that did not know itsexteGt and value ;
but did not know II. found. unl,l | took my
recent journey over portion OF it, That trip con-
WINGED me that heretofore knew lille OF the vas
extent and capabilities OF The unsettled portion OF
State.
suppose, however, the subject upon which you most
desire to hear that grea, aud mag ncen ec for
the State OF Texas, well as the United oalss--the
Pacific railroad. Fine country is, with its genial
climates, fertile soil, and vast capabilities OF rewardlng
the abors oil the husbandmaD he has few Inducements
come within borders, Tor he knows there but
few facilities Of getting his produce to market We have
comparatively no navRahle streams. our rivers sfordins
poor meaDs OF INSTRUMENTATION, and pei haps II
better for that have ,hem In hi. age OF
lonishIug prog ess-,hs OF railroad improv ement
When railroads. were hist proposed, ihey mel with
strong opposition those that brst made met with
determined resistance. They with IL now. perhaps
not determined. but in uRny instances quite .ec
tive. Then sa,d iha, Hey would bankrupt The coun
try and ruin those who made them. Notwithstanding al
these anathsDas lhuBdered against th. railroads.
been extensively built With Immense ou,lays OF Capt.
ta and almost supehuman exerlous the last twenty
hive yeais, 900 miles OF railroad OF about $500
900 900, have been finished the United States ii
turned OUT tha The profits have exceeded the
gupe expectations OF the pojeciofs and bulldsfs Rail
roads have been where tnefe was before no CON.
merce but as they constructed through country
OF capacity, they created tade and travel and will aways
generate trade whenever they through country that
has proper agricultural capacity. They the most po
ten, means OF developing srcsooces and OF encourage
sellemens. There country in The world, certainly
not in the United States, where railroads needed
much az IN the State OF exasno country capable OF
mych Improvement for the various agricultural produce
tons We have empha hatcaly The garden spot of the
bon. There is no county where railroads be
cneapy built Notwithstanding hecry OF the want OF water
want o timber, &c As TO water, found il in great
abundance and OF excellent quay, my recent journey
OF about eight hundred miles Although timber scarce
10 some Pacts, there is ample supply OF II 10 build
rahroad, and Tor all economical farming purposes The
expense oi bauling when would be necessary do
fof a road, would not equal the expense OF clearing
umbertd oostrncons from deasely wooded coanry
Further, am fully convinced that there is country
where railroads, u construced would pay well il
our own State The subject of railroad to the Pacific
lew years ago was theme for 9Th OF July orafons
both.
u was subjec, talked OF much, bu, believed 10 be
thIg lar on III the fulue-one ssgeiy spoken of
ing likely 10 be built 10 thirty years Afer much con.
sideration and little time II down TO twenty FIVE
years then II was put down to Twelve years by sone
knowing ones, provided the energee oi The United States
were concentrated upon H. Last winter at Washington
10 bill before Congress, II came down TO ak years
ana from that time II has been regarded IA a practical
MEASURE, TO be accomplished at an early day There ia
much talk and excitement IN Texas upon HE subject OF
railroads; but my friend. General Hunt, who has ios
reufhed IRON New York, wl tell YOU that IL il greater
N New York and throughout the whole East than II 4
here The administration have sanctioned tAe project Of
Pacific railroad as matter OF national defence The
great question, then, with us Is the route which shall BE
adopted. Some persons think there will be two or
thne roads built bu il IL my opinion, II IL I'm
isbed, IT will be long before get another Several
routes have been proposed but the paramount question
with Texas IS, winch one stall be selected! Tue
papers tell Us we have ne shortest, cheapest, and best
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