The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-05
The Southern Commercial Convention.
THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAuR0AD-GEN. LESLIE
COOMBs' SPEECH.


Gen. Leslie Combs Of Kentucky, was FIRST presented TO
the Convention on the above subject He said ne had
been honored with the privilege OF commencing the dis
cussion of subject which he conceived to be OF more
vital and practical importance than all the other
which might come before the Convention He alluded to
connection, by railroad, upon our own soil between
the States the Atlantic and the great state on
the Pacif The Governor OF kentucky ana ne
Democrat had honored him by appointing him az
delegate to that Convention being whg thus show
ing that he he Governor Of Kentucky as also he Mr
Combs) did not anticipate that politics would be intro
duced in their deliberations. (Applause) The great
orator Of Kentucky-he whose trumpet tones had so
often been heard in the halls of the national legislature
ON the great question OF internal mprovementwas
more His voice hushed in the silence of death and
The peope of that State still mourned his loss great
calamity: and now in a place which he would admira
bly, have filed found one OF the humblst sons Of
Kentucky He had flowers of eloquence for that Con
ventonno bouquets to present to the bright and beau
tifu countenances which now ornamented those boxes
Great applaue What he had to say to the Convention
was upon dry subject consisting mostly of facts and
figures he proceeded to speak present
ture perhaps he might be pardoned for making brief
ference to the past looking oil that had been done
in the construction OF railways it seemed to him but
yesterday since this work had been commenced He
membered the time when he thought old enough to
be elected delegate to the Kentucky legislature and
had presented before that body the first proposition for
railroad west Of the Allegheny Mountains that had
been entertained There that time but four rail
roads on this continent and he believed but
one in Engandfrom Liverpool to Manchester-and not
on the continent of Europe They had one four miles
of wooden rails, and he believed there was from
Charleston to Augusta little saddle bag affair which
and Ohio Railroad lust begun That was in the year isas
Now, what did seeY He had taken the trouble to
trace little map of the United States the principal
railroads in the unon extending one Of them-rue, it
yet only ON the map-to the Pacific. Some fifteen
twenty tho usand miles of railroads in this
continent, costing FIVE hundred millions of dollars
and covering Of the States with iron network
Before the time 10 which he alluded, when the from
tiers Of Lake Erie there was civilized nhabitan be-
tween the head OF Lake Erie and the Pacific And now
what was theref State upon State with immense re-
sources ard an intelligent population Indiana, Michi
1l.Va;a Trura and and
territory, extending clear across the continent.
All this had to pass within this brief period.
Mr. Coombs-Part Of the way on the top Of the earth,
and part Of the why through swamps when defending
the country against invasion 6y red coats and sayages
roads what has been completed When he had the
temerty to present proposition in the legislature Of
he fit subject for lunatic asylum. Fortunately
very able and intelligent mechanic of Kentucky
structed the first locomotive that built in the
United States but this wealthy gentleman thought it
could not be made to without legs because he could
not conceive how could be made to hold back in going
tight fix Qaughter,) But this ingenious mechanic
also constructed miniature railroad and placed this
horse locomotive upon it, and after this sceptical
gentleman had seen its operation he became Of the
most ardent advocates Of the railroad system. The
solutions which he had the honor to present the other
day. with other resolutions Of like character
fered to the committee appointed for that purpose
They three in number the first averrng that it
of vital Importance to the interests of the whole country
that should have railroads to the Pacific
He for more than The second resolution point
ed out the commencement with route and description
Of the plan which Southern Pacific Railroad should
be built. He had laid down the route small map Of
the United States regretted that he hard not
larger one that it might be better by the Conven
ton Here (pointing the map) Massachusetts,
presented little blue spot and that nch by inch and
half State" had expended fifty millions Of doaTs in the
construction of railways This larger blue spot
where in those days. but It is now called the State of
Maine At this point there railroad away up in
the North and through the mountains connecting that
district only with her older Southern sisters but also
with Canada. New York-ths broad, fAn-like looking
concern with her foot on the Atlantic and her shoulders
days to which he had efcrred but he remembered
well having heard said that when the protector Of the
canal from Lake Erie to the Hudson river spoke Mr.
jefferson the subject he replied that in the next
fury it would be time enough TO complete it, Yet in
running alongside Of it, And not only that but look
at all the other railroads in that State and others
ming to the West bringing in the produce from those
teeming granaries Here again pointing to the map)
Kentucky 1t did not look very large upon paper, but
there it stood with foot the Mississippi river
its high proud head resting the submits of the Cum
berand Mountains presenting its broad breast along the
front Of three free States and in times past it had
been buwark against the rayages OF the Indian even
was, and in future it would continue to be- bull
wark to the other slave States. (Appause) He would
discuss the route he had suggested for this South
Texas, larger than New York and Pennsylvania and
Ohio all together, and as so many railroads were point
ing from the North to the South in that direction,
he proposed to extend the Southern route far it
could be DONE according to charters already granted
do anything lie urged that the people Of the South
should put bsth shoulders to the wheel and by doing
they could make railroad to Paso del Norte, without
any aid from the general government He proposed to
from St. Louis and New Orleans according to the
charters already granted to the thirty parallel
latitude From vcksburg TO Shreveport and from Cairo
and Memphis, via Little Rock and Fulton, to Marshall
the thirty second parallel Of north latitude in East
Texas TO unite in one great trunk to the West
The Legislature or Texas had at it's last session. passed
law giving twenty sections per mile for road to be
struced very nearly the thirty parallel OF lati
-. Ann~c nx.oA.o- S4~Xo
could give In adopting that line he expected to
plish two objectsto run through the centre Of the
ons per mile donated by the State Of Texas He had
been great portion Of the country to be benefited
by the road and from his observation and reliable
information he had not the slightest doubt OF the Iracti
cabity of the route to the Rio Grande After that the
line would through portion Of Mexican territory.
Probably the best route through portion Of Mexico
Mott sterile waste supposed but the greater part
OF the way through fertile regions with grass and water
sufRcient to maintain immense droves of sheep and
other animals driven to California from Texas and New
Mexico. He was, therefore, much grati6ed when he
heard that treaty had been made with the
of that country for portion OF land embracing that
route Whether that treaty had received the sanction
the Senate than he could vouch for but he
hoped its main feature would be adopted by the United
States and receive the sanction of Mexico In looking
the IL impossible not to perceive the
interests which would concentrate themselves upon that
line. II true that the main would run through
Texas but spread out its hand grasped all the other
States and especially the States the Mississippi river
In addition to the law passed by the Legislature Of
Texas there many propositions before Congress for
the donation Of lands for the construction Of railroads
in various Southern and Western States but he regret
ted to say that when he left Washington, few days
ago. he saw little probability Of Of them being
ed All of them had readily passed the Senate but in
the House Of Representatives the first test question hap
pened to be upon proposition granting lands to Iowa
Wisconsin, and the bill either laid upon the table or
committed to the Committee Of the Whole House. there
\ to be buried. He knew that Of his Southern
friends supposed that only railroad to the Pacific
necessary He however, believed that there would
be two at least At the meeting Of the great railroad
celebration in Boston he perhaps the only slave
holder crescent He never expected to such a con-
vention again The President Of the United States with
portion Of his Cabinet, the one hand of the
presiding officer of that body and the Representative
Of royalty in the person Of the Governor
Canada on the other; and he (Mr CO. had suggested
to friend of Lord Egin that IL he could not make
I living in Canada he could be guaranteed in Ken
lucky stump speaker. daughter and appsuse)
That convention looked 10 the carrying out Of system
! of railroads from the North TO the Paciic-ani he
believed that Mr.. Hincks, the chief adviser Of the
Governor General, had been in England to negotiate
loans, and had returned with subscription Of $751;
| 00o0 for that purpose 1t therefore became the
South to be up AMI doing for themselves 1t had been
4lsfx Ia h,ftt 80