Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1855-12-06
Internal Improrement

Something very much resembling an Om-
nibus Internal Improvement Bill " came up
before the Senate yesterday. The bill is enti-
tied bill to equalize State aid, under the gene
ral internal Improvement laws, and provides
that all the roads receiving State aid under the
said laws, shall be entitled to additional State
aid to build bridges, costing $4,000 or up
wards the cost to be determined by the Engi-
neer of the road. Tie bill, as it went to the
committee, also contained sectiOn giving to
The Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad Com
pany $50 900 additional aid to repair the bridge
over the Tennessee River, by endorsing her
bonds. The committee, however, recOmmen-
/ del the striking out of this section, aud the
. ssage of the bill. TIE section was stricken
out, Mr.. Ellis opposing the report Of the COM
mittee, and Mr.. Carter advocating it, Mr..
! Caldwell, Chairman of the Committee on In
ternal improvements, dissented from the re-
port of the majority of that committee, and
Iopposed the bill. His principal objection to
the bill was, that it left it to road Engineers TO
say what the bridges would cost, and the re-
suit would be that every bridge in the State
with the ernbankments, would cost the mini
mum sum of $50 900, and would be entitled to
State aid. Mr. Caldwell said the bill would
give probably more aid in his Senatorial Dis
trict than in that of any other Senator on the
the internal Improvement policy, and voted for
the first proposition to aid the Nashville and
Chattanooga Railroad, solitary and alone,
among the Representatives from West Ten
nessee. Col. Cheatham, the author of the bill,
advocated it at some length, and with signal
ability and ingenuity. Reviewing the exist
ing laws he showed that aid had been given to
Cumberland, Tennessee, Holston and Hatchie
Rivers, and argued that equal justice required
that other rivers should be similarly favored.
Reviewing the financial condition of the State
of Tennessee, he showed that she was prospe-
rous and solvent, and expressed the opinion
that the hue and cry about endangering the
credit of the State, was without foundation.
Mr.. Head opposed the bill at some length,
characterizing it as q hydra headed monster of
huge and odious dimensions, and pledging him
self to srand side by side with those who would
sever its heads, and throttle it in its infancy.
He was in favor Of judicious system of Inter-
nal improvements, but opposed to involving the
State in stupendous and magnificent railroad
enterprises; while the important interests of
education and the promotion of the moral
character of our people was neglected.
| Mr. Carter moved to amend the bill by strik-
/ ing out $50, 900 as the minimum cost of bridg-
es which should receive State aid and inserting
100000.
Mr. Atkins opposed the bill at length, as in
iudicious, wild and extravagsnt. He reviewed
the history of the system Of Internal Improve
ments in this State from 1S47, showing that
the original cardinal principle of that system
was that the Companies asking aid, should do
the local work, including bridges-that this
principle was violated in '53-4, and was sought
by this bill TO be obiterated.
| The bill and amendment were finally tabled.
The indications are strong that it will pass the
Senate; and under its operation, should it Ill
timately become a law, it is plain that the
State liabilities will be largely increased.