Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1855-12-15

wealth? Does any gentleman on this Hoor THINK
that the people of Tennessee can ever, at the bal
lot box, pronounce in favor of Reputation? He
was not in favor of increasing the taxes but if they
were times greater and more oppressive than at
present. the people would not vote for reputation.
He had that much confidence in the seuse of justice
and patriotism of the people OF this noble COM
mon wealth. He could conceive Of no circums tances
under which the people 6f Tennessee would rePu
date, or under which they would be justified in re-
pudiating. He never could and he never would
countenance or wink at the Infamous doctrine Of
reputation, and when it was even hintcd at he felt
it his duty a Tennesseean to denounce it in the
most emphatic manner. lie charged no one with
entertaining such sentiments Gentlemen had
right to warn on the subject of an increase Of
the st ties Indebtedness but he did not like tohear
population limited at as a thing the happening of
which is barely possible.
! VIII the State be safe in endorsing the bonds of
the city of Memphis? No gentlemen who has vel
argued this question has doubted the entire ability
of Memphis to pay these bonds. The Company
first endorses these bonds, and then the State of
Tennessee IS asked to endorse them, so tia. the
State occupies tie position of only second endorser
and to indemnify her beyond the possibility of loss,
lien will be given her on the iron and equipments
Of the whole road. Memphis asks the State to
dorse these bonds that they may become mere sale
able as well as more valuable Can the State re-
The bonds of the city of Memphis can only be sold
for 624 cents on the dollar which would he sacri-
fee on the whole amount of more than 100000.
Ii sold at this ruinOus sacrifice, the enterprise must
either fail or be seriously crippled. The Leg~la-
ture Of Arkansas has fixed the lst of January 1858,
as the time by which the first section must be COM
peted and the cars running upon it, aud these
bonds are to be used in building and equpping this
section. When this section is completed, the Com
1tbo 81 of lanAa
donated By the State of Arkansas, which will ena-
BILE them to progress with ard complete the work.
The State is asked to endorse bonds which per-
fectly good in themselves, but which cannot be
Sold because there is no demand for such bonds.
The States endorsement will make these bonds sale
able and will insure the construction Of the road.
Is there man in this Honse who feels like with
holding the States endorsement under such circum
stances?
Who can tell but the Pacific Railroad may turn
upon that endorsement? Who knows but this
simple act may be the sine qua non Of this great
enterprise to the State Of Tennessee? He would
not say that we would lose the construction of the
Pacific Railroad on the Southern route if these
bonds are not endorsed but if this endorsement be
withheld the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad
will, very probably fail to be constructed be 50
greatly retarded as to be ono benefit in determining
the route of the Pacific Railroad. Texas has appro-
priated 100000 of land, valued at $44, 1885,,
100 to aid in constructing the great Pacific high
Sav from Fulton to Ell PasO, distance Of seven
hundred and eighty three miles. When get to
FL Paso we are half way to the Pacific. Endorse
these bonds, and the road will be speedily construct
ed from Memphis to Little hook, and then in few
years it will be extended to FL Paso.
Aside from its national character, link in the
great Pacific Railroad, Memphis is not alone inter
ested in the building of the road to Little Rock
all West Tennessee is interested in its construction
and it would be of immense advantage to the whole
State. He would not vote for proposition to
lorse the bonds of Davidson county to be applied
to the construction of any merely local road. He
would vote for this proposition because it would
certainly secure the construction of this important
ink in the Pacific Railroad. Gentlemen had
gued this proposition setting dangerous prece~
dent Why the State has already endorsed and
granted bonds to be applied to the construction and
equipment OF roads lying in part without the limits
OF her territory This had been done with the
Nashville and Chattanooga, the East Tennessee and
Georgia and Memphis and Charleston roads, and
who found fault with the State for that action? 1t
was a common thing for other States and the
cities in other States, to assist in building rail
roads out of their respective States from which
their citizens to reap advantages, and he
referred particularly to the enterprise and lber
alty displayed by Charleston and Savannah in this
respect Shall not, then, help build the road
from Memphis to Little Rock when we can do it
literally without money and without prce?" Build
this link and the balance of the road from Fulton to
E Paso will be built and the line will then be speed
{ ly extended to the Pacific. What work for Ten-
nessee to be interested in with its iron arms hold
ing in their grasp the two mighty oceans, and over
which will pass the travel and commerce of the
world enTiching the country through which il will
pass and with which it would be connected by bran
! ches, and these connections, would eventually be
extended INTO every accessible region of this broad
Unionl
1t was evident, he said that the General Govern
ment had abandoned the construction of a road to
the Pacific on its own account, and this great work
would have to be constructed by private enterprise
aided by the States, and he regarded the passage
of the bill now before the House. the aid Ten
nesse is TO contribute towards the construction Of
this great highway of the Nations, If we refuse to
aid Memphis in making this connection, and the
construction of that link should fail or be postpOn-
ed to some future time the Pacific Railroad will al
most certainly pass without the limits of Tennessee
! in making its connection with the Atantic-some
other route cOntending for this road will reap its
immense advantages. If we fail to make this short
link extending from Memphis to Little ROck-whIch
would undoubtedly insure the construction of the
Texas portion of the Pacific Railroad TO FL PasO,
half way from the Mississippi to the Pacific ocean
when and where will that great enterprise that Is to
link together the two oceans, be built? This is a
question which addresses itself to members with an
elouuence TO which words can add no force. The
State rsked nothing in endorsing the bonds OF the
CITY of Memphis--she would be amply protected in
making that endorsement and could lose nothing
in any contingency-and he appealed to members
to the rich boon thus held out to Tennessee.