Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-12-16

Mr. clenens Of virgiaa. called Tor the vote upon ,h
| Tor the consultation among the delegations
AZ the expiration Of thai time. the Convention cal
The question being then taken States the vote upor
follows:
In The affirmative there we're
South Carolina s, Tennessee q. Texas 4-to.ai is.
In the negative there
.sa%. Georgia 10 MARYLAND s. North Carolina 10
virginia Is. Tennessc G. Louisiana 6-total ca.
The motion Was accordingly rejected.
mr. swan, Of Tennessee, when announcing the vote o.
opposition to the resolution ITSELF they divided
upon the question Of discussing l: this time They
tive.
Mr. Clemens, OF Alsbam. from the Committee on Bust
ness to which had been referred resolutions reference
to the construction Of rail road the Pacific Ocean
ported that they had considered the same and had
trusted him to repor, the following resolutions and
mcnded their adoption
hoscfrof That In the opinion OF this Convention the
federal government possesses constitutional power to
construct a railroad TO the Pacific Ocean.
Rero'roi rha, rail road ought be constructed from
he mississippi river, by OF ~ Paso along the
ssd degree OF North latitude, To the Pacific Ocean, that
this road should consist Of separate and continuous
so" 'nas should be incorporated and constructed un-
der the Authority Of the State and territorial legislatures
and that the OF should be derived FROM
individuals, corporate and State constitutions together
with such as be obtained from grants Of the public
domain Tor postal military any other service which NAV
Dc lawfully rendered to the federal government by said
company.
Rssoieoi That Il Is hereby recommended TO the South.
en and South Western Railroad Companies, that in the
event any portion Of said road shall remain incomplete
without authority OF construction by responsible parties
they shall obtain of Incorporation authorizing them
or some one more Of them to undertake the contruc
uon of such incomplete sections, and this Convention
hetooy invoke tor the enterprise the
OF said railroad any section thereof the aid and appro-
val OF The true citizens Of the SOUTH whether in private
NE, or public statoa fot the completion OF work upon
WHICH dcpen greatly the permaneney Of the Unon and
the defence development, and independence OF the South
Mt. Jones OF Georgia asked that the question DC taken
upon che resolutions separately.
The question being taken upon the 6rst resolution il
adopted.
The question stated to be upon the second resolu.
ton.
Mr.. Jones of Georgia moved to strike out the words
together with such aid may be obtained FROM grants
OF the public domain, tor postal military any other
service which may be lawfully rendered the federal go
vernineut by said company"
Mr.. Baldwin, ct Va, asked what States and Territories
referred 10 in the expression and
strueied by the authority OF State and Territorial Legsa
:"
Mr.. Cochran-Those States and Territories through
which the road may pass.
Mr.. BadWin-And what States are expected 10 give
contributions?
Mr.. Cochran-The Committee expected that those
States along the line Of the Railroad and in the South
which would DC most Interested but they did
restrict any State from investing their in the
siructou OF this road they should think proper do
Mr.. Baldwin moved the indefinite posiponement Of the
resolution aud amendment. As delegate from Virginia,
he most earnestly protested against being committed
scheme by which States called upon coutribu.
tiOns to build this road. Itwas gigantic scheme aught
only with mischief aud ne thought in violation
the policy Of Southern politics to call upon the Co
of the States undertake such work. IL
novel scheme sprung upon III, Convention without
time tor consideration and for that reason he moved its
indefinite posiponemeRt
Mr. Burwcl OF Virginia said that as a friend Of the
IL To N din IN AL
would develop the power and peTpetuate the
liberties section which he belonged lie consid.
cred it important that this work OF internal improvement
which operate conduit carry the Institutions
and people Of the South into and untrodden regions
should be built possible IL they acknowledge
Cd the power the part OF the Federal Government to
construct this road, then it might designate other
route which would carry Northern institutions aud peo-
pie to these regions and eXtngus the little power
the South possessed. The committee therefore de
temined that II unwise TO conhde this work TO the
General oyernmeut bat that best for us 10 pre-
vent that by constructing It ourselves Ii for the
Convention determine how far the OF ccnstruc
ton indicated should be relied on, consistently with the
rights and principles OF the South. lie had since he
had been in the Convention OF Louisiana ncorpo-
rating the Pacific Rail Road and asking the States OF the
South 10 become eorporators in the company.
Mr.. Hubbard Of Alabama said this resolution did not
ask donation Of the General Government, but merely
that should pay by grants OF land, for the increase OF
value the road would give land that would remain
lie thought that nothing more than right.
Mr.. Sherra-d Clemens o; Virginia, said that from the
foundation Of the General Government the sposa Of the
pubic lands had been the dtractng questions
that had arisen for deeiou The first proposition to
distribute the proceeds among the several States That
had been tried aud given up. The next proposition
TO cede the Lands TO the States IN which they situa
ted. The galuate their price, aud il redu-
ced in Instances to l2t cents But the
dangerous Of all the propositions the before
the Conventon and which came first from Illinois, Iowa
aud other Western States to grant the lands in aid Of the
construction of rail roads the plea that the value OF the
other lands increased thereby lie referred the OPP
Grafton OF the Illinois Central Rail Road grant, by which
private individuals had realized immense fortunes, while
the United States had received comparatively nothing
The Illinois Central Rail Road had become first rate
power in the country deriving OF four millions
Of dollars year from their land sales and this was but
that scheme applied different section Of the country
lie argued that Territorial Legislatures had power TO
grant OF Incorporation to rail road companies. lie
Thought no harm would result from postpOnins the cod.
GRAFTON OF this subject while longer
NJ. Hubbard replied some length 10 the arguments
Of the gentleman FROM Virginia, NE Clcrnens)
Mr. Cochran, OF Ala, said that he the organ
olthr committee he would not enter into this ii scusion.
The first question was shall this road be built MOTT
Tho next question was, how shall the road be buIy As
To the lrsqucston any WHO knows anything knows
that this road mast and will be built Then, will the
South seize the opportunity and make the load their own
will she permit the North TO build il aud receive the
benefit OF ~ The SOUTH it obtains any increase anI
Development find il ia the country between here
and Solth America; and this road sthc only means by
which attain that result Defer acton upon it, aud the
North will that region OF country by road Of their
built? Not by the Federal Government for il has not tho
power aud right TO build IT, Iii coutcndcd that tho
rtOra legislatures have right % grant the right Of WY
through the public domain for that would b. cee1ing
the sovereignty the land Now they have power
at all IL they have not the power Of granting the right
way. lie would not discuss the question "a their right
10 incorporate company, though he believed they had
that right The act Of Incorporation could be obtained
from any State. They must possess the power grant
the right Of way 10 order be able 10 iegslatc for the
best interests Of the citizens Of the territory enablo
them 20 get 10 market with their produce IN the best
possible. Now the grant Of the tight OF way does
gso the sovereignty Of tho land for Ia all such grants the
eminent domain remains the State Territory; aud Con-
In giving the territorial legislature the power to
egslate for the benefit Of the people there constitutes
! its agent aud cannot rcpudiate it, acs.
Now az to the for building the road the resolution
does not ask the general TO give lands but
grant them and grant always implies consideration
contract Congress tho trustee Of these lands
right 20 make regulations for increasing the value of tho
] lands 10y grants Of this character
Mr.. Baldwin, OF Va asked " the Convention vas call
ed upon 10 recommended particular Tor the rail.