The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1858-11-13

Dor exists on our sea coast, having q depth
sufficient. to float the heaviest tonnage
employed in the commerce of the Gulf.
The entrance to it from the sea is free from
obstacles, and the approach to it from thu
main land presents no difficulties which
cannot be easily surmounted. To render
this harbor available and thus secure the
commercial independence of the State, is
the duty of her Government, and should
be the pride of her citizens It is a meas
ure of vast public Importance, if not Of
absolute public necessity, and should COM
mand the serious attention Of those char0-
ed with the administration Of the State
Government. It was doubtless proper at
the outset q endeavoF to enlist private
capital ma Individual enterprise ~
! auxiliary to the construction of the rail-
road leading to the harbor: but when Il
becomes manifest that the first great stem
towArdsit deYelonment. malrine 4 The
| depot OF a great thrOughfare for COM
merce and travel, must fail without di-
rect aid from the State, it is the plain du-
| ty OF her government, by some decisive
action, to give the assurance that the rA-
| quired aid will be granted
The indications Of public feeling in re-
gard to the enterprise, afford abundant
| assurance that its importance is properly
appreciated, and it is apparent that a
measure by which the State shall recop-
nize and adopt it, and by which purpose to
! carry it out shall be unequivocally evinced.
willafford'great qualification to the people
at large Such measure wouldrender the
! landswhich have been granted by theGen-
eral Government, on the line of the project
ed railway to aid its construction, at once
| available for that purpose, by furnishing
the assurance upon which their value de-
pends, and it would incite private capital.
1t would attract it to the line and South
ern terminus of the road, and stimulate
private enterprise to lay the foundation
| of city on the seaboard in anticipation of
| the completion of the road.
At the last session of the Legislature an
act was passed appointing Commissioners
| to organize company under the existing
| charter of the Gulf and Ship Island Rail-
road, which was granted in 1854. By the
terms of the charter the sum of $780,
| O00is required to be subscribed to the cap
| ital stock before this organization can take
| place. The Commissioners proceeded
with zeal and fidelity to perform their du-
| ty. Books of subscription have been
| opened, and such progress has been made
IN obtaining subscriptions as to afford
| well-groundedhope that the companvwill
be speedily organized. More than two
thirds of the required amount have been
already subscribed. The company when
| organized will not then be enabled to
avail themselves Of any donation in aid of
the construction of the road, except by the
| General Government. The grant is liber-
al, but much the larger portion of the
lands to which the company will be enti-
tied, aSe i'll adapted to agriculture. They
| are however, covered with timber of
| immense value. These lands in quantity
| will probably amount to 100000 acres,
| but sale of them is absolutely depend
| ent on the assurance which can be afford
| ed to purchasers that the road will be COM
| pleted so as to furnish the means of rend-
ering the timber a practical element of
value. The investments by the State are
prospective and contingent. The invest
ment from the Internal improvement
fund, amounting to S733, $50, consists of
| stocks to the credit of this fund in other
| railroads of the State, and cannot be used
until the stocks of those roads are at par
1 value. That from the Three per cent.
| fund consists of bonds, having six years
to run, amounting to $l04, $50, which can
| not be used until the bonds fall de. Il
is apparent srsEsiUFs. tiiaEl sis ~ &c -
/ comn1epcidhg the work, as at present pro-
GSSAey are to be drawn altogether from
private scources, and though the subscrip-
+ l tions viii doubtless reach the amount
, necessary toJustity the organization of the
= company under the charter, it is not prob
3 | able. under the doubts which hang over
: the subject, that they will amount to a
: | sum sufficient to warrant the COMPANY in
: entering upon the work There is gen.
e / eral and settled belief that without some
e | aid from the State, the important enter.
| | prise cannot be carried out. There is a
2 | reluctance on the part of those otherwise
5 inclined to subscribe to the stock, to dc
: | so until there shall be a decisive manifest
r alton on the part of the State Government
| towards the road. In this condition O
e things the action of the Legislature i
o looked to with deep interest as inyolyini
t the fate of this great measure. Firmly
Y impressed with its vast importance, earn
n estly commend it to your serious consider
5 | alton. 1t should be borne in mind tha
n beyond the sum of $1,000 devoted to tn
e survey of the route, the State has apprc
e priated nothing out of her own treasur
Il to the enterprise. The power to emplo
n the means for such a purpose undoubtedl
i exists IN the Legislature, and though tn
V | people properly scrutinize all measures I
n lay burdens on the treasury, they ar
II prepared TO approve whatever action ma
y be clearly demanded by the great interest
d of the State. In this view of the subieC
y | would submit to you, in the event {
v your adopting the tax of I of one DC
e. cent, whether or not it would be exped
or ent to put the Gulf and Ship Island Raj
le | road on the same footing as the otht
re roads now IN progress-allowing to eac
ID in proportion to their length in the Stat
at or in proportion to the amount of roa
Ill | unfnished-or an equal division.
to have felt constrained. in compliant
ch with my constitutional obligations, to r
ed commend to your consideration, the for
10 going measures know that thev al
Ia strong and decided, but deem them n
of cessary and expedient-and therefor
could not shrink from their recommend
er ton. By having done so. am dischar
ct ed from the responsibilities of my offici
x position, and 1t remains for you to pa
tn upon them.
lie That there will be objections to the pr
ne posed tax, am not permitted to doul
if and it is for you to determine upon Il
ut force and justice of those objection
raj | while acting with view to the pub
hrs good. BY decided course you may ha
'd. to assume responsibility and may expe
I'D to meet with opposition, but you are
MS ready committed to the responsibilities
his your official positions, and from these d
let ties you cannot misunderstanding yo
le own self-respect. Do that which you
xe. lieve to be wise and just and expediel
ar and you will, in my opinion, be sustain
m by the people. Such is my confidence
lsy the capacity of the people when net m
he led to judge of what is for their own
be terest ana the good Of the State, thai
Xxi have never feared to do that which |
'ne live to be right, and to appeal to their
lily telligence and patriotism for my yindi
lch ton. l am aware that most. if not all
uld the States, have adopted different. a
in as many may think, better system
Die, aiding in their internal improvement
in that is, by loaning the bonds of the Sts
the to companies, or by becoming Stock-h
IKE ders in companies they have paid tn
Bile subscriptions of stock by issuing st,
the bonds for the amount; and these bon
o Il hsAn as,lI