New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1862-02-15
Message Of President DsvIs on tiAe Msi1s
-zEts7z roads. y

us
As there is considerable interest, Nv ths Rich
mona Examiner, to know to what extent fhs Cow
eminent proposes to extend aid 70 tie railroads -
part o. the military defences Of the country, W.
have obtained cspy of ne Prest8snt,s aI,sc;ar
message on the subject - s'E1s &
We may add here that we are informed that N.
measure which the Government has recomn1snds6
for an appropriation Of one million Of dollars to
tablishrailway "a communication between DanviIJe.
w., and Greensboro, n. c., has met with consfd
cradle opposition in Congress. Tie bin Was de
fea.ed on motion to engross, but, It i said, h
likely to be reconsidered. The following il cory
OF the recent message Of President Dayis
To the Prov'sioaa1 Congress Of tie
herewith transmit copy or a c0n1rny,n;ca tia r..
from Mr.. VIM. 8. Ashe, urging tha cnm,,letian - nf 3
certain railroads as for the proper rans-
p0rtatlon OF troops and military storea n fha pi
gencies Of the present war. Taiso transraf ccm,
Of a. communication from HI. E Eontaina r. =
President of the Central Railroad Of Virginia urs
Ing the compile ton Of twenty miles Of the CayIns
tary necessity. zs.F ss~Sssss, VI sfs
communicate to you, with these letters. d sestls
Of resolutions adopted at Convention Of Railroad
Presidents, held in Richmond ,on The 9Th of Dc
fcember, asking for the assistauce Of the Confed-
crate Government in procuring certain supplies
which are indispensable to the ntaintenanee of the
railroad system Of the country. 8 N ar9.e-s No
Ihat certain appropriati0Ds, which otherwise
could not be eonstftutfonally made by tie Confed-
crate Government, come within the range Of i'd
powers, when absolutely necessary for the prose-
ention Of the war, there is no doubt. IS equally
clear that when this military necessity ceases the
right TO make such appropriations no longer
exists. To exercise this power when Il exists. and
70 conhne It within the proper limits ia matter
for the just discretion of Congress; and to enable
r to act upon the interesting subjects to which
they relate, transmit the Communications and
resolutions which accompany this message. @
have already recommended that the Confeder-
ate Government should assist in making railroad
rom n Danvllle, virginia, to Greensberos, North
Carolina, upon the ground Of strong military ne
cessty for completing aninterior through line rom
Virginia to the Southern Atlantic States daeIned
this TO De necessary not only on account Of the
perior safety of such a1ne from hostile inroads
and invasion, but because Of the great additional
facilities which it's completion would al6fd for tie
transportation of troops and military supplies
The road from Selma, Ala, to Meridian Miss., s 8
commended to your assistance ID previous mes
sage Whilst the completion of the twenty miles
Of the Coyington and Ohio Railroad, as proposed
by Mr. Fontane, might be en,inently usetnlfor mil
Of the Treasury, recommend that You should COR
tribute by direct appropriation. 80 III
The resolutions of the Convention of Railroad
Presidents and superintendents relate TO most
orally disabled from transporting troops and Mill
tary supplies for the prosecution of the war the
result would be most disastrous. IL is urged that
the capital necessary to construct the establish
ments required for re.rolling rails and the manu-
taeture OF locomotives cannot well be had, unless
the Confederate Government would make some
advance for the purpose. With the machinery
proper for rolling the rails there might be COM
nected that which necessary for rolling plates for
uses which are wanted in the naval service. How
far it would be proper for Congress to authorize
advances to be made on contracts to furnish these
plates or engines, it will be for that body to con-
slider and determine. Some such advance might
facilitate and secure the establishment Of worka~
which would, at the same time, furnish what is re-
quired BY the government, re-rol the railroad iron
and make locomotives for the use Of thesrailfoads
The exigency is believed to be such as to require
the aid Of the government, and is comm ended to
your favorable consideration.
JRFFERgOE n AVIS