Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-11-10
VOLUME XIII, NO. 259
KOmTmERECAL A sCEaKmEs.
Il .MSEfFary ER0ad 20 CsszBeTEas4 6Fap
kSrOPOsed.

From the Cincinnati Commercial, Nov.
The project Of a military road from Lexington
to Cumberland Gap has not been abandoned
though it is likely to become, in part, a. least,
work of individual enterprise. Msjor R!denOuri
who has had an extended experience in the
transp portation department. has returned to Ken
lucky by Invitation Of Influential citizens, who
design 20 cooperate and TO assist in securing CO
operation in the work Of constructing road OF
present vital military Importance, and one that,
IN all ii ue to come, would have great CONNER
cal value
Major Ridenour's plan, in brief, is to construct
a road one hundred feet wide on the most direct
practicable route from Lexington, OF some point
nearer to the Ohio, 20 Cumberland Gap, and
thence TO Knoxville, in East Tennessee-ths tim
Der to be cleared for three miles on each side, or
rather felled, so as 70 form an easy obstruction
to cavalry and guerrilla raids and to prevent
smbuscsdes.
The mejOr is Of the opinion that military ne
cessity demands and will justify the eonstrue-
ton Of such a road, and that the work can be
done at comparatively little expense. lie sug-
gests the drafting of tie able-bodied free colored
men OF the loys, States, to be employed on the
work, and also the employment of all able-bodied
coniTabauds who come within the lines Of the
United States army these persons to be put upon
the payroll, compensated according to the
htLu dALA aA4lOuAlh u AADOA RoAlDIAubQ "
them, to receive OBe-third or One-half Of their
pay monthly, and the balance at the conclusion
Of the war, together with transportation to such
country as they, or the government may seleSt
for their colonization, Instead Of compensating
loyal masters for their emsnciPated slaves, d.
Tectly from the Treasury, thus, in effect, taxing
the people Of the nOnsleveholding States tor a
species Of property which their laws and their
cOnsciences do not recognize, he would have al
such negroes put upon the payroll and allowed
to work out the price Of their nsnumission
themselves, with the understanding that when
done, the military road completed and thsir
services no longer required by the government,
they are to be cOlOuizsd abroad, or upon what
ever territory may be selected for their coloni-
zstion. The msJsT is of opinion that such an
employment Of the cOntabsnds, would harmon
izs with the views Of loyal men everywhere,
accomplish a practical good for the country,
relieve all apprehension Of an influx Of negroes
into the free States, cure the disease, under
which the Enquirer lsbors severely, known as
+" wool on the brain" avoid taxation for eman-
cipation, quie5 the radicals, and save the con
trsbands and other negToes, whom the chances
of wsr have thrown loose upon the country,
from the misery and vice which idlensss and
Ignorance combine to engendeT.
The projecs Is certainly one that commsnds
Itself to every sensible man. With such road
our armies could at once occupy East Tennes-
see and the line Of communication between Viz
sinia and the Mississippi Toe rebellion would
be pressed back to the borders Of the gulf
States, and Knoxville ard Chattanooga become
the base Of \ series Of operations which would
result in the occupation Of these States ard the
final overthrow Of the rebellion. Commercially,
It would open communication with a grsin-pro-
ducing country, and one that is rich in undsvsl-
oped mineral resources. Ths means which Msj.
Ridenour proposes TO employ in the construction
Of the road, as well hs tie Qualifications which
would necessarily be built along the route in
such positions as to seeure its safety and mill
tary rendezvous, are available. A hundred
thousand negroes could find employment on
this road, and secure colonization upon advsn-
tageous terms in the end, to a climate and cOun-
try more cOngenial than this.
The enterprise, We understand, meets the sp-
provsl Of distinguished men, without regard to
politics, in Kentucky aud the Middle and West
ern States, and there is to be powerful effOr!
made to put it through under the direction Of
Major Ridencur, who has given patient and
careful study to all Of the details Of the work.