Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-02-14


Prof DcBOW and Others.
Pursuant to the published announce
ment, meeting composed mainly of mem
bers Of the Legislature, convened in the
hall Of the House Of Representatives last
evening, for the purpose of hearing an adj
dress BY Mr. DeBow on the subject Of the
! Tennessee and Pacific railroad, of which
he is President The inclemency Of the
weather, and the extremely muddy cOndi-
tion ofthe streets, had the effect Of deterring
J scores who would doubtless otherwise have
! been on hand As il was, the crowd in
| attendance was slim, but did not deter Mr.
DeBow from briefly stating what he would
| have discussed at length il the anticipated
number had been on hand to hear him.
He commenced by saying the impression
had got abroad that the Legislature was, to
great extent, Indifferent "a TO the sue
cess of the Tennessee and Pacific railroad,
whose claims he wished to represent, be
cause Of the apparent lukewarmneas Of the
people Of Nashville in that great Under
taking But it is not really so, that our
people are Indifferent to the subject, and
desire TO fold their arms while Others push
forward the work.
In the first place, he said, the impress
sion had got abroad that the Legislature
was Indifferent to the subject, because Of
the lukewarmness Of the people Of Nash
vile. This is not really so. A few months
since there was good deal of apathy man
ifested; bnt to-day the prospect has more
hopeful aspect. By thorough discussion
Of the matter through the newspapers here,
the people have become walked up, and are
decidedly interested in the success of this
enterprise 1t is but a short time since,
when the proposal was made to them, that
that they promptly subscribed the neeessa-
ry funds towards defraying the expenses Of
surveying the proposed route for our road.
But in order that the people may be pro-
perly aroused in order that the public sem
timent NAV take tangible, generous and
practical direction, it is of the utmost i'm
portance that the Legislature should set the
initiative in liberality. To other raOds the
General Assembly has been extremely lib
eral in the way Of appropriations; and yet
there is not one of them that will compare
in importance with the Tennessee and Pa
cifc railroad.
In order to the proper development Of
State, its mineral and agricultural re-
sources. this road must be built. Its COM
pletion will make the now apparent barren
portion Of the State blossom like the rose.
Apart from this, the road has national
importance, not attaching to any other
route. The speaker had been in consulta-
ton with General Fremont few weeks
ago, and that gentleman remarked then
that the importance of the route in its praC-
teal and natural bearings could not be
overestimated. This great link-a neces-
sary link-in the grand national route from
the Atlantic to the Pacific. Whenever a |
road is constructed from ocean to ocean,
the Importance Of the Tennessee link
will he fully appreciated In order
TO secure the aid of Congress to
the work. we must here at home show
our interest first, in order that it may get
national recognition. In order that an or
ganizatiOn may soon be effected, that sys-
tematic action towards securing subscriE-
ton and stock toward the work may be
commenced along the proposed line of the
road, il is Of the utmost importance that
the Tennessee Legislature should exhibit a
generous spirit by making liberal appro-
priations to the road.
When Mr. DeBoW had concluded, Mr..
Doughty, member of the House, made q
few remarks, urging the vast importance
of the Tennessee and Pacific road the most
important road ever projected in the State,
if not in the nation. 1t will not only be
Of incalculable value for Tennessee, but its
importance in a national point of view can
not be Over-estimated.
Judge VIM Mills being called upon, |
made a short address. The advantages |
which 20 hand in hand with the construc-
ton of railroads, he said, almost every
body knows. The network of railroads |
through his native State, Ohio, has made
it bloom and blossom like the rose. This
road-the Tennessee and Pacifc-is of the
utmost importance to this State, and its |
is urgently demanded in order |
to the proper growth and development Of |
our resources-mineral agricultural and |
commercial.
Mr.. Richards said that a railroad, no |
matter where yoa bnild it, is sure to pay in |
the end, besides being Of incalculable value |
to the section of country through which it |
runs. He endorsed every word of the |
speakers who had preceded him.
Capt. Williams, hailing, We believe, from /
Fast Tennessee, made few pertinent re-
marks on the subject under consideration
1t was the worst possible policy, he said,
for the Legislature TO take a narrow,
selfish view on the subject of Internal inn
provements Even should you incur what
may appear 10 be considerable expense
now, il will pay teniold, aye a hundred
fold before many years hence.
After il was announced that Mr.. DeBow |
would address the Legislature this morn
ing at length, after the morning business |
was finished, the meeting adjourned,