The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-05-25
MEMPHIS. May 20. 1869.

cifc Railroad Committee surprised
many. who anticipated quite contest
over it. The committee, however,
saw the danger, and shrewdly avoided
it By locating the eastern terminus of
their road in Texas. By so doing,
and embodying in their plan schemes
for railroads to the various rival
points on the Mississippi River-St.
Louis, Cairo. Memphis, Vicksburgh |
and New Orleans = opposition was
silenced. For if the friends of any !
one Of these places opposed the re-
port, they saw at once that the friends
Of the other localities would unite
against them, and they would be GER
tain of defeat, and at the same time
jeopardize their interests with the
line of road recommended for adop-
ton. The result was, the commit
tees report was adopted without q
division.
The report Of the Committee on
Direct Trade with Europe was not so
fortunate. No sooner was it read
than twas evident that an apple of
diseord had been thrown into the
Convention. The rival seaports for
this trade were Norfolk, Virginia.
Charleston aud Port Royal, South
Carolina; Savannah aud Brunswick,
Georgia; Mobile, Alabama; aud New
Orleans, Louisiana. Virginia. South
Carolina and Georgia were largely
represented in the Convention, and
the claims Of these States respectively
were argued with a vehemence and
eloquence which produced the great
est excitement. The Committee was
unable to agree on Report. A ma
jority favored Norfolk as the Ameri-
can port for the new line of steamers
to inaugurate direct trade with
Europe. The minority could not
agree upon any locality, but rec
commended that the question as to
the particular port be left open to the
enterprise and liberality of the COM
psting cities, and moved an amend
ment to the majority report 10 that
effect. AS the Washington CORES
pondents term similar proceedings
In Congress, the question of Direct
Trade with Europe gave as field
day" in the Convention. The rule
limiting the time of speakers to ten
minutes was ignored, and the flow of
Southern eloquence swept resistlessly
along daring most of the morning and
all of the evening session. The Vir-
GINA delegation, headed by Colonel
LAMB, of Norfolk young man Of
marked talents, and very popular with
the delegates-lelt confident and
somewhat defiant, and sustained the
report of the Committee, with several
speeches of supplemental grandeur
Each speaker, on being recognized by
the President, advanced to the
stand and addressed the Convention
from that point The second and
third tiers of the Opera House were
occupied by ladies and visitors gen
orally, who signifed their-delight and
approval by throwing boquets and
flowers upon their favorite orators.
The result was, the orators soon COM
meneed speaking for boquets rather
than any particular seaport. Conse-
quently the oratory was as gorgeous
as the magnolias with which many of
the speakers were honored. Several
of the speakers informed us that Vir-
ginia was the mother of States and
Statesmen. that WASHINGTON and
JEFFERSON were Virginians, that the
chivalrous soldier and Christian gen.
tleman Gen. ROBERT E. LEE was a
Virginian, and that the brave and
gallant SToNEwALL JACKSON reposed
In the sacred soil of that heroic old
State. One speaker regarded it as the
proudest thing which he could say OF
himself, that his residence was adjacent
to the spot where slept the remains
of SToNEwALL JACKSON. These allu-
sions to the chieftains of the Great
Rebellion aroused the greatest enthusi-
asm on the part of the large audi
ence. As the merits of the different
seapOrts were TO be determined by
services rendered the rebellion, South
Carolina aud Georgia and Alabama,
were not whit behind Virginia In
urging their claims; and Mississippi,
represented by Rev. DIR. MARSHALL,
of Vicksburg. came near outbiddine
them all. Unfortunately for Missis
sippi, she had no seaport. Kentucky
with her we'll known love of forensic
display, could not resist the tempta
ton to tilt in this oratorical tourna
ment, and put in an appearance in tn
person of General or Colonel Chill
TON. He fought four years in behal
of the Lost Cause, he informed tn
Convention, and if he could have ha,
his own way, would have fought forty
four years. This belligerent declara
ton was based, of course, on the sup
position that during this long strife b
would be so lucky as to escap
S with life. But Notwithstanding hi
fondness for fight, Col. CHIITo
accepted the situation. What wa
quite unusual for Kentucky eratol
he also spoke Of one HENRY CLAY i
eulogistic terms.
Your correspondent thought he d.
tected several practical business me
scratching their heads in a vain a
tempt to comprehend what the di:
tinguished departed had to do wit
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