The Hickman courier., 1871-03-04
A<es1arks OF Hon. j. 8. Chrisman.
the House Of Repre-
1entaliYeS. Feb. a lS1l

the right of way through Kentucky tc
the Trustees Of the Cincinnati Southern
RAILWAY, being under consideration, Mr.
Chrisman said:
| MR.SPEAKER There is no earthly
necessity for the introduction of this
resolution. 1t is asking us to meddle
Win matter of which the enemies Of
the Cincinnati Southern Railway had
full ana timely warning. They were
toia' tine and again, that if they denied
the people of that section of the State
through which the proposed road was to
pass, that Congress would take the mat
ter IN nand. Last winter, as soon as the
bill failed here, Mr. Sherman, of Ohio,
seeing The great importance of the road,
introduced bill in Congress to charter
it. Again the enemies of this bill were
told--and none could gainsav it-that
| the Bauis of commerce and the trade and
10 u f5shing 81 hentucIy, demanded
Fthe construction of this road. As evi
ldepce ofsuch fact. commissioners from
the State of Georgia, properly accredited
by the Governor of that State, and rep
reseuting the material interests of the
South, came here to ask at yvur hands
the right of way for this road. You
were informed aud fully aware of their
coming Yet such was the hot haste of
some, the bill was rejected in the face of
the we'll known fact that these commits
sioners, at the time of its rejection were
within a stones throw of this Capitol.
Again, petition alter petition has come
here from the people all along the pro
posed line of this road which have been
presented IN this House and in the other
ebd of the Capitol. Still, with degree
of liberality Unprecedented 10 the his
tory of Kentucky legislation or the leg
islation OF any other State, you have re
jected the bill-a bill, too, TO which not
Que gentleman in or out of this House
can give valid objection; bill thar
merely and markedly gave to the Cincin
uati trustees the right to operate rail
road through our State, with such rights,
savings, aud restrictions to the people of
Kentucky as would protect guard and
defend them in every particular. You
were frankly informed that if the Ken
tucky Legislature rejected the bill pend
ing before it, that Congress would graut
a charter in which the rights and inter
ests of the people of this State would not
be SO well guarded and protected.
There was no constitutions inhibition
resting upon you; there was no expendi
ture OF money asked at your hands; and
OF the contrary, it was proposed at the
other end of the Capitol TO impose a
tariff Of fifty cents on every through pas
senger upon this road. which would have !
brought annually million of dollars in
to your State Treasury, thus paying The
of the State Government without
taxation upon the people; and yet you re
jected it. After all this. you-the enemies
of this bill-appealing to our State Rights
Democracy, ask Us to vote for your reso
can say, for one, you will receive no
comfort at my hands. You have out
ragged public sentiment; you have dis
regarded, yea, even treated with scorn |
and contempt, the petitions and express
ed will of the people of one fourth OF
your State and yet you come here and I
ask us TO assist you in your opposition to
this bill. Full we'll do you know that in |
defeating this measure you have reckless
ly disregarded and overridden public
opinion and now, like the scuttle fish,
you seek to muddy the water that you
may esc4pe. For one, will not be found /
pudding with you.
We have nothing to do with Congress.
and shall have nothing TO do with it.
How many of you who oppose this bill
are old Democrats? How long have you
been in the Democratic party? / ven
ture the assertion that majority o. those
opposing this road, in This and the other
End of the Capitol. have not been State
Rights Democrats long enough to justi
" the setting Of themselves up as teachers
of the party. am an old Democrat, and
ror thirty long years have advocated
Democatic principles. / have stood by
hat grand old party through evil as
veil as good report In war and in peace
have always answered to its rolicall.
am a strict constructioni<t of the Cal
loun school. and deplore from my heart.
md condemn from my head. the aggres
i've measures of the Republican party.
nd think we will never again have
,eace and prosperity until we return TO
he old constitutional highway-the beat
n which our fathers trod. Yet. under
he peculiar circumstances surrounding 5
his case, will not. by my vote. assist
be eueu es OF my people in pa 9 ne such
esolutions a. those now pending.
am ready TO coDcede aud fully declare
hat Congress has no constitutional righI 4
r power to pass the bill in question. ner
or any such purpose to exercise juris
iction over our soil; yet am not ready
o ie-@--ysclf as your willing instrument .
q the passage of this resolution.
/ am not willing that the city Of Louis
lille md the Louisville & Nashville T
lalroad shall control aud dictate the
oliey Of Kentucky. But yesterday. a. !
were, they stamped this road out OF q
and the night following the
'ity Council of Louisville. in solemn 5
onclave. crushed out the last hope of the
4 Chattanooga Grand Trunk
.iue, thus planting themselves in the :
athway of progress and improvement
Whilst | do not and cannot object to the {
rowth and prosperity of the city OF d
louisville, hate, loathe and condemn a
er proud assumptions to control the a
'gislation of the State, and to say who a
hall and who shall not have great tho q
'ughfares of commerce and travel. / o
Dte no. s
The Trustees of the Peabody Fund P
ED meeting in Philadelphia on Fri :
ft,cT - rrrr II