Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-03-03
THE GLORIES OFDULUTH.
Humorous Speech OF Hon. j.
Proctor Knott, Of Kentucky.

The Hon. J, Proctor Knott delivered
the following very humorous speech
in the House of Representatives, on
the 9TH ult., the bill granting land to
the st. CroiX and Bayfield, Railroad
being under consideration
The House having under considera-
ton the joint Resolution =. p. No. IL
extending the time to construct a rail
road from the st. CroiX River or Lake
To the west end of Lake Superior and
to Bayfield,
Mr.. KNOTT said:
Mr.. Speaker: If | could he actuated
by any conceivable inducemcnt to be-
tray the sacred trust repOsed in me 10y
those to whose generouse confidence |
am indebted for the honor of seal on
this floor; if 4 could be influenced by
any possible consideration To become
instrumental in giving away. in vio-
iation of theil known wishes, any pO!-
of their interest in the public domain
for the mere promotion oil any rail-
road enterprise y whatever, should GER
tainly feel a slrong inclination To give
this measure my most earnest and
hearty support; for | am assured that
its success would materially enhance
the pecuniary prosperity of some of
the most valued friends | have on
earth; friends for whose accommodate
ton | would be willing to make al
most any sacrifice not involving my
personal honor or my fidelity as the
trustee If an express trust. And that
fact of itself would he sufficient To
coulrtervail almost any objection |
might entertain Ia the passage of thi'
bill, not inspired by any IMPERATIVE
and memorable sense of public duty.
But independent of the seductive
influences of private friendship. to
which / admit | am, perhaps, as sus-
ceptible as any of the gentlemen | see
around me, the intrinsic merits of the
measure itself are of such an eXtraor-
binary character as to commend 1t
most strongly to the favorable cOnsid-
Grafton of every member of this House,
myself not excepted, Notwithstanding
nv constituents, in whose behalf alone
| am acting mere, would not be bene-
fitted by its passage one particle more
than they would be by Il project to cul-
tivate an orange grove on the bleakest
summit of Greenland's icy mountains.
Laughter.
Now, sir. as to those great trunk
lines of railway, spanning the CONT
nent from ocean TO ocean, ! confess my
mind has never beer fully nude up.
Ii is true they may afford some triiling
advantages TO local traffic, and they
may even in time become the channels
of a more extended commerce. Yet
have never been thoroughly satisfied
either Of the necessity or expectancy
of projects promising such mcager re-
suits to the great body of our people.
But with regard to the trancendent
merits of the gigantic enterprise con-
templated in this bill | never enter
tanned the shadow of a doubt. Laugh
Ter.
Years ago when / first heard that
there was somewhere in the vast terra
incegllitd, somewhere in the bleak re-
gions of the great \ Orthwes', a stream
of water known to the nOmadic inhab-
itants of the neigIiborhoOd rs the Riv-
er st. Croiy, / became satisfied that the
construction of a railroad from that
raging torrent 20 some point in the
civilized world was essential to the
happiness and prosperity of the
American people. if not absolutely in
dispensable to the perpetuity of Re-
publican institutions on this continent.
tGreat laughter | felt instinctively
that the boundless resources of that
prolific region of sand, pine and shrub
berry would never he fully developed
without railroad constructed and
equipped at the expense of the govern
ment, and perhaps not then. Laugh
ter. / had an abiding presentiment
that, some day or other, the people of
Ia hnl fry irrss
party affiliations, regardless of section
al preiudices, and "wiihout distinction
of race, color, or previous condition of
of servitude." would rise in their
majesty and demand an outlet for the
enormous agricultural productions of
those vast and fertile barreIIs, drained
in the rainy season by the surging
waters of turbid st. CroiX. Great
laughter.
These impressions. derived simply
and solely from the eternal fitness of
things were not only strengthened
by the interesting and eloquent debate
on this bill, to which / listened with
so much pleasure the other day, but
intensified. if possible, as | read over
this morning the lively colloquy which
took place on that occasion. as ! find
il reported in last Fridays GLOBE. L
will ask the indulgence of the House
while read a few short passages,
which are sufficient, i'm my judgement,
to place the merits of the great enter
prise contemplated i'm the measure now
under discussion beyond all possible
controversy.
The honorable gentleman from Min
ressota, Mr.. Wilson, who l believe
is managing this bill, in speaking OF
the character of the country through
which this railroad is to pass says this
1--WE want to have the timber
brought f. us as cheaply a. possible