Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-11-20
AFTERNOON SESSION.

the development which wOu Id follow its con-
struction. The hidden wealth of Arizona.
the cereals OF Mexico, and the graZingS Of
Texas, besides the immense trade IL would
open, were well known 10 all. II was said it
was lmpolllc tOr congress 10 loan us aid 10
thls enterprise. He understood the object OF
the convention was TO have terminal point
at Memphis, which city asked only a fair and
an equal chance, not caring how many other
termini there might be. They thought the
government should loan its aid-first, because
u would break up the great extortion of the
Union Pacific; second, IL would Develop and
open up the trade of the south and southwest;
and third, its Importance 10 the south would
bring II In connection with six
would represent the interests of thirteen
States and fourteen million of people. Look
ing at ii in this view, it was q great continent
tai thorOughfaIe leading from ocean to
ocean, not more than half the distance of the
Union Pacific. The south merely asked the
government in her present depressed con-
dtdon, to give her fair chance; no subsidy, no
bonds as gift, no land grant, but merely to
guarantee the bonds issued by this road at
the rate OF thiTty-hve thousand dollars per
mile. They propose to give as s. guarantee
the thirty millions of land grant the whole
length of the road also the freight and travel,
as well as the transportation of troops, tele-
graph and postal fees. The three departments
of war, postal and interior, will be held in
security; besides the money from the sale of
lands, besides the other moneys received as
guarantee Tor the sl7 800 per mile II Is like ask
ing friend to go security for 5000 by placing
$4,000 in his hands. There were some difficult
ties: First, the constitutional provisions, IN
necessary to maintain; then the power of
the Union Paclchc railroad which mad to be
encountered; third, the want of unity and
conflicting interests. Unless they were har-
moniZed, unless they were united, no aid
couId oe secured from Ghe government IL was
matter OF too much importance to allow
such small local differences to cause dissent
among the among the people. The Atlantic
and Pac1nc and the Texas Pacific have agreed
going west to unite st one point and harmon
ize all differences. From San Diego by the
Union Pacific and the Northern Pacific, there
a
miles in favor OF the Southern Pacific railroad.
This should allay and reconcile all local differ
ences. Give the south chance and she will
arise up like child refreshed by wine; yes,
Phoenix like, more beautiful, more pow weTful
than at any time within her history. She pro-
poses to again arise like a tower of strength to
bring about prosperity and the development
of the country in which she has taken such
prominent part. Ii there ever was a
time when the government should protect
the people of the country it is now. He then
alluded to the revolutionary spirit growing
out OF the decentralization of the late war ,ano
the tdleness of the people; it existed in the
mining districts, the planting sections and
also In the northwest. An idle mind is the
DEVILS workshop of man, and the people who
attested their loyalty to the government are
now revolutionary in spirit. 1t was impOr
tant tor the government to employ all this
idle labor, and thereby cure all discomfort and
dissatisfaction. By harmOniZing local differ
ences and exercising proper unity, they
would be able to break down the monopoly of
the Union Pacific railroad. The effect OF this
road had been to bind the people together in q
solid ligament. But the advantages of the
Southern Pacific road were much greater; it
would bind the people together more closely
in association, and unity of feeling and de-
pendence. He would have nothing to say as
to the principle OF these subsidies which have
established an enterprising, thrifty and useful
population which has given great wealth to
the country and developed its resources. We
are in a better condition than we were fifteen
years ago, when we had no Pacific railroad.
The system, while entailing many tempta-
tionS upon the people to aggrandIze colossal
Nrgv71 NNolnr tod
in great advantage to the country. In 1860 the
British government loaned its security at five
per cent on four hundred and forty million
dollars to build railroads in India The result
is that the people there have become rivals of
America in the production Of cotton. The
experiment was not original with Tom Scott,
for 1t had been tried in England, Spain, Bel
GUM, France, and elsewhere. the entire
amount in India had been lfquidated, and he
needed not to go into any statistics to show
what were the advantages that resulted. He
was progressive Democrat, and did not see
how the government of the United States
would in any manner jeopardiZe It's interests
by aiding the Southern Pacific railroad.
HON. GUS. A. HENRY.
At the conclusion of Ex-Governor Beriah
Magofin's address enthusiastic calls were
made by the convention for Hon. Gustavus A.
Henry, of ClarkSville When this gentleman
arose he was greeted with applause, and was
introduced to the convention by Ex-Governor
Magothn, who said:
GENTLEMEN OF THE CoNvENTIoN-I have
the pleasure and the honor of introducing to
-
Tennessee, who will now address the eonven-
ton.
Mr.. HENRY'S ADDRESS.
This distinguished and honored Tennessee.
an said:
GENTLEMEN OF THE CoNVENTIoN-I thank
you for this honor, though do not see that
can add one jOt or little to the address of Judge
Nj 'Clure this morning. l was so charmed by
his address that 1 have been in search of him
. to shake him by the hand, and thank him for
his very able remarks. lApplause.l After
speaking OF the great i'm pOrtanc6 OF the road
he said: 1.-THE proposition is that congress will
guarantee the payment OF interest on the
bonds the Pacific railroad may issue
to build the road, on condition the
company secure the government against loss,
Ftrst-By placing in the hands of the gov
ernment the entire earnings for the military
and other transpOrtatiOns OF the government.
Second-All telegraph and postal service of
the government.
Third-The revenues from all lands hereto
Fourth-AiI the net revenues from all other
sources, 70 meet the possibility of having TO
| pay seventeen hundred and fifty dollars per
| mile, the amount of interest asked to be guar
anteed By the government, from the eastern
line OF Texas to the Pacific coast. It is the in
| terest, not the principal, to be guaranteed.
By building this road we invite 1mmigrs-
| ton all along the line of the road, near two
thousand miles, to a territory now uninhabit-
| ed and of no value TO the country, but Won
dertully rich in fertility of soil. and that por-
| tion which lies in New Mexico and Arizona
| abounding in mineral wealth, such as iron,
| Copper gold and silver, Nor is this ali. The
| line OF the road penetrates belt of country
/ three hundred miles wide, and covering five
/ hundred thousand square miles, in the most
| delightful climate in America for the habita-
/ ton of civilized man. Absolute justice to the
| whole south demands that this road should
| be built, and that the government should
| give the reasonable aid the company sOIicits,
| 1t has given vast grants of land 10 complete
| one railroad to .he Pacific, which hes been of
| incalculable benefit 10 the whole northern
| belt OF states and Territories, creating a
! wealth and opening new sources of com
| now calls upon congress- without the
| grant of land and subsidy, to aid another
| road, lying three hundred miles south of that
| which will develop the central and southern
| belt OF States and Territories on a line tnat
| will be Ft HOm ice and snow tJrms in
| winter ana famed by the breath of perpetual
| spring. All of the territory OF which 1 have
spoken, as well as all the Impoverished States
of the south, would reap IncalCulable benefit
from this railroad in the increase of pOpulA
tton and commerce, In the full development
| of our great agricultural staples, OF sugar, cot
ton, tobacco and rice, all now lying in lament
able paralysis before as for the want of i'm
migration which this road will invite, anC
| which will form the basis of more reliable
system of labor than we now have or may rea
sonably calculate on otherwise. Give us thi!
road, and immigration and capital will come
with IL, A stream Of wealth viii follow alonl
its narow and iTon-Dound track more abund
i ant than on the bosom of that mighty faOleC
/ river OF antiquity whose very sands were gold
Labor will be steady, sure, and more avaiia
bic, and our prostrate south the fairest ans
| loveliest land the sun has ever shOne upon
| will be the center OF the commerce of tn,
| world. Business will revive and manUtac
tories will spring up everywhere along thu
road, as by magic, and near the land Wher
| the cotton is grown; and agriculture vii
| awake from the heavy sleep that binds II
| limbs, and Will arise like giant, retreshet
| from his slumDers, to renewed vigOr and ener
| gy. On examination / ind the gOvernmen
has been munihcent TO railroads all over tn
| n nth. The first lRnd-grant was made 20 rail
roads in 1882 to the Illinois Central, OF 1856 0U
acres. The company realized by the sale G
! the largest portion of il, 100000, and hav
| $4,000 acres unsold, which they are Offering a
IS and $40 per acre. This was startling gran
at the beginning, OF the peoples lana 10 on
| corporation. At a late date congress granite
to the State of Iowa, 3,4j6,0OO aores; to Michl
| gan, 30O0,000 acres; TO Wisconsin, 1868 ,O(
acres. 1 will not weary you by ful
, ther detail, but remark the whole nun
Der of acres granted to northern railroad
, amounts to 49,9lOOO0 acres, equal to 300
square miles, and covering a territory of Ian
a | equal in ext Mt to Ohio, Indiana, IllinOi
Z | Michigan, wisconsin and Iowa. never di
| approve Of such magnificent grants of Ii
land, that belonged to the whole people, 10 an
| corpOraJiOns WhateVer-railrOad or OtheTwis
| 1t was, IN my opinion, a mal-apprOpTiatiOn
= | the peoples Inheritance TO a favored few.
| should have been Sacredly preserved as hOm
:, | steads for the poor, where, under their oW
1 | rooftree they might have found shelter fro
T the storms of fate. That Immense territOl
4 which was so lavishly bestowed upon a fe
4 | rich corporations, wOuh have given one hu
l. dTed and sixty acres to one million two hul
J.; dred and nifty thousand heads of families, al