The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-03-02
General Fiiz. Lee on the Texas Pacific
Railroad.
HIGHLAND, STAFFORD COUNTY, VA,l
February %, 1876.

ask my views upon trans-contlnental rail-
road, | use as few words as possible, and
give them to you, in accordance with your
request. The necessity of commerce to
country constantly growing and refusing TO
be divided has pointed out four routes
from ocean to ocean, on or near the following
parallels of latitude-viz. A.: First, the forty.
ninth, or Northern Pacific: railccad. Jay
Cooke g. Co., financial agents of that corpo.
ration, can give any further information
wanted about that road. Second, the Cen
trail and Union Pacific railroad, now n &C.
tual operation along the forty.second paral-
lei. Third, the projected way along the
thirty.fifth parallel, which will probably not
be finished during our generations; and
fourth, the most southerly route along the
thirty.second parallel, and which is unlVer.
sally conceded the best land most practicable
of them all.
As lieutenant OF cavalry 10 the United
States army, stationed in Texas before the
war, the hoof Of my horse has pressed many
portions Of the present located route. The
great advantages it possesses [ therefore
know something about. The question right
in front of us now is: Shall Congress guar.
antce the interest on the constructon.b bonds
of the company at present owning CHAR.
tered rights, to build along that parallel, and
known as the Texas and Pacific Railroad
Company? And upon that point what in.
struclons shall the General Assembly OF
Virginia give to her representatives in the
national councils?
Her sons differ as to beneficial results to
US proceeding from road built under the
present management, and also as TO the poll
cy of the General Government lending the
credit and resources of the country to public
works" the ethics of organic law in other
words.
Some of us lay great stress upon having
what is termed ga genuine southern road"
As high example of such railway let us
suppose road running from San Diego
to Savannah, Ga, connecting ocean with
ocean by the shortest and most direct route.
Let it be tive.foot gauge from shore to
shore, as are the southern roads east of
The Mississippi. Imagine the great trunk
line crossing the father of waters" over a
splendid bridge at Vicksburg, with branches
ramfying all through the southern States.
Fancy takes another fight. Let US make
Mr.. Davis aud General Joseph E. Johnston
associate presidents OF this great route, men
for whose intellectual powers and large ex-
perience have the highest respect. Give to
them as vce-preSidents Generals Beauregard
and Bragg, and as general superintendent
and managers say Generals Eally and Cor
don, while some of US smaller fishes could take
I'D the tickets and drive the engines. There
is "a genuine southern road" Tell me, on,
tell me, how it can be bullt,!ind my poor
efforts shall be given to it. Will private
subscription and enterprise accomplish II !!
impossible. AS the other alternative, would
be in favor of accepting Government aid;
for Congress having already voted S1l9, OO0,.
900 in support of northern enterprises 10
Sl9,O00,O0O sent South, it is too late to
talk about ancient political dogm's, but far
better to look at thugs as they actually eX-
ist, and get our pro rata share OF all
such appropriations. But can q sufficient
pumbe of northern voters be obtained to
add TO the votes of the southerners to secure
this help to "the genuine southern road! !"
If so, let us get them and buy the present
company out. What then? Can St. Louis
be prevented from taking our route in
Northern Texas, and claiming her rights
for the chance Of getting q share of
the great business which we propose
to keep within our own llmtsf And
il she can OFF, more inducements
to shippers in Asia, California, Arizona, Old
and New Mexico than the cities lying south
OF her, don't the unerring laws of commerce
teach u that she will get the produceY l
recolect when General Lee was offered the
presidency of the Valley railroad friend
intimated TO him that the road was owned by
a foreign corporation, and would be Coz
trolled in the interest OF Baltimore, and that
he should not lend his name and fame to SUCH
an enterprise. His reply was, "The
great Valley Of Virginia must have
q railroad, aud if our own people
can't build it We must let some
body else do it Our cities must offer con-
peting inducements for travel and freight.
The Valley farmer Is right in sending his
produce 10 Baltimore II he can get better
price for it, for in that way more money is
brought back to be spent At bome." This is
logic in nutshell. The Virginlan who
can get more money for wheat he has to sell
in a northern than in southern market, but
still ships South, is entitled to our respect
for his love of State; but his family would
not commend his ssgacity In not procuring
the additional amount to 60 towards the
education, subsistence, and clothing of his
children, which amount be draws from
abroad and probably spends at home.
From all the information, then, can get
upon this subject, believe the present Texas
and Pacific Railroad Company can with
more certainty and dispatch build the road
along the thirty second parallel than 1t can
be done by any other company or BY any
other process; and should the Government
refuse to guarantee the interest upon its
bonds it would be, am afraid, an indefinite
of action upon any southern
road.
Let the main trunkline terminate upon
the Mississippi at Vicksburg, Memphis, New
Orleans, and ST. Louis, and throw around
the bill all safeguards TO prevent discrimina-
tions from any point on the Pacific coast to
either of the four points; and let all rail
roads and cities east of these places enter
the lists for honorable competition for the
trade.
What if Eads's splendid bridge spans the
river at st. Louis 1t was bliIt, / under.
stand, not by Government, but Dy the ne.
cesslties of commerce. Set to work and
make the same necessities exist at the other
two points, and you would soon find bridges,
or ferry.boats with truck-lfters, which would
remedy, during transit, the difference be-
tween tour-feet-eight.and.a-half and tive.foot
gauge.
Military and political reasons justice to
our own section; obedience to the demands
Of chambers of commerce or boards Of trade
Of New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville, Louis