Vicksburg weekly herald., 1878-04-19
Memphis and the Terminus
Question.

Question.
While ell the friends Of the great
Texas Pacific Railway enterprise we're
quietly resting under the impression
that the terminus question was for the
present disposed Of satisfactorily, Mem.
phis suddenly reopened It. The Sapp
Bill was introduced in Congress, and as
II names Memphis as the eastern termi.
nus 1t was violently advocated In that
city. The Appeal declared that there
was q scheme on foot to betrAy Men,
phis interests, and called Justify for a
public meeting to insist that The road
should start at Memphis. We said then,
and we repeat 1t, that all this was very
wrong. II it has had any effect, it has
injured the Texas Pacific. For this
reason we sharply condemned this sell
fish business. There IL but one way in
which the requisite aid can be secured
to construct this road. All the South
must unite and work harmonlolsly for
it. This the South cannot do IL cities
Of importance and influence continue
TO spring this vexed terminus question.
Where the terminus or termini shall
be located must. be left for fu-
ture consideration. Memphis refuses
10 do this, and II she finds herself just
ly censured for her course she has
only herself to blame for It. The hints
and insinuations Of the Appeal 10 the
effect that there is some scheme to betray
Memphis are founded In her great de-.
sire to secure the terminus, and not on
any good ev dence Of the charges
made. The Appeal thinks our criti.
cisms rather harsh inasmuch as the
Appeal has not said q word against
ViCksburg. That Journals course in
constantly Agitating this question is
hurtful not only to VickSburg but to
the whole South, fJr 1t tends to lesSe n
our chances OF securing the requisite
aid 10 construct the road.
We copy from Its issue Of Tuesday,
the following:
As Memphis is in the way of the
schemers, OF course the value Of this
very disinterested advice is perfectly
we'll known, and that advice is appre-
cialed accordingly. II the rivalry and
struggles and mutual recriminalions oi
the partisans of THE, that and the other
scheme can proceed as they do al
Washington without danger to "the
success of the enterprise" certainly
mere advocacy Of Memphis's claim will
bring no danger. Silence aud inaclioI
on our part would be not only danger
Ous bu, fatal TO our interests therefore
Memphis will neither be silent nor in
active, aud, II Vicksburg pleases 10 take
q similar course, II is her right. The
moderation shown 10 the public coun.
ellis held In Memphis on this point hai
failed to suit the HERALD; what would
It say, then, If Memphis declared thai
II would support no bill that gave 9
terminus to Vicksburgl What would
It say If this city called upon membert
of Congress from this and neighboring
States TO vote against such bill
What would II say If Memphis de-
clared that 1t would wait years for thu
building of the road rather than Vicks
burg should be q terminuSH Tina
Memphis should do all she can to maxi
herself q terminus is not only alloWa'
BILE, but, In view of the advantages tht
road would derive from such q con
nection with her, II is lAudable. Bu
II, instead Of urging her own claims
without depreciating those Of others
Memphis should denounce any bill tina
made Vicksburg terminus, thl
HERALD might reasonably objeCt-ye
that is the very position that pape
takes.
Does the Appeal mean by th
"schemers," those who contend that q
} no bill can be passed securing branChe
. 10 Memphis, Vicksburg and New Or
leans, the terminus question must b
left 10 the future for settlement II
. does, 1t is grossly unjust to Senate
0 Lamar, Gov. Brown, Col. Scott, Gen
1 Chalmers, Hon. A. II. Stephens, and +
? all the earnest friends OF the road, 70
0 these gentlemen are all agreed upo
/ this point. These gentlemen all be
}. lieve that this question should be lei
a to a Commission Of Engineers Tor de
y cision. 1t can't be left to the thre
= ci les mentioned above, for they coul
d never agree. In the future 1t must b
e decided, and Memphis must agree t
n take her chances with her sister citieI
That is all we ask of her, and that
!. only simple justice.
~ HampaOn's Journey and
10 Speeches.