The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-01-15
aad the Texas Pacific
RAILROAD Project.


generation is to receive any Of its bene-
fits, it is high time the work was resumed
But on behalf of the people Of Missis-
sippi who through the Legislature have
instructed their Senators and requested
their Representatives TO support the
measure, we beg leave to call the atten
ton of these public agents to the fact
that the bill az it now stands amended by
Senator Matthews OF Ohio, from the
Committee on Railroads, Is not tie bill
tchfch has receiced the sanction Of the
Mississippi Leqislutare and teas ead0rsed
Bg the Democratic .State Convention. 1t
is widely different measure, and should
rot be passed without important and
essential amendment.
The bill as it originally stood provided
for one or more extensions to the east
bank Of the lower Mississippi river which
made it really what it purported to be,
a Southern measure. The bill has been
diyested of this e=-entiaI featnre It
has been taken out Of il in a most artful
manner by its Northern manipulators
and wet nurses.
Col. Thomas Scott, the head and front
and authorized exponent of the measure
in an argument to tine Senate Committee
on Railroads in February, 1876, said
the bill provides eastern extensions to
New Orleans, Vicksburg and Memphis"
Mr.. Bond the lst Vice President of the
Company, in an argument before the
Committee in behalf of the scheme, spoke
''of the local and national advantages
from constructing the proposed extension
lines to New Orleans, Vicksburg, Mem
phis and Vineta." Gov. Throckmorton
of Texas in speech delivered in the
House of Representatives, spoke Of the
'three connections to Memphis, Ncks-
| burg and New Orleans" Hon. l.. G
G. Lamar, from the House Committee
on the Pacific Railroad, in the course of.
an elaborate report on the Oath January,
1877, setting forth the purposes and
provisions of the bill, said that ''it pro
vided for the construction Of lines OF
railway from the main trunk to st. Louis,
New Orleans, Ficksburg and Memphis"
This provision has been taken OUT of the
bill. In the form in which its special |
champions are now endeavoring to pass |
it through Congress, it no longer con
tains guarantee for any connection at
New Orleans, Vicksburg or Memphis, or
any other point on the lower Mississippi. |
During the regular session of last year
Mr.. Matthews, who is understood 10 be a |
salaried Attorney, as well as the Senate
rial champion of the measure, reported
bill with the original saving the clauses
as to the lower Mississippi extensions left
out. In lieu of It, he proposed a Gun
ming and Indefinite substitute, the sub,
stance of which is stated by himselfas fol,
lows in a speech delivered in the Sen
ate on the Sd of December last;
The eastern terminus of the road is fixed
by the bill upon the east bank of the Mis-
sissippi river, authority being given to cross
that stream BY bridge, the actual tGTml-
nus to be established bV five c0mmissi ion
ers, to be appointed by the President. three
of whom are required TO be engineer officers
OF the army, anu all to he without interest
in the location, whose duty it shalt b. to eX-
anime the various proposed routes between
the Mississippi river and the present con-
structed road to the Texas and Pacific
Railway Company; and after considering
all questions of distance. cost, and transpor-
tation routes, in view of foreign a. we'll as
domestic trade and comm rec, and also IL
view OF an eligible connection with the At
lantic seaboard, TO report their Judgment a.
the most suitable point of connection with
the Mississippi river, bu- not II be farther
north than the city of Memphis; which re
port. il approved by the President of the
United States, shall BE- final aud couclu-
sive.
Naturally the question arises, why is
it proposed to substitute this provision
for the original condition, definitely fix
ng the eastern termini of the Road?
We fear it is an artful and elaborate con
.rivance designed to hold the word of
promise to the (Southern) ear and 2
break it to the hope. A Northern
President under the dictation of the
Northern controllers of the scheme, is to
appoint a commission to locate the road.
They are to agree if they can upon route.
They must obtain the consent of the !
States interested (Which is simply
for killing time.) The
President must approve their report, if
hey ever make one. But the worst OF
he whole contrivance is It's provision,
hat no part of the road aided by the
,-,-,,,,,,,t (,,-.,,t ,,,,,l er,r, IL LV,-,LN
shall be mortgsged to build the road ,
from Marshall TO the lower Mississippi Z
1t must be done without government
aid. There is no mistake about this, for
Matthews said: i;
This extension OF the present construct d.
sd road is then TO be builJ. without d.
Law. at the rate Of fittv Mills per aunum |
ease its own bonds are issued TO raise the :
means for that purpose, secured by mort q
gage, IS prOulded thar U shall not be q Ten T
upon any property franchise. or security Dlsd1eI
IS indemnify 10 The Government Tor The :
guarantee OF interest on the bonds issued 10 +,
construct any portion of the line Jetleeen Fort !
IForth and San Diego 1t is also declar, d. $
that failure TO provide for this eastern ex-
tension shall work an absolute forfeiture of
all ri ght 10 the guarantee OF the Govern 4
nent on the interest of the bonds to be is
.ued for so much of the line as may remain
reconstructed at the time of such default.
Thus it will be seen that, not only is I
40 government aid to be given for the v
construction Of that part of the road I
which makes it an object of value to
Mississippi, Alabama and other Southern /
5ulf and Atlantic States; but it imposes .
nothing that amounts to a penalty for /
i failure to build the extension. I
What we would urge upon the Sena- I