Year: 1859

The telegraph from Louisville enabled us to lay
before our readers yesterday morning the most
cheering advices from the Southern Pacific Railroad
Convention in Louisville. DR.. Fowlkes expositions
of the entirely satisfactory status of the affairs of
the road, its freedom from all Indebtedness and
encumbrances, exercised their reasonable and
proper influence in the shrewd community of
Louisville, and after the adjournment of the Con-
yention sl50,000 was enthusiastically subscribed
which, added to the 100000 previously raised else
where by sales of stock at par, completes the
amount of s2500O0 for immediate prosecution of
the work OF construction, upon the raising of which
Mr.. Thompson made his acceptance of the Pres
dency conditional. Yesterday President Fowlkes,
his great was to leave Louisville
for Nashville, whence he would proceed direct to
Philadelphia for the purpose of surrendering the
presidency to Mr.. Thompson, elected at the meet
ing of Directors in Marshall on the Doctors nomi-
nation, as his successor.


This is famousy good news, indeed, which an
nounces the satisfactory perfecting of the first
great and real step towards the prosecution of
this long projected and now just actually begun
enterprise, about which so much has been said and
written by us and others, and we hazard the re-
peating of something said and written by ourself
and others in continuing to press the subject upon
the attention of our readers. But we count it now
just really begun, and with this auspicous begin
ming we commence new volume the subject,
for such is our estimate of its Importance to the
future of New Orleans that we cheerfuy run the
risk of pressing into the service the thoughts of
others and of repeating own. We are the more
willing to seem to overdo the subject because
of our sympathy and admiration for the heroic
spirit who has, almost unaided, removed from the
enterprise the mountain load of difficulties and
embarrrasments which had been accommodating
upon it from its very birth until they had assumed
the proportions of seemingly fatal incubus. For
the accomplishment of this, well does he deserve
the title of hero, if the term signifies who does
what no else can do. 1t is matter of vast aston
shment to us that the courage, talent and indomi-
table energy displayed by the master spirit of this
great work have failed to call forth an universal
expression of appreciation and to bring to his as
sistance the substantial help so much needed. This
is the more remarkable since the undertaking is,
by unanimous consent, feasible one, and of the
greatest importance in local as well as national
aspect. 1t seems to argue an inability to appreci-
ate the labors of public benefactors, or decline
Of that spirit of generous ardor which are wont
to ascribe to our people. 1t is not time for the





by or neglect the labor and sacrifices of her prae-
teal men whose talents are given for the promo
ton of her material progress In doing so she dis
courages the efforts of her most valuable citizens
and encourages the idea of that lack of enterprise
and Indifference to the public veal with which her
enemies would stigmatize her.


But it was not intention, in recurring to this
subject, to write an eulogy of the President of
tha IN in torn of Tho
enterprise. 1t is rather purpose to press home
upon our readers reasons why they should now take
this project into their most favorable consideration
1t is manifest to every one familiar with the COM
merce and resources of New Orleans and of the
country tributary to it, and with the commerce and
resources of other cities and sections of the Union
that far behind in those artificial advantages
which are necessary to progress in this age, even
in localities where natural advantages are as abun-
dant as they are with us. And it is no less mani
fest that we are behind other cities in that natural
growth which it was but reasonable to expect
The rapid and forced growth of some of the cities
we have in our mind is not at all to be envied but
the steady and healthy growth of others is much to
be desired Why is it that New Orleans is we'll
nigh stationary whilst the agricultural region which
pours its abundant harvests into her lap is rapidly
widening and improving?


1t is one of the most striking things imaginable
that the immense increase of wealth in the South
and South West, and the tide of emigration thereto
during the past twenty years, have not affected the
commerce and population of New Orleans more
sensbly than they have The chief reason to be
assigned for this is that the city has not kept pace
with the country in enterprise. We are accus-
toned to regard agricultural districts as want
ing in enterprise, but this is far from being true to
the fancied extent In their line of enterprise
they are in advance of the CITY, Had the city kept
pace with the country the sails of her merchant
feet would whten every sea, lines of steamers
would connect her with all important commercial
points the other side of the Atlantic, her swift
trains of cars be coursing the plains and pene-
tratng the forests in many different directions her
factories would be singing the songs of industry
and comfort to thousands of cunning handed arti-
sans, and the roar of the commerce of a city of
half million of inhabitants would be heard by the
In fact, may not say with truth that whatever of
growth we claim is mainly attributable to the fact
that more warehouse room, was needed to shelter
the increasing crops of our planters. Nature had
done so much for the city that our people fell into
the that nature would do all unaided, and we
have got along pretty well, but how much better
might we have progressed


Is New Orleans fulfilling her destiny? Is this
commanding position, the gateway to the Gulf and
the great Valley of the Mississippi given her that
she may be a mere warehouse and place for trans
shipment? If content to be only this, will she not
become, and deservedlys so, by-word to the world,
and reproach to the country? But cannot new
policy be naugurated-a policy which shall rend er
her the peer of the great cities of the country?
Unquestionably it can; but there must be aradcal
change in the views of those who have the power,
who hold the purse strings, who represent and
should influence capital Acloser identity with the
paramount interests of the city must be felt, less
dependence upon and Difference to the great marts
of the North must be entertained and wider range
of vision cultiyated-such range shall looking
even Paciticward, peer into the almost untrod-
den wilds of the imitable Southwest, to which
New Orleans is destined to be all that New York
is to the North and West, and indeed, the South up
to this time Had New York or Boston so rich and
undeveloped field, would they, think you be half
| dozen years making up their minds to think about
penetrating it with railroad? Rather would it
not have been built in the time we have been only
thinking about it?


| Our people have been accustomed to the great