| From the Greensboro (N. C.) Patriot |
| |
| January 16, 1862 |
| |
| The Danville Connection {The
Piedmont RR} |
| The Wilmington Journal opposes President
Davis's recommendation to build this railroad as a military necessity,
because, as it says, it would make no new through line; because it
would be a departure, by the Confederate Government, from the
principles of States rights; because it would reduce the profits of
the existing seaboard line; and because it would interfere with a
North Carolina system of public works. |
| We do not think these reasons well founded.
As to the military necessity, President Davis is a better judge, as
well as a more impartial and disinterested one, than the Journal. The
burning of the bridges in Tennessee doubtless suggested to the
President the possibility of similar incident, either accidental or
designed, at a well known point where the other through lines might be
cut off. But even without such an occurrence, it is well known that
present railroad facilities are not adequate to the want of the
Government. Troops, munitions of war, and provisions and clothing for
the army, have been detained for months for want of transportation.
And besides the loss and inconvenience to the government, the people
are paying more for sugar, molasses, salt, and other things, than they
would have to pay if there were sufficient means of transportation. |
| Of States Rights, the President has himself
always been one of the foremost advocates, and this fact ought to be a
sufficient guarantee for the sincerity of his plea that this road is a
military necessity. |
| As to the third objection, is the Journal
sure that the Danville Connection would lesson the profits of the
seaboard line of railroads? It may be admitted that such would be its
effect, for a time at least, on a portion of the North Carolina road
and the Raleigh & Gaston road. But these appear not to engage the
sympathy of the Journal, whose complaint is only as to the seaboard
line, which includes the two roads having each a terminus in
Wilmington. The Journal's charity begins and ends at home. The same
feeling prevailed years ago when the North Carolina road was
commenced. That was expected to lessen the profits of the seaboard
line, and perhaps it may have diminished the increase of their
profits, not the actual profits, for these have been greater each
successive year. The fact is that all new facilities for travel and
commerce make travel and commerce, and it may well be questioned,
whether, if the Danville connection were now complete, the Wilmington
roads would not next year show at least their usual profits. |
| The funniest of the Journal's reasons is
that having reference to a North Carolina system of public works -- as
if there were ever any system in our public works! Why the very roads
which the Journal is now alarmed about -- the Wilmington & Weldon
road -- was projected from Wilmington to Raleigh, and only went to
Weldon because the Raleigh people did not help build it. We have no
system of public works. Roads have been built, not where the wants of
the State called for them, but wherever the necessary amount of money
could be begged or borrowed. |
| Let President Davis and Congress go ahead
with the military road. It is quite likely to benefit the State as
well as the Confederacy, and to injure no interest permanently. |
| Fayetteville Observer |
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