Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/290

 undue portion of regard to the objects which have fallen under his more immediate attention, and to the points more directly affecting the interest of himself or his particular constituents. To obviate these conflicting interests, and to give confidence to all that the system would in its range embrace, by regular and just succession, every portion of the State, the appointment of skillful engineers has been recommended to your particular consideration. Their attention should be directed to a classification of all the objects to be embraced m the general plan; to the practicability and probable expense of such leading objects of general improvement as affect, to the greatest extent, the greatest portion of the community, and the comparative advantages resulting from the different modes of expenditure, by clearing out the natural channels, constructing canals, common turnpikes, or the more modern and popular system of railways.

Our fellow-citizens of East Tennessee, though able to furnish in the greatest abundance, and of the best quality, flour and other articles of the first necessity, have heretofore been doomed to strive against the natural obstructions in the Tennessee River, shut out as they are from Mobile, the more natural, and perhaps the more profitable channel of commerce.

Engineers employed by the Government of the United States have, for some time past, been engaged in ascertaining the practicability of a canal on the north bank of the Tennessee River, whereby the obstructions of the Muscle Shoals will be surmounted; their survey has not yet been completed, but we have much ground to hope that it will be fully made at no distant day, and that it will result in much substantial good to the people of Tennessee and Alabama.

It is greatly to be desired that at some period before the adjournment of the present session such report could be received, as would enable the Legislature of this State to determine with reasonable certainty on the nature and extent of interest which we should take in the enterprise.

The eastern section of the State is not alone interested in facilitating the ascending and descending navigation of the Muscle Shoals; several of our more populous, wealthy, and cotton-growing counties of the South are equally concerned.

Should the difficulties of navigation through the whole length of the Tennessee be so strongly presented as to forbid the hope of their early removal, our attention should be the more promptly and zealously directed to the project of connecting the waters of the Hiwassee with those of the Coosa. The intercourse between East Tennessee and South Alabama promises the most solid advantages to both parties. Supplies and provisions, important and necessary to Alabama, can at all times be furnished from Tennessee to Mobile, and intermediate points, whilst our people could receive in return, not only cash, but groceries and other heavy articles of import, which are now procured through other channels, after much delay, and at great expense.

Superadded to these is the national consideration of warlike defense; for past experience has proved that whilst the population of Kentucky and West Tennessee are mainly to be relied on for defending from invasion the great emporium of the West, the brave and hardy mountaineers of East Tennessee are equally necessary to the protection of Mobile, and all the contiguous portions of the Gulf of Mexico.

The development of wealth in the middle counties of our State has not been