Journal of the Proceedings of the Southwestern Convention; Began and Held at the City of Memphis, on the 12th November, 1845 (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: $6r this impression I introduced a bill some years snrce for the purpose of effecting this object, which, among other things, provided that the price of public lands which had been offered for sale without being entered within a fixed period should be gradually reduced frorh . one dollar and a quarter to one dollar, and then to seventy-five, and. then to fifty and lastly. to twenty-five cents, and, all that was not sold within a short period tit twenty-five ccats, to be surrendered to the States in which thisjjirere situated.. .1 have now given you.my views'briefly-as to.the resources of the south and west?how they could, be best developcdy-and how far the aid of the General Government might be invoked to assist in their development, and now let me add in conclusion,.you occupy a region possessing advantages above all others on the globe of the same extent, not only for its fertility its diversity of climate and pro- daction, but in its geographical position, lying mid-way .between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans; in less than one generation you will be engaged in deliberations to extend your communication with the Pacific as you now are with the Atlantic;.and will ultimately be almost as intimately connected with the one as the other. In tiie end we will command the commerce of both.. And this great valley become the centre of the commerce of the woi'ld as will be that of our great Union if we shall preserve our liberty and free popular institutions. We are about to give the first gr.cat impulse, and you will gentlemen, I trust, set an example of moderation, harmony and unanimity which will be followed hcreafier. May the re'- tults of your deliberations be such as to accomplish not only the objects for which you have convened but to strengthen the bonds of our Union, and to ...