Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives: The last year was one of unsurpassed prosperity. The three great departments, Agriculture, Manufactures and Commerce, received an ample return for the industry and skill they employed. Within the present year the husbandman throughout our borders will not, perhaps, have reaped a harvest alike remunerating, but we have an assurance that the demands of reason, if not avarice, will be fully satisfied. During the last year disease and death visited our people in some localities, with unrelenting violence. This year they have extended the area of their domain, walking not only in darkness, but wasting at the mornings dawn, in the brightness of noon, and at the close of day. In their devastating course, they have spared neither race, age, sex nor condition. Death! insatiable in his demands, has sent countless victims to the grave, casting the mantle of mourning not only over families, but clothing with the habiliments of grief, whole communities. Thus verifying the exclamation, "All flesh is as grass, &c." How forcible th admonition! "Be ye also ready, &c." We have been recently called to deplore the death of a long honored statesman of Alabama. All that is mortal of the Hon. Wm. R. King, Vice President of the United States, reposes in the silence of the grave. The entire nation honored him for his conservative principles-his expansive patriotism-his frank and generous bearing-his practical knowledge and reliable judgment, to say nothing of the attainments which gave an imposing finish and dignity to the man. Throughout this vast confederacy unusual demonstrations of respect and esteem have been paid to his memory. I felt it due to the people of this State to express their sorrow, by draping the capital in mourning, and causing the usual salute P71469 87 A215 to be fired at the dawn and close of the day. It remains for you to consider whether some enduring memorial of the estimate in which he was held by his adopted State, should not have a place among our archives. Turning from these melancholy, though to some extent pleasurable reflections, which it is difficult to limit, I address myself to the topics that will most probably be considered during your present session. INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. In my communications of December, 1849, and November, 1851, I expressed my views quite at length upon the propriety of encouraging the improvement of the navigation of our rivers and the construction of Rail Roads, Plank Roads and other facilities of inter-communication. Since the last session of the General Assembly, and especially within the present year, the subject has received a new impulse. Several Rail Roads in the course of construction have received such aid, by subscriptions of stock or otherwise, as place their completion beyond contingency, and within a reasonoble time. Other roads of much importance, not only to the people of this State, but to our sister States, have been projected under circumstances that furnish the most encouraging assurance that their construction will be entered upon, and pressed forward with all the energy due to such interesting enterprises. The work upon the Mobile and Ohio, the Memphis and Charleston, the Alabama and Tennessee River, and the Girard Rail Roads, have progressed even beyond the most favorable expectations we entertained two years ago. All these works have invited such an amount of capital to their aid, that their progress must be continuously onward. I have heretofore spoken of the three former in reference to the country over which they passed, and the points they connect. The latter commences upon the Western bank of the Chattahoochie at a point opposite the city of Columbus, Ga., passes through Russell and across the Southern part of Macon, by way of Union Springs-perhaps over the Northern part of Pike and the South-eastern corners of Montgomery and Lowndesthence through Butler, by or near Greenville, over the Northern part of Conecuh and across Monroe, crossing the Alabama and Tombigbee at such points, above or below their junction as interest or convenience may dictate, and onward to connect with the Mobile and Ohio Rail Road. This road will traverse an interesting country, the greater part of which, secluded and remote from our large rivers and the lines of travel and Commerce, has been hitherto much underrated. Portions of it produce large quantities of cotton. When the road is completed, all of it will exhibit a higher development or he nt ess ed of Agricultural resources; added to which, it is unsurpassed, I observe through the press that it is proposed to connect the City of Montgomery with this road, by a Rail Road running thence to Union Springs, which may, perhaps, be extended ur to Eufaula. This road would pass over a fine cottongrowing country, susceptible of much greater improvement than it has received-the South-eastern portion of which, will furnish large quantities of lumber. id, le th ais ir at ad he st 11 ir ve ne ct. a es Dy ке -h la eir rd ad eb, of ed. he ent Rail Roads have also been projected from Montgomery, to connect with the Alabama and Tennesse River Rail Road, a few miles North of Selma, and again a few miles North-east of Montevalllo. This latter connection proposes to take Wetumpka in its route, and to be extended across the Alabama and Tennessee River Rail Road, to connect some ten or fifteen miles North of Montevallo, with a road which it is supposed will be constructed from North Alabama. So it is proposed to construct a line of Rail Road from Wetumpka to the Montgomery and West Point Rail Road at a point South-east or East of Tallassee. The two former of these lines would traverse a conntry, a portion of which produces cotton very well-the greater part is well set with a valuable forest growth--the North-western part furnishes iron ore, coal and limestone; and all of it will grow provisions sufficient for the consumption of a greatly increased population. The latter road would pass over a valuable forest, and across a waterfall of almost unlimited power and adaptation, hardly second to any in the United States, taking into consideration every important element of value. Under an act "to incorporate the Cahaba Valley Rail Road Company," it is proposed to construct a road from the Alabama and Tennessee River Rail Road at or near Montevallo, through Shelby and St. Clair counties to some point at or near Gadsden, where it will again unite with the same road. And I learn through the Press that a company has been organized under on Act of the last session, "to charter the Wills Valley Rail Road Company," the purpose of which is to extend a Rail Road from the Northern terminus of the Cahaba Valley Road to the Georgia line, in a direction to intersect the Georgia and Tennesse Rail Road at some convenient point in Lookout Valley. Both these roads would pass through a country producing fine fruits and an abundance of provisions, the production of which could be increased to a great extent. They present much of Mountain and Valley scenery, both beautiful and romantic-finely watered, with a considerable proportion of rich land, which would produce not only the usual grains, but grasses. All these making it one of the most interesting and attractive portions of the State, especially as a resort for health-for growing provisions and raising stock. Along and contiguous to these routes, are lands, that yield cotton very well, and with greater certainty than it is produced in the rich cotton-growing districts; and the lines pass over or near beds of coal, limestone, iron ore, and perhaps marble and other valuable rocks and minerals. This description of the country proves that these roads would be valuable for Commercial purposes, and their termini indicate their importance as lines of travel. It has been announced through the newspapers that a company has been organized under the Act of February, 1850, "to incorporate the Alabama and Georgia Rail Road Company." This road is to be run from Jacksonville or some other point in its vicinity on the Alabama and Tennessee River Rail Road, in the direction of Rome, Georgia, and contemplates a connection with the latter town, by a road to be extended from thence to meet it. This road would furnish a connection between the extreme North-eastern and Southern part of this State and open a more direct intercourse between Northwestern Georgia, East Tennessee and the Valley of Virginia, and Mobile and the Gulf generally. The districts of country thus brought into communication with us, would send to market immense quantities of fruits, provisions, live stock, iron and many other articles of value, and take back in return, not only groceries but cotton and other merchandize. Thus furnishing certain supplies, if need be, of many indispensable articles to a large portion of our State, and enabling Mobile, with her receipts from the Mobile and Ohio Rail Road to become an exporter of provisions to a large amount. This road, instead of being considered with distrust, should be most favorably regarded. A Rail Road has been projected from Montgomery to Pensacola, by companies organized under charters enacted by the Legislatures of Alabama and Florida, the route for which, I learn from the newspapers, has been examined and partially surveyed. The amount of stock subscribed, and the energy manifested, indicate that these companies contemplate a speedy completion of their work. This road will pass through the Southern portion of Montgomery county, acrosss Lowndes and Butler, perhaps touching the North-west corner of Coving 7 ton, through Conecuh and into Florida. The country over and near which this line will run, is much of it productive of cotton, corn and other provision crops-the remainder grows abundant material for lumber and Naval stores. It is perhaps desirable that our products should find an outlet to a foreign market through our own sea-port; but if any of our people in the interior wish to establish a direct communication with other ports, so far as it depends upon our Legislation, let us promptly grant every facility. However much of selfishness, individuals may exhibit, let us act upon the principle that the manifestation of such a feeling is unworthy of Legislators, professing to be controlled by an en lightened policy. More especially should we favor this road, as it will connect us with a harbor, if not superior, certainly not second to any on the Gulf or its tributaries, and with a Navy Yard of growing importance. During the present year a strong feeling has manifested itself to connect North and South Alabama by a more direct communication than any of the charters heretofore granted, contemplate. Many primary meetings and several Conventions of Delegates from quite a number of counties, have been held, and numerously attended, for the purpose of enlightening and uniting public opinion and action in this most interesting project. The result of the deliberations of these conventions, I believe, is an agreement to recommend the construction of a Rail Road from a point at or near Beard's Bluff on the Tennessee River, in Marshall, to Elyton, in Jefferson county-leaving Eastern, Middle and Western Alabama to connect with it at its South-western terminus, or elsewhere as may be deemed most expedient. In a social, commercial and political point of view, this would be a road of the first importance. It would introduce North and South Alabama to each other-sections at present detached, in which the masses of each have but little intercourse with the other. Indeed, they are comparatively strangers, though they live under the same government and are amenable to the same laws. That this great improvement would create a community of feeling and interest, and a sense of mutual dependence cannot be doubted, while at the same time it would furnish facilities for trade, which would be made available, to an extent greatly productive of the interest of both sections. This road, it is supposed from partial explorations, would pass through valleys of land, finely watered, contiguous to valuable minerals, and producing grain and fruits in great abundance, and which, under a proper system of cultivation, would yield a certain and fair crop of Cotton. These valleys, it is said, are connected by passes through the hills that བའགྲང་པའ ོ། |