| From the Bellville Countryman
(Bellville, Austin County, Tex.) |
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| October 30, 1861 |
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| Col. C. C. Herbert, candidate
for a seat in the Confederate Congress, from this district, is in
favor of the completion of the railroad between Sabine Pass and
Berwick's Bay {the New Orleans & Texas RR},
at an early period as possible, so as to have speedy transportation
with other portions of the Southern Confederacy. The reason for this
is obvious, as every one can see at once, the necessity of the
completion of this enterprise, in the present case of blockaded ports.
It should be completed by all means as a measure of defense; the
transportation of troops, munitions of war, clothing, supplies,
&c., are greatly retarded for the want of some speedy facility of
transport. With our present mode of communication with our sister
States, the enemy could land on our borders and coast, in hordes,
devastate and overrun the country, before we could get assistance from
any of our co-workers in the great cause of liberty. Observe, if you
please, the single case of the few companies this State has sent to
Virginia; the privations, hardships and detentions consequent upon the
non-completion of this road, and it will at once recur to the mind of
the least thoughtful that it is a measure that should be acted upon
promptly. It is truly and virtually a "military necessity,"
and not an "unconstitutional measure" as has been
argued by some, for the Constitution expressly declares that Congress
has the right to "construct any improvement necessary for the
public defense." The Constitution only forbids the appropriation
of funds for the completion of an enterprise to "facilitate
commerce." The completion of this road as a "means of
defense," is of vital interest to the people of Texas and the
whole Confederacy, and should be brought up and acted upon in the
Congress in Richmond. |
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