 In 1871 , McCreary was re @-@ elected to the state House without opposition . In the upcoming legislative session , the major question was expected to be the Cincinnati Southern Railway 's request for authorization to build a track connecting Cincinnati , Ohio , with either Knoxville or Chattanooga , Tennessee , through Central Kentucky . The action was opposed by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad , a bitter rival of the Cincinnati line . Appeals to the General Assembly to oppose the bill on grounds that an out @-@ of @-@ state corporation should not be granted a charter in the state were successful in 1869 and 1870 , and an attempt by the federal Congress to grant the charter was defeated by states ' rights legislators there . Moreover , newly elected governor Preston Leslie had opposed a bill granting Cincinnati Southern 's request when he was in the state Senate in 1869 . In the lead @-@ up to the 1871 session , frustrated Central Kentuckians threatened to defect from the Democratic Party in future elections if the bill were not passed in the session . Supporters of Cincinnati Southern won a victory when McCreary , a staunch supporter of the bill to grant the line 's request , was elected Speaker of the House . After approval of a series of amendments designed to give Kentucky courts some jurisdiction in cases involving the line and the Kentucky General Assembly some measure of control over the line 's activities , the bill passed the House by a vote of 59 – 38 . The vote in the Senate resulted in a 19 – 19 tie ; President Pro Tem John G. Carlisle — a native of Covington , through which the proposed line would pass — cast the deciding vote in favor of approving Cincinnati Southern 's request . With the will of the people clearly expressed through the legislature , Governor Leslie did not employ his gubernatorial veto . McCreary was again returned to the House without opposition in 1873 and was again chosen Speaker of the House during his term . 
