Arkansas intelligencer., 1849-02-17
eRoN SENATOR/BORLAND.
c,,;fo,uia Railroad Project-ArkanSas,- y
arc, ,.o1DIewThe 1dTh Duties of her Press,-ae. &e.

pntIln, IA from the Mississippi TO the Pacific.
a haI''C :, ,be request of Gen. Bayard, and
r';s,ds. as i, was known l took deep IN
l,'he u. ,hs subject, and had taken some prelim-
+ u ~ ~ in bringing it before Congress. al
s'sP ;o;ut resolution | reported from the
% -" ,o,;,tee, last summer, 10 require the
of War TO cause surveys and explora-
Fe'1'!,rsraI routes 10 be made.
...soting this Memorial, l did not commit
/ 2 {, ,,ber than TO the general project OF
eh D., am constrained TO say that. 50 far
I've been able to examine 1t. this proposition.
n..d appears the most feasible OF am nave
The route proposed lin genera terms)
s..lv practicable, and combines greater ad-
-, only for its own advancement, but
r,gIc interests, than any otter yet pre-
u' fnse element in this. which all other
b,ve lacked, and which gi'es assurance
,.,ness as well as ability on the part OF lis
The S5 100000, 10 be deposited IN the
T,-asurv, as guaranty that the work snail
"oIv be begun, but completed. In this day
..:v.Ioying and shrewdness, capitalists Will
r.,,are their means (cerulnly not to the ex-
'rir, millions of dollars in single scheme)
knowing what they are about Their
.,.s 10 make this venture, and the SUBJ
q ssdsnce they gise of their confidence
u,on careful examination of the subject
!. bsarinss) in ii, pracIlcabllity, cause me
ID II very favoribly, even now; and. should
H.. If the schme, 10 be developed 10 the
.,,iog draft O bill, correspond with the
= view have taken of IL, may be found
i nv cordial support.
J, there IRE objections to this scheme, as
..santed readily perceive; aud among the
t.,,;i, ,,Ie is the amount of the proposed
4 the public land--estlmatej al about So
N Of acres True this IS only about one-
xmt Whitney asked. Yet It IS enormous
,s # ;he public domain (wIthln fraction
aoole area of Arkansas!) TO place at the
oyauy man or corporation. In this view.
,rss a matter of serious consideration
"a, apy scheme, requiring such grant, can
.ro-abIy entertained by our government.
gards and restrictions however may be
aronnd ii, in the bill, as TO lessen this oh
very materially. Besides, admitting lis
NO the advantages, on the other side, may
,od n meet and overcome Ii. A thorough
soa;ion Of the whole subject, embracing these
IS the present occupation OF my MIND. 1t
ne rbe Land Committee, and shall endeav-
make 10 fair aud useful jud gment upon 1t.
one point of view. this project IS of peculiar
n 10 tbs people of Arkansas. Although The
nSsd starting point is St. Louis, Missouri. The
lcyer & the country will inevitably force The
from tina, point, IN direction very much 10
Uu!h. so as to pass, certainly through Por-
and most probably through the very centre
State. la either esent-wheIher It touch
u Buren, or Little Rock. the advantages TO US
e lncaIcuab!y great; for, while the road IL
unnecis Us, al Ouce. with all the States North
Ior,h-east, and with the whole country West
Inc connection with the Southern and
eastern States, By means Of our rivers. and
Ess from the Mississippi, at points opposite
as, or below. will be prompt, certain and
And thus will our State become the great
I.l:are of the i Union. lying nearly md way
"a is Atlantic and Pacific frontiers. In
aa! Of view | will not undertake to speak
adEanlages we snail enjoy. especially In
s 1r disposiDg of all the products OF our
Fr, and the consequent increase in the value
ants.
b now the natural and unaided advantages
Sale, as place of pleasant residence, and
,mng. planting, and Ialterly as mining
b, attracting much attention and rapidly
I'd. with 4 substantial and most desirable
1Oa. During the pas. year, am convinced
hrIy ffy thousand inhabitants were added
Opu!alion, BY emigration alone and there
- ha-. for n
md probably an augmented rate of increase.
ar. and during those TO follow. Add 10
mutual advantages Of locality, soil, and
\. e, which, under many drawbacks, have
accomplished so much-l say, add 10
ftnnl1ges. those | have suggested IN con-
VII this Railroad project, and Iet the
mra oecome well informed IN regard to
ind, 70 my mind. Ii seems very probable,
fanala, that emie ration alone will increase
falilon more than fifty per cent. and give
EAST, three hundred thousand inhabitants,
end of the present year. / can see no
prevent this, but many, very many, CO.
o to produce q result, every way so I'M
and desirable. As one of these causes,
en! when well directed, look with deep
o the labors of the newspaper press, OF
d pc. Let the conductors of that mighty
:, Of good or evil, be mindful of their respon-
to cur Stale and people, in this conuec-
LEI them lay aside, for a time at least,
1'onal and fuclious bickerings-let them
ap every item of useful information in
the climate, soil. productions. health and
ol of our State, and throw it abroad to
naers, mol only within our own Limits. but
e S.ates. Such things are eagerly sought
Promptly repubIished, by the newspapers
! Die country. and are thus poured into. the
asure house of national kno,y!edge TO the
4 which every man, however higt, may
T. with honor, and from which every
& 'e'er humble, may draw with profit.
q MY, as here mention, is incumbent
) press of every State, but especially and
=. ely lnon The nross of such of the States