Arkansas democratic banner., 1851-12-23

But Arkansas has been far from idle, notwith-
 standing she has constructed no magnificent works of Internal Improvement She has feed The for- est, opened pisEiaiions, and cultivated the soil I She has built cites and towns and within the last
 fileen years. increased her population from sixty
 to two agndred and ten thousand souls. When she came into the Union she shipped some fge or ten thousand bales of cotton. She ow ships more than 100000. Her wealth then waS not ek- eeediug iiileen miilions-now 1t IS forty millions
 Let these facts speak for themselves, and it will become manifest, that, if Arkansas, the spoiled
 ehild of fortune has done but littie in the great work ot Internal Improvement, she has been far From idle. II she has not done as much as she
 might and ought to have done, she has broug ht herself up to that point when she must and.
 have no doubt, will take hold of this. the great question Of the age, wilh the grasp Of the young
 gianl, and, as she has gone ahead of other States the rcrease of her population and wealth. de
 spite her own indifference lo the advantages whici4 might have resulted to her by an improvement, by the hand Of art upon the blessings bestowed upon
 her by nature, So she will rvai f eclipse them all, ln works of Internal lmprovement-a yet become, occupying, as she does the centre oi ihs great nation, what nature intended her to be-the proudest and most prosperous of all her sisters.
 Arkansas at the time of her settlement, was
 situated al great distance from the more densely populated States. Large tracts of country inter vened between her and the old commercial cities and communities. This void remained to be filled op with population, and traversed by rail roads, tunpkes, and other improvements, before she could be connected with them. Other large and
 fertile regions ot territory were stretched vSt upon I her north, south, and soathw st, holding out in dueemenis 10 immigrants. Thus the population
 was unsteady; the community had not settled down, thA mass Of population. bringing with 1t the
 spirit of improvement, had reached our eastern
 border. SNcit,y had not become settled and con
 ssten, in 1Fht adjoining States. To have hen ] cons ructeH atals road or plank road in Arkan
 a bavs
 been the worst of folly.
 It would have had no connection with the other 1 States, and no terminus ln inc west The wants
 of the people, as they were then constituted, dld
 not demand these things. Not so HOW. Arkan-
 sas must be up and doing. The tide of immigra
 ton which has been rolling west is on our eastern
 border, bearing with il all the improve ements of the
 age. and fred with the spirit that abroad ia the ! land. which knows no such word as fal We
 must prepare 10 recelye them, or this mighty cur
 rent will break upon our inhospitabe shores, roll ing aroand 10 inc north, and the south, bearing ] that prosperity which was designed for us, 10 the
 doors Of oliers. And while prosperity shall crown
 thelr labors, and they become great and happ,
 people, Arksnsas will remain a neglected, blight. ] edwaste, in the cen,ero this mighty nation, with
 smiling gardens, golden harves,S, and crowded gar. i nerS all around her. We are prepared for them 1 Let us open an avenue for their coming.
 The class of citizens who preceded us, and who, with few exceptions have never been known
 to favor any pubic enterprise. have passed away
 The bear and the deer have dBappeared and
 different class, not more honest or honorable but
 far more wealthy and enterpnsing, have taken
 thelr places.
 l IL we wlll but be true to ourselves now, and
 permit events to have their natural direction, a 1 bright and prosperous future awaits us.
 1 This IS no fancy picture! The car IS moving,
 and we must step aboard If we woult not be left
 behind. I believe the minds of the people are
 almost prepared 10 enter with spirit upon the
 nf 0Vvn ob1t { tbo ! fortune, of their State.
 Then let consider the details of this great | work, the n,OdGs Operaah.
 1 The first inquiry IS, what shall be the nature of
 our first work Of Internal Improvement? am fur a rail road, Yes Mir. President a rail road It IS
 practicable, as will show hereafter
 Then, where shall lt be located where begin
 where end The starting point should be on the
 Mssl sppl rver at that point most easy of access
 from both sides. commencing our operations as
 nearly opposite as possible, to that point on the
 other side, whure onr brethren of the adjoining i States on the east shall reach that great river fl
 we select another, the enterprise wi III angulsh md
 die for want of vital force, and the work ul be
 forced through, fl Il comes d all, at different
 point and subsequent time. This hold to b.
 another position esia bIiShed.
 Then rail road must be built. and it must com
 mence at potnt on ths side Of tue M,ssissnpi
 rver, as near as possible opposite the point on he other Slde, which the people there may select. ! road through thus State must form continuation Of the roads conveying from different points on
 the east side of the Mississippi ryer. and ierminat-
 ing on her shores. Two points have their advo cates, Memphis and Helena. Aslomyself have HO unyleidng preference for either. My predec- tons, as ciilzen Of Arkansas, are, for Helena - ! This IS beautiful place, prosperous and Improy { Ing, situate upon tbe only point of Highland that
 touches The Mississippi rIver within anr limits I easy oi access from the west, apptoachable over
 district Of country fertile and productive in very
 HlfH fh.sTa .tsns al.x l elevatng, 10 secure one of he test tracks for | rai road, turnpike plank road, that can be pro. i cured within the State. By selecting this as the l teTnlnuS, we secure all the advantages immense 1 as they will be. to our cnIzens. We build ! up a elty ia our own Slaie. There IS no doubt m l my mnd that Helena should he ihe punt, If the 1 MtsSlSsipPi IS, or can be made accessible on the ] opposite side, and am assured such Is the case i Tbs lS the only point al issue. As have | stated. WE must meet the people east of the Ms l slSspp' at Inc pJnt most accessible to both Many pOnt out Memphis as ihe ppint al which
 all the pubic works, That arc and wilt bc stretch
 d out over the States east of The MsslSSinp will l converge, and pour their flood Uf emigration
 weath and improvements, upon the banks uf that ] stream, ready 10 be caught up by and appro- ptaied To ourselves II we wIil but make ptepata
 uons to rccs1Ne and settle them among us Can ! thiS pont be esehed iFam tliis side Some con.
 lend noi, while others proclaim nothing moe prac 1 tcabie The proper point should be selected - i No maa doubts tas. apprehend no man has 1 come here who IS not prepared to say that th, eaSiera teFmlnas ot whatever works We nsy tn- | der'ase should be al that point promising most
 advantage to the Stale. ltSo, he IS uawoftls n
 seal on tpsS floor. He who would select the wrong point, because his personal interest or popnlar,ty
 would be ph,moled by t, if,end 10 the ca ase and should be watched wsth eye of suspicion I FhiS question can be settled very easily by ths selection oi q competent Engineer. free from slf
 personal interest Of sectional hias, with .nstrue
 ia h-St 1,1at.. i the ends for whiea a road s desited When tn, 1 poiai has been thus deSignaIed let the work be ] Commenced, and the people wall be prepared 10
 meel t as IL comes and it ls completed, pop
 uaiioa will gather around. foster, protect, aud l support it.