Washington telegraph., 1852-11-17

Governed by this mistaken policy, that
portion Of the surplus revenue distributed
to Arkansas by the United States, was used
first as portion Of the capital fund for the
State Bank, and, subsequently, to defrayy
! the ordinary expenses of the State Govern
mept. in lieu Of the revenue which should
have been raised by taxation, Under the
same policy, the Seminary Fund, together
with the proceeds of the. 100000 acres of
land given to US for Internal Improvement
purposes, was divided among the counties,
Thus dependency of public spirit fell upon
our people, and has continued to weigh
down the energies Of the State; and moth
ing has been done to develop the great re-
sources of our soil and climate, or make
available, for the common good. the natural
advantages of our geographical position, and
commercial relations.
This is one side of the picture Let US
turn, now, to its other and brighter aspect
We have seen under what disadvanta geous
circumstances our State came into the Union;
and by what errors and msfortunes, in the
very morning of her existence, her energies
were paralysed, her enterprise fettered, and
public confidence in her capabilities almost
entirely destroyed. Yet such, and so great
are the natural resources and advantages [
have ascribed to her, and which she really
possesses that emigrants from other States
could not be turned away, and her popula-
ton has increased in ratio of almost un-
precedented rapidty; that is from 10000
in 1886, to $4,000 in 1910, to 100000 in
1850 and to at least 10000 at this time;
an increase unequaled by that of any State
of the same age. And her wealth, too, has
increased in an equal ratio-that is, from
l5,0G0.O00 to S50,OOO,OOO; while her ex-
ports Of the great southern staple have rap
idly risen from 5000 to 10000 bales.-
Well may the observers of passing events
look with wonder upon this result: and ask
how it is to be accounted for? Why should
prosperity attend State and people who
have no public spirit, exert none of the en-
ergies of enterprise, and set on foot no
works of Internal Improvement, to develop
the resources so literally bestowed by the
hand Of nature?
The Governor then takes the ground that
Arkansas has arrived at that point Of pro.
gress when it is absolutely necessary that she
should do something for herself, and proceeds.
In my Judgment, Arkansas has reached
that point in her development, when some-
thing must be done by herself for her fur
ther progress And through us, as her
trusted servants, in the responsible work of
legislation and administration, this some-
thing must be done. If it be wisely and
well done, career of advancement and
prosperity is open before us, freely offered
by munifcent Providence. If on the
other hand, we be unwise in our choice of
the means within our reach, or negligent
in their use, misfortune and disgrace await
US. What, then. shall we do, and how shall
We do it: answer Our OBJECT should be to
ascertain where errors have been comm tied.
in order to avoid them in tiu5ure-zto resrace
cautiously, but as fast as may be, whatever
false steps are found to have been taken
to supply omissions Whenever discovered
to repress sel6shness and sectionalism as far
as we can-and unite in one common and
hearty exertion for the general good Of the
whole State.
And for the attainment of these great
and worthy objects, your first great duty,
as the Representatives of a free and repub-
lican constituency, is to provide for the edu-
cation of the children of the people l
hold this to be paramount obligation, rest
ing upon every Legislator under our form
of Government, from the fact that our insti-
tutions can alone be understood, our consti-
tutional rights duly appreciated and made
secure, and our prosperity advanced, by
general diffusion Of knowledge among the
people. And that Legislator, who omits,
or refuses to give his best energies to the
performance Of this duty, is, in my opinion,
criminal before God and man, and will be
held to fearful responsibility for an offence
50 injurious to his country.
The General Government, impressed
with the Importance of views like these, in
January, 1885, donated to the State of Ar
kansas seventy two sectisnsof her best lands
"to aid her in establishing and endowing
Seminary of learning From that time
until 1916, no disposition was made of these
lands. They were selected and portion
Of them sold. and the proceeds suffered
to remain in the treasury of the State, with
out any attempt to carry out the purpose of
the grant To this apparent apathy, Ihave
but little to object Arkansas was but new
and sparsely populated; not sufficiently SO,
perhaps, to insure the permanency of such
an institution, had it been established
Again, the landa, although of the best quail
ity, in consequence Of the large quanty of
lands in market, and the limited demand,
would not have commanded price to war
rant their being sold. And to have made a
partial application Of the fund. as it was
from time to time collected, in small sums,
would have caused its waste, perhaps its to-
tai loss. But what | do object to- is, ths