Washington telegraph., 1852-05-12
Memphis and Fulton Railroad-No. 4.
IFoR THE TELEGRAfH.l

analogy for not having furnished you last week,
an article on the subject of the Memphis and Full
ton Railroad but now that | am once more at my
most. will resume my subject; though am dis
nosed to think that enough has been said, written
and spoken, to arouse the community to serious
reflection, and induce the people to adopt such
measures, as will tend to better their condition
Ihave, however, few things more to say; and
shall not be satisfied until my work is accom-
nlshed. have seen and heard enough, in the last
few weeks, to encourage me to continue my
eHorts in the good cause, in which | have en-
barked. | am happy to know that the good
people of this and the adjoining counties, are now,
not only in favor of Railroad, but of taration also.
Two months ago they fairly exploded with cholor
at the idea of being tared for any such purpose
but it is far different now. Hampstead county, if
called on tomorrow, would, by vote of ten to
one decide in favor of this policy. Sewer and
Pike counties would do the same and the best
men in Lafayette are likewise in favor of the
the scheme. One man in that county will take
$4,000 In stock and submit to be taxed, in order
to build great Central Railroad through the
State The conditidA- however, on which ne will
do this is that it is to from, Memphis to Little
Rock the capital Of the STATE, and thence to Fulton,
Red Rirer
II is certainly true, that the road, from Memphis
TO Fulton, meets with more favor in Hampstead,
SEWER. Pike, Lafayette. and Clark, than any other
Such road would be to Arkansas what the Mis-
sissipp river is to the great valley through which
# winds its way No one section of our State
could then claim the road to the exclusion of an
other: but it would be great central thorough
fre-along which, in process of time, the Cars of
commerce will roll, from ocean to ocean, Every
man in the State would have an interest in 1.-THE
world itself would be interested in it. 1t would
be a great National highway-benefiting all
uniting us at home and connecting us with states
and cities and oceans that afar Why should
any man in the State oppose this road2
Candor compels me to say, that there Is too
much of a sectional feeling In Arkansas upon the
subject of Railroads. FVe'y man wants it to run
bv his house or thr5r- lis county-no matter
how much II would ia e :, diverge from the
course that reason ami rc1lnon sense, would say
it ought to take This state OF things is = be la
mented and those who cherish and keep alive
this feeling merely to ride into office, deserve
cordial reprobation- Arkansas has more 20 fear
from this than she has from her supposed inability
to carry on works of public utility. Sectional
strifes and ealousies have kept the State in dirt
and rags and caused to be disspated and squan-
dered the means that were placed in her hands,
for educational and internal Improvement pur-
poses. 1t was this feeling that blew to the winds
the 800 900 acre and Seminary funds Where are
those funds now and is there man so bold, as to
stand up in this our day and defend the foul spirit
that prompted this disastrous policy So tar as
can see or hear, the Legislature would as well
have thrown those funds into the Arkansas river.
Both those grants We're made by Congress
for specific purposes. The 100000 acres were
given to the State for works of internal improve
rnent The Seminary lands were given for the
purpose of erecting institution of learning, and
it was to be a State institution. These grants
were not made to the counties; and no man in
Congress, or out of it. had the least idea that Ar
ba1ra I nd
so stupid, as to completely fool away and misap-
ply the funds arising from those grants, as has un
fortunately been the case. Congress designed that
the State-1lot the counticS-should control those
funds: and any law going to defeat the intention
of the donor. is a downright absurdIty. L need
not pursue this aubiect further than to say that
narrow selfish sectional feeling has been the cause
of nearly all the foolish and ridiculous legislation
in our State Every Legislature has been In favor
of a College: but unfortunately each member
wanted it located in his county! If he could
not get if near his own door-like the dog in the
manger-he would not let it go any where else
A Railroad might have been built, from Little
Rock to White River. years ago, with the 30O0OO
acre fund if the right sort OF men had been at the
head of affairs; but unfortunately every member
of the Legislature wanted the road to run through
his countyl In short this observation-disclosures
iul sort of sefishness, has cost the State millions
of dollars and reduced her to wretchedness and
runI 4 college ought, long since, to have been
erected at Little Rock. That city is certainly the
proper place for it. on account OF its central posi-
tion, and would be equally accessible to ALL The
Northern Southern, Eastern and Western sections
of our State would then stand on an equal footing
with respect to the college, but such would not
be the case if it were located in some out-ot-the
way obscure corner of the State.
hope however it is not too late to undo and rem
edy the evils against which the people are so loudly
inveghing For nay part, am resolved to vote
against every candidate for Office, from town con-
stable up TO that of Governor, who Is not bold
open and fearless advocate of calling In those two
funds and applying them to their legitimate OBJ
lects. Men are beginning to see and feel the Ell
fects of ruinous legislation If there be any thing
about which there is almost entire unanimIty IN
this county, it is Railroad from Fulton TO Mem
phis-county subscription and an act to call in the
100000 acre and Seminary funds.
1t were useless for me to say to what political
party belong-for this could have nothing to do
with Railroads; but | may pardonably indulge In
an appeal to the dominant party of our State. The
Democratic party can now, as they have hitherto,
elect Governor and a large majority of the Le-
gisature. They owe it to Themselves chill
dren and the whig party, to put forward and elect
their most intelligent and public spirited men,
The present uncture of affairs makes this call
upon that party truly imperative The rule that
| have prescribed for myself, touching the next
election, will be sternly enforced, against every
candidate who is not in favor of the measures
advocate, no matter to what political tribe he may
belong 1t is all important that the Executive
chair and our next Legislature should be filled by
men of enlarged and liberal views. We have no
for jugglers trimmers in politics
gogues or ignoramuses-we need men OF good
heads, large souls and varied attainments-men
who would have independence enough to forget
sectional jealousies and go for such measures as
will promote the interests of the many, and elevate
in the mean time the character of our State.
The route from Gaines Landing to Fulton has,
in portions of South Arkansas, many jealous and
warm advocates. They contend that the planters
Of this and the adjoining counties should favor 1T
and will cost less, than the road to Memphis, l
myself am not disposed to deny. The advocates