Washington telegraph., 1853-06-29


groundless. He, into whose hands our pco-
pie. in an evil hour had placed the helm Of
Sta.e government was not to be reached by
a knowledge of the law. by the dictates Of
common sense or considerations of public
duty He was ignorant, and incapable OF
learning; and not only so, but self wlled
and accursed, besides, with an inordinate
share Of that worst vice of little minds
that sort of pride OF opinion, fostcred by
being thrust in position above his capacity,
which barred up his mind against the ruth,
and imPelled him to do wrong wi.lfully. and
persist in doing it, rather than lake advice
or warning from those he docs not ike
/ We clearly Goresaw what must be the mis-
ch!evous consequences to the Safe, il be
| persisted in the error with which he started
/ Well. Wise, in his own conceit, beyond
what was written, he did persist lie dor
ged'y persisted in his own construc ion OF
:he law: aud u1'on his arm cyyor, based his
refusal TO convene the Legislature Then,
wrapped in the solitude of his own igno-
rance, and inflated with the vapors of his
own absurd concei;s, as such men are apt TO
become, while every body else was laughing
at bis folly, or denouncing him for the mis-
chief he was brewing he grew bold enough
to issue that notable proclamation, oe the
27th of February, and address it 70 the
General Land Office, at Washington, in
which. as we have heretofore, said, he POM
pouslv wrote himself down an-igno-
rams Of the law" Here, it seems. lie, for
. the first lime, received rebuff that check
ed him up in the fool hardy career that he
WIS so wildly running. Here, it seems, he
came in contact with point which PIERCED
his ba aloon-thc gas escaped-and his wind
bag collapsed. Here, his erroneous con-
st:uction of the law was yepHdidfed. and
The cam he had based upon it, was reject
ed,
Astounded, no doubt, and stupefed at
this rebuff, from such source. 50 fatal 10
his HIGH pretensions, from which, in his hu-
m a ion, he recoilcd and sncaked of like
a beaten hound, he was compelled 70 shell
ter himself by doing one or the other Of
three things; and the three things arc
these
lst. Retract all he had said and DONE bv
renouncing his error, and converting the
Legislature. in extra session, immediately
But this, his rery mature would not pe:mit
him TO do, ior two reasons First. because
Mr.. WOODRUFF bad been the first to recon-
mend it and second because it would de-
prive him OF the opportunity Of making the
appoin mcut OF United States Seua:or-a
place he needs for one of his family connec-
tion,
ID. Sit still and do nothing. But, from
this he was scared up" BY the arprchen-
son that it might injurc his chances ior re-
eiec. ION in 1876
Sd. Ask for. or submit to. 4 TcScrr0ti0n
Of all the lands through which Railroads
may. possibly. hereafter pass. OF coniectural
routes, and in bells Mirty miles ,ci,lc. EN-
bracing az such a reservation does, more
than one-thi,d of all the public lands in
tae STATE. This branch of the alternative
he adopted. 1t was not, we have reason 10
believe, his original choice. But, whether
so or not he is cu!pable FOR its adoption and
responsible FOR It's consequences for it is
the common and natural result of The opera
tion Of his own erroneous const.uct Of
the law, joined with that Of the vicious SCI
| fshness of his narrow mind And Of that
mind of his, it i. but truth to sly, that while
it msy know the ,crong- and yet the wrong
| pursue" it has never vet been known to
sec The right, and ap2,orc it tom any
matter whereby the public interest was to
be promoted.
| Such, then, as we have here presented it,
is the policy Of Gov CONWAY, in regard to
the Congressional giant Of lands for Rail
roads in Arkansas; and such. as we have
Indicated, in general terms, are its conse-
quences.
Who is prepared to say he approves that
policy. or can see any bcnefit-anything,
indeed, but evil growing worse every day
TO result as IFS consequences
| What we dcnominate his p0licy, Is The
course he has pursued in this matter; and
/ it is this, in few words:
Upon an Original, but extraordinary mis-
construction of the law, followed BY will
/ ful aud logged persistence in error he set
i up an absurd and prcposterous claim to the
lands granted by an act of Congress; and,
resting upon that error. he failed and refus-
ed 20 convene the Legislature. Such is his
policy. What have been, and will be his
Consequences, We answer:
Fiyst-That there has been lost to the
State so much OF the land as was sold or
pre-emp:ioned, from the date Of The act
QFeb. 9th) to tho date Of the reservation
(May Gth and 13th,) which must have been
considerable in quantity and. probably, Of
choice quality This j. 80, beyond dispute !;
as the land is lost. beyond redemption.
Scoona- Coupled with the loss Of land,
and greatly more serious and important than
that is the loss of time. beginning with The
date of the act (Feb. 9ih,) and confirming
until The meeting Of tie Legislature. This
has already been nearly fire months, and it
depends upon the aoiU of the Gorerno,-
lthink of that depends upon the will of
ELIAS N. CONWAY ..)-how much more it