Southern shield., 1853-07-30
The Railroad Convention.

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 The Railroad Convention.
 This body met on the 25th, for par ticulars relative to its organization, presiding officers, etc., we refer our readers to the official proceedings in another column. Harmony and enthu- siasm were the predominant character istics of the convention.
 Several distinguished gentlemen from our sister State of Mississippi, were present, among whom was Ex- Governor Matthews; also number of gentlemen from the interior of this State were present and participated in the deliberations of the convention We were pleased to see such general turn out from the different townships in this county. Ex-Gov. Matthews addressed the meeting in very able speech of considerable length; his ar guments in favor of the Helena road when brought into juxtaposition with Memphis road, were clear, conclusive, and unanswerable. Every proposition assumed, and every inch of ground oc- cupied, was demonstratedin in a masterly style. Tho diction of the Governor is very forcible, and occasionally quite amusing.
 His relation of the Juvenile Survey ors from Memphis getting lost while engaged in their vocation, was decid- ly rich. After the Governor conclud- ed, our townsman, J. c. Palmer, Esq. was called upon to address the con- vention. He responded in an able speech, which was alike creditable. tc himself and eddifying to his hearers By the way, Coley is close reasonel and an able debater; he is rapidly as- cending the ladder of fame. The course of man possessing the native talent of J. c. Palmer, with his in. dustry and energy must be upward anc onward.
 Mir. Palmer was followed by T. S. N. King, who made short though sen- siblespeech. Hon.W E. Butts followed in a speech fsome length, in his usua able style. He made some strong points. His allusion to our being 2 one horse town, &c., was highly anus ing. W. E. Preston was called upon and addressed the convention in g speech some hour long that would have done credit to man who made the advocacy of the construction of Rail roads trade. He presented his views in that strong, plain, practical, com nonsense style for which he is so just ly celebrated. His speech was we'll re- cieved, as any speech from Wat Pres ton always has and always will be by the people of Phillips county. Among many other very forcible arguments in favor of the construction of Rail road through the county, he said (ant truly tool that it would be the means of. clearing the land, draining tht swamps and thereby improving thu health of the county. He expressed some fears of opposition from the doc tors on this ground. They were speed fly removed, however, by 8 son of Es- culapius present, who took the respon- sibility of saying that the faculty would not object to the road on this account All honor and praise to the man vii, would thus sacrifice his individual in terest for the public veal. Such in stances of self denial are so rare thes, selfish times, that we can scarcely real ize the thing as being true
 We met number of citizens iron the interior of the county who hat been opposed to the county taking stocl in the contempla ted road; after hearing the speeches on Mondaytheywere warn advocates of the measure. We lool forward with confidence for a hand some majority in favor of the county subscription on Monday next.