Washington telegraph., 1854-11-22
LITTLE Rock, ARKANSAS.


My DEAR SIR Very little has yet
been done by the Legislature No very
important subjects have even come up for
discussion. The Committees are, however,
maturing the business befare them. and it
is probable that, in few days. matters will
prove somewhat interesting.
To-day the subject of Swamp Lands. has
been before both Houses Of the Legislature.
Various propositions have been made, bat
nothing has as yet been agreed on. In
some quarters it is pretty strongly urged
that all the Offices for the management Of
the Swamp Lands shall be abolished
The subject of Railroads has not yet
come up in the Legislature, but is more
talked Of out Of that body than any thing
else. a good deal of feeling already ex-
lists, and the excitement seems likely to in
crease. The advocates Of rival interests
are, Of course, doing all they can. Some
of them are at work for the public good,
and others simply for their own. Probably
the latter are working the hardest
The Legislature is authorized by Con-
gress to give large amount Of the public
lands within our State for the construction
Of Railroad from Cairo to Fulton, and a
proportionate quantity for the construction
Of branch of this read from Little Rock
to some point On the Mississippi. which the
Legislature itself may designate l am
surprised to find that the Cairo and Fulton
Railroad Company and their friends have the
assurance to expect, that tie lands which
the Legislature is empowered to bestow for
the construction Of their read, shall be Civ
en- to the company without the requisition
of any adequate security that the proceeds
OF the said lands shall be faithfully applied
to the object They really ask and expect
that the lands shall be given to them to be
disposed of according to their own discre-
ton, nothing being required Of them except
perhaps their own bonds. Fthat the road pro
jeeted, or any part of it shall be actually
made. They ask and expect that our State
shall give them about two millions Of acres
Of valuable land, with no other security
than their own honor, or their own promises.
that single mile of Railroad shall be actu-
ally constructed | may add that the Lit
tie Rock and Helena Railroad Company ask
and expect a similar unconditional grant Of
lands to themselves 1t II one of the most
absurd, prcposterous and monstrous PROPOSE
tions ever made 10 Legislative body
Men who ask that snch mighty trust should
be couiidcd TO them br a sovereign State
with no other guaranty than their own person
al obligations ard promises can scarcely be
fit to bc entrusted with anything at ALL
There must be something wrong about them
very wrong indeed.
think you know, Mr. Editor, that all Of
the members Of the Legislature from our
section of Arkansas contended, while they
were candidates for the places they now oc-
cupy, that the public lands authorized to
be given for the Cairo ana Fulton Railroad,
should not be given without the requirement
Of full and satisfactory security Most Of
them hold, of course, the same principle
still but, if am rightly informed, a very
few of them are now in favor of letting the
company have the lands to dispose of with
out giving anything but their own security.
Every man, not simpleton, must know,
upon the slightest reelection, that, if the
lands Be thus given. they viii Be lost; and
hazard nothing in saying that those mem
bers of the Legislature who 20 for such a
thing will be lost tOo-iOst never 10 be found
again III this world. | do not believe that
such knavery or such ioolery was ever pTac-
ticed in any respectable Legislature upon
earth, and 10 man il onrs will ever have a
chance Of voting for such thing more than
once. The great interests ald the rights Of
the State have been trided with and dsre-
garied good deal too long Woe to those
who shall tri1e with and disregard them
longer. If men wish to convey away their
own property without taking any security 4
to the application Of it, let them do So
But let THEM beware how they deal thus with
the property Of Arkansas.
The Memphis and Little Rock Railroad
Company are rational and Just in what they
ask Of the State. They are perfectly will
ling. III case the Arkansas Legislature shall
decide on giving to them the grant of lands
designated by Congress for branch road to
The Mississippi river, to deposit such securi-
ties as shall constitute an unquestionable
guaranty that the road for which the lands
Shall be given will be constructed. And
moreover, they are willing. and they pro-
pose. that the public lands for each twenty
miles Of their road, shall not pass into their
hands until the said twenty miles Of road
shall have been actually constructed
They thus show that they are earnest and
sincere. They wish to cut themselves Of
from all possibility Of making the State
boon valueless to the State. Why do not
the other companies evince disposition to
J do the same thing, What can the reason
be except that they are too unsuLstaDtial to
be able to give any manner of security, and
that they hope to obtain the public domain
for mere purposes Of speculation. leaving
| poor Arkansas to whistle for redress
This matter is exciting not a little feel