The true Democrat., 1854-10-04
Cairo and Fulton Railroad.

upon MT. Beebe the charge of having violated the law. It does not, like the Eagle and Ei- quirer, go so far as to accuse him of swindling, but it manifests the greatest anxiety to drag nm before the public as law-breaker. It passes lightly over, or rather endeavors to palllate the fact that little more than one year ago, It ap- proved and endorsed his very act that 1t now so boisterously and unmercfully condemns.
 Eight or nine other internal improvement commissioners are in precisely the same situa- tion of MT. Beebe. They too, as he did, upon the order of their respective county courts, subscribed the amount of their fund to the Cairo and Fulton railroad, and they did it with the approbation and upon the recommendation of the would be-lawyer who sits upon the tri- pod of the Gazette. That he has altered his opinion of the act and now inveighs as loudly against it, as before, he cordially approved and commended it. we suppose has taken some of them by surprise; but we, who have been an eye witness to the many fancy somersets of the editor, within the last twelve months upon the most vital questions, know how to appre- ciate and to take him. His consistency lies in his inconsistency. Without reflection or study he enters upon the discussion of the gravest subjects, and to such an extent has he betrayed his ignorance and his folly, he has lost the con- fdence of even those who wish him we'll and would assist him. As Auditor of Public Ac- counts he involved the State in several expen- sive lawsuits, and in every one of them the State has been cast and thrown into costs. His legal reputation has done him no honor. His essays in the law has only exposed his igno- rance of its fundamental principles.
 His argument to prove the illegality of the subscription of the Pulaski internal improve ment fund to the Cairo and Fulton railroad is about on par with all other of his legal efforts The law of Congress provides that the fund in question shall be applied to, among other things, the construction of railroads. The law of the State makes the same provision and MT. Beebe and the county court in thus applying the Pu- laski fund, did it in the only possible way in which it could have been effected, viz: by sub- scrbing for stock in the road. This was done -the subscription was made and the money paid over to the treasurer of the company Some of the ablest lawyers in the State were present upon the occasion, and in speeches ap- proved the act. The Gazette itself followed in their wake and not only cordially commend ed the order of the county court, but appealed to all other counties to initiate the example
 How is it possible to build railroad in Ar kansas otherwise than by subscription? All must admit that 1t is by subscription alone can such work be carried on, and that in making the subscription the county court not only act ed in the only way possible to assist the enter prize but carried out the great and leading ob- ject both of the Congressional act making the donation, and the State law providing for its distribution among the counties.
 After the subscription was made and the fund turned over, 1t was not for the county court or the commissioner to direct the mode of expend- ing it. Such was the province of the compa- ny, and the manner in which they have per formed the duty let the facts show. Their first step was to order a survey. This was prei- minary step absolutely necessary-one without which no railroad can or ever will be built ! The survey then was ordered and is now com pleted and ready for delivery to the board of directors at their meeting on Monday next It was designed to be full and thorough survey ! -one that would successfully challenge the closest ins pection-one that would merit the confidence of the world-and such survey has been made.
 The editor of the Gazette has long exercised his ingenuity to mislead the public in regard to his position towards the Cairo and Fulton rail- road. For nine or ten months past he has sought publicly to represent himself as friend and advocate of the project, while covertly he has permitted no opportunity to escape him to assail and undermine 1t. In his long article of Friday last, he reiterates some of the empty, unmeaning professions with which he is wont to deceive and mislead the public. In reading them we could not but contrast his present language with that used on the memorable oc- casion when he mounted his tripod for the first time. Scattered through his two columns of 1 last week. here and there, occur such passages as these: "Lf tue Cairo and Fulton rai1yoad ca1 be built, in Cots nanae 6uaM at; we are not hostile to a." "!f tue Cairo and Fulton raalroad can De buit aoe soy God speed the aoo'A,' etc. And in reading them we could not but think of his declaration little more than one short year ago, that the Cairo and Fulton railroad was a project that "oouM not aoouM ,aot and OUGHT not to succeea'!W!
 We might here safely leave the public to contemplate the various phases presented in the weekly appearances of the Gazette, but we de. sire to warn it of secret influence that is be. ing arrayed against the Cairo and Fulton rail- road Open opposition we do not fear, but the secret organization that is being formed for the purpose of destroying this scheme may prove more formidable We warn its friends to be upon the alert. The Cairo and Fulton railroad is work demanded not only by the best inte-