Washington telegraph., 1854-02-22
Red River Raft Convention.


Al a Raft Convention held in the town of
Washington, in the county of Hampstead, and
State of Arkansas, on Thursday the 16 5av n nf
February, 1854, the following delegates were IN IN
attendance. Uie:-From the State OF Iou;s;ans-
John Haniter David Hanter. and Jesse Nc
Paxton; from the State of Texas-Col. James
Moores ana Hiram G. Runnelds: from the county
OF Lafayette, in the State of Arkansas: Morehead
" MfIsht william a. Hgggs, James K. Young,
>. c. Dooley, John Dickson David Dickson. J
L. Howard. and James S. Conway; from the
county of Sewer Ark's Henry Hawkins. Jrd-e
brown, SAM MeNeeley, l. N. Jackson J. Penny.
A. Hemphill Bolin C. Phillips, N G. Neal Can't.
MeCown, and J S. Dollarhidc: from the comfy of
Hempstead-Hon. Edward Cross, Hon. Dan'l I.
Writer, Dr. c. B.. Mitchell, A. Block, DR.. B. P.
Jett, DR.. James H. Walker, Mai. 3. F. Heran-
stead; Col. ii. P johnson, Gen. G. D. Royston. IT.
A. Blevins, J. D. Trimble, Dr. ]. A. L. Purdom
and r. H. Finn
Inc Convention was organized by electing
Hon. Edward Gross, President. and Jesse Nc. Pax
ton, Secretary thereof. After the object of the
meeting had been explained by the President it
was moved by Col. McNeeley that the chair ap-
point committee OF ten to draft suitable me-
moral to Congress, expressing the wishes of the
convention in relation to the removal OF the Raft
OF OF hea RIVER Whereupon the Chair appointed
Gov. James S. Conway. Col. McNeeey: Henry
Hawkins. Judge Brown, Judge Field, F. W.
Can't, Esq, Col. James Moore of Texas. Col
Dickson, Cap. Cheatham and A. H. Garland, Esq.
as such committee
And on motion of Judge Brown, the presiding
officer and secretary were added to the commit
tee.
On motion of Col. McNeeley the committee
have until two O'Clock on Friday to re;ort.
On motion the convention adjourned until two
O'Clock tomorrow.
FRIDAY, Feb 17.h, 1854
Convention met pursuant to ad iournment The
presiding officer being absent, on motion of Gov
Conway. DR.. Charles B. Mitchell was called to
the chair
Nhereupon the committee through their chair
man Gov: Conway, reported the following me-
mortal which was read and unanimously adopted.
Memorial to the Congress of The United States
WHEREAS, The Raft in Red river has for wears
obsructed the navigation of of the largest and
hnest cotton growing and farming regions in the
Union, almost excluding it from the benefits of
intercommunication with the commercial world;
and
Whereas, 1t is matter of considerable impor-
tance to the general government, that this vast
region of country should be opened up to the nav
lgatlon of the world, and the hundreds of thou
sands of acres of land that are now lying useless
and neglected should be settled up and cultivated
and
Whereas-the removal of this Raft from Red
river can alone effect this, afiording thereby a
ten fold remuneration to the general government
in the enhanced vaiue-of said lands, and the num-
Der of acres thereby finding ready purchasers
and
Whereas-The Garrisons on the west of the
State of Arkansas. have to be furnished annually
with supplies and provisions at an enormous ei-
pense. and while with Red river freed from this
obstruction these supplies could be furnished at
much cheaper rate than in any other manner-the
government thereby deriving great benefit from
the accomplishment of the work in this particular
item-and.
Uhereas-In its accumulation for wears, the
Raft has been laying desoate portions OF the most
fertile and productive country in the world, and
is still threatening in its sure and irresistible
march to drive families from their homes-to ruin
the fortunes and prospects of thousands and to
make wilderness of q country remarkable for
its singular beauty and fertiity-and
WhereaS-We contemplate with fear and anx-
ey the certainty, (irniess timely aid be renderedl
of losing the hard earned fruits of years of toll and
industry-of beholding our Improvements swept
of-and ourselves driven from our homes and oar
firesides, by the continued and fearful accumula-
ton of this Raft which moves upon us like the
tireless tread of an invading foe-ant,
Whe,eas-Consress in consideration OF these
things, at the Session of 1850 and 81, made an
appropriation of 100000 for the removal of said
Raft-and achereas. the law, making said app-o-
pTiation, required the Secretary OF War to let ont
the lowest bidder-and whereas two inc ectual
efforts have thus been made by the department TO
place it under contract-therelore.
Your memorialists pray That in as much as
the fact OF the contracts not having been taken
seems clearly to indicate tha- the appropriation
liberal in itself-is insufficient, we therefore re-
spectfuly ask additional appropriation OF S50,-
000-
Your memorialists further nrav, that propor-
tional part of the $4,000. which was embraced
in the River and Harbor Bill, and appropriated
to the clearing out of the Western Rivers. may be
allotted to Red river; and that ii the whole of
that sum has already been expended on otller
rivers, we ask an additional appropriation suIfi-
suitable to carrying on the work of removing said
Raft.
Your memoralists further pray, That the Law
giving to the Secretary of War the power of let
ting out contracts, for the completion of this work
be SO modified as to YES. in him the authority Of
appointing selecting suitable person to super
! intend and carry ON the work. And your me-
morialists will ever pray, sc.
On motion of Gov. Conway the President and
Secretary required to sign the proceedings of
this meeting-and the Secretary to furnish copy
of them for publication in the ''Washington Telc-
graph,n and that the Little Rock, Shreveport.
CIarksvlle (Texas,) and Indianola papers be re-
quested to copy.
CHAS. B. mitchell, Pres't.
JESSE Nc. PAXTON, Scc'y.
The MEXICAN TREATY.-The Charleston Cour-