Washington telegraph., 1854-07-19
LITTLE Rock. ARK, June 4, 1854.

LITTLE Rock, ARK, June A, 1854.
Richard Yeadon Esq
DEAR SIR: | enclose you letter, addressed to
myself from the Hon. Joseph A. Woodward
which will thank you to publish, with this note
to Yourself.
Nothing could be more distastefrl to me than
to be constrained to engage in a controversy, in
regard to the degree of credit to which NAV, in
the public view, be entitled. any account what
ever That honor alone seems to me to be vau-
able, which comes voluntarily and without being
cIamored for. When presented my resolutions
to the Charleston Convention, [ dG not imagine
that was doing anything extraordinary 1t did
not enter into my head that [ was advancing an
idea, which hao never been thought of by any one
else | am sure was as much surprised as any
one else could have been, at the many marks OF
regard, with which | was so much honored. for
what seemed to me to be so simple and evident
plan for the South to do what the South steeded to
do
Ny resolutions embodied single idea That
idea was Southern organization of States corpo-
ratlons and people. to do a great Southern work
without aid from Congress, or further PLAYING the
mendcant. | said nothing about particular
route. That had nothing to do with it. That
was to be left for the great corporation itself to
settle
DR.. MackeY, of your city, had already enclosed
me copy of Gen. Combs note before Mr. Wood
ward wrote to me; and had written him a very
brief, note, on the subject, before | received Mr.
WOodward's letter. | do not know whether he
will publish it. But for Mr.. Woodward's letter
should have said no more. Such controversy.
as said, is very distasteful to me.
| have not Gen. Combs resolutions before me,
as offered. They declared. in substance. the i'm
portance of a Southern Pacific Railroad-that it
ought to be built some hour; without saying how
and that the route through Texas to El Paso was
the most fit and proper one. All that had been
said twenty times before. That was lust what
hoped we should not keep on contenting ourselves
with saying any longer. We had had. for years.
resolutions OF conventions after conventions usque
ad nauseam, declaring precisely what Gen. Combs
BY his resolutions declared, only with not so par
hcular designation of the route-commencing
with the Memphis Convention, in 1S49-that is
that Railroad to the Pacific ought to be built
and that Southern route was more practicable
and cheapest. If resolutions could settle anything
there no longer remained any doubt on that sub
ect.
Mr.. Woodward, at Memphis in 1913, advoca-
Ted the plan of each State and Territory, through
which the road was to pass, chartering compa-
ny, and so building the road, or having it built
within its boundaries. | do not pretend to state
MS ideas with any accuracy; for only general
impression of them remains on my mind. That
was entitled to be called project because it did
point out how the road was to be built
But it seems to me that all the resolutions.
which, like those of Gen. Combs. are merely re-
VVHlinendatory, laudatorY eulogistc OF the road
OF particular route; or declaratory of the mpor-
lance and necessity of the Road receive no great
secession of dignity by being called projects" or
measures" They either do not alluGe to the
quo odo the hour to build the road at all: OF they
imPore the General Government to build it or aid
IN building it.
l. deserve no credit for suggesting plan. Ev-
ey OodY IN the convention-the dubious gentle
men excepted-felt that what suggested was
HIalh, SIMPLE, manly Southern way of doing the
Jung Which he either had thought of or could
nave thought of Just as well as did. My sug-
Ssstons expressed the ideas of every body, and
|efelore, they were popular.
~, wash my hands of any further discussion as to
TuthorShlp and credit, henceforward forever; and
rye uSye only single word more to say. Gen.
IUnlos does not believe that the resolutions of
w4hVentlon ever can or will be carried into
1gcutlon Well, believe that they both can
su WILL and so believing shall labor for that
,o. HuH' charter will be prepared and presented
Legls lature OF Virginia, if there is special
A. Isioh OF that body, this fall; and if not, then to
" legislature of South Carolina, in November.
co1 uolbt it will be granted Drafts of acts re-
5zlnS 1t will be laid before the Legislatures of
grs rs southern States. As soon as the charter is
SlaaIed St books will be opened in all the Southern
al ss q and venture the prediction that the cap-
Sn,tI siock will be promptly subscribed. If the
Yrfl Yor. does not take all, the capitalists of New
wo,l VIII take any residue. There's no such
jon as as iall" IN the matter, in my humble opin-
ash me South build .he road. | should be
adj 6Jeo ~ OF the South if did not feel that could
me South pM build it.
very respectfully, your friend and serv't
ALBERT PIKE.