Washington telegraph., 1854-11-29
lIor the Teisgraph.l
LITTLE Rock, Nov. 70, 1854.
House OF REPS.


LITTLE Rock, Nov 20. 1854.
Mr.. EDITOR II have no important Lc
gislative news to communicate except the
notice given by Dr. Booker. your Senator,
that today, he would bring forward bill
to provide for geological survey Of Arkan-
sas. This isl most excellent movement,
and, if the enli ghtened zeal and energy of
DIR. Booker shall make it successful, the
State will be under great and lasting obl-
cations to him. The general belief Of those
qualified TO Judge i that Arkansas, in min
eral wealth, is BY far the richest of all the
thirty-one States of the Union. That such
State has been 50 long without a geologi-
cal survey i very strange, and cannot now
permit myself to think that any serious op-
position will be made to DR.. Booker's bill,
which. am sure. will be unobjeciionable in
its provisions. The appropriation Of the
necessary funds, say three thousand dollars
a year for three or four years. would moi
be felt. any more than the weight of fea-
ther, BY the people of the State, and yet the
result would inevitably be TO develop such
sources Of boundlcss wealth as would bring
at once an immense population within our bor-
ders and cover our whole land with activity
enterprise. aud affluence.
| | am but slightly acquainted with Dr.
Booker. but | think that bis general course
| in the Senate and as member of the inter
nal Improvement committee of tha; body
| give evidence Of lberalty and sound judg-
mcnt lie il warm friend Of The Cairo
and Fulton Railroad, but although the most
perseverng efforts have been made to in
ducc him to oppose the Memphis and Little
| Rock Railroad he is no les a friend Of
The latter enterprise than OF the former
He scorI,s every effort that has been or can
be made to defeat TIE great and important
project of a Railroad through our interior
% thc Mississippi opposite 70 Memphis by
the awakening Of a ial-e aud spurious State
pride. Mr. Cannon, the member from your
own county in the other branch of the Le-
gislature. IL also firm and reliable friend
Of the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad,
and think there cannot be doubt that
this nnble enterprise will command a very
large majority of both bodies, for hear of
only little opposition to it. and that little
is founded upon reasons too frivolous and
contemptibo to influence sensible and can
did men. I said there was but little oppo.
opposition to il, be. that little. | must con-
fess is very furious, as might be expected
from he fact Of it, being prompted chiefly
by selfish considerations | DO in ny heart
believe that all who oppose the Memphis
Railroad are either selfish themselves, or,
unconsciously perhaps, under the influence
Of the selfish.
have expressed myself strongly upon
this subject, but not, | am confident. too
strongly. The occasion demands strong and
decided language Our State has nov an
opportunity Of getting an important Railroad
through her center, for large amount Of
funds withou, her borders is freely prof!cred
for that purpose and. if we insanely reject
the overture or refuse to meet It in pro
per spirit, we shall never see Railroad with.
| in orr limits, wiIatcver our children or
grand children may do. We are all there.
fore most deeply and vi.allv interested in
the action Of the present Legislature. and
we have 4 right TO watch the course Of eve.
ry individual member, and to speak of it Il,
it deserves and to hold ii throughout al
future time in remembrance. Men may
wickcdly Or weakly sacrifice the prosperity
If The State. bnt thank God, they cannot
do so without sacrificing themselves. The
State may in time recover from the sacrifice
but they never can-in this world
NJ Butt Hew>on, the Helena Engineer
is still here, and at work day and night f1i
his terminus, but it really seems to me i'm
possible that he should be able TO influence
any nan that the people have thought pro
per % honor with seat in the Legislature
Of Arkansas.
Yours, &c.
nTrACUIT