The true Democrat., 1854-04-18

themselves and to go down though it be 20 or
 50 miles, eklytOthe ratt after the work has
 begun, visit theworks, comment on the opera
 t0ns, encouraq those who work, blame open
 lv those who taste the time or means of the government 9port them in praise or censure. but with nflexiFe truth to the epartments-report the progres weekly to the newspapers-m mortalizins him who strives rightly exposing
 unsparingF him who indulges his ease and re-
 tards the york or wastes the means, and if this
 could betone, l feel that the RAFT WOULD BE
 REMOVE.
 t he been once opened end can Je oqa5n. un-
 less selsh ease, supmeness, or despair, has seiz-
 ed uPn our people, and mercenary interest and selis speculation shall be allowed without con-
 test responsibility, to obtain the superintend-
 anc, and control the direction of the work.
 ar, feel and have ever felt deep interest in tbs work. The raft removal has fastened by
 Svler, upon the river and harbor bills of his ay, as an important item in the system. It 1as become feature in the system of internal improvement. The precedent he thus set is all that keeps 1t there. It is assailed in every Congress. Every committee of the House of Representative, in every Congress 1 have serv- ed Tn, has attempted to reject 1t and the Arkan- Sas nver 1 have maintained them both there by an lnteXlble resolution never to submit to it. but to destroy the whole bill if possible, unless they were included, and you have thus secured the passage of transportation for these objects every Congress in the House of Representatives but It has been lost for years, each time in the Senate or by a veto, until the last Congress-
 1 ask that our eldest and most experienced citizens will meet immediately, pick out and recommend to the Secretary of War a fit super intendant of this work, who will be satisfied with a salary, who will squander the public money on no incompetent kin or favortes, and will go at 1t for the sake of doing the work, not of making money, who is qualified to command the boat, and direct the operations, and who shall have promised that he will do so. Let them recommend to the Secretary of War two good pilots who will Snter upon it with energy, and with the same feelings if possible Let them form committees of vigilance, whose duty 1t shall be to inspect the works with weekly visits. Let those committees be formed and a week for visitation assigned to each, and men of character, influence and intelligence be put on each committee, and let them be organized up and down the river for fifty miles or more, and let them discharge the duty of visitation. It will manifest the general public anxiety, it will have its effect. twill impress the mind of the undertaken of the work with his high responsi- mity, and secure success; and the service can be made pleasant, as a reunion of friends in common cause, and the occasion of q series of pleasant excursions. If this Is done 1 will en- deavor to have it facilitated by any necessary orders from the War department.
 IL is now very late at night; my health is bad and has been all the winter, and must close this nasty letter.
 In conclusion, shall do all in my power to aid you with further appropriations. feel con- fdent only in this however, that shall get snag boat for the service, and the present fund S1O0,0 ,00O-devoted to the object, by law if ne- cessary.
 Now, sir. if our people will send me their recommendations I will present them and urge them, but ST, instead of acting energeticaly, is it true that we are longer to be victims of the old proverb "what is every bodys business, is nobodv's business or is it true that under con- stant suffering and years of disappointment i've have surrendered, supplied with defeat and de- spar? Yours, most respectfully, sk R w. JOHNSON