The true Democrat., 1854-11-22
To the Editor of the Gazette and
 Democrat

SIR:'Of the half dozen articles directed in your last issue against the interests of the Mid land railroad, no less than three are pointed at your quondam corresponpent H. He owes it both to his honor and independence to reply to these; but Tn the first place must take leave to express his regret that either your good taste or good feeling has not saved you from the mis- take of assailing his personality as well as his argument
 In your article, "The case of Helena stated again." you accuse me of a crime unknown in understanding from the breach of an ugder- standang to the violation of an agreement. you yet place 1t outside the pale of bad fatt! You are surely aware of the difference between an obligation so vague as an understanding and an obligation so definite as an agreement; and still more surely are you aware that the breach of either is an act of bad faith You lav this charge, therefore, in manner so confused and contradictory as to suggest the existence of some doubts upon the subject in your own mind. But the burden of your charge is just as unfortunate as its manner. Few men can believe that l traded off my liberty of thought for the privilege of speaking according to order,I to the readers of even the Gazette dS Democrat. If, however you suppose yourself purchasing my precious right of free speech, pray leave to suggest that the actual value of the equiva- lent you have given might be employed to give an air truth to unfriendly strictures on your cOnsclentlousness. But apart from comments on the subject and manner of your strange statement, you will allow me to observe that the facts of the case forbid any such sup position as you seem to labor under The series of articles referred to I sent aztoqether. in the same envelop. Enclosed with these ar tcles l sent you letter requesting their publi- cation as they stood in the manuscript; and requesting you further, that in the event of your inability to publish them as they SO stood you would return them to Helena Thereupon you published these articles. This Is the whole history of the matter up to your last issue; and therefore, in stating that any understanding or agreement existed between us as to what I should or should not do or say for the Helena road, or against the Memphis road, you labor under an unaccountable misapprehension- Your comments on me personally are, there fore, under this head altogether gratuitous
 You appear to be somewhat adventurous in your statements as to the means and guarantees within the hands of the Midland railroad com pany: while it is needless to go into them here, you will allow me to suggest that you are pro- bably aninformed on these particulars. -
 AS to your supposition that no capitalist or HUltlcT Ol real eSCdIe III ArkdIlSdS would baKe stock in the Midland railroad with the expec- tataon that such stock would ever yield him one dollar in the way of dividends, take leave to remind you of hcpublic meeting held in this town last spring, at which you saw dozen pro- pegty-holders guilty of that folly. If you for get all about this, I refer you to Messrs. Ash ley, Fowler, Rector, Stillwel Woodruff; and if still you persist in doubt take leave to appeal from Capt. Danley the editor to Capt. Danley, the stockholder But if you really believe no dividend will be paid by the Midland railroad, I cannot understand your morality in calling on the public as you have done, through the col umns of your journal, to subscribe to the stock of that road If your readiness to asperse the private character of an,unoffending friend of the Midland railroad, did not present stronger in- stance of newspaper license, should remind you that after company have obtained vested rights, every public remark as to the worthless ness of their property is, if not urged on good grounds, classed by wholesome opinion with wicked agrarianism. My statement that on the setting in of mo- derate weather, the Helena Holly Springs and Charleston road would be put into operation you declare to be falsifed While under other circumstances than those private anxieties which weigh upon me, should lay emphasis on this phraseology, will dismiss it now with mere reference to it's unnecessary aud unjus-