The true Democrat., 1855-06-19
Letter from Hon. B. E. Grey.
To the Editors of the Louisville Journal:
 HonZoDo,,,No L-n Nov ' 1OS1


 fish. But think can prove conclusvely in this, the only publication will make, that, if the editors of your city can succeed in their present efforts to cause the railroad to come from the Pacific across Texas, and through Ar kansas direct toward Kentucky, as far as Little Rock, but then to branch off from the latter place by Memphis, thence across Tennessee and Virginia by Knoxville, Abngdon etc., to Bati- more and New York, and another branch from Little Rock by St. Louis, thence across Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to Baltimore and New York, they will thereby prejudice and prostrate the brightest prospects for the growth and advance ment of Louisville and all Kentucky, by de- priving us of those railroad facilities for travel and transportation which l, as a representative in Congress- aided in securing to and centrally MrouQh OUT State, by advocating and voting for that grant of public lands which obliges the construction of that road, from the Pacific across Texas and Arkansas, by Little Rock, di- rect to the Mississippi river, at the west end of Kentucky.
 'Tis said, "What is evcrybody's business IS nobodv's business, " and of all those individuals who believe, with me, that direction destruc- tive of the most valuablef interests of Kentucky is now attempted to be given to apubllc work of vast importance to our State, by influential edi- tors of so important city as Louisville, yet what one has the nerve to dare pubic opposl- tion to such seemingly overwhelming and con- trolling influence.
 Judging from recent statements and argu- ments in some of the Louisville papers, 1t would assuredly not be at all an arrogant assumption to claim that know more of the FACTS ln re- gard to railroads in the United States, their pro- gress, relative position, and bearings toward each other than those editors.
 have great respect for and dread of those and other editors, but know they are in this matter WRONG though doubtless consclen- tiously so But were in minority of ONE in one thousand would not yield my opinions, whilst convinced 1 was right.
 As a representative and public man, my high est duty is, fearlessly and boldly, to advocate and defend what honestly believe will secure advancement and prosperity to my constituents and native State; and 1 now with due respect 1 to all, ask to mak these suggestions, to obtan the consideration nd investigation of the TRUTH by prudent, discreet, and patriotic kentuckians, regardless of any charge of presumption or ar rogance which may be made against me.
 That newspapers are not ahCays right, and that the people are too sensible and intelligent to be deceived and controlled by them, was de- monstratcd in my first canvass for Congress, when nearly every paper in the State opposed and waged a bitter and fierce warfare against me; yet from an independent constituency my majority was near four thousand. And l re- gard the papers of Louisville as now arraignng me before that constituency for my course as their representative, because 1, with other mem- bers from Kentucky, labored to obtain that do nation of public lands which secured the location by Congress of that great Pacific railroad direct to Kentucky instead of to Memphis.
 1 regard these editors as warning against the best interests of those constituents and of our whole State, by now uniting with Memphis in their efforts to change and throw the eastern ter minus ot the Pacific road off from Kentucky.to Memphis, two hundred and forty miles below us, and to St. Louis, two hundred and twenty miles above us.
 From Louisville by Hopkinsville, thence to the west eud of Kentucky or to Memphis-on either routc-that road will pass, for at least one hundred and sixty miles, through the district I represent, thus directly affecting my constitu- ents, and necessarily involving me in this con- troverSy for purposes of self-defence, because oi the railroad policy advocated by me, before my constituents, ill my canvasses and in Congress as their representative.
 In recent number of your paper you say: The changes which the construction of railroads cause in the currents of trade and tra- vel are too apparent to be unnoticed and too important to be disregarded. Places which under the old arrangement of the agencies for the transportation of persons and property en- iOyed the advantages conferred by a large and lucrative trade and the daily resort of thou sands of travellers may, under the new order of things established by the introduction of rail- ways, find their trade materially reduced and the travel diverted from them.
 1t is with modification and regret that we acknowledge Louisville to be one of those un- fortunately situated cities. No matter in what direction we look, it will be found that railroads either have been built, or are projected, the et- feet of which will be to divert the current of travel and the course of trade from this city"
 And of the airline road from Cincinnati, across Indiana and Illinois, to the Mississippi river at St. Louis, which is called the Ohio and Mississippi road," you say:
 eff we look into Indiana, we perceive the Ohio and Mississippi road traversing the coun. try fifty miles north and nearly parallel to the Ohio. The effect of the road will be to divert the business of the country through which it passes either to St. Louis or to Cincinnati" l Let, III dlOtuel hOulSNllle paper or the l4th ut. is a lengthy editorial extolling the advan- tages of that road from Cincinnati to St. Louis, and comparing it with what it designates "the great Atlantic roads," to-wit: first, from New ! ork, by Erie, etc., to the west; second, from Philadelphia, by Pittsburg etc., to the west third from Baltimore, by Wheeling, etc., to the vest But hot Louisville editor says "the Ohio and Mississippi road is the most important work in the valley of the Ohio. * As the cities of Cincinnati and St. Louis have invested largely in its capital and credit, 1t may be use- full to make some comparisons between this tru- ly central work and those three largest railroads in the Atlantic States"
 Central how2 With the northern States?-ol the aohos Union, between the States of the north and of the south!!! Might not appro. priately, just here, by way of parenthesis, ask that Kentucky and truly a southern editor, if he cannot by means of comparison, ascertain that another great line of railroad from east to wes is much shorter, more convenient and advanta geous to Kentucky and the south, yet truly na tloaaalIy central, to-wit: The one now rapidly advancing towards completion from New YorI by Philadelphia, Baltimore. and Washinoton