The true Democrat., 1855-01-10
The Liberality of Memphis.


 The bill "to aid in the construction of the Memphis and Little Rock Ralroad,' ; introduced in the House of Representatives, and approved, we presume by the secretary of the company, now in Little Rock, contains provisions tc which, as citizen of Arkansas and taxpayer of Pu- laski county, we are decidedly opposed.
 The 2nd section provides for grading, iron ing and fully completing" the first dvision-- 7.33 miles in length-bet,oeen Memphis and he St. Francis river, or before 1st January, 1858. The Sd section requires that the third divi- sion-between White river and Little Rock shall be "graded and bradgea' on or before 1st January, 1857-Providea, subscriptions 10 tile amount cf one hundrel and fifty Mo1sand dollars shall be made and paid. IN PRAIRIE AND PULASKI COUNTIES, withint,oe1ve mortas Jrome he passage of tue act.
 The 4th section requires the company-on or before 1st January, l858-to ''grade' the entire road from Memphis to Little Rock-Provided the citizens ef Arhansos aoiU "raise'' three h,ua- dred Hsousaad doAars t.oezve naoatis from the pas- sage of tue act.
 The 9th section provides for forfeiture of corporate rights and franchises if the company fails to comply with the requirements contained in the 2d Sd, and 4th sections of the act
 To these provisions we object. Ost,) Because the road should commence tt Little Roch instead of at Memphis, in order that failure to con- plete it farther than White river might enure to the benefit of ArAansas, and not of Tennessee. The branch should proceed from the trunk and not be built towards it. (2d) The sum demand ed for grading and bridging the division between White river and Little Rock is enormous-more by half than the people of Prairie and Pulaski could possibly pay in twelve months. For those counties to pay S15OOOO in twelve months would be an injury so great as more than to counterbalance the advantages of road graded and bridged" through their territory. (3D The sum of $3OOOOO demanded of the "people of Arkansas" must, as a matter of course, be paid by the people of the counties intersected by the road-and that also in t,0ezve months. The counties intersected are Critten- den, St. Francis, Monroe, Prairie and Pulaski of these, Prairie and Pulaski already have moro than theirquota assigned them and can do notb- ing towards "raising" the extra e3OO OOO Monroe feels deeper interest in the Midland road, and would not subscribe mill to tho Memphis road in any event.
 The whole burden of paying the extra s3OO GOO, in twelve months falls, therefore, on Crit tenden and St. Francis-and we submit that it is greatly more than they can bear (5th). The counties of Prairie and Pulaski failing to pay the $l5O,OOO, in twelve months; and the the counties Of Crittenden and St. Francis fail ing to "raise' the $3OO,OOO in the same time: as matter of course, the company aoould De re- leased from coaplymg aoith the requirements of ftk oa o''a 4m sections, and we would have before us the edlfylng spectacle of "Jraaach, road commencing in the bottom and ending in the woods"-and separated from its trunk bv about ninety intervening miles.
 We have heard much of the liberalitv of Memphis and of her love for Arkansas and now see it exemplifed. We have read and heard much from the lips of her friends in fa- vor of restrictions, and now behold her present. ing bill replete with quasi restrictive clauses dependent for validity upon events that can. not possibly happen.
 We present these reflections to the careful | consideration of the friends of the State. and conjure them to refrain from imposing such on- erous burthens upon us and our fellow-citzens. |