The true Democrat., 1855-01-10

FailrOau, Wnlcn was read and made the order of the day for Tuesday next
 To the Voters of Montgomery County.
 FELLOW-CITIzENs:-Betw Hon. w. E. S. Barkman-as Senator from Clark and Mont gomery counties-and myself-as your imme- date epresentative-there is difference of oplnlon as to the location of the Mississippi ter minus of the Cairo and Fulton railroad; and also ln regard to the restrictions to be imposed on the various railroad companies asking dona- tlons ot land under the act of Congress approv- ed February 9th, 1853. So far as was con- cerned, these differences should have manifest ed themselves only iE the proceedings and on the journals of the General Assembly, and not m the columns of the newspapers of Little Rock. me lion. Senator, however-by publication Tn the Gazette of the 9th inst, has forced this latter alternative upon me, and compels me either to oreply, or to remain silent under the imputa- tlon of misrepresenting my constituents Pro- testing against the course he has taken, as unu- sual and uncalled for, I will briefly state my position and endeavor to show why the assaults of the Hon. Senator should not influence you and oug Int not to affect me-
 was voted for and elected as firm and sin cere friend of the Cairo and Fulton railroad. The question of restrictions and that of the Mississippi terminus were not discussed by me, and upon those questions 1 came here uncom- mtted, except as to the obligation to cast vote preudlclal to the interests of the main trunk, and thereby to the welfare of the State at large. It | only remains to be seen whether l have acted | efficiently and faithfully in the premises
 The controlling idea of the Cairo and Fulton | enterprise was and is to connect our State with Texas, California and India by way of Fulton and Fort Smith-with the North, the North vest and the Northeast by way of Cairo-with New Orleans and the Southern States east of us by way of the unlocated Mississippi termi- 1 nus. To give potency and glorious success to 1 the project, this grand idea must be regarded as an unit and adhered to zealously and intleXibly. ] The other termini being already ascertained, but one fact is to be determined in order to accom- | plish the whole vast design as originally con- ceived, and that is, to select Mississippi te,mi- l nus likely to cGord cheap aad short connection acah Ne,o Orleans aud the Southern States east aoa'a. Of the points competing for the location | l shall contrast the merits of but two-Helena and Memphis.
 1 Helena lies to the south from Little Rock, in the direction to New Orleans by way of the Mississippi river-Memphis lies to the north, 100 miles farther than Helena by the river, and 1 28 miles farther by the land route-making a saving in favor of Helena of 129 miles of trans portatlon to New Orleans. Memphis has 63 miles l of railroad in operation and has 75 miles addi- 1 tional to build to obtain connection with the Southern States east. Helena has no eastern connections, but may obtain them by building 8 miles of railroad in Mississippi--a saving of l 40 miles in favor of Helena in the road to be | constructed. Helena has no northern connec- | tlons, and If she had they could not by possi- bilty conflict with the main trunk. Memphis has northern connectlops in prospect, and therein hes c Jatal objection to tue adoption of the Mem- l piis rOtd as tue eastern Ordnch. Reflect but an | instant, and you must coincide with me in this | objection. The branch being shorter, will be l built sooner than the main trunk trade and travel will settle upon the line of the branch, before the completion of the mother road, and, as the inevitable result the construction of the latter will be impeded, if not absolutely pre- vented, by unnatural warfare waged against it by its own offspring. A branch road--to de- serve the name-must, by direction and connec- tions be auxiliary to the main road--not in con- tiict with it. The Memphis road conflicts with | the Cairo and Fulton road in its northerly di- rectlon and becomes its deadly foe by its con- l templated northern connections; and this self | evident proposition decides the contest, in my mind, as between Helena and Memphis My vote and the aid of my humble abilities shall be given to the former.
 But there are other (and almost as strong,) ar guments against Memphis Within ashort time after the meeting of the General Assembly, if not at an earlier period, it became apparent that prominent friends of Memphis were usually | Tlominent opponents of the Cairo and Fulton railroad. This opposition, instead of abating n; the session advanced, has become daily more extended and implacable, until, at this date
 cne might as well renew the search for the phi lo;opher's stone, or attempt to discover the fa- bled fountain of youth, as to endeaver to find a leading friend of Memphis who has not evinced the most active and virulent hostility to the road from Cairo to Fulton. In confirmation 1t I IS but necessary to refer to remarks made in the Senate Chamber few days since by the distinguished and venerable leader of the oppo- Slton to the Cairo and Fulton road in that bo- dy, pronounclng this road a humbug, "beginnang an tue a0Oods and ending an tue sDamep" and de- clarng the Memphis road the only feasible pro- ject among them all. If this be not convinc- ing, l call attention to the publication of the Hon. Senator from Clark and Montgomery in the Gazette, asserting that the Memphis road tue great enterprise of Arkansas" ,"-that 'there is not another n our State a0ith sWfcient vitalty to start" aud t1at " aoe have not tue means to put vitality into anything." If I am not right in charging Memphis with bitter and systematic enmity to the Cairo and Fulton road, why is it that her peculiar friends pursue the course in- dicated? It were waste of words and an in- suit to your intelligence to offer further argu- ment of a proposition so self-evident. On the other hand it is a relief to be able to assure you that the people, the press, and the members fa- voring Helena have been and are our true and reliable friends, even to the extent of emperil- ling the interests of the point they prefer for the terminus. This fact added to the advanta. geous location of Helena, and her situation within the limits of our own State, is a strong appeal for reciprocal aid and comfort to every citizen and legislator who regards the con- mercial independence of Arkansas as in any degree identified with the concentration of rail- roads and the creation eff cities within her ow1 borders. To suppose that the intelligent and patriotic voters of Montgomery will turn deal ear to this appeal, or that they will censure