The true Democrat., 1856-12-23
Cairo and Fulton Railroad Meet
 ing at Batesville.

Ca1Io ana Fulton Railroad Meet
 ing at Batesville.
 According to previous notice, number of the citizens of Independence county, friendly to the interests of the Cairo and Fulton railroad, met at the clerks office in the town of Bates vile on the evening of Thursday, the 11th instant
 On motion of U. M. Rose, esq, A. w. Lyon was called to the chair and M Shelby Kennard made secretary.
 At the request of the president U. M. Rose, esq, in few very pertinent and forcible re- marks explained the object of the meeting, which was to obtain an expression of the sen timents of the citizens of Independence county upon the subject of proper disposition of the swamp lands granted to our State by Congress, and the propriety of the Legislature subscrib- 1 ing them so much stock in the Cairo and Fulton railroad or in the several railroads now projected in the State. Mir. Rose, in the course of his remarks, argued the necessity of some such disposition of these lands in order to make them serviceable for the purposesfor which they were granted by Congress to the State, and set forth iu their true light all the unpleasant and sad consequences which must follow if the pre- sent system of managing them is adhered to by the State.
 The object of the meeting being fully un- derstood on motion of w. A. Bevens, esq.,, MessrS. U. M Rose, E. Baxter and Aaron HirSch were appointed committee to draft re- solutions expressive of the sense of the meet ing.
 Mr. Rose, chairman of the committee, re- ported the following:
 WHEREAS, By the course of the State of Arkansas, had with reference to the swamp lands granted by the Congress of the United States by an act passed September 28, 1850 entitled " An act to enable the State of Ar. kansas and other States to reclaim the swamp lands within their imits,' the said lands have failed to answer the purpose of the grant; and whereas, the past history of the proceedings on the part of the State and her officers, with regard to said lands is sufficient to demonstrate that unless there is some change of policy con- | corning the same, said lands, considered at one time as muniticent gift of the federal govern ment, will in few years be squandered among
 
 non-residents, having no very great interest in the welfare of the State, and that in the end 1t will be found that the State has derived no real or permanent good therefrom; and whereas It IS believed that the said grant was made to the State of Arkansas as an enlightened agent, and as such to use ordinary discretion in promoting the ends proposed in the grant; and whereas, It IS believed that 1t was not the in- tenton of the federal government to letter and | clog the said grant In any manner so as to make 1t subverslve of the prime end in view; and whereas, It Is a matter of the utmost impor- tapce to the State that steps should be taken to obtain easy communication with the other and | older States of the republic; and whereas, the Cairo and Fulton railroad presents the most fa- vorable and feasible plan of such communica- ton, not only with the other States of the Union, but also between different portions of our own State; and whereas, it is believed that the construction of said road would be attend ed with mcalculable advantage to the State, m atfordng market for her citizens and in- vltlng settlers to develope her resources, there- by adding to her commercial greatness and prosperity; and whereas, all history shows that improvements in the agriculture of a a country can be made much cheaper by the individual citizens of government than by the government itself; and whereas, it is be- ileved that upon the building of said road, the ends of the said grant, viz: the draining and reclalmlng the swamp lands would follow as a necessary consequ snce by the industrious set | tiers who would thus be induced to turn the lahd to some proht; and whereas 1t seems ut ] teriy impossible ever to cause said lands to be drained and reclaimed by selling the same to realize fund in the hands Of the State govern mcnt the same being attended with troubles and difficulties of no very ordinary kind or character, seen by the past working of that | policy; and whereas 1t Is believed that if the | State ot Arkansas subscribe the whole of said l land as SD much stock in the Cairo and Fulton railroad, for the nSc and benefit of the swamp land board, that 1t will insure the immediate building of said road, and that the dividends ac- crulng on said stock will constitute fund for the draining the said lands, which fund will not be like the one created by the present policy. growing less and less yearly, but on the contra ry, It will be permanent and continually n- creaslng; and whereas, it Is believed to be very doubtful whether the Cairo and Fulton railroad will be built within the time allowed by the ! grant of lands by Congress to aid in the build. | Ing sad road unless some step is taken by the { otate to secure that grant by causing said road to be built. Therefore be it,
 | ResotUed, That 1t is the sense of this meeting | that It would be to the best interests of this State, that all of the swamp lands remaining undlsposed of, should be at once subscribed by our State Legislature, as that much stock in the Caro and Fulton railroad for the benefit of the swamp land fund.
 1 ResotUed, That in case it should not be deem ed equitable to subscribe all of said swamp 1 lands as stock in said Cairo and Fulton railroad then It Is the sense of this meeting that the said swamp land should be subscribed as stock In the several railroads now in contemplation of being built within the borders of the State. to be divided amongst them as equity and the interest of the State shall determine.
 ROSE, Ch'n. l These resolutions were unanimously adopted.
 MT. E. Baxter offered the following resolu- ton:
 ] Res0fued, That our Senator and Representa-. lives in the State Legislature, be requested to use all practicable means to secure the passage by the Legislature, of some act which shall ac- complish the end proposed by the resolutions just passed.
 On motion of Mr. Bevens, this resolution was unanimously adopted
 On motion 1t was ordered that the proceed lngs of this meeting be published in the Inde. pendent Balance and in the True Democrat. A. w. LYON, Pres't. M. SHELBY KENNARD, Sec'y. RELIGIOUS MURDERER-A late narrative ot travels In Russia contains the following illus tratlon of religious fervor in that country. A