The true Democrat., 1856-01-01

stance, that Congress, and the State of Arkan sas, has granted to them 4S9, 600 acres of land. The facts are these, as will appear by reference to the act of Congress, that it grants every alternate section of land, on the line of road, as fixed by the legislature, designated by even numbers for six sections in width, on each side of the road, but in case the United States have, when the line is definitely fixed, by the legsla- ture, sold any part of any section, or the right of pre-emption has attached, then any agent to be appointed by the Governor of the State, most contiguous to the tier of sections, above specified, so much land in alternate sections, as shall be equal to the lands sold, or to which right of pre-emption has attached, which lands being equal in quantity to one half of six sec tions in width, on each side of said road. Thus it will be seen, that the quantity of land appli- cable to that branch, will be the quantity found within these prescribed limits, and this cannot be known until the grant is adjusted, the land selected, and certified to the State, by the gene ral land office.
 The fact that most of the lands on that branch, that otherwise would have belonged to the railroad grant, have been, either sold by the United States, or talked up and clmed under the swamp land law, mostly by some one or more of the parties previously referred to, is too notorious, to need any comment here to es- tablish it-a great mistery to the people gene rally, and in this lies one of the secrets of the success of these parties thus far, ill bringing some of the less informed portion of the tax payers to favor the issuing of the city bonds The inference is irresistible, that while efforts were being made in New York to negotiate these land bonds, the same influences were at work to obstruct and defeat speedy adjust ment of the land grant, so that the quantity could not be known that would attach to that branch, until after these land bonds were dis. posed of in some way.
 Again we are told, from week to week, that 28 miles of the Memphis end of that branch is graded, and ready for the superstructure, that the iron rails are purchased and in New Orleans understood to be for the division between Memphis and the river St. Francis, 40 miles on which nearly every quarter section within the railroad reservation, has been taken up and claimed as swamp lands, mostly if not all by these same parties-at any rate 1t has never beer denied, nor that their promptin. motive, is no to patch up something that they can call rail road, no matter how triling and worthles it may be, so that it will stimulate, such as they can by its influence, induce to purchase thei swamp lands, in promoting which your money and influence is to be made auxiliary. Anothe of their humbugs is, that the locomotives art purchased, and on the way to Memphis. Thi no unbiased man believes to be any thing mor than part and parcel of the same system o underhanded intrigue, carried on by them fol these two years or more, to gull our people, ant keep them in State of expectancy, to sub serve tber own wicked purposes If any par of these statements were true, still it would no in the least benefit Little Rock, under the plan. All doubt upon the subject could easily bt removed, by candid statement of facts, bu this they do not choose to give, lest it nigh put you in possession of information, now tha they think you are duped, and believe in thei ability to build the road, that would expose tn fraud and perfidy of their scheme if not pre- judice the issuing of our bonds to them, and tn collection of the railroad tax. If they gail you must loose, as those who control and man age the affairs of the company, arc not only interruptions and irresponsible as I have shown, but live entirely beyond our borders.- True, under the gulse of some singular resolu tions of that company, copied into our city journals in March last, professing great fairness and the better to mislead you, Messrs S. H Tucker, and James A. Henry, merchants il this city, were appointed by the president O the company directors in that company Bu we cant see how they can be lawfully appointed in that mode, when their charter restricts the number to fve and those are required to bt elected annually by the stockholders
 If we judge the future by the past, these Memphis managers, have no interest or sym pathies, in common with ours, further than r so far as it may enable them to get our bonds and taxes, and our swamp lands for few dimes per acre, and at the same time prevent the pro- gress of any other railroad enterprise north o the Arkansas river, that does not run through their swamp lands, and have its terminus oppo- site Memphis. or to hold in abeyance, the pro gress of such works, as will give our people any outlet to market in that quarter, until they car complete the roads running out east from Mem phis, and perfect titles to their swamp lands
 It is too well known to the intelligent obser- yer to need proof in this place that immense bodies of the finest lands in Arkansas are now held, and have been for these five years past, il progress of being taken up by spectators and others, and claimed as swamp and ovcrlowed under act of 18th September, 1850, which arc high and dry, and fit for cultivation; many o them are in the uplands, as we'll as within tht railroad grant, most of which have been acquir ed at mere nominal, insignificant prices. Yeild ing little or nothing towards promoting inter nal improvements of any kind in the State these parties, the better to cover up their artful designs, are professedly making a great bustl. and noise, about building railroad from Mem phis to Little Rock, while they are at the same time endeavoring to smooth over, and proven all enquiry into these swamp land frauds, unti the United States is divested of its title some of them are writing complaining letter: to the general land office, and misrepresent ing the facts; this is part of the same intrigu carried on to circumvent and allure you to join in the hurrah. about the Memphis railroad bub blc.
 It will not be forgotten, that the Memphi branch of this combination assume not only t annihilate the common sense of our people, b. pamphlet, and newspaper falsehoods, but to b !, C.