The true Democrat., 1856-07-01

re1gao4s Sta6t1shnlent or mote 0f lCOrsh7p, and
 sat the clUa rights privileges O. capacities o any c'aze shall an no aoiSe De diminished or enlarged on account of his religion" The provisions of the leuera and state constitutions which have quoted are founded upon eternal principles of justice and liberty. Then let all patriotic citi- zens uhite ana malntaln theconstitution as it lS -preserVe the Onlon-secure to the states their equallty-cause' the faithful observance and execution of all the stipulations of the consti- tution--thwart the anti-slavery party in it's efforts to destroy the equal rights of the slave holder and slave holding states-secure "eoual and exact justice to all men of whatever state or pursuasion, religious or political" and pre- serve and transmit to future generations our noble government with all its inestimable bles- sings of civil liberty and religious freedom.
 STATE POLICY.
 Y When candidate for the office of Governor of the state in June, 1852 1 issued an address to the people in which stated, !" am a friend of internal improvements and am gra- tfed to witness the lively interest aroused in the public mind on the subiect"- If elected Governor of this State, it will afford me plea- sure to sanction all just and constitutional le- gislation to encourage railroads and other inter- nal improvements, without imposing state tax or involving the state in debts which she can not honestly pay'-that for the details of plans and the enactment of laws to embody and carry out the wishes of the people in rela- tion thereto, I shall look to the General Assem- bv, coming fresh from the people of every county in the state, the constitutional and most competent eXposltors of their will" The General Assembly has at all times, during my administration, found me a faithful co-worker
 in approving such bills as they in their wisdom enacted to encourage railroads and other inter- nal improvements. After approving, l have faithfully executed the laws as far as the exe- cutive was required to act If the enactment by the General Assembly of charters and the approval of them by the Governor had alone been sufficient to construct railroads and other internal improvements, nearly every section of our state would have been supplied with them. But in addition to legislation, before such works can be constructed, much labor and mo- ney and time have to be expended. To aid in the construction of the Cairo and Fulton rail- road, Congress granted to the state alternate sections of the public lands. The General As sembly at its last session granted to the Mem- phis and Little Rock railroad company the lands
 intended for the eastern branch of the road; and the lands for the western branch were granted to the company of the Little Rock and Fort Smith branch. The legislation in behalf of these two companies, believe was satisfac- tory to them, and such as they were willing to accept. But the General Assembly was not so fortunate in arranging the deto51s of the act to aid ln the construction of the Cairo and Fulton railroad, from the northern boundary of this state to the Texas line, near Fulton in Arkau- sas. Ior, instead of granting the lands appro prlated by Congress, to ad tn the construction ot
 the r0ad, by some great oversigh the act, if ac cepted by the company, would have prohibited the sale of any of the lands to raise funds 10 aid an buildjng tue road I am in favor of having such Legislation at the next session of the General Assembly as will render the grant, ed lands available to build the road. This Is a very important road, and by the aid of the granted lands may Ue constructed, and will then afford to the people in the north eastern and the south western portions of the state facilities for commerce and travel which they greatly need. Indeed our whole state would be great
 v benefited were the Cairo and Fulton railroad and the Memphis and Forth Smith branches of it constructed and in operatiJn. By the aid of the granted lands, with economy, prudence and perseverance, they certainly ought to Le built. Without one dollar of aid from the state or federal governments, energetic and enter prislng citizens have undertaken to construct the Mississippi, Ouachita and Red river railroad, and the Little Rock and Napoleon rairoad.-- When practical business men devote their time, labor and money to establish great works of internal improvement like these, they evince a patriotic public spirit which entities them to encouragement in their laudab!e undertakings l wish them success. Should Congress pass tl, 1-+ ,; .l of the Western Border railroad, 1t will be an act of justice 10 the citizens of the northwest ern part of our state to which think they are clearly entitled.
 It has been declared essential to the preser- vatlon of free government that knowledge and
 learning should be generally dittused through "a community. lam in favor of promoting the fcause of education, not only by ditflsing the opportunities and advantages of education through the various parts of the state, but by encouraging colleges and universities of learn ing, that, i'll addition to other benefits, teach CTS for our common schools may be obtained whenever needed without importing them from other states. l hope we may have, in this state, before many years, system of free schools 50 that the children of every citizen may be enabled to obtain light and knowledge and the blessings of education.
 am in favor of complying strictly and in good faith with the requirements of the act of Congress granting to the state the swamp and overtlowed lands for the wise and noble pur- poses of levying our rivers draining our swamps and reclalming and rendering these lands fit for cultivation and habitatIon. This great work should be pressed forward as speedily as poss- ble to completion. Whilst seeking to guard and protect this magnificent grant from being squandered and lost, we should never forget our obligations to accomplish with it all that the act of Congress contemplated
 In June, 1852, when 1 was candidate for the office of Governor, stated in my address to the people of this State what 1 now reite- rate to odetend against tmisrepresentations l then asserted and now re-asSert, that never had any thing to do aoih any of the banks of t4is state, either as sockholier director or other of- ticer; nor did ever Jo1roU c dollar from any Of them; and ans not 'loa0, and never a0as indebted to any bank. Being partial to hard money and not 50 to banks have aHnay life avoidea aud kept entirely clear of having any indivduai interest in or official control, of any bank tchatever.
 If by bad management of the banks large debt now dshonorS this state, 1 feel proud to know that Ihal no agency in the matter, either directly or indirectly. Liberal salaries were offered to induce me to accept of offices in these banks; and whilst thankful to those who wished to secure my services and to pay me more money for them than could in any other way have made, my sentiments of opposition to the banks were not overcome, but remained, as from the beginning, firmly .fred against them, and for that reason declined taking any office, in bank, however profitable
 Those who seek to makem responsible and hold me accountable for the opinions and acts of other men, however distinguished and pa trlotc they may have been, should remember that the people of Arkansas are too intelligent not to discriminate between the acts of others who favored the establishment of tue banks, and ny acts in seeking to have the banks acouad up and the debt of the state paid out of the assets, so far as they will avail.