The true Democrat., 1856-12-30
Railroads.

1t IS our desire 10 hold our columns open to those of our friends who desire to express themselves upon questions involving the inter- ests of the State. We do so because we wish to present to our readers every side of every : question. We publish to-day letter from Col. Richard Pryor, which, however, we can not permit to pass without slight notice.- Col. Pryor Is gentleman we esteem and re- spect, and we regret the necessity that compels us to differ with him upon any subject. The concluding portion of his communication is siur at the Cairo and Fulton railroad. We re- gret that he could not place his advocacy of the Ouachita railroad upon higher grounds.- It Is susceptible of being sustained by more correct reasoning. It is no rival of the Cairo and Fulton railroad and never can be. It moves in an entirely different direction and has its eastern terminus in an entirely different climate. The one road will be an adjunct to the other--they have TO rival interests what ever. They should both be built, and with wisdom and prudence in their management, both will be built. We believe and sincerely hope so.
 Col. Pryor's objections to the Cairo and Full ton Railroad are not well taken Both ternini of the Cairo road are in slave or southern States-one in Missouri, opposite the mouth of the Ohio river, and the other in Arkansas oa the boundary line of Texas Is there man who wishes to throw off our southern friends n Missouri, and refuse railroad oommunca- ton with them because they are surrounded with free states? To do so would be policy at once to cut Missouri off from the south, and to force her into the arms of the northern States.
 And again, as to the northern connexions of the Cairo road, upon these the South alone de- bends for a Pacific railroad. The construction of the Cairo and Fulton Railroad will be the completion of the link-it will be the furnish ing the argument why the North may join us in building a southern railroad to the Pacific ocean. The destruction of the Cairo and Full ton Railroad will be the destruction of the hopes of Pacific railroad. Without the con- HCOtIoH Ot ebO Odllo lOoll, HOIlLolu capital will not be embarked in a southern Pa cifc railroad.
 In the completion of the Cairo road there is no danger to southern interests. Its northern termination is in slave State. It does not run beyond southern soil It is great national work-one in which the whole Union is deeply interested. Its management will always be in the hands of southerners, and it's construction will give northern capitalists an assurance that the southern Pacific railroad will not be sec tional work
 The Ouachita railroad is great work-it is needed, and when built will benefit the State it is no sectional measure-the whole State will be rewarded by its construction. We siu- cerely trust that its peculiar friends will not place it in false antagonism to other works of improvement, which can result in no good to it, but must result ir serious injury. We repeat there is, and there should be, no rivalry between the Ouachita and the Cairo roads. When they are both in operation they will be mutually be- nefcial to each other.