New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-04-14

livery liberal charter granted TO 1t by Mississippi
Secondly, when it received the onethird Of the State
internal improvement fund, appropriated by the
State and received by the Company in truth to be
expended in constructing the Road north of Canton
Thirdly when it received the Chickasaw School Fund
in trust to be expended north Of Canton 4; and
fourhy, the three per cent fund on the same terms
These appropriations in the whole amounting to
about S4l2OO0, which was required by the Legsla-
ture Of Mississippi to be expended north of Canton
but every dollar of which has been expended south
OF Canton. Under circumstances like these is it not
proper that as the Executive of the State, should
expect, and so far as practicable require that the
laws Of the State should be treated with decent re-
spect Has it come to this. that the Railroad Com.
pany is not to be reminded of the terms ON which it
exists and of moral and legal obligations to do that
winch 1t has four times promised to do and more es-
pecialy when we consider the easy terms on which /
offered to be satisfied, if the Company would only
promise to do that which 1t had already promised,
and was legally and morally bound to do.
AT the meeting of the Board of Directors. in
December, when the resolution in favor of extension
was unanimously adopted, only asked of the Com.
pany to appropriate $4,000 per month for the present
year, and to make a contract north of Canton for
which the Board had an informal offer to put three
| III,
sum OF $4,000 per month, and the balance for work
to be done. in the hands of the Company NV object
was, for the Company to show decided will and
purpose to make the road as its means would permit
and thereby to inspire public confidence in the work
And so far as could do an act of the kind pledged
myself that the people along the line of the Road
| from Canton to Aberdeen, would subscribe in Stock
and take in Bonds for work to be done, at least
/ N tha of tba
also stated, that even if the Company had annie
means, desired the people along the line of the
Road in much the greater part to make and pay for
the Road and that if they did not contribute largely
and literally towards it, that they did not deserve to
have it that those who were able to help themselves
and would not did not deserve the aid of Others 7
not only did thsthat is offered to be satisfied with
s., 900 per month, which l wanted as a pledge of
good faith, but which showed the Company. then.
to have in funds, appropriated to the Road north of
Canton, and which as honest men the Board dare not
to touch unless they intended make the Road north
of Canton refer to $4,000 of the three per cent,
fund then in hand SIS 900 of the Chckasaw School
fund, either in the treasury or would be there before
wanted and moneys constantly coming into the
treasury from the sale of the internal improvement
lands of the Stateall of which was appropriated to
the Road north of Canton.
Thus you see that offered to be satisfied even with
the crumbs and remaining fragments from the table
that Mississippi herself had spread. Was this such
an outrage, and aggression upon the rights of the
Company, to call for the interposition of the State of
Louisiana, and the vote of the City of New Orleans
to protect the rights of Stockholders? If SO, | am
not able to it-and this is all that have done
asked for Mississippi could not ask or take
less without base betrayal of her rights and an utter
disregard of the four times expressed will of her
Legislature, that the road should be extended beyond
Canton-l only asked decent expression of respect
for the legislation of the State l did not even ask
suggest that the 1892 900 above referred to should
be paid in whole or in part though it was appropri
ated expressly to aid in constructing the Road north
of Canton, and was received by the Company in
trust for this purpose l avoided putting the Com.
pany in a situation in which might be compelled to
say, that it had improperly used the funds confded
to it by the State-which certainly would have been
very embarrassing Ito say the least of it) to right
minded men. On the same occasion, in December.
when the resolution in favor of extension was adoped
stated my hope and wish that tie Board would take
the necessary measures for opening books for the
subscription of stock along the line of the road
and for the making of contracts for grading, where
the contractors would agree to look to the County
stock-and County stock Alone for pay for work to
be done. If this had been DONE have no doubt but
that this day you would have an additional 40 miles
under contract not to cost the Company one dollar
Of outlay. This would have been in Attala County |
And 1 believe you could have had twice as much
along the line of the road in the same situation In
Alfalfa County on the first instant there was very |
large meeting of the citizens at which the following
resolutions were adopted That is
l. Resoleed, That the Stockholders in Attaa are
ready aud willing TO pay the amount of stock snh
scrihed by them whenever they are called upon so To
do according to the contract entered into by them
with said Company, and feel assured that the
Stockholders In Madison, Leake, Winston, Choctaw,
Oktibbeha, Chickasaw and Monroe will do likewise
aud we denounce utterly false, the ntmation that
we have fepudiated our stock.
2 Resoiced, That to secure the early completion
oil SAID Road north OF Canton many OF the Stockhod-
ers aforesaid will double their subscriptions
j. Resolred, That from the zeal and enthusiasm
manifested by the citizens of Attala we feel confident
that the amount OF stock already subscribed in her
nmts, can be doubled or rebled by the aid Of those
who have not yet subscribed for the purpose of
securing an early completion OF said Road to Aber-
deen.
4. ResolDed, That we earnestly request the Direc
tory OF said Company to open books for substitution
in the counties on the contemplated route north of
Canton, for additional subscriptions of stock forth
with.
5. RESOLVED, That there are gentlemen here ready
Road north of Canton on reasonable terms and look
to our own Stockholders for their pay.
Resolutions almost identical with these have also
been ADOPTED by the people of Winston county.
Now, permit me to say, that so far as know or be-
eve, that these resolutions express the true feeling
of the people, not only of Alfalfa county, but of all
the people along the line Of the road and permit me
further to say, that the first time ever knew OF
heard of this meeting since reaching your city,
had however received letters from parties along the
line, asking to have books opened for subscription of
stock with a view to the election of the next Board
of Directors and will venture the prediction that If
you will ever fairly and properly open books north of
Canton, that you will have the question of extension
forever settled by the large amount of stock that will
be taken This may appear strange to a Stock
Broker when stock be bought at $40 for s25 paid
in but it is accounted for the ground that those
people want the Road and not the Stock. They
would subscribe the stock and pay it, even if you re-
luired them to give it to you when the Road was
finished, unless their pride revolted at the Injustice
In fact, the people of the interior know but little of
stocks and many OF them look upon their subscrip.
lions as donations in aid of great public enterprise
will here state for the Information Of the peope
tho Gfafa ne lat Al !