The Van Buren press., 1860-11-09
LITTLE Rock, Oct. 31st, 1860.

DEAR DUNHAM arrived here, yester-
day, in good health, and had the good for
tune to secure an excellent private boarding
house, where will have nothing to hinder
me from devoting my time to the business
before the Legislature. To . great degree
the future destiny of our State for veal or
woe, depends on the action of the present
session of the Legislature. We have ar
rived at that point in the history of all new
States, which, like youth setting out in
in life. in which one msstep will retard our
progress, and require years of toll and care
to correct. The important questions that
will claim the attention of this Legislature
will be to provide for the payment of the
State debt. and the completion of our rail-
roads. Should the Legislature act with
prudence and caution in reference to these
two vital questions. have but little doubt
that we will be able to provide for the pay
ment of the State debt. and also to secure
the completion Of all the important roads
I, in the State Among the members who
have arrived here, and with whom / have
had time to exchange views, find q diver
si:y of opinions on the subject of interna
improvements, and regret to see SO little
interest manifested on the subject of rail
| roads, especially in the counties along tht
line of the Little Rock and Fort Smith
branch of the Cairo and Fulton Railroad
Situated, as we are, in Western Arkansas
~isheat sn.-s.ly ~, .~'isation or otne
faculties of transportation, and doomed t.
constant disappointment in the navigation
of Arkansas river, all our hopes depend OF
getting connection by railroad with tn
Mississippi river.
The State is too much embarrassed to ali
the railroads by issuing State bonds, no
would I feel disposed to incur State deb
to aid in the construction of our railroads
My opinion is, that the better policy woul,
be to provide for the payment of the pres
ent State debt, before we think of creatin,
another. That the State bonds may be re
deemed, and material aid thereby be givel
to the roads, has already been clear to IN,
mind. The railroad companies could sub
stitute their bonds for the State bonds an
receive from the State the money that ha
Accumulated and will accumulate in tn
State Treasury. These railroad bonds thu
substituted for the State bonds could thu
easily be paid off by the railroad compa
nies by the sale of their lands after tn
roads were completed. This would affor
but small aid to the roads, but, perhaps
sufficient to encourage them to greater exer
tions. and certainly it wonld pay the Stat
nebt. When the State bonds are all re
deemed by this process the State will be in
condition to afford such efficient aid to til
roads as will ensure their certain completion
The Memphis and Little Rock road will Ger
tainly be built in very short time, and
measure of this kind would hasten its com
pletion at once. Then with railroads t
the center of our State with lines exten
ding to Fort Smith in the West and Fulto
in the southwest, our State would. ne,
haps, secure through her centre the Pacif
railroad. Yours truly, Scorr.
P.S.-Fletcher will be reelected Pres
dent OF the Senate, and Mr.. Kimball, Set
retsry. Gen. Hemingway, should he be
candidate for Speaker, will be elected.
Breckinridge will carry the State. A
least that is the impression here. s.