The Van Buren press., 1870-09-27

never wrote any such articles cheers
but on the contrary wrote to Governor
CLAYTON that the difficulty originated in
large quantities Of bad whiskey and was
only sought to be continued by persons
who desired service and pay with the mi
litia [ehcersI Ku kluX outrages with
ont single wall of agony-not even
local notice from the newspaper oil inc
seat of war would have been no more ap
preciated than the play of Hamlet with
the Royal Dane LEFT out. 80 there was
no mention made of it, save by Mr. Boies
who gave an account of its sangulnary
horrors so wildly that | expect he VIII
be adapting it to his electioneerlng
speech about the Prussian battles.
Laughter and cheers. l lived among
the people Of Yell fourteen months and
have never seen better behaved, more IN
dustrious, orderly persons as whole
than they are. | was among them edlt-
ing a Republican journal, but from none
of the citizens did ! ever receive aught
but politeness and consideration; winch
certainly never would have been given
me had that feeling existed these dema,
gogues declared did prevail. Cheers ]
Then came
THE RAILROAD QUESTION,
which was opened to my attention by
letter from Boles which | will now read
you:
FoRrY-FIRsT CONGRESS L. 81
Washington, ID. G., Jan. IL, lo'o'
DEAR MAC. =
An attempt is being made here by the Lit
tie Rock and Fort Smith Railroad tohpany,
to have the restri. tion imposed on then Dy
the Act granting lsiat company an eNtensaQm tsnt,
of time To bniId Inc first section OF twenty
miles of the road removed. And | am S0'1Y
TO sag the proposition has support in our own
Delegation. That act restricted the sale OF
the lands to actual settlers in tracts not larger
than one hundred and sixty acres, aud at not
a greater price than two dollars and my
cents per acre. fthat restriction is removed
the company will throw the lands III the
market to the highest bidder, and of course
thereby compel the old settlers to compete
with the capitalist of the East in the purchase
of their own homes. 1t is needless to say this
will work n great hardship upon the settlers
of our country. | shall oppose this measure
because am of the opinion it Will place the
people completely in the hands of the Kali
1
these people warning through your paper and
that will oppose it, but don't publicly give
the source Of your information The people
might protest against the passage of the above
named measure without provision for their
protection. Ifthey do anything at all, they
should be in a hurry, for they are going to
push it. am very well. Very Respectfully,
Your Friend, THOMAS BoLEs.
Col. II. j.. Mcconnell, Dardanelle.
Upon this hint spakc and travcrscd
the Counties of Perry, Scott, Pope, John
son, Yell and Franklin getting up meet
ings and petitions, protesting against this
contemplated outrage. Cheers. In
agnc then my surprise when on return
inc to Dardanolle, found this letter from
Boles awaiting me:
FoRTY-Fmsr CONGRESS, L. ST. J
Washington, Feb. 9th 1870.
DEAR COLONEL
| have received your long letter and the
Times of 9th ult. | an sorry you put the
matter so strong in relation to the Fort Smith
Railroad. The members of the delegation
| that favored the repeal of the restricting
clauses, did so on the ground that Its repeal
would only affect the unOccupied lands. AT
! ter consulting legal authorities, am inclined
to believe that the settlers have vested rights,
and that Congressional action would not at
all affect them. That being the case the con-
| templated Act will only apply to the lands
uuoccupied at the time the restricting clauses
are repealed. Therefore, there is no necessi-
ty of warning the people Of any danger. am
sorry | wrote you before gave the Bill full
investigation. / fear the people may be un-
I dole With the matter Since | first wrote you
wrote you too hastily and before gave the
subject the investigation ! have since given
it. and if had not written so hastily, that big
ITO your Tents, o Israel article would not
| have been ritten and saved q great deal OF
alarm, which | fear your paper will cause.
| However, ! hope all will soon be put to rights,
The Democratic papers in our State may take
hold of your article to work against our par
| ty. hope that you received my letter to you
| a few days ago, and that you have quietcd
matters down. | am very sick to-day.
Yours, &cr I. BoLEs.
The reading of these letters was in
| tcrrupted by groans for Boes cheers for
Churchill, and cries Of GLOW much did
he get :" l-Reporer Press.
The conclusion Of the speech and res
olutions will appear next week.