A history of the North-Western Editorial Excursion to Arkansas ... By T. B. Mills & Co

Front matter

A HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WESTERN EDITORIAL EXCURSION TO ARKANSAS. A SHORT SKETCH OF ITS INCEPTION AND THE ROUTES TRAVELED OVER, THE MANNER IN WHICH THE EDITORS WERE RECEIVED, THE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED AND SPEECHES MADE AT VARIOUS POINTS. THE VIEWS OP THE EDITORIAL VISITORS TO ARKANSAS, AS EXPRESSED IN THEIR PAPERS. BY T. B. MILLS & CO. LITTLE ROCK: T. B. MILLS & CO., PUBLISHERS. 1876. Resolutions unanimously adopted by the members of the Editorial Excursion who visited Arkansas in September, 1875 : Whereas, Having accepted the kind invitation extended by Co]. J. M. Loughborough, Land Commissioner of the Iron Mountain and South ern Railroad Company, and Messrs. T. B. Mills & Co., of Little Rock, to the press of the Northwest to visit the State of Arkansas, and having viewed its lands, conferred with its people and shared its hospitality, it becomes us to let our voice be heard; therefore, be it Resolved, That the State of Arkansas, in " turning its back upon the past aud looking forward to the future, forgetting all that is behind and pressing forward to the high mark that is before," has taken the highest rank in the sisterhood of States, and not only shown its loyalty to the old flag, its love for our common country and its desire to share one common destinv, but also its true realization of the fact that brotherly kindness will make Arkansas — with her delightful climate and untold wealth in its broad acres — one of the garden spots of America, to which the weary, hard-working, frost-bitten farmer of the North can turn with the hope of future comfort and happiness. 2.

That we cheerfully commend the State of Arkansas to all in search of comfortable homes, knowing that her millions of acres are just as in viting, that life and property are just as secure as in any other State of the Union, and that a friendly greeting is awaiting all who may visit her towns oiNsettle within the confines ofher great commonwealth. 3. That our thanks are due and are hereby tendered to the Hon. Thomas Allen, A. W. Soper, Esq., Hon. J. M. Loughborough, T. B. Mills & Co., Col. G. P. C. Rumbough, the El Paso Stage Company, the Independent Stage Company, and the people of Little Rock, Hot Springs, Arkadelphia, Malvern, Walnut Ridge and others, who have, without reserve, enabled us to see all and judge for ourselves as to the advantages of their State; and we do not hesitate to declare our firm con viction that Arkansas is now one of the most inviting of our States for agricultural, mining and manufacturing pursuits.

That portion of the excursionists who traveled east on the Memphis andJLittle Rock Railway also adopted the following resolution : Resolved, That the thanks of the representatives ofthe press be hereby extended to Capt. W. E. Smith, Superintendent, and Col. M. B. Pritch ard, General Manager of the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad, for placing a special train at our disposal to enable us to view that portion of the State east of Little Rock; and to H. L. Taggart, Conductor, and Thos. Hooper, Engineer, for their efforts to make our journey one of pleasure ; and that we also feel deeply indebted to the citizens of Lonoke, Carlisle and Forrest City for courtesies extended to us. Those who went westward over the Little Rock and Fort Smith Road adopted the following : Resolved, That the heartfelt thanks of the Editorial Excursion from the Northwest are hereby tendered to the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad Company, to Hon. W. D. Slack, their Land Commissioner, and- Capt. Theo.

Chapter I

||j|™S]RKANSAS has been the least known, and the most systematically mis- Sfen§§ represented State, of the entire Union. Her soil, barren in some eg^pfl? particular localities, in the greater part exhibits a richness and fertility not excelled — perhaps not equalled— upon the American Continent. Beside the valleys of the Arkansas, White, and St. Francis rivers, that of the Nile might almost be declared sterile, in the comparison. Her uplands produce grains and grasses which challenge the competition of the teeming States of the Northwest. Her mountains are capped by plateaus on which the papaw and the grape — sure indices of productive power — flourish in such luxuriance as is known, elsewhere, only upon the bottom-lands of streams furnishing an annual overflow. Upon the highlands of the Ozark, apples are grown, and cider pressed, which rival the products of New Jersey and New York.

Her peaches and melons, in the first year of systematic cultivation, drove from the markets of St. Louis the fruit of Illinois and Indiana. Her cotton carries the premium over that of any Other State of the Southwest. Her timber, in the opinion of competent judges, will in ten years furnish the navies of Europe and America with their best material. Her untold wealth of mineral resources, the rumors of which attracted the adventurous footsteps of De Soto before Smith had laid the foundations of Jamestown, or the Rock of Plymouth had been pressed by the Puritan, still proffer their scarce-touched treasures to the hand of capital. Her climate is that of Italy. Her vast area, and the interposition, in the center of her territory, of the great mountain range which divides the Northern from the Semi-Tropical Zone, affords such variety of products as California alone can equal.

Her people, restless, as a population of brave men of necessity are and ought to be, under the hand of oppression, under their own rule have proved as orderly and law-abiding a community as honors the soil of any sister commonwealth. Her self-chosen rulers have shown themselves possessed of a wise conservatism, a generous and far-sighted liberality, and an energy and progressive spirit which encourages and protects that immigration which alone is needed in order to raise her to the full measure of her deserved prosperity. With these advantages, it may seem strange that the reputation of the State, in every respect, has suffered at the hands of popular opinion in other sections of the country. The explanation is readily furnished. At the time of settlement, Arkansas was a wilderness, farther removed, to all practical intents, from the centers of civilization, than Alaska now is.

As always happens where the law, by reason of the scattered condition of population and the imperfect organization of authority, is necessarily powerless, its administration fell, at first, into the hands of the people themselves ; and such administration of law is subject to sore abuse. An unfortunate and desperate rencontre between two members of the Legislature gave the cue to the cheap wits of the press ; and from that day to this it has been the fashion, with them, to locate every apocry phal back-woods story in Arkansas, and to fill up the foot of a column with a scurvy jest at her expense. The practical remoteness of her territory, till yesterday untraversed by railroads, and the chance by which, even, after the construction of railroads, the traveler was ushered to the Capital through the least inviting lands of the State, assisted in keeping the world in ignorance of her actual resources and true character.

Then, as the crowning misfortune, came a period of years during which it was the interest of parties possessing the ear of the press and of the country, to misrepresent, most grossly, the social condition of her people. With the close of that period, with the revival of peace, security, and the industry which only security can justify or create, began an earnest and organized effort, on the part at once of the State authorities and of private enterprise, to diffuse more just information respecting our social character and material resources. In direct contradiction of statements so industriously circulated thitherto, the intelligent public sentiment of our entire community turned, for the prospects of prosperity, to immigration, and especially to immi gration from among the thrifty population of the Northwestern States.

The direct road to the encouragement of immigration was through the advertisement of our actual condition and capabilities. It was with this view that the firm of T. B. Mills & Co., conducting an extensive real estate agency at Little Rock, undertook the publication of the Spirit of Arkansas, a large newspaper entirely devoted to the publication of the resources of the State. Of this paper, thousands of copies were monthly distributed throughout the States of the Northwest. Carefully prepared arti cles, showing the incomparable cheapness and fertility of the lands of the State, the singular variety of its products, its wealth in timber and in minerals, the mildness of its climate, and the orderly character and hospitable sentiments of its people, induced inquiry among its host of readers. Numbers of home seekers visited us, and returned delighted with what they saw.

Their accounts brought others among us as visitors ; until there grew up in most sections of the Northwest a general desire to know more of Arkansas. The question then arose as to the best means of affording and giving circulation to the information so desired. Upon consultation with Col. James M. Loughborough, Land Commissioner of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad Co., it was determined, the proper co-operation from railroad lines being first secured, to invite the editors of a large number of the papers of the Northwestern States to visit Arkansas in a body, and to make to their readers such report as they might see fit. The St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern THE INVITED GUESTS Railroad Company at once cordially endorsed the proposition, and lent to it its hearty co-operation, both in the proffer of free transportation from St. Louis and back, and in sharing with Messrs. Mills & Co. the other expenses of the occasion.

The other railroads leading to the Capital, the Memphis & Little Rock, and the Little Rock & Fort Smith, also offered trains, and every facility to be desired. The arrangements thus completed, Col. Loughborough (acting for his road) and Messrs. Mills & Co., issued invitations to 400 newspapers, to send their representatives to St. Louis, on the 28th of September, 1875 ; thence to be conveyed upon their journey by a special train of Pullman cars. Transpor tation to and from all portions of the State was offered to the visitors. A supplementary circular was issued by T. B. Mills & Co., explaining that the transportation to and from all points would be furnished without charge to the travelers, and that they would be treated as the guests of the various towns and cities visited after leaving St. Louis.

On the day designated, there were in St. Louis, in response to the invitation, the following named gentlemen, representing the papers named with them respectively : E. C. PRIBER, of St. Louis, California Democrat, San Francisco. F. O. WADSWORTH, In Door and Out, literary journal, Indianapolis. W. J. CRAIG, Banner, Bluffton, Ind. SAM. F. WINTER, Democrat, Huntington, Ind. H. H. ROBINSON, Gazette, Fort Wayne, Ind. J. N. GRESS, Democrat, Kokomo, Ind. P. S. PARKS, Republican, Martinsville, Ind. E. B. MCPHERSON, Plaindealer, Wabash, Ind. H. N. SKINNER, Vedette, weekly, and Messenger, daily (two journals). Valparaiso, Ind. W. B. CHEW, Press, weekly, Lawrenceburg, Ind. CORTEZ EWING, Press, weekly, Decatur, Ind. D. W. CHAMBERS, Courier, weekly, New Castle, Ind. J. S. BUSER, Independent Press, weekly, Bunker Hill, Ind.

A. J. LAUGHLIN, Star, weekly, Green Castle, Ind. J. M. D. HAYS, Banner, weekly, Green Castle, Ind. F. T. HOLLIDAY, News, daily, Indianapolis, Ind. CLIFF M. BROOKE, Mail and Magnet, Plymouth, Ind. J. M. JACKSON, Daily Times, Peru, Ind. WM. R. NEWMYER, Daily Advance, Pittsburg, Penn. G. W. COLLINGS, Patriot, Rockville, Ind. DR. H. C. COATES, Messenger, Valparaiso, Ind. B. F. MEYER, Times, weekly, Chenoa, 111. MILTON McCLURE, Enquirer, weekly, Carlinville, 111. R. W. ALLEN, Herald, weekly, Washington, 111. PETER FIFER, of Washington, 111. , Times, of Pekin, weekly. A. M. SWITZLER, of Washington, 111. R. G. ALLEN, Transcript, daily, Peoria, 111. GEORGE F. CODD, Land Owner, Chicago. THOMAS S. NEWMAN, American Bee Journal, monthly, Chicago, 111. E. N. HILL, Inter- Ocean, Chicago. » SIDNEY THOMAS, Literary Monthly, Chicago.

F. C. McCLENTHEN, Times, Chicago. C. AUG. HAVILAND, Gem of the West, literary, Chicago. J. R. MOSSER, Republican, daily, Decatur, 111. S. S. JACK, Tribune, daily, Decatur, 111. bIeNRY E. EVARTS, representing the Review, Girard, 111., and Journal, Nilwood, 111. S. P. TUFTS, Democrat, weekly, Centralia, 111. EDWARD GOODMAN, Standard, representing the Northwestern Baptist, Chicago. D. J. EASTMAN, Enterprise, weekly, Sheldon, 111 B. F. MANN, Constitution, weekly, Elyria, Ohio. W. H. FISHER, Republican, semi-weekly, Elyria, Ohio. J. K. BARND, American Patron, Findlay, Ohio. ALFRED F. MATHEWS, North Ohio Journal, weekly, Painesville, Ohio. F. J. OBLINGER, Commercial, daily, Toledo, Ohio. H. S. CHAPIN, Sunday Journal, weekly, Toledo, Ohio. GEORGE F. MARSHALL, Sunday Morning Voice, Cleveland, O. P. V. C. THILLY, Volksfreund, daily, Cincinnati, O. J. A. DACUS.

Republican, St. Louis. C. E. STOKES, Enterprise, weekly, Dexter, Mo. S. M. MARKLE, Berald, daily, St. Joseph, Mo., and Birmingham, (England) Post. CHAS. G ATZWEILER, St. Charles, Mo., Monthly Gossip and St. Charles Cosmos, weekly. GEORGE W. BUCKINGHAM, Gazette, daily, St. Joseph. JOSEPH E. WARE, Mines, Metals and Arts, St. Louis, and Ware's Monthly Magazine. R. W. McMULLEN, Democrat, weekly, Hillsboro, Mo. W. G. DILTS, Register, weekly, Ironton, Mo. MAJOR GEORGE W. GILSON, Globe-Democrat, St. Louis CAPTAIN J. A. RUDD, Times, St. Louis. H. S. HA.SCALL, News, Newport, Ark. J. F. GUIWITS, Midland Farmer, St. Louis. ERNEST P. OLSHAUSEN, Westliche Post, daily, St. Louis. N. L. PRENTISS, Commonwealth, daily, Topeka, Kas. JACOB STOTLER, News, weekly, Emporia, Kas. W. S. BURKE, Leavenworth (Kansas) Herald.

H. B. CHURCH, Blade, daily, Topeka, Kas. R. A. BEAL and wife, Courier, weekly, Ann Arbor, Mich DR. JAMES STIMSON, Michigan Farmer, Detroit. WILL H. WILLIS, Gazette, weekly, Springfield, Ohio. U. D. COLE, Herald, weekly, Huntington, Ind. REV. W. A. CLARK, Observer, daily, Elkhart, Ind. W. A. WEBBER. Iowa State Journal, daily, Des Moines. W. KRIPPENSTAPEL, editor and publisher Volksblatt and Omnibus, daily, Louisville, Kentucky. CHARLES JONAS, editor of the Sclavie, oldest Bohemian paper in the United States, Racine, Wis. W. H. BISHOP, editor of the daily Commercial Times and Journal of Commerce, weekly, Milwaukee, Wis. FRED W. WILLARD, Commercial, Leavenworth, Kas. J. THRALL, Zeitung, weekly, Belleville, 111. G. W. WEIPPIERT, Zeitung, daily, Muscatine, Iowa. Messrs. Loughborough and Mills were in St. Louis to receive their guests, and at nine o'clock on the evening of the 28th of September they were escorted to the depot of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad, where a special train, consisting of four Pullman palace, one passenger and one baggage car, was in readiness for the party.

On this train the editorial excursionists were soon embarked and rapidly speeding southward under the watchful care of their hosts, assisted by* Col. Thomas Essex, Assistant Land Commissioner, Col. W. S. Hered, Col. Logan H. Roots and Col. E. N. Hill, of Little Rock. The object of this book not being to give our own impressions, but to collate and lay before the public those of the visitors and the manner of their reception, we shall merely give an outline sketch of the trip, with the comments made by the various papers represented.

Chapter II. To And At Little Rock

§NCE started, the first thing to be done was to assign to each guest his quarters, which was speedily accomplished, as the train rushed rapidly V ~ WS> along the banks of the great father of waters, placidly illuminated by the moonlight. Before midnight most of the party were soundly sleeping, as the train sped on its way through Missouri. A bright, beautiful da}* ushered the party into Arkansas, giving promise of a pleasant trip. An excellent breakfast was found waiting the arrival of the train at Walnut Ridge, which is in Lawrence county, and thirty miles from the State line. At eight o'clock the train was off for Little Rock, stopping a few minutes at Newport, where Mr. H. C. Hascall, editor of the Newport JSseivs, joined the party. The first demonstration of welcome was at Judsonia, in White county, where the United States flag and some banners appropriately inscribed were waving over a crowd of ladies and gentlemen assembled on the platform.

Here the Hon. Benjamin Thomas, President of Judsonia University, a large and flourishing Baptist institution of learning, came on the train and gave the visitors full information ofthe condition of his section. At Kensett, Col. Jake Frolich, ofthe Searcy Record, and Mr. R. H. Fielding, of the Western Baptist, were added to the party. At 2.20 P. M. the train arrived at Baring Cross, on the north bank of the Arkansas river, where the shops of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway Company are situated, and all on board examined the beautiful cabinet constructed by some of the workmen, of native Arkansas timbers. Fourteen kinds of timber, namely, ash, beech, bois d'arc, cherry, cedar, cypress, gum, holly, hickory, oak, poplar, sassafras, yellow pine and walnut, were used in the making of this cabinet, and it is a marvel of beaut}'.

As the train approached the Union Depot at Little Rock, at two o'clock on the evening of the 29th, the inspiriting strains of a band playing a welcome greeted the visitors, whilst hundreds of the leading citizens of the beautiful " city of roses " were on the platform waiting to receive and do honor to the representatives of the Press of the Northwest. It had been arranged that the editors should be the guests of citizens during the day, and should be formally received at a banquet at nine o'clock in the evening. Carriages were in waiting, and the following named gentlemen each took a part of the guests to their houses for dinner : Messrs. R. B. Gress, O. S. Warren, C. S. Collins, John Stoddard, W. H. Winfield, S. L. Griffith, Geo. N. Walkley, Geo. B. Preston, Geo. E. Dodge, Wm. E. Woodruff, Jr., W. S. Davis, L. W. Coy, J. N. Smithee, Geo. W. Clark, M. W. Benjamin, E. W. Kimball, Thos. Lafferty, J. H. Haney, T. W. D. Yonley, Zeb.

Ward, John King, R. W. Worthen, John McClure, Will. J. Murphy, Joe Wolf, Dr. McAlmont, John Wassell, S. R. Harrington, Sol. Clark, W. W. Wilshire, Geo. H. Hyde, Gen. Churchill, Gen. R. C. Newton, J. H. Cherry, J. R. Eakin, Sam A. Wiggins, A. W. Bishop, J. M. Loughborough, G. R. Far quhar, H. T. and E. W. Gibbs. In the afternoon the visitors were shown about the city, visiting the State House, Arsenal, the grand display of agricultural products collected by T. B. Mills & Co., and other objects of interest. All of those who had not before seen " king cotton " on his native heath were taken to cotton plantations, in the rich lowland near the city, and viewed the process of " cotton-picking." At nine o'clock they were assembled at Concordia Hall, where a banquet had been prepared. Assembled to receive them were the' city officials, consisting of Hon. John G. Fletcher, Ma} or ; Judge R. S. Yerkes, City Judge ; Hons.

T. D. W. Yonley and E. P. Whipple, City Attorneys ; Mr. Louis Rau, City Clerk ; Mr. John L. Hicks, City Treasurer ; Col. W. J. Murphy, Chief of the Fire Department ; Mr. J. M. Blocker, Chief of Police ; Col. Arnold Seyburg, City Engineer ; and Aldermen George Reichardt, James Cook, J. Wolf, M. Hilb, G. W. Johnson, A. Hager, Wm. S. Davis, G. W. Thompson, M. Hickey, Ph. Pfeifer, D. G. Fones, A. L. Rush. The State officers present were General T. J. Churchill, State Treasurer j General R. C. Newton, Commander of the Militia ; Hon. W. R. Miller, Auditor; Hon. J. N. Smithee, Land Commissioner; Hon. J. R. Eakin, Chancellor; Hon. E. H. English, Chief Justice ; Adjutant General C. H. Wood ; Hon. George E. Dodge, Centennial Commissioner, and Hon. U. M. Rose of the Finance Board ; United States Senators Powell Clayton and S. W. Dorsey, and Congressman W. W. Wilshire were also present.

The United States Army officers stationed at the Arsenal, Major S. A. Wainwright, Lieutenants Fred. Rozencrantz, T. W. Morrison and E. Cushman, all of the 16th Infantry, with the Hon. John McClure, ex-Chief Justice ; Col. Henry Page, ex-State Treasurer ; Hon. John G. Price, ex-Speaker of the House ; Hon. S. R. Harrington, United States District Attor ney ; Hon. Sol. F. Clark, General Albert W. Bishop, Hon. M. W. Benjamin, Hon. John Wassell, Hon. W. E. Woodruff, Sr., Col. R. A. Howard, Major T. W. Newton, Major Wm. E. Woodruff, Jr., Hon. C. S. Collins, the Right Rev. Edward Fitzgerald, Bishop of Little Rock; Right Rev. H. N. Pearce, Episcopal Bishop of Arkansas; the Rev. Dr. Tupper, Rev. D. Block, Col. Zeb. Ward, Major John D. Adams, General B. S. Johnson, Col. S. H. Tucker, Dr. S. B. Dodge, Dr. W. W. Adams, Dr. P. 0.

Hooper, Dr. J. H. Lenoo, Dr. F. M. Chrisman, Dr. E. S. Jenning, Dr. A. L. Breysacher, Dr. J. J. McAlmont, Dr. W. H. Naulty, Mr. S. L. Griffith, Gen. H. A. Pearce ; Messrs. Theo. Hartman, George W. Hughes, H. C. Costello and J. W. Gay, of the Little Rock & Fort Smith Railroad; Messrs. M. B. Pritchard, R. K. Dow and J. D. Darden, of the Memphis & Little Rock Railroad ; and Messrs. Geo. H. Meade, A. M. Crow, H. B. Stuart, Thos. B. Stout, A. H. Sevier, Lee Worthington, C. H. Cole, H. B. Dow, S. E.'Blackburn, E. C. Newton, H. C. West, A. P. Curry, Charles Pencil, T. R. Welsh, R. E. Kernes, Booker Worthen, Isaac Pariera, L. Loeb, L. M. Levy, L. Volume, M. S. Weider, J. P. Henry, J. N. Brodie, C. T. Walker, R. A. Dowdle, J. W. Faust, N. Erb, J. Erb, E. Thuemler, E. Sanders, P. T. Smith, S. N. Marshall, J. H. Haney, R. W. Worthen, John Stoddard, W. H. Winfield, O. S. Warren, R. B. Gress, Geo. B. Preston, J. N. Walkley, L. W. Coy, Geo. W. Clark, Thos. Lafferty, G. W. Kimball, John King, J. C. Coates, S. A. Wig gins, L. A. Pratt, W. H. Hallett, George H. Hyde, J. H. Cherry, George A. Hughes, and some others were also present.

All these gentlemen, with the excursionists and those who accompanied them, at 9.20 were ushered into Con cordia Hall, where a splendid banquet was prepared. It was one of the largest and grandest ever given in the Southwest. The spacious hall was decorated with the stars and stripes on every side. On entering the room, the motto "The Pen is Mightier than the Sword" first struck the eye. Over the orchestra was hung the handsome likeness of Mayor John G. Fletcher ; to the left of him Col. " Sandy" Falkner, deceased, the old original Arkansas traveler ; on the right, Major W. J. Murphy, Chief of the Fire Department. On the east side, in quotations, were the words " Young Man, go West," the sentence pointing south, of course, meaning via Little Rock. The decorations were put up under the direction of Lieut. Eugene Cushman, United States Army, and Mr. Edward Dwyer.

The splendid music was fur nished by the Little Rock Cornet Band, Al. Cunningham, leader, there being twelve pieces. The feast was presided over by Col. J. M. Loughborough, who in a few felicit ous words introduced Gen. R. C. Newton to the guests, as the native of the State selected to welcome them to its capital city. General R. C. Newton spoke as follows. RECEPTION ADDRESS By permission, Mr. Chairman, I will, for convenience, address myself directly to our guests. Gentlemen of the Excursion Party : — I have been requested, in behalf of the people of our State and city, to tender to you a welcome to our midst. Were it only the expression of my own seeling upon this occasion, I know how truly sincere and earnest that welcome would be ; and I feel I am per fectly safe in assuring you that my own is also the sentiment of all those who greet you in your trip through our borders.

The fact of the business is that we are indeed -' glad to see you." [Applause.] Our cabin may be an humble one and our fare " rough," but the " latch-string hangs on the outside," and the earnestness of our welcome must make amends for all deficiencies in the means at hand for rendering your visit a pleasant one. We rejoice that we have eye-witnesses to the character of our soil, the nature of our climate, the customs, habits and condition of our people, the great natural gifts blessing this fair land of ours, rather than having to trust to what might be considered the too partial representations of friends, the contrary assertions of the unfriendly or of rivals, or the damning by faint praise on the part of the indifferent. It would be unbecoming in me to tell you gentlemen all that we think about these things.

You are here to see for yourselves. Our duty is to give you a fair opportunity of knowing more of us, and assuring youofour great delight at this opportunity of being face to face with, and of grasping by the hand, the educators of public sentiment throughout that great Northwest of which you all are so justly proud. We know about your vast prairies, your rich fields of wealth, your prosperity — how rapidly your wide extended country has been made to thrive under the hand of your industry. We would emulate your exam ple. That emulation shall be a generous one, for we feel that what yields your profit contributes to our prosperity also. We only "want a chance," and without pulling down aught that is another's, we would build up a prosperity here among us that shall be the pride of all, and to the participation in which all are most cordially invited. [Immense applause.]

We can but remember that the same great river that " marches to the sea." with the products of your soil, sweeps also the entire eastern length of our State ; that the same " iron horse" that has proclaimed the advance of civilization and of American institutions throughout your borders, offers now his tireless energy to us, too. We all are bound to know that we have indeed interests in common. Accordingly, in our rude Western language, we want to " neighbor with you." Miles have separated us, but space becomes as nothing at the touch of American enterprise and Amer ican " get-up-and-get go-ahead-ative-ness," and when we know each other as we are now commencing to do, then will we be neighbors sure enough. Why, we will step over and borrow your preserving kettles, every now and then, and your children can come over and slide on our children's cellar door and swing on our gate. [Laughter and applause.]

That's what we are driving at ! And we are selfish in it, too, it is true, in that we feel confident that when the °reat masses, of whom you are the teachers, and of whose sentiments you are the exponents, shall learn all about this State, its advantages, the sentiments of the people, the perfect feeling of security everywhere existing among us, then will a fair proportion of those seeking new homes avail themselves of the opportunities here offered for the investment of their means and the remunerative use of that muscle, pluck and energy for which this "universal Yankee nation" is so noted. And the emigrant from abroad, leaving the worn out lands and worse than worn-out institutions of his native clime, will come amongst us, come with his wealth, if any he has, come anyhow, if poor, " with sandal shoon and scallop shell," to be a self-made man among a self-made people. [Great applause.]

We want all this, and think our State will justify our high hopes for the future. You need not fear that you will have just cause of regret if you will but quit paying us visits, and the next time " come to stay." Come and help us enjoy the great prosperity spread out before us. You see our broad fields, now, in these autumn months, ready with their returns for the industry of our people. When the spring-time comes, and all nature is "wearing o' the green," do you all, and all your neighbors, friends, country cousins, and all, come Yankee doodling down this way, and, with us, " live and die in Dixie." [Enthusiastic and prolonged applause.] After the guests had satisfied their appetites, Col. Loughborough announced the toasts prepared for the occasion, the first one being "OUR GUESTS, The honored representatives of the Press of the Great West.

The State of Arkansas and the city of Little Rock extend to them their warmest and most cordial welcome, and while hospitality may rule the hour, they ask, nevertheless, that a careful inquiry be made during this visit of our guests into the resources of the commonwealth, to the end that Arkansas may be lifted, in the estimate of the other States, to the plane that righfully she should hold and maintain." This was responded to by Col. H. H. Robinson, of Indiana, representing the Fort Wayne Gazette, and Dr. James Stimson, of Michigan, representing the Michigan Farmer, of Detroit. RESPONSE BY COL. ROBINSON. Mr. President and Gentlemen of Arkansas : — It is an embarrassing privilege to speak thus unexpectedly for the Press, in answer to the very flattering sentiment proposed. The mission of your guests is one of kindly observation and fraternal greeting.

We come, not with the implements of war and subjuga tion, but with the agencies of peace and benevolence — to illustrate, indeed, the motto so aptly inscribed upon yonder wall, that " the pen is mightier than the sword." The uniform attention we have received on the way to the capital assures us that the citizens of other States have your fraternal regard, and that you of Arkansas are built of the spirit of reconciliation. This superb banquet, spread for us as the representatives of the Press and people of the great North west, and the eloquent and cordial tone of the welcome your native orator has expressed, further attest your earnest desire for a broad and deep American fellowship. During this first day of our excursion through your State, we have seen many marks of the bounty of nature and the energy of man.