It looks now that in order to insure the completion of the Watauga and Yadkin River Railroad through Watauga County, or even to Boone, we must have soon at least 75 convicts as provided for in the Act chartering the road. I understand that you agree with the policy of withdrawing the convicts from railroad building as fast as possible and using them to build wagon roads. I think that would be a wise policy; but I believe that such policy should not apply to this road for two reasons.

In the first place, the Railroad Company has undertaken to build the road with the understanding that when certain conditions were complied with the State would furnish not fewer than 75 convicts. They have built and are operating 21 miles of the road, and have 10 miles more nearly ready for the rails. So far they have been given but 30 convicts. Naturally they hesitate to push on across the Blue Ridge until we do our part.

In the second place, this is a unique proposition. There is nowhere else in the State so large a territory-- three counties-- without a railroad. Two of these counties have no other prospect of railroad connection with the rest of the State.

We remember your speech here last fall; and we rely, in full confidence, upon your aid in our efforts to annex ourselves economically to North Carolina.