Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1837-07-22

DpeeeA \ DE Journal, end therefore Ne under-
tnke the task briefly. Our remarks shall b very |,
general Mr.. Dumont denounced the introdUc-
lioo and passage Of the informal Improvements bill
- corrupt and dishonest. He said it was drafted
and urged through by lobby members andDPecu-
laeors-that il was hurried through without op-
portunity for discussion or amendment-and that
the people never had sanctioned nor never would
sanction it, This was certainly not very compli-
mentary, liberal, or charitable to the y11rY-sTx
members of the House, and the NINETEEN MEM
bers, by whom the bin was passed.-The members |
all act under oath, and We are bound to presume |
(e.en il We knew nothing about their proceedings
except what we learn from Mr. Dumon,) that they |
knew what they were about, & that they realized
the deep responsibility under which they were act
ing and did not surrender all their powers and priv
ileRes into the hands Of lobby members and sPecu-
lators. Whilst Mr.. Dlmont was denouncing the
members who voted for the bill, he forgot to tell
the people that on the morning before the final
vote was taken in the Senate on the Internal Inn
provcment bill himself and the other members
who voted against the bill, held . caucus in one
Of the committee rooms OF the State House, and
1concocted'' amendment embracing several
additional works, the cost Of which they alleged
would not exceed two millions, which amendment
was offered in the Senate by Mr.. Payne, the Or
gan Of the minority, who declared in his place that
the adoption of the amendment would satisfy all
the members and the bill would then pass with
out dissenting voice. He omitted also to IN
form the people that notwithstanding the alledged
o1iousness Of the bill, those who are now engag-
ed in trying to bring about notification and clas-
sificatiOn did, last winter, endeavOr to extend the
internal improvement system to double its present
size, declaring that the State was perfectly able
to complete the whole without expressing the
people. He forgot to explain the Inconsistency
Of the conduct Of his friends in declaring that the
ten works authorised by the original bill wouldrs-
In the State but those ten with the twenty odd 9TH
er works which they proposed to add would be
perfectly safe. Mr. d. laid great stress upon the
fact that the whole or . great portion Of the IN
ternal improvement bill was in the handwriting
of individuals who were not members the Legis-
lature, and he seemed to consider that as triuu-
plant proof Of the corruption with which it was
brought forth. Now supposing, for arguments
sake, that every line Of the bill were written by
others than members, what would it prove2
Surely Mr.. Dumont does not deny the right Of
committees Of either House to employ clerks Ell
Their draw bills according to the dictation Of the
committee, or to copy them in plain hand from
the original. We understand the fact to be that
the committee did employ a clerk to aid in arran-
gng and copying the various sections Of the bill,
and we cannot for our life perceive how the nj
cest casuist could predicate upon such an admis-
sion charge Of corruption or even Of improprie-
ty. Such objections only 60 to show the dernier
resorts to which the enemies Of the internal Inn
which to found an objection. Mr.. Dumont said
he claimed to be . friend to internal improve.
meots, (much more . friend than any man who
advocated the present system,) and gave PROOF
his support heretofore Of the Wabash and Erie
canal, and he argued At considerable length q
show that friendship to internal improvements
oo>.;ssed in ...aaify:>s NJ least in classifying
| the present authorized works. He pronounced
the State wholly unable to carry on al the work.
at once, and that the attempt would involve the
State in irretrievable ruin. He told the people
that they must before long be taxed to the q
mount Of more than . dollar on the hundred. ID
this he differs from the Board Of Internal improve
mcnt and the friends Of internal improvement on
ly much as the difference is between five cent,
and upwards Of q hundred cents. The friends o
internal improvement ask no increase Of the tax
es next session, and most probably not for severn
years to come We have too much respect 70
Mr.. Dumont to pronounce him a demago9uc, bu
VIC are sorry that he should be the medium o
communicating to the people such groundles
clamor for the purpose OF exciting their Prejudi
ces. He urged upon them necessity ola classi
catiOn Of the works, but he did not tell them how
it could be effected He neither laid down sys
!! tenn OF his own, nos showed any satisfactory way
in which system could be agreed upon.-Th,
energies Of the State he said ought to be concen
trated upon one or two works, but did not inform
! Us which works should be first undertaken. w,
have heretofore had occasion to say, (and tn
speech Of Mr.. Dumont confirms the CORRECTNESS
Of remark,) that there is no easier task thar
to find fault with any existing institution. Moth
ing that is human is perfect, and there is scarce
ly any thing pure and SO unexceptionable tina
objections may not be urged against it, which, t
, the minds Of some indiv iduals, may appear plau
sible. We all know that Tom Paine, voltaire
and other infidel writer's produced arguments a
gainst the Christian religion, which, for the mo
ment staggered the faith Of many individual.
but they have sunk into their graves and thei
= names are only mentioned with horror, while tina
{ glorious system which they endeavored to under
mine and destroy, continues to spread its benie
. and haPpifying influence, bidding defiance to tn
puny and contemplate efforts Of sceptics and inf
dels, and giving unerring promise that it is dest
ned, ere long, "to cover the earth rs the water
? do the great Deep" We would be far from init
mating that the measures Of Mr.. Dum0nt, an
those who coincide with him in relation tn os,r IN