Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1838-04-11


their action? 1t was 20 avoid the perplex
, ing difficulties into which we are now in
volved. She foresaw that al persons coul,
not be Immediately accommodated by tn,
location ofthe road; that there would be sec
tlonal and clashing interests, disturbed ant
disappointed individuals. She saw the ut
ter impossibity Of Legislative body eve
agreeing upon the intermediate points.
And 1t she ever intended so to do, if she
had given the least ntimation that that con
struction would ever be given to the law
why, | ask, did not the previous Legislature
enact, that the commissioners should GO
forth with their engineers and make all the
surveys necessary to perfect knowledge
Of the most practicable and eligible route
through the southern tier Of counties in this
state: and on all the contemplated works
Of internal improvement, make all the ne.
cessary calculations of variations, levels
and grades; do all this, and report the re-.
suit Of their labers to the succeeding logic
lature. II gentlemen will force their own
construction upon the law, ask them why
the legislature clothed the commissioners
with all necessary power, and required them
10 establish the entire line ofroads from end
to end-from Monroe to New Buffalo. In
strict compliance with the law, and the law
in full and binding force uson the commits.
sioners, they went forth FIRM the presence
Of the Legislature, and faithfully and honest.
y executed the trust committed to their
| charge. They did locate the road, after
long, toisome, and intricate survey; they
estan,,,- he'd tie intermediate points, and they
published to si,s world the whole oftheir do.
ings, and their acts in thai regard became
part of the subsisting law Of the land
They were not required to report anything
for our confirmation. The location Of that
railroad from Monroe TO New Buffalo,
when the fact was published by the com.
missioners, was so Incorporated in the law
itself, as to become as permanent as the
hills and valleys over which it passed.
And now, | would solemnly ask, why is
this matter before us, who has coiled this
railroad round this capital! Who stands
foremost in the ranks to assail it? 1t is
well known that an honorable member of
this House, and sir, one who would fain
make the world believe that he belongs to
the party. who are charged with being the
projectors Of our grand scheme of internal
improvements who said he was disin.
tcrested-onc who said he could not, from
the place of his residence, be suspected Of
interest or design--one who said that he
hoped the day would come, that he could
have an opportunity on this floor, of show.
ing his good intentions, his hearty support
to the road, whenever it was finally located
and estabshed--one who said he was its
best friend, its firmest supporter--rose in
his place and solemny declared that he
held in his hands the prayer Of five or SIX
thousand persons who asked at the threshold
Of this Legislature, an inquiry into the acts
and doings of the board of internal improve
ment, in relation to the location Of the south.
ern railroad. lie said that the petitioners
charged the commissioners with gross
fraud and corruption in the location of that
road that the commissioners had subser.
we'd their own private interests at the ex-
pense Of the best interests Of the state that
public Justice had been sacrificed on the al.
tar Of private interests. But, sir, there
we're some who did not believe the charge,
there were some who knew the individuals
who had set on foot that foul calumny.-
And while on the one hand they did not be-
lieve the charge, on the other, how could
they shrink from an investigation. The pc.
titions were presented by ono Of the same
political party Of the commissioners, and
he moved their reference TO select CON-
mittce, of whom, by the rules Of this House,
he would become the chairman, thus most
uncourteously taking from standing com.
mittee its legitimate and appropriate bust.
ness. Yet, sir, Notwithstanding all his pro.
testations of innocence, fair and manly
dealing, his motives were questioned there
were some, and certainly one on this floor,
who thought that he could discover in the
gathering mist, hidden tornado, which in
time would sweep away the fair fame Of
the commissioners, and spread dosolation
and destruction over the entire northern and
southern contemplated works of internal
improvement-yet, cir, the prayer was
granted, the solemn conclave was ordained,
the commissioners were brought to the bar
for trial, the railroad was drawn through
the committee. room, and carefully exami.
ned inch by inch; every saw-mill, grist-
mill, river, brook, stone.quarry, and all i'm
portant and unimportant things, all which
had life, private interest, and public charac-
ter; all motions, whether propelled by steam,
wind or dog power, were solemnly sworn
to and carefully recorded; and, sir, when
you point 10 this recorded matter and ask
for its reading, the committee shrink from
it as they would from basalisk. The
committee have been in labor, and they
have brought forth loathsome thing, in
which they say in their report they have no
confidence, on which they burst not look.
have no Latin quotation at hand, but some
other member will supply !ou on demand:
call Of that kind is never protested,
Can any member Say that the charge Of
corruption, or any other charge preferred
against the commissioners, has been sustain
ed, broug ht home upon them : Can the mind
for one moment be brought to balance,
and say that there is guilt, or anything else
which can for one moment weigh against
thsml Is not the preponderance in their
favor! Has not tho effort, made by pollti.
cal opposers, to heap disgrace and igno.
mny upon their honest and just acts, been
avertedl wish that no greater evil might
befa the prime movers Of this nefarious
warfare on private character, than that the
great lender of all evil might now leave