The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-07-02
PUBLIC CREDIT.

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PUBLIC CREDIT.
We are indebted to the Baltimore A.
merican for the following sketch from
the remarks of Nicholas. Biddle upon pub-
TIC faith, made at the celebration of the
opening of the Tide Water Canal. His
belief that popular opinion sustains rigid
observance of credit, we have no doubt is
correct. @4
1.-The public faith plighted to capitalists
abroad whose money we have been using
literally in the construction of great
works, the benefits of which will be en-
joyed by the present and by succeeding
generations, is Of so sacred character
that in the matter of maintaining it free
from blot or larnish or any such thing,
all other questions sink into comparative
insignihcance. IF the sentiment were
spoken i'll manner commensurate with
its importance, and in accordance witt,
the universally with which it is cherish
ed by every right-minded American, it
would be uttered from the highest peak
on the continent, in tones louder than
the mountain thunder, in power more
piercing than that Of the sheeted light
ming, reaching every nook and corner of
the land, even to the remotest recesses
where the footsteps Of an Anglo-Saxon
have impressed the soil; and the sound
of its going forth would strike terror into
the hearts Of vacillating legislators, warn
ing them of the retribution that must fall
upon the heads of those who would dare
betray the nation into dishonor. elf the
question were put" said Mr. Biddle "to
the meanest man-if that term could be
applied to any one ennobled by such a
sentiment-if it were put to the meanest
man in the country, whether or not the
Ispublic faith should be preserved" his
answer would be, Il would rather bear
my share of the expense of the public
debt, than my share of the disgrace
which must follow failure to meet il. -
That this is a true report of the popular
mind, no one can doubt 1t would be
well for Legislators to remember it. The
deception will be fatal one that shall
mislead them into the belief that the ia
yor of the people is to be gained by de.
ferring the open honest acknowledgment
of the public responsibility, and by shun-
ming the direct obligations it imposes.
If from temporary reluctance to meet the
crisis, or from short sighted views, or a
petty fondness for popularity, or from
any other cause, the Legislature of any
state shall shrink from the course of hon
or and justice in this particular, the re-
action that must follow will be one of
such emphatic ,rebuke and Indignation, as
to PROSTATE forever the political hopes of
all who identify themselves with so
shameful a dereiction from duty.
| Mr.. CHAPMAN, Delegate from Iowa,
by leave of the House, submitted the fol-
lowing Bill. for the establishment of GER
tain post-routs in and to the Territory Of
. Iowa, and to discontinue certain other
routes therein named.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States Of
America in Congress assembled, That
there be, and hereby is. established in
the Territory oflowa, the following post
routes, viz: s 49,.
From Dubuque, on the United States
road, by Iowa city, Mouniplcasant, and
Keosauqua, to Palmyra, in Missouri.
From keokuck, by Pennington, Lex
ington, Bentonsport, tKeosauqua, Rising.
sun. Philadelphia, to Portland.
From Burlington city, on the United
States road, by Smiths mills, parkersville,
to Portland.
From Augusta, by Denmark, West
Point, to Pennington.
From Keosauqua, by Parkersville, to
Fairfield. ss.Ht
From Burlington, by English's Mills,
to the county seat of Washington coun-
ty. i
From Burlington by Virginia Grove to
Iowa city. -
From Mountpleasaat, by Fairfield, to
the Indian Agency.
From Oquaka, Illinois. by Wapello, to
Washington county seat.
From Bloomington, by Rochester and
| Antwerp, 10 Marion the county seat Of
Linn county.
From Davenport, by Rockingham, to;
Iowa city.
From Davenport, by Marion, the coun-
| ty seat of Linn, by the county seat of
Delaware and mouth of Elk creek, to
Prairie Laport.
From Montpelier, Muscatine county,
by county seats of Cedar and Jones, to
the county seat Of Delaware county.
From Chamanche, by county seat Of
Cedar county, to Iowa city.
: Ero,r Charleston hx, Goofo1.co:c