The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1841-03-12
GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE
UNPRECEDENTED RALLY!


On Wednesday, the 10th Of March, ls4l, a
gathering of the people of La Sale county, un-
preeedented in numbers and enthusiasm, assem-
bled at the Court House in Ottawa, to consider
the propriety of requesting the Governor to re-
assemble the Legislature of this State The NEE
ting was organized by calling LonENzo LELAND,
Esa. to the Chair, pro- tenn, and appointing
committee to recommend officers of the melting.
The committee after retiring short time, rcpor-
ted the following, who were unanimously chosen
to the several Offices by vote of the meeting, viz
Gen. ALEXANDER McCLASKY,
President.
DAVID REEDER,
II. s. MISNER,
ASA MANN,
DAVID SHAVER,
BENJAMIN THOMPSON,
~ ASA LEWIS, Vice Preside,is.
ALBERT I. Dow,
Jomy HlsE, Secretaries.
!: On motion of L. Leland ESD Mcssrs. W. II.
Nv. Cushman, Z. l.. Dickey, j. G. Champlin, j.
j. Holt G. w. Armstrong, l.. w. Link, and c.
G. Miller were appointed committee to prepare
resolutions for the consideration of the meeting.
After the committee retired the following address
to the people of the State of Illinois, prepared by
a committee appointed at previous meeting, was
read by the chairman, M. Ryan, Esq, and unani-
nnously adopted, and ordered to he published:
ADDRESS.
FELLOW CITIZENS A crisis has ar
rived which will prove ruinous in the
extreme, unless we can avert the impend-
inc danger. Never since the settlement
of our state has utter and total ruin to all
classes seemed so inevitable, as at the
present time. Unless we call for imme-
diate and salutary action, our credit will
be ruined, our property sacrificed, and
our state disgraced. The legislature have
adjourned without making any provision
for the payment of the interest upon the
canal debt. If we allow the $4,000
due in July to go unpaid, we may relin
quish all hope of ever again attempting &c
re-estabish our credit. We shall not only
suffer at home, but we shall be disgraoe(
abroad and whilst the adjoining state.
are advancing in wealth and prosperity
all the energies and enterprise of Illinois
will be paralized, and her name will be
come an approbrious epilhet for all that il
false and unworthy.
The Illinois and Michigan Canal is lief
without having any means provided TO
the payment of its present liabilities
The state at the present time owes tn,
contractors near half million; the farm
ers, mechanics, and business men hav
all credited the contractors literally, witt
the expectation that the legislature woul
make some provision for the payment q
the canal debt. But as affairs are no,
left bankruptcy and ruin must fall upol
all classes; and the wide spread sullerin
and distress that must inevitably follow
may better be imagined than described.
But one hope now remains, and that is
that Governor CARLIN may follow tn
example of Governor PORTER, when tn
safety of the state is endangered, to re
assemble the Legislature, and urge upo
them the necessity Of saving her froI
ruin and disgrace. If an extra session
not Immediately called, all is lost. TIL
world will say that we mean to repudia,
our public debt, and that Illinois is tn
first state in the Union TO break her iaitl
i, and that she is unworthy Of public cont
dence, and that she merits the just Gel
sure andcontempt of the rest OF the nation
Shall VI, when wealth, honor, and hal