The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1842-09-16
THE ILLINOIS FREE TRADE

cepion. | was then boarding with mess o,
which the Hon. Jas. e. Mitchell member from
Tennessee, was one, and with whom was on the
most friendly and intimate terms. He was not
when the bill first came to the house. friendly 10 it.
and we had several long but amcable discussions
upon it. gave him my views of il, and advanc-
cd al! the arguments IN my power in favor of the
measure and had at last, strong hopes that he
would espouse our cause and act FOR US in case
Nh Cook could not BE- in his place when the bill
was called up on It's passage. Before this time
arrived he gave me assurances that he would sup
port the measure, and when the bill was taken Up
tor Its final passage or rejection, one day only be-
fore the end of the session, Mr.. Cook being alb
sent, member from the south, think Mr.. Nc
Dufle, though do not distinctly recollect, moved
10 lay the bill the table. This was late in the
day, after a long and laborious sitting and near
the close of the session, ard, ii the motion had pre-
vailed the bill would have been lost for that time
and, probably forever. To my great JOY, Mr..
Mitchell rose aud made an able speech against the
motion, and, on the vote being taken, it was lost
by three or four votes only, and thus the bill was
saved. 1t is in reference to this the following ex-
tract of letter from Mr. Mitchell to me, dated
Athens, McMinn CO., the place of his residence,
applies.
ATHENS, jth April, 1877.
Ny DEAN SIN: Do the peo-
pie of your state hail your canal measure as OF I'M
por,auce to them If they d. Tennessee deserves
at least part OF their regard. am informed that
the administration party attempts TO claim the Gre
dit of that measure. You know, my dear friend,
that if it had not been for some OF the peculiar
friends Of Gen. Jackson, Illinois and Indiana
would, at this time, be without the latering pros
pcct of a canal in each Your state, sir, owes
much more TO you for their Success than to every
member OF the administration together for, sir, |
can assure you, that It was from the Jealous man
ner IN which you espoused the cause Of the canal,
that made me examine the question with the care
! did and imagine all who know any thing OF |
The true situation of the affair will acknowldsc
that, without me, your most excellent cause would
have been postponed, for what length OF time |
know not. | therefore hope the day is not far
distant when the people Of your fertile and grow
ing state will reward your zeal and eXertious as
they deserve.
Your sincere friend and humble scrvi
SIDNEY BREEsE. ]. c. MITCHELL.
have not the journals Of congress at hand, but
an examination Of them will show that, on the |
question to lay the canal bill on the table, the vote
was very close, and have always attributed its
success, IN a great measure, to the excrtions OF
Mr. Mitchell, the writer of the above letter. His
for me has, you will perceive, induced
him to say more of me and my exerons, doubt
less, than deserve, yet it serves to show that
was the early and stcodlasi friend of the canal
have long regarded that work, in connection
with the Central Railroad as decidedly the most
important that could be undertaken by the state,
md hope yet to render cilicientad for their COM
olction. The general government viii, | have no
loubt, il we can get rid of the land distribution
'lll, make liberal grants for both purposes--cer-
ainly for the canal 50 soon as the fund already
granted by the act of 1927 shall have been exhaust
d.
With high regard, sir,
Your friend and obi servt,
SIDNEY BREESE.
n,