Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1842-07-16

published IN a Lafayette paper of Sept. Isl, lS4l
"Wlth the sale Of our Bonds, the Chief Engl
neer we all know, had no more TO do than any 9th
err citizen, and IN the ordering OF lettings he hat
nothing to do only ADVISER when called up
on by the Board He had no vote in the matter
not then beng a member; and at all tunes wher
called on for his opinion on this subject, he gav
| IL in favor of concentrating such way Il
make The greatest amount of work soonest availa
! BILE for public use"
| submit also the following letter from Mr. Ow
! en-, whose efficient, efforts IN The House of Rep
| resentatives, in favor of n change the maine
Of progressing with the system probably ia
miIar TO ali Mr.. Owens inq ulries upon the sub
| ect Of our internal improve ments, were most VI
gIlant and minute, and with him, was therefore
brought more Immediately IN contact upon thu
question than with any other member:
INV Harmony, IA, Jan. %, 1913
Jesse l.. Williams, Esq.
Dear SIr:-l have just returned from jour
ney TO the South, and find your letter Of the 91tl
Dec. last, awaiting my arrival.
"Atier stating that, nj This particular time, pub
lie attention is strongly directed TO the orIgina
| manner Of progress of the s, stem Of internal i'm
provement, and that, IN the poa'lcal scramble you
! in danger Of being loaded with a greater de
gree Of blame than you think belongs To you; yot
submit, whet Their Is that certain public me!
who in lS37-S and were the ultra opponents q
cIasSiIlcaiiOn shOuiO now TX on me EngIneeT me
whole burden Of scattered lettings, and escape
themselves; and you appeal to my of right
and Justice 10 give you statement of your course
and advice In relation to the manner of progress
sing with the system, IN the winters of lS3T-S,
aud 1889; when, as you remind me, we had
many conversations and consultations on the sub
iec,; YOU add, that, after giving the Legislature
such oiorma ton as they may desire, you purpose
to retire, probably for ever. from ell public EN-
ploymen,.
Under these circumstances, I conceive ,ha
you are eniltled to the cxplana lions you request
and proceed To furnish them. according TO the
best recoIIec,Ions of those exciting times
The first winter was n member Of the Lee.
gisleture was that succeeding the session during
which the great internal improve bill passed.
Every observant politician was at tina, time aware
shat the SYSTEM whether for good for evil, was
fastened on the State. The question was not Of
its cristence that was arendy disposed OF, it see
med Irrevocably; but only OF It's m0n0gemcnt-
Hence arose the two, and but two, parties IN the
Legislature; familarly known 'Classsfiers' and
system men, Every member ranged himself III
rank or the other. great struggle com
menced, and was continued during three sessions.
The - stem men upheld things as they were. a
Board Of nine, with the representative principle
The Simultaneous progression Of the ditfere n
works wIthou; preference; and even the slrnnl-
tHneous prosecution Of distant portions Of the
same work. The elias eTs,' the contrary,
sought to restrict the lettings. for the time. TO
or more works, TO be considered of the first class
and to be completed before the others were com
menced; and with This view, they sought 10 Q.
duce the number of the Board and deprive it Of
ITS representative principle. After sustaining re-
peated defeats through two sessions, the policy Of
the classifiers succeede a, last, and was embo
died in the Mobilization Bill Of lS3S-9 then pass
ed and still remaining IN force.
"Throughout this protracted struggle those
h,t InaH tbar do tr,.,, h
frequent contact with the executive officers of he
system. | myself usually IN the habit, be-
fore | subrnItted any detailed plan of cass-
ticatIon modification to The House. to con
sol, with you IN regard to its provisions, du-
ring the two last sessions | served. his es-
pecialIv the case with the Modification Bill which
finally passed and which was drafted by me. On
that, as on previous occasions. | found YOU oppo-
sed to the system Of scattered lettings: opposed
TO the representative system on the Board, md a
friend to concentration and class flea ton Had
not been convinced that these were Your senii-
meDts, should certainly not have in Introduced a
motion. did in 1881 that you should be.
eX.otiiclo member of the BoarG As regarded
the past, was well aware (as every one CONVEX
SAINT with public business must be) that,
executive officer. You had no option hut to carry
out that plan of management which the BOARD
had adopted, and the Legislature approved and
sustained.
Il shall be glad If this brief statement of facts
known to hundreds beside myself. can be of use
or satisfaction to you. know not who are the
individuals of whose representations YOU com
PLAIN and ain actuate6 IN what have said sole,
lv by desire to render that Justice to your off
rial conduct, hch. had nv own motives and pub.
lie acts been mpugned, | should have felt myself
justified in demanding of those who served and
acted with me, al hat period.
lam, Dear Sir. truly vours
ROBERT DALE OWEN"
| may add two or three extracts from nv unof-
fetal correspondence with members OF the Board
OF Internal improvement. during iha period In
a letter 10 J. b Johnson dated july ). l>3S-
(See report of Senate committee, page 39l.
used the following language: