The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-12-06


found 10 be insufficient for the due admi-
nis,ra,ion Of justice in some parts of the
state. and particularly in the county of
Cook. The city of Chicago, situated in
that county, has so increased in popula-
ton and business, as to require a court TO
be in session the greater part of the year.
The county of Cook is now the compon-
cnt part Of circuit of seven counties.
Chicago is city of some twelve thousand
inhabitants. Being situate on lake Mi.
chgan, it's business is of the character
and Importance of a seaport town. II is
the thoronghiare for travelling by land and
water 10 and from the northern part o! this
state, the southern par, Of Wisconsin. and
a part OF Iowa territory. In such place,
! there must BE- 4 greater amonnt of liliga-
zion, and larger number of criminal,
committed, than could be expected among
the same number of people differently 81
tua,ed. And so it is with all thriving and
populous cities. The city of ST. Louis,
containing less than three times the num-
Der of Inhabitants, has three courts sitting
nearly all the time, for the despatch of bu-
sIness; and the judiciary there is no more
than adequate to the wants Of the people.
| respectfully recommend the establish
ment OF separate court IN the county Of
Cook, and city Of Chicago, with jurisdic-
ton concurrent with the circui, court.
The present system has operated to the
people there, for years past. as almost "A
denial Of justice. Prisoners have suffer
ed long and veXaiious Imprisonment, be-
fore they could be tried for offences Of
which they were accused, and the county
has been put to an expense in maintain
ing them unknown to other counties.
There may be other parts Of the state
suffering in somewha, similar way. If
so, the fact will be known to The general
assembly. and the evil ough, to be remov-
ed by the establishment of such additions
to the Judiciary system as will meet the
wants of the people.
The revenues OF The state for the year
1874 are estimated, by the auditor, a, the
sum Of Sl50,000, no part Of which has
, yet been collected. There is also due, for
, arrcarages of previous years, the sum of
: $50, 304. The probable cos, Of assessing
J and collecting what is now due to the state
I is estimated al SlS, 900, and Of the whole
sum now due. amounting TO S209,304,
5 the sum of 100000 may be collected and
= paid in by the first of May next. The
, revenue will he increased for the years
f lS45 and 1916, abou, So, 900 each year.
On the 3lst Of October last there were
: warrants on the treasury outstanding to
= the amount of S22 1882 ; and on the same
, day there was an unexpendcd balance in
= the treasury Of 81 1913 &C.
! As to the extraordinary debt Of the state
I contracted for the canal and other internal
Improvements, no interest has been paid
I on it which has accrued since the first of
; July, 1871, and no provision of law has
: bee made for such payment. The mag
nilude of this debt, compared with the re-
. sources of the state, has been a continual
: terror to the people. They have lived in
J expectation of oppressive taxes. The
S same has been anticipated by all who
= would otherwise emigrate TO the state.
e The popular vote at the last cleo
, 'ion shows that our population has been
j increased but little since 1870; and it is
a fact too notorious to be concealed, that
h nothing bu! the utter impossibii,y of sell
: ing real estate prevents the rapid decrease
e of our numbers. The adjacent territories
n are filling up with inhabitants at our ex-
i pense. The high and palmy days have
y departed when we doubled our population
: in few years when, if a citizen owned
more land than he wanted for cultivation,
: or If he wanted to leave the country. or
remove from one par, of the state to ano-
4 Their, he could sell his land for cash.
e VIVA, has produced this state Of !bings
e Has i, been high taxes No. 1t has been
j the fear of them only. Is it because mo-
ney has been drawn from our pockets as
: a tax upon our industryl No. Not one
b. cent has yet been paid by taxation. On
i the contrary, our taxes for state purposes
= are three times less than they are in the
II great and nourishing state Of Ohio. Ne
ver'heIcss, Ohio is advancing to greatness
t with unparalleled rapidly. while we arc
d paralyzed with the torpid fear of evil on
n ", when no such evil really exists.
f The fancies, the fears, the maginaions
!, Of men, hang like an incubus, upon our
y prosperity. The reality, whenever it
comes, can never be SO terrifying, so
f alarming. as the underlined and dreamy
n maginaions Of men, conjured up by the
v mere expectation Of an unknown and uu-
= tried evil.
h II something could be done, to define
i the extent of this evil, to dissipate mag