The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-01-24

a., history
if we do nothing, the infamy of broken
engagements and of violated faith INNS,
and will attach to us.
The world will enquire what is the diff.
ference between DENYING the ALLEGATION
Of a contract. and admitting lis obliCa,ion
and neplectipg TO keen it-between the
omen reputation Of a deb,. and q CrauJu.
lent Withholding the money. Is no, the
same Injustice done the creditor in both
cases. and i, is of little consequence by
what name it is called.
II NAV perbaps be thouohl somcwha,
strange. that we, in rcnor, on finance,
shoull sneak Of national character and
Stale pride. as one of the elements, of pub.
lie prosperitv and wealth: bru # needs
but a moments reflection TO see their i'm.
portancc. and al,hough their value cannot
be estimated in dollars and cents, because,
indeed. thew are inraLlJie: sull. there
can be no public nrosperitv or national
greatness without them. The character
of a State is made IN of that of its cili-
zens; and if Illinois is disgraced, the
stain will attach to each Of them and the
result of a failure on the part of the State
to do her duty, will be seen in driving
the best and wor,hest of her citizens into
other lands, and in preventing the coming
hither Of all such as would be most desi-
rabe. The result would be depreciation
in the value of real and personal proper
ty, incomparably more than the small tax
which will save the people of Illinois
from these evils. Gentlemen may point
to the rich soil of our praires, to our
beautiful groves and streams, and rely on
these natural attractions as adequate in
ducenens to retain our settlers and bring
in further emigration. 1t will not do.
These natural advantages with good gov
eminent and honest laws will ill up our
State, but in the absence of the latter, if
our honest citizens should come to the
conclusion that the State, as people, was
dishonest, they would exclaim, Give us
another country, some far. off shore, where
faith is kept, and truth and honesty abide
The honest emigrant, as he sails along
our shores on the mighty waters which
surround us, on the Ohio, the Mississippi,
or the Lakes, would shun us as land, a
residence in which was personal dishon-
or. If we are men with the love of JUS
tice and of honor that belongs to men,
this disgrace shall not come upon us.
The moral consequences to result from
the decision Of this question, are worthy
of serious consideration.
How could you demand of citizens to
do Justly, and deal honestly and honora-
bly, with all men, when the State herself
furnishes an instance of open, avowed
fraud; with what face could your courts
enforce justice between man and man,
when the State herself, the foundation OF
their authority, sets its clearest laws at
defiance! How many dishonest man
would point TO the example of the State
as justification of his dishonesty. Will
individuals fulfil their obligations and pay
their debts, when the State disregards the
just claims of her creditors Let the
State set such examples, and in vain would
be our laws, in vain our courts of justice,
honesty, integrity and good faith would
disappear, society could not exist. and
would resolve itself into anarchy and con-
fusion.
The governor, in his message. truly
remarks that territories adjacent to Illinois
are filling up with inhabitants at our en-
pense. The high and palmy days are de-
parted when we doubled our population
in few years; and he asks what has
produced this change! and answers, not
high taxes, but the fear Of them. Your
committee believe that it has been as well