The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-09-06
For the Shirt of nsmocracu

Mr.. EDTToR-The man, who exposed the
humbug of Woods halfpence and drove that spec.
ulator and his base coin out of Ireland was not SO
well employed as the man, who is engaged in at
lacking and exposing that regiment of spectators,
who have overrun our Buckeye State, making us
pay for their inventions rs if they were first rate
benefits Our spectators are spectators par er-
ceHence, the very princes and kings of humbug,
| all others are mere bunglers in comparison and
should drop their trade, until they come and serve
an apprenticeship to ours. About nine years AGO
they persuaded our General Assembly to pass an
act Tor the Improvement of the MUsKINGUM RIv-
Err. This act authorized the Board of Canal Com.
mlssloners, after having made sufficient examina-
lions and surveys to proceed with the construction
OF the work " il such manner and with such locks
and dams, as might be necessary 10 the safe
transit and convenient passage of steamboats, of
such dimensions and capacity as the said Commits
sioners should prescribe But there were two
conditions inserted in this act, one of which was
that the said Commissioners should not commence
said improvement unless in their opinion the work
when finished would not lessen the tolls on the
Ohio Canal, and the other was that they should
not commence it, unless in their opinion "the tolls
and waterrents to be derived therefrom, would pay
the interest accruing the cost of construction"
The wisdom OF making such conditions is like
the wisdom OF man, who entrusts hungry dog
with his dinner, telling him that upon certain con-
dtions he may eatit and upon certain OF her condi-
tons he must obstain. The dinner is sure to be
devoured as soon as the mans back is turned, and
then the conditions may perform themselves if they
can. This miserable concern has cost the State
one million eight hundred thousand dollars for
construction, and as the gross receipts from it are
less than twenty-eight thousand dollars per annuIn
the whole interest on this immense capital has to
be made UP by direct taxation. No one surely,
who is acquainted with the subject, will pretend
that $2S,OO0 are sufficient to repair the annual
wear and tear of SO many dams and locks as that
Improvement consists of, situated as they are IN the
channel OF rapid river, subject to enormous floods
and freshets. l know very well, that the cost of
this concern is frequently computed at one million
SIX hundred and fifty thousand dollars, but this re-
suit is brought about by taking large sum from
the construction account and adding it to the ac-
count for repairs; it is merely the difference be-
tween ''McCarty get out of the house," and 'sget
out of the house McCarty."
The spectators, when they were engaged 10
deudng and deceiving the Assembly as to this
project, assured that body that the work could be
completed for four hundred thousand dollars! IT
is only necessary to add that this bright project
was the offspring of a LOG ROLLING; that is the
act authorizing this speculation could not have pas
sed except in conjunction with others, equally wild
equally visionary, equally worthless and still
more costly.
Reader, one reflection. If the men, who were
concerned in this affair, really believed that it
would make return of six per cent on the i'm
mense capital, which was borrowed to construct
it, what becomes of their judgment; if they did
not believe so, what becomes of their integrity,
and in either case do they deserve 10 be further
trusted'
| shall continue TO write these letters from time
to time as leisure and opportunity may serve, con-
filming myself principally to a mere statement of
FACTS, leaving the reader to form his own con-
clusons; but venture to predict that one relec-
ton will force itself upon the mind of every think
ing man and that is; that as tyrans of old prevailed
by FORCE so modern spectators prevail by fraud |
No XXI. OSCAR.
Woodsfield, Aug. !, 1915.