Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1845-1851, 1845-12-25
what will the Lcglslature do,

MEssRs EDITORS The present may be Justly re-
garded as crisis in the affairs of the State of Indi
ana 1t is regarded by most people throughout
the State, and never, perhaps, since the disastrous
session Of 1856 have the people of tie State turn
ell their eyes, with more anxious solicitation, to their
representatives than at the present time Indeed,
many Of our fellow citizens in other States have re-
parded the future prospects of Indiana as dependent,
in great degree, upon the action of the present Lee
gislature. What will they do-what can they do,
with the State debt
That is, really, and should be the important bust
ness Of the present session. Members who suppose
that the public mind is not prepared for Legislative
action upon the subject of the State debt this tme
are mistaken. Ii was generally understood in most
parts of the State that propositions would be
made by our foreign creditors to this Legislature.
The public mind is becoming more and more con-
WINGED of the necessity of making some disposition
of the State debt 1t is increasing at the enormous
rate of half a million per annum. 1t will shortly
become utterly unpayabe with any resources the
State can command The people it, and feel it..
and are alarmed at the prospect before them. They
begin seriously to fear that if something is not done,
if some remedy be not speedily applied, they will be
driven to practical if not to legal repudation-an
dea abhorrent to the moral of the honest hard
working, debt paying people of Indiana.
Let not the representatives, of the people be msta-
ken on this important subject. Reputation has no
place among the masses ; left to themselves, they
will 90 right. And that representative vino throws
himself fearessly upon the intelligence, the integri-
ty the State pride, and the moral honesty Of his
sttuency, may confidently calculate to be sustained
by them, in doing that which is necessary sustain
their honor and the credit and integrity of the State
Our foreign creditors have received nothing for
years, and unpaid interest amounts, in round
numbers, to 50, 100000. This course, so far as the
creditors concerned, is population and the peo
pie are ashamed of it. When the tax Of 1910, q
think) laid at 40 cents on the 800, and 10 cents
State poll reduced, the plea of politicians
then was, that the currency deranged the people
were, individually, deeply indebted and the price OF
labor and property low that the people could
not bear taxation to pay any portion of the neres
on the public debt. These difficulties have all passed
away. The currency is sound it ever was, ind
viduals mostly out of debt prices good, bot
of labor and property and still more, the domesii,
debt is reduced to a small amount. Where is now
the excuse! If we cannot pay any thing now, when
eau we ever nope 10 lhe Solehh responsibility
rests upon the present Legislature of Indiana to IL
something restore the forfeited credit, the honor
and dignity of the State. Will they do it The
people expect it. The people of other States expect
k. Our creditors expect it. We have the ability
do something and We ought to do it. o let it no
he said that Indiana with her genial climate, her fer
tile SOIL her Industrious increasing population is the
last Of the sovereign States of this glorious coneder
acy to meet her just obligations. AGRICULAR.