Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-02-13


that her Legislature should have adjourned without
adopting any course calculated to relieve the State
from the degradation and dishonor of withholding
fom individuals their just dues. We assured on
undoubted authority, that If that body should evince
disposition to do right, by an earnest effort, even
should il result in paying but small portion of the
interest accruing the public debt the creditors Of
the State would gladly cooperate restore her pros
perty, by advancing funds sufficient to complete her
public works--N. Y Journal Of Commerce, Jan. %
We regret as mitch as the Journal of Commerce can,
that Legislature rather to speak more definitely
and correctly that the Wing majority in the House
of Representatives, from feelings Of mere partzan
hostility towards the Governor, absolutely refused to
adopt any measure calculated to relieve the State
from the degradation and dishonor alluded to. But
such nevertheless the fact, and the degradation
and dshonor" must remain until the people send up
men who viii be influenced by more elevated and
honorable motives who, least will net ee ready
at word " from their file leaders, to sacrifice what
remains of the once high character of the State
for the Palty purpose of circumvenng their political
opponents in efforts to accomplish the redemption OF
lost crcdit if possible tic do SC. The more We
reflect upon it, the nexcusable does the conduct
of that Wing majority seem to have BEEN To think,
that bill, reported from the Committee of Ways and
Means ard which received the sanction of the Senate
IA bill against the provisions of which there
sound objection, - that in itself could accomplish
nothing likely to to the benefit of one party
more than another,-which simply authorized the
Agent of State to consult with creditors, and to
lay the results of that consultation before the next
Legislature for Its action,-to remember, that when
bill perfectly innocuous in every respect this,
before the House, that the Wing Speaker, should
descend from his chair late on the last night Of the
session. raise the party warwhoop, paltry
personal assault on the State Agent, about the pay
ment of lawyers fees incurred chiefly by the late
Wing Gov. Noble,-thcse "reminiscences, We say, are
any thing but pleasant to US, and will probably afford
quite little satisfaction to our people. The evil
however is remedess SO far as the past is concerned
It's recurrence may be prevented if the people so will
The latter part of the paragraph from the Journal
of Commerce. is certainly of importance, but much
less to the people of this State than it might prev
ously have been, since the passage Of Marshall's bill
authorizing the prosecution of the public works by
Companies. Under that law companies have under
taken to complete the Madison and indianapolis Rail
Road the White Water Valley Canal, and other
works. parts Of the "system of 1885," which would
be likely to afford immediate profits to the stock
of profit to induce companies to go on with them,
under the favorable provisions of the law, not
worth completing by the State, especially borrowed
capital There is one work, however, disconnected
with the system of 1896, which might receive the
benefits of the funds cOndtionally offered. We mean
the Wabash and Erie Canal. This work, perhaps
really the most important in the State has thus far
been constructed principally by means accruing out of
lands granted for that purpose by the General Gov
eminent, to this State and Ohio. The northern por-
ton is finished from Lafayette 10 the Lake. and yields
handsome returns. 1t is progressing slowly between
Lafayette and Terre Haute, by of Scrip based
upon the canal lands and the tolls. This scrip has
never commanded above average of 90 per cent.
in cash, and probably much less. Of course the
State makes her contracts under great disadvantages,
for contractors make their estimates with eye to
the deprecated paper in vii h they are paid. To
redeem this scrip except the amount received for tolls
the lands are being disposed Of price 80 per cent
less than they sold for few years ago. and less than
half probably that they would bring five years hence,
o. after the completion of the work passing through
them. Further, bill has passed the Senate, and we
hope viii pass the House, in Congress, making a
further grant of lands to continue the Canal from
Terre Haute to Evansville the Ohio river. The
question will arise should this grant be obtained,
whether shall continue the runous policy of ssu-
ing land scrip, of endeavoring to procure other
MEANS that the lands be husbanded until they
can be pro6,ably sold The g assurance" given by
the Journal of Commerce. if authenticated in proper
Manner may assist future Legislature in adopting
best adapted for the honor and interest of the
State. We feel the more interest In the completion
os the Great Canal, because we look to it as giving
promise not only of great and general benefit an
outlet for the immense quantity of produce, which
until be completed remain in the rich Valley
of the Wabash, comparatively mere drug but also
because, it is the only work which remains in the
exclusive possession of the State, to which we can
look with certainty capable of afordng immediate
assistance in the payment of the State liabilities, and
to that extent tightening the burdens Of direct
tion-
But for the refusal of the Wing majority in the
Legislature pass the bill authorizing consultation
with creditors, this important matter might have
been matured in time for presentation to the next Gen.
eral Assembly, for its immediate action The interest
and honor of the State or at least the little that
remains from the wreck of former Wing mismanage-
ment, ought TO have prompted better course. Un-
fortunately it was not 50, and must for addi-
fional year. for augbt to the contrary, suffer
the accumulated evils of lost credit increasing debt
and diminishing population.
Pork and Dollars"
Last summer, while the canvass for the Presidency