The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-01-17
VOL.V.-NO. 81.

We owed probably sl4 900 900, which
we received in money, and were bo,:nd by
every principle Of moral honesty TO ray.
Oar creditors were large capitalists: they
dealt with states, kingdoms, and empires.
They dealt in money. We might talk Of
compromise, but every effort would fail.
We might incorporate companies at eve
ry session OF our legislature, but it would
do no good. We might offer them our
vacant lands, public works, and other pro-
! perry they did not want them. They
would sooner forgive us the deb. than es-
tabIsh precedent of This kind in settling
with any state. Should they compromise
the debt of Illinois, they must do the same
with every indebted state in the Union.
They knew our condition. and did not
urge-what their Just claims demanded
prompt payment Of all the accruing in
tereSt. They only wanted some positive
and practical evidence that we were bo.
nest, and would do something as our abb
lily increased. They would even rem
der us further aid, in carrying out any
undertaking calculated to develope our
natural resources, knowing that i, would
bu! the more CRADLE us to pay what we
owe them now.
We could not pay our debt by finan-
clering. All those schemes CONSISTING
merely of figures were but creations of
the fancy, and amounted to little else than
denial of the debt. The simple issue
was taxation or population. With very
lew exceptions, those who hold The bonds
OF Illinois Were not men who were in want
OF money. 1t was not of so much conse-
quence TO them whether we paid our in
terest now or not. All they wanted was.
that we should show that we were willing
10 be taxed 10 pay our debts. They had
heard we were honest. We had passed
resolutions 10 that effect. and had sent
them out TO the world but we had no.
accompanied them with single act to
bear witness to our sincerity.
So far as concerned reputation, howe.
YER, Continued Mr.. L.,) we cannot repu.
diaIe our honest debts. We nigh. pass
resolutions to that effective might load
our Journals with acts declaring our obi.
cations void but i, would not make them
the less binding. 1t would only bring
The more inIamy upon ourselves. while
the debt would still remain. Public sem
linen! would hold us bound for il for
ever. Not even a revolution and change
OF government would absolve the claim.
Unjust be paid. Who was willing that
our state should be held up to the gaze of
the world, with her cscu,cheon darkened
by reputation, to be pointed at by the
anger OF scorn-her once proud name q
by word and reproach, stigma on the
American republic! The democrats had
been charged with favorng reputation.
Did we asked Mr.. H. wish to res, under
the lmputailon. and should we show by
our acts that it was Just!
1t had been said the people would not
be taxed. 1t was not true. They would
willingly bear a small tax now, and it
might be gradually raised to some fixed
standard. And there were sources besides
a land tax we could raise revenue from.
Sell licenses 10 pcdlars, grocors, auction
GERS, showmen-tax prolessions-and,
whenever the constitution is amended, au-
thorlze the collection of n poll tax, and
fix by the constitution The maximum Of
taxation. This would ensure perma-
nent syslom--it would remove from the
minds of the people their apprehensions
OF oppressive burlhens, restore the public
credit, induce emigration TO our state, in
crease our basis of taxation, and insure
our permanent prosperity.
Our creditors had given US every assur-
that, if we levied tax--cven of but one
miI!-ior the purpose of paying interest
upon our public debt, they would COM
plete our canal---a work not sectional in
It's character, not even exclusively state
work, but of national importance, and not
inferior, in every point Of view, TO any
other in the United States. 1t would
unite the waters of the great northern
lakes with the mighty valley of the ives,
and The nayigablc streams that enter into
Gulf Of MeXico--!orming thus a con,inu-
GUS line Of water communication from
New York, through the Interior of our
country, to New Orleans. The compile
ton Of this canal would render our lands
valuable, open 4 market for our products,
afford large and continually increasing
revenue TO our state, anu would DO the
sure means of relieving Illinois of her
deb, and restore her to her natural rank in
the American Union. 1t had been calcu-
lated, from the mostre reliable data, that this
work, Immediately unon lis completion,