The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-04-30

Nr. EdtOI:
When viii your Canal be finished is the
household question oi the day the wonder Of
the times the hope Of tradc,men aud the wish
of the people.
Our hopes dil extend at ,he time Of the re-
commencement of the work TO the following
statement, VIZ: ave have every reason to be-
plttej during the past season, that It might have
been brought into use, say, for the months Of
October and November; but causes which have
already BEEN satcd-sichre-, aud the scarcity u
hauds-preyenIDi that object lrJm being accom-
pushed
The above 5 contained in the general report Of
the Trustees, submitted to his EScelency m jan
uary last, and Is in he IN ,in correct. They stale
the facts Without tie causes--they % on 10 stale
that every exertion wa. used 10 induce men to
come hilher--such as ADVERTISING aud sending
agents abroad, &c, which they say dad not meet
their expectations. We'll it l. strange that men
are always correct in their own conduct. Al
though the causes Of the scarcity OF hands and
delay ofthe Canal are simplicity Itself, they cam
not see them any more than they could see the
mpropriety of receiving fcs thousand per year to
attend to their own hu siness at home. First, let
II be borne IN mind that the lab1rers on the Ca
nal are, as general hing, poor, AID depend up
ou their daily labor for tie Suslenauce Of their
amtiies-that 10y the time they arrived here,
what capital they had at the time ut STRUNG, was
exhausted aud as there was N prospect Of there
being an estimate under 80 days, they Of course
we're compelled to throw up any kind Of shan
~ that would barely suffice for the time, aud
husband every iarlLing to the utmost in order N
horses. Under such circumstances, Is it hard TO
discover the reason u sickness anl dlsuli,ciOu!
and again from the fact that the settlement
with the hands did not take place Tor from to
weeks after estimate Nas taken, owing to the fact
uf he non.resideucr OF the Trustees, the blluc.
sheet, after being reported by the resIJcn, Eugi-
neer to the Chief vas Transmitted to Washing
ton City to obtain Copt. Swift's signature and
inspection thence, even at time of payment, the
aborer had TO work from 30 to 10 DAYS in ad-
vance Of his pay, aud 80 irregular has been their
pay ments that no man could even presume to
guess az them. Under such state Of things
faith has not only been destroyed between the
Contractor and Board, but also between the en-
ploycr aud the employed. The ldhorer, in many
instances, has been compelled to sell his due bill
on the very best contractor at one half discount
IN order t. enable him to maintain his family.
All that could pay then aud move away, did 50
hundreds left aud spread on, through the coun.
try to iaboring on forms Tor less than half the
wages offered on the Canal, Ia order to have i'm
mediate help lur their families. Thus, from this
most ruinoUs policy, our public works have not
only been Invested OF hall the laborers, bot of the
very best men. But, say they, there has been a
provision made to remedy the distress in money
matters, by making advances, as they call 1t, to
contractors during the interim q! estimate, by
charging one per cent--thus adding wrong upon
wrong AMI charging man interest upon his own
money. Under such a state of things, 1t is not
hard to discover the reason of scarcity of hands
those already here being discouraged, OF course
would use every exeriion to prevent their friends
from coming here to be robbed as they call II.
Under the old operations of the Canal, we were
bankrup,,--bui under the present We are worse
than hcggared. Al the abandoned work rs lying
untouched until the Trustees come, which may
no, take place Tor months-our county is being
AVOIDED with a spurious rag money currency
our hopes are blghtcj an our expectations Grip.
Piled, aud general, silent indignation felt, that
s lust ready to break forth in bitter anothemas
aud imprccalicns. Bu, even now, II the e.ti.
mates were regular aud certain, there are men
enough here 10 finish the Canal before lall-all
that is wanting is promptness on the part Of the
Board. | am Sir, your Ubcd't serv'i.
MoRuis, April 81, lSi1. j. A. A.
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Truth needs not the service Of passion
When thou speakrst the truth do ii camly, gen.