Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1847-09-21

those who do comparatively nothing. The
worked gets $4,000, whilst those in the
endowment of the SinecuTeS receive $4,000
each. The people of Illinois may posi-
bly, consent TO pay this sum to public SER
wants who have neglected the work as
signed to them, but opine that no small
opposition to it will be raised, before such
an outrage will be committed. Our Gov.
ernor will, under the new constitutional get
but 81, 900 per annum, though his duties
and labors are as -aFduous as those Of any
Governor in tho Union. Our represent.
atiyes in the General Assembly will get
but two dollars per day for limited period,
after which they are ia get but one dollar
per day. The spirit Of retrenchment and
economy,t that seems TO have pervaded the
constitutional Convention mayhave spread
among the people. though we are frank
to confess that We hope that it will not
carry them so far as it has the Convention.
We are as willing as any one can be,
that the public officers should be well
paid, but $4,000 per annum, for doing
nothing. seems to be rather high salary
for debt.ridden Illinois. Such a SALARY
ciH nerer be paid. Not long since, the
Governor mildly but firmly demonstrated
with the trustees against the course of
things on the canal. and they pledged
themselves THAI no further cause of com.
plant should occur; but these pledges
Lave not been regarded. They continue
to claim the SEINE salaries, and to neglect
the work.
A large corps of engineers and agents
are kept in employ upon the canal lat high
salaries; as large number in fact as
wcs required when the whole line was
being worked. As the canal verges TO-
wards completion, the number of super
intendants, officers, and supernumeraries
may be diminished. We have been in.
formed that the business associations of
the chief engineer are of such a character
as to nuke it to his interest to delay the
work as long as possible. He stated last
winter, that the delay was occasioned by
want Of hands, and when these were
procured in New York by Col. OAKLEY.
the chiefengineer refused them employ.
ment, alleging that there were hands
enough. The work on a part of the line
in Cook county was, for some time, sus-
pended In consequence of strike among
the hands for an advance of only twelve
and halfcents per ay,which had better
have been paid until cheaper hands could
have been procured, than to have let the
work stop entirely.
The state trustee seems to be power.
less. The secretary ofthe board assumes
oil the authority vested in the board, and
controls every thing. despite the remon-
stances and pretensions of the state trus.
Tee. Thus we see that the whole work
is thrown into the hands of subordnates,
whose interest it is to prolong and prolract
the work, if possible, forever.
Another importan! fact is worthy OF
mention. II is known that large portion
of the land on the line OF the canal is held
BY spectators. By some strange over.
sight in framing the canal law, the state
was prohibited from selling her lands
along the line, unlil three months after
the completion oftbe canal, thus giving
Oihers---the speculaiors-an entire mo.
noPoly Of the markets 10 the exclusion OF
the state. A law was passed last winter
mitigating this obnoxious provision, by
allowing the state to sell her lands before
the completion Of the canal; thereby
opening chance to benefit the bondhold.
ers, and consequently the state. Three
gentlemen, we'll known TO the state, were
appointed by the judges of the circuit
courts, to appraise theSe lands: Messrs.
MATrEsoN, of Will county; REDD1cK, of
La Sale. and F. C. SHERMAN, of Cook.
The law, however, was rejected by the
trustees of the bondholders. Whe was
this? Were they under the infiunee of
the spectators, the engineers, the secre-
tarles' the hangers.on generally of the
canal establishment?
We will not pursue this subject farther
at the present time. We have foreborne
for long time, TO touch 1t, because we
hoped for reformation on the premises
We shall take it up again.
In conclusion, we will add that the
canal might have been finished by at least
November next, ifthe canal officers had
done their duty. Now, it will not be
ready for boats before next September
A whole season of profitable business vii
thus be lost. The public revenue will be
diminished. the bondholders will lie ou
Of their dividends, and the people will be
deprived Of an outlet to market.
From the commercial article of the
July number of the Democratic Review
we extract tie following upon this sub
ject: ASA
a"The illinois canal has been greatly
delayed through the organization of the
board Oftrustees. Bylaw, the bondhold.
eHs were 60 appoint two, and the state one.
Under this law, David Leavitt. esq.,,
President of the American Exchange
Bank, in N. York, and Capt. Swift, ofthe