Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1847-12-28
To William GoOding,
Chief Engineer of the Illinois and Michigan
a+ Canal

before the public what you are pleased tc
call vindication of your character-bu
which might more appropriately be called
an assault upon mine-an assault moi
tempered with candor, fairness, or pru.
dence. qrse3 81
shall, in my notice Of it, avoid imi
rating your unworthy example. / have
fewer personal feelings to CRAFTY in this
matter, than you would have the public to
suppose. If you can successfully defend
your conduct against public censure, al.
| though may regret that have caused
that conduct to have been suspected, |
shall nevertheless be gratified at your ex.
cu patton from blame. Yet you must be
informed, though the information should
reach you long after every other citizen is
aware Of the fact, that the public mind has
for years been agitated in relation to this
very matter, which seems to have so stun.
ned your ears by the suddenness of its re.
citaI-yOur ignorance was altogether ex.
elusive. A petition signed by over 400
persons was presented to tho Legislature
some six years since, complaining OF
yourself among others-and yet you affect
surprise that complaints Of your conduc,
exist. -t .-.. 4. ... ... rf .... -.
Why sir. many of the bondholders in
New york, so notorious were these com.
plants. were opposed to your being ap
pointed to the place you now hold and
even exacted promise (as they have in.
formed me.) that you should not be ap-
pointed. Therefore, you may see if you
will, that these complaints have not orig
mated with me, and that all have done
in the premises has been done in the per-
tormsnce of what | conscientiorsly be.
lieyed 20 be public duty. -o.;..
The public agents of the State would
long since have gone for your removal,
had it not been for the apprehension in
their minds that the excitement and the
exposure growing out of it, might have
prevented the obtaining Of appropriations
from the Legislature for the completion of
the canal. Circumstances, rather than
your merits, have kept you in the receipt
of e large salary, which you have but
poorly deserved. While you take such
credit to yourself"for efIectualIy watch.
ing over the interests of the State"
many are panied 10 know, that your de.
lays and laundering have cost the State
an immense sum. You are the dupe of
your own self conceit. if you believe the
public hold you in .balfthe estimation YOU
place upon yourself. s+t's 2 ..
Your manifestations of i'll nature. your
vopid efforts at sarcasm, all your bitter.
ness OF temper, shall disregard; with
the expression Ofregret,that my colleagues
should have permitted you to make pre-
tended report TO them, the vehicle of con.
veying TO the public so much personal vi.
olence. They make, or permit, its publ.
cation, in either event they encourage or
tolerate the abuse you practice. Before
men possessing such feelings and having
such notions of propriety, an invesIiga-
ton into the conduct of any person would
be bootless waste Of time and money.
You charge that came to the line of
canal, predisposed to condemn you and
your associate engineers. a>p
This may be to some extent correct.
bad for years resided in portion of the
state decidedly interested in the speedy
completion of the canal, and there have
heen for long time, complaints of the
tardy manner in which the work has been
prosecuted. And many believe, whether
that belief was we'll or i'll founded, that
the canal was not more industriousIv
prosecuted, because the persons who had
the management Of it were DESTROYS OF
continuing to receive the emoluments of
their stations. Many believed, moreover,
that tavorilism, if not corruption, existed
and that q change in the men who were
Immediately conducting tho work, would
be advantageous togthe public interests.
But let us suppose for moment that
was prejudiced; how were my preiudices
met, or sought to be overcome When
came into the Canal Oilicc, | was regar-
ded as an intrudeI-everyin from
the highest 10 the lowest. studiously avoid.
ed me. Communications properly be-
longing to my department, instead of being
made to me, were made to others who
took the responsibility Of acting without
any consultation With myself. All infer.
nation was as fer as possible withheld
from me, and | could not hut see that all
parties were banded together. and acting
systematically against me; asifthe State,
her agents, and interests, were to be con.
temned and set aside. Information was
desired had to seek it without aid or IA:
cilitics, and for that reason may some.
times have been misled. Although was
the sole representative Of the interests of
the State IN this important matter, yet to
avoid me, to conceal from me, TO treat
through me the interests of the State with
disregard. seemed to be the most Jealous
duty OF the officers ofthe canal. II, after
this, felt dissatisfied and suspected that
all might not be properly conducted, will
- 49, Il