Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-03-28
For the Portage Sentinel.
Dali Dad

To the Voters Of Portage County:
When disinterested gentle
men come forward voluntarily to under.
take the cause of the People in opposition
to Corporations, they should be sustained
and aided with spirit. For this reason,
am resolved to do what my humble abilities
will allow to encourage my friend who
wrote over the signature e Y our County" in
last weeks Sentinel. Such generous devo-
ton to the interests of the People, am de
termined, for my part, shall not pass un-
seconded. l refer to certain statements
made by my friend in that paper, which
need Interpretation; and which, if unex-
planned, might subject him to the imputa-
ton of ignorance or sinister motives. These
statements I have taken it upon myself to
elucidate, hoping that my exertions in his
behalf will meet with his most cordial ap-
probation.
"Really," says my friend, "this Company
must be 'hard up to call thus loudly for
the credit of the County when they cannot
realize more than $50, 900 out Of this $75,-
900 when the County Bonds are disposed
Of"
What my friend means to say here, is
this: The credit of this County for what
ever sum given, is not worth more than
seventy five cents on the dollar: and that if
he were buyer of its Bonds, he should
consider them on a par with stocks of the
Caffree Hottentots, or drafts on the treasury
of the Flat Head Indians; that he has little
confidence in the integrity of the people of
the County, and less in their capacity to
meet their liabilities. And then he brings
proof of your small ability to pay, in the
words and figures following.
"Knox Co. Railroad Bonds were offered
at the Akron Bank a short time since at
60 cts. on the dollar. These Bonds were
created for the same purpose as is now of
fered to the citizens of Portage County"
Do not think that my friend means to as.
sert this as a fact. Ii that were his inten-
ton, he would have given his authorities.
He has no thought of asserting that Knox
Co. Bonds are in fact only worth 60 cts;
but he would assure you, that if the people
of that County had CHANGED to be suddenly
smitten with lunacy and sent to Columbus,
that in that case, the Akron Bank would
not give more then 60 cts on a dollar for its
Bonds. am sorry that he did not express
his meaning more clearly. But he has an
awkward way Of stating facts, sometimes
confounding them with vagaries, and it is
for this reason have come to his aid.
The whole paragraph, Voters of Portage,
is meant as high compliment to you, dis
playing his deep interest in your welfare.
Then my friend goes on to show the in
sincerity of the Company. "They are will
ing to exchange $4,000 of their Stock for
the same amount in County Bonds, says
he. And his argument is this:
I Iconsider thisS75, 900 worth not$5O :, 900.
The Company consider it worth more
than s75 900, when they ought to value it
as | do.
Therefore the Company are insincere.
He might also have urged that men gen
orally desire to obtain what they hold of no
value; and as they desire this subscription,
they must account it of no worth. This
would have been stronger proof of their in
sincerity. 1t is some time since my friend
studied Logic.
"Again: if this Railroad could be COM
pared to the Madison and Indianapolis
Railroad, they would find no difficulty in !