The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-08-10
Co, Baker--The Central RAN Road.

There Is no meIsursin which our state Is more
deeply interested, or Ne success of which would
bring to ,is more certain and permanent prosper
ity, than the completion Of the Central Rail Road
Half the territory in our state which is now COM
paratiyely waste and worthless, would at once
by the completion Of this road, be brought into
use, aud rendered a. valuable a. the finest lands
Upon or nayigable rivers Soimpor;ani has our
state ever regarded this improvement, that in her
very infancy she pledged all her means for years
to come. AMI wrecked her credit upon it, and has
patiently borne heavy burthen oftaxation since,
in the hope of one day rc,uming the construction
Of this mych cherished improvement,
Feeling, however, that she must be incomre.
tent to the work for many years yet to come, our
state has appealed to Congress and asked the
donation Of alternate sections Of tie publ; land
for six miles on either side Of the road in AID Of
its completion. Such donation. while 1t would
50 much increase the value Of the remaining sec
tons Of the public lands as actually to make it
profitable operation in dollar and cent view, to
the nation, would, it ia confidently believed At
once furnish the means of completing the Road.
And congress has not been disposed untayorably
to regard the request Of our people.
After devoting much time AMI labor to the sub,
jcct it will be recollecteI cur thea Senators in
Congress, Messrs Breese and Douglass, finally at
the session two years ago, succeeded in getting n
bill through the Senate by handsome majority,
granting all our state asked But the bill was
shamefully lost in the House, on the last night
Of the session, by one vote, through, i, is alledg
ed, the indiocre,ion and folly Of one Of our own
members,
A full ouiburst Of Indignation on the part of
our people at this gross mismanagemen: was only
prevented by tie inability to fIs;en the blame
ith certainty upon the right one The failur. Of
tbs bill was however regarded as a heavy mis-
fortune and our present Senators, Mcssrs Dong.
lass and Shields, put themselves to work at once
to repair it BY intense labor and application,
notwithstanding the entire absorption Of the time
Of the senate with the slavery question they Sue.
ceedcd in again getting the bill through the sen.
ate at the present session, and at least three
months ago, it was sent to the house for concur
renee. A committee OF the house examined It's
just and liberal provisions and recommended its
passage. But again is our state, it seems TO have
It's dearest interests sacrificed by the folly Of one
I ol its own members. The committee Of the
house in,rustcd the keeping Of the bill to CO
| Baker. To the chagrin Of his friend and the in
| Jury Of the whole stlte, lie has manifested dis
position to put pocket veto upon tie measure
The bill. has been twice called for to be reported
IS passed in committee, and each time the seat Of
Col Baker has been vacant.
The palpablc dereliction Of duty on the part o.
Col b in this matter stands unexcused, although
ne has been charged with it n month ago not on.
y in democratic papers, but in the vhjg paper
Of our state The Chicago Journal, with bold
,ess that deserves credit, charged home at ono,
lpon him his neglect of duty, and MS a whis M,
! friend asked what palliaton or excise lie IN,
o offer. But none has been offered and our stat
an lay the second defeat Of this 10 her immense
Y important measure, to the door Of Col. Bake
There will be no supprcssin2 Of Indignation thi
inc from inability to find the right man; nod W
,rea,ly mistake if Col. Baker, unless he shall ye
20 able to explain lis course, will not find tn
state too hot place to live in when congress ac
ourns.