Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1850-02-16
pr0ressinn and praeiiee.

"The Democracy hold the noble sentiment of
! the patriot Jackson, that it is the duty of the
! government to dispense its favors, as the dews
Of Heaven, alike upon the poor and the rich. !"
Although there is more of Shakespeare
than Jackson in the above sentiment, we'll
let it pass with the remark that such is the
profession. What the practice is, we will
let Mr.. MEEK, locoloco member of the
/ Legislature from Centre county, answer.
In his speech on granting further especial
privileges to the Reading Railroad-priv-
ileges which no poor or unfortunate man
could obtain-he said:
| have watched the progress of this bill, now
before US, with mingled feelings Of grief and in
! dignation ; nor do | now rise to address the
house in opposition to its progress, with any
| hope of arresting it. No, sir, have seen too
much legislation to hope for any such result
have learned, by painful experience, that there
is no resisting a measure of this kind when
backed by corporation power. But | must ex-
press my total dissent to its passage, and repre-
senting as | do plain, unsophisticated demo-
cratic constituency, dare not suffer the passage
OF bill so INDUSTRIOUS IN ITS PROVISIONS, with
out speaking out my disapprobaton in the most
unmistakeable language.
cannot disguise the fact that my own heart
| beats more fantly-my high expectations Of
successful legislation now drag in the dust-all
my hopes quail, and ! am wounded for the cause
of my best devotions-the triumph of sound
democratic principles. How is it, sir, that uce
promise much at home, aud yet do so lille when
here, that is REALLY DEMOCRATIC? Are
we not continually deriding our whig opponents
with the meanest subserviency to incorporation
priyilege-with the most abiect devotion to
wealth and its usurped prerogatives-with being
the party who are always ready to confer priyi-
lege upon the few, while we claim to be the de-
yotees Of principles known only by this motto
equal and exact justice to all men-eXclusiye
privileges to none;n
| should not haye said word on the sub iect,
but that wish to bear my testimony to the
| soundness of our people at home and their hon
est adherence TO principle. They send US here
with right views. but alas, I'VE do not stay right,
aud our DECETVED and BETRAYED constitu-
ents are still left to wonder why it is so-why
they elect a majority of the members of this
House charged with the cause of their rights and
principles, and yet, whig Mr.. Meek ought to
have said Locot0col principles always prevail.
But look at this bill before US. Two years
ago this company was here asking US to ucor-
porate eight or ten millions OF debt az preferred
stock. We refuse II that privilege. II now
comes, and asks us TO suspend for % whole
years the operation of our collection laws, while
1t acknowledges over sixteen millions of iiabll-
ty. How comes all this to pass: Two years
since it was involved, we are told, in 4 debt Of
ten or eleven millions. II has increased TO be-
tween sixteen and seventeen millions. The Off
GERS Of this company have grown rich, built
palaces, and ride as nabobs through the land
they have paid no debts-no sir; they have in
creased them vastly. Sir, did you ever know,
or read of any people in their corporate capa-
Ill. &c
in the case of our own noble Union. Whether
she viii be able to pay again remains TO be seen.
With this corporation, | hold II Is impossible
that ever IT should pay its debts. The road Is
one hundred miles long, and cost sl6, ,325, 032
each mile, therefore, cost SlG3 80, and must at
least yield annual income of $4,000 for in
terest, beside the cost of repairs, management,
&c. This il cannot do; no sane man will be-
lieye that it can possibly subsist any longer than
II can borrow money.
Sir, dare any man in this commonwealth, IN
mis- private capacity, to come and ask Us thus TO
step in between him and his creditors No, sir,
no; such an application would be secuted
from this hall Well do | remember the man
with the red shirt, who, with many other hard
working men, had settled upon a tract Of what
they considered vacant land after years Of toll,
sacrifice, and patient endurance of priyation,
and when they thought themselves in possession
of homes for their declining years British sub
JeCl Sucu upon LuCil Will Oh tlcClUcNl- i uCV
preferred their cause to this body, and asked us
to nterpose the shield Of our protection. Were
they heard no sir: the constitution was in our
way. Poor fellows we could do nothing for
them! they were not corporation. 4" Alas
poor Yorickn
Sir, we hear, with the deepest emotion, Of the
threatened rupture Of our holy Union and dis
may portrayed upon every face when the bare
possibility Of such catastrophe is spoken Of
one lays his finger upon his mouth, and dumb
with amazement, he hears the fearful and por-
tentous word 'DISUNION" pronounced as the
death knell of his country's glory. His country
aye, the country OF destlny-the glory OF all
lands--the beacon light of the benighted, down
trodden, oppressed, and injured of all the ma
tons-the country to which We invite the hungry,
homeless, aud prosecuted of every cline to come
and find an asylum in the " Land of the free and
the home Of the brave" And yet, sir, IRE, bg
our prodigqte legislation, are likely soon TO make
it but an empty namc-a shadow skeleton
only will be left to the people, if we continue
thus 10 rob them for the benefit of Soullcss corPo-
rations
Sir, we shall hear of this bill again, when We
come 10 elect a Governor President. The
wings will hurl it upon US as the party in the
majority, and having the power to prevent such
legislation. We profess TO hold the best-the
only good principles upon which 10 administer a
republican government, and urge men to sustain
uS DJ arguments duuitSStu 10 lltll ihptS anu
fears, their rights and liberties, MD YET DIS
appoint .iLL md BETR.lY OUR PAR
TY Ia the name, sir, of the democratic party
and its prnciples--of my constituents oil Centre
county, and of the constitution which ! have
sworn to sustain, protest against the passage of
this bill
If " an honest confession is good for the
SOUL Mr. Meek has made clean breast
of it, and portrayed the hypocritical pro-
fcssions of his party as well as Iogarth
himself could have done it. were he still
living. As predicted, this monstrous"
bill was passed by what is called a demo
cratic legislature, and as the governor could
not lnIIhI the g dnmnnrncL,, nC :. LII ....