The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1851-06-07
John wentworth on Railroads, SC.


yohn Wentworth, remarked to us the other day
that he IVY was dangerous man, and it was
time he was frowned down. lie had reference,
particularly to tho unprincipled and unmanly
our railroads. Give him square foot of truth,
and he will build upon it an Egyptian pyramid OF
plausible f,lsehood' We have no fears that
Wentworth will ever rum the country OF set the
river on FIRE, but the remark We have quoted Is
certainly true Of his paper for III" last or four
months And there are many instances besides
his Rock Island railroad articles that We might
take for illustration. For one. there is his abuse
Of our state authorities about the disbursement Of
the two mill tax This tax the constitution pro-
viies shall be paid annually pro rata towards the
redemption Of such of our state bonds as should
he presented at Springfield for that purpose.
But as the dividend upon the whole OF our bonds
would have been the merest trii'e, the bond
holders generally determined not to claim their
share, as it would not pay for making their bonds
fractional Mr. Wadsworlh, the state agent in
New York, however seeing thus q chance to
make q speculation bought up bonds enough to
cover the amount Of the mill tax fund and pre-
sented them at Springfield. The state officers at
first refused TO pay over, as the law bad not de
signated the officer to disburse th. fund man
dan,s. however, from the supreme court. com
PEELED the treasurer to pay over, and Mr. Wads'
worth realized some 20 per cent. on bonds that
may have cost S. This is the whole history Of
the matter And who was injured Not the
state; not the bondhollerI 1t is true it would
have looked better il Mr. wadsworh had not
made the speculation, and be viii probably lose
his place for it But all the columns Of abuse Of
our otaie officers which Wentworth has built up
on these few simple facts-about their being part
ners--withholdiny informalion-agrseins there
should be 10 dividends-down to the Governor
going to New York to explain the matter before
capitalists would take hold Of the Central Rail
road--from beginning to end, in whole and in 1t,
parts, IS unqualifed'y false.
OF a piece with this bond affair, is Wentworth,
abuie Of Gov. French for hi' alleged efforts to
get places for certain persons odsus 10 SIr. "
on the Central Railroad. According 70 the Dcn.o
crat, about the main object 1t Gov F's visit to y.
York, in Spring. instead ut being, to BE- presen'
at the organization Of the Central Railroad Com
pany, As the law required he should be. was to
assist Col. Dunlap TO whom for certain reasons
Wentworth has taken great dislike) in procu.
ring the appointment of McClcrnand over Bi.sell
TO the post Of attorney for the Central Railroad
Company, and failing in this and Col. Bissell hav
ing been appointed. the Governor became exceed
lngly wro;s, and wrote Mr.. Schuyler a severe rep
rimand therefor Now this whole superstruc.
ture Of falsehood is built upon tho simple fact
that as Gov. French and Col Dunlap were the
only two persons tina, went from Springfield to
New York in March last, they travelled in com
pany, md that in a conversation with Mr. Schuy
Ter in New York, Gov. French casually, once, sug
gested the name OF Col NcClernand in connec.
tion with the Office o: attorney-Col. Nee. ra'
not an applicant for the Office, Col Dunlap never
urged his appointment, either to Gov. +. or upon
the company. and up to the time Of receiving
official notification of their appointment, Gov
French was utterly ignorant Of the fact that either
Col Bsssll or Mr. Brayman ever desired tho of
fee Of attorney to the Contra! Railroad Com
pany.
Wentworths representation Of the "reprmand'
affair is equally disingeauous. We have seen
something in New York paper about certain
prominent lllnoians having been rewarded for
services in favor Of the Central Railroad Compa.
ny ogaina the aote-and Of officers having been
appointed without the knowledge Of Gov. f., al.
though Director and present, and that Gov. 7.
expressed his dissatisfaction at such a proce
dure; and this We presume is all there is about
the "rerrimand," out Of which Wentworth manu-
features so much gubernatorial indignation at the
disappointment Of Col Dunlap's friends!
We have said this much in justice to our state
officers. whom we know to be men Of the strict.
est integrity and faithful public servants, not that
they ask or need a defence at our hands agains,
the assaults of John Wentworth, but merely hy
wsv Of preface to some remarks we were about
to make in reference to Wentworths course in re-
gard to the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad
but as this article has greatly extended itself be
yond the limits we had originally designed for it
we shall wind it MP here, and take up the rairoac
matter in q seprate article.