The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-04-24

were in but lille better condition. IL was shown by
million four hundred and tweYty thousand dollars
of work under contract the ENLARGEMENT And 0cneeee
Valley and Black River canals Yet to BE- paid Tor, and
that hsre not. the st OF February last. dollar
in the treasury from which payment could be made to The
contractors, and that the OF only S4o3 TAG would as
estimated by the auditor Of the canal department. be re-
eeyed into the treasury during The remainder OF the cur
rent fiscal year, which could under the constitution, be
applied TO the prosecution Of the public works The con-
tractors were accordingly notified that the work which
they had engaged 10 perform tor the Slate must be sus-
peaaed, Tor want OF means IN the treasury to pay
The Encouragement OF the State officers in letting con.
tracts whou means In their hands TO fulfil them, and
the bankruptcy oil the treasury could be no longer con-
cealed from the people OF the Stale, unless some device
could be invented 10 borrow money by violating the safe
financial provisions OF the constitution
| To submit the whole matter fully and inreseryediy TO
the people and ask them TO change the financial provs
IONS OF the constitution, ogve their assent TO the con-
tracing Of debt IN the manner authorized IN that m
strumen would not meet the exigene,es OIL me case
] he lime required to obtain relief IN this constitutional
manner loo long; and, besides il feared that the
people would not be willing TO abandon the protection
they had secured TO themselves and their property by The
adoption OF The financial provisions OF the constitution
or give their assent to the contracting OF debt ~ Inc
manner pointed out in that instrument for these objects
Some mode therefore be devised Of obtaining money
by borrowing for The of the State without contract
ing debt. by in behalf OF The State for the money
borrowed To perform this feat OF legerdenain GER
tanly required The dexerty OF sable ursts !" but
still the trek attempted to be performed ~ nll IN
troduced INFO the assembly, entitled IAN act or The
Valley and Black River canals"
BY the provisions Of this bill The comptroller was au-
thozed 10 borrow what were 10 be called canal eve-
nue. certificates, nine millions OF dollars, within three
years, pledge OF the future surplus revenues OF The
canals for the repayment OF the interest and the principal
within twenty.one years. and the State was, by the
bill, 10 oblsate itself SO 10 arrange and hx IN each
year The tolls our canals won!d taking the aver
age OF the tonnage OF the three preceding years. yield
surplus OF revenue alter selns ASIDE tle sums plsogeu
In the constitution Tor repairs and the payment OF our
State debt oil at least eight hundred thousand dollars IN
each year, until the canals completed and then
surplus of at least million OF dollars in each year, until
The money borrowed should be fully paid. These canal
revenue certificates were 10 be issued IN sums not less
than fifty dollars, payable to the lender of the money or
his assigns; and authority given by the provisions
of the bill 10 make them receivable By the bank depart
ment security for circulating bank notes, and also to
the canal board TO issue them to the contractor or con-
Tractors on =; the public S,l works. payment OF The work
The bill further provided that the canal commission
ers shall upon such terms and such the canal
board shall duec and approve contract for the compile
ton OF the canas but such contracts shall be awarded
10 such parties, being of sufficient responsibility shall
agree 10 execute their work so as 10 insure the compile
ton OF the canals by The opening OF navigation in the
spring OF 1884, on terms Wh, snail !" TIE judgment Of
The canal board, be most safe and advantageous 10 the
State" These extraordinary provisions of the bill nd-
cate clearly the real designs OF the political obbers who
were lis authors and advocates. The party in rover
have majority of in the canal board, while two out
OF the three canal commissioners are democrats.
1t was necessary, therefore, TO change the laws which
have been In force Tor many years in this Stale by which
the canal commissioners required to award
tracts Tor the execution OF the public works to the lowest
bidder, irrespective OF their party attachments TO
secure to the peculiar friends OF the party in power
the patronage arising out OF the expenditure OF nine mil
hons OF dollars and OF the remainder OF The revenues oil
The canals Tor twenty years and thereby save them
from the political ruin which they perceive is rapidly APP
preaching, TO PROSTATE and overwheln them Such
concentration OF power and in the hands OF
few men would tend 10 corrupt the purity OF the elective
franchise and would prove greatly destructive 10 the best
interests Of system of internal improvements Under
q
The past II is fair TO nle that contracts would have been
made by the favor OF the canal board only with those
who would use the placed IN their hands so as m
the best to sustain and perpetuae the power Of
the men by whose partlaly the contracts were awarded
10 them.
Although The nine millions of dollars were to be Dor
rowed in three years yet under the peculiar and exaor
binary provision OF the bill contracts could have been
made, no, with the lowest bidders for the work. but with
such individual or individuals the canal board deemed
oil snlhcient responsibility, and without any security tor
performance, 10 do the entire work required in the COM
peion OF HE Enc canal enlargement and the Genesee
Valley and Black River canals; and IN that way the
present canal board would have disposed Of pledged or
appropriated the whole OF the nine millions TO be bor
rowed well the surplus canal for tie
tUeny-one years. This unprecedented job thus to be
harmed out by the present canal board would have been
used as The canal patronage has been used solely Tor the
psrpetnaiion OF the party now power.
As your representatives, support the constilu
ion which the people had adopted for our guidance we
could not according TO our undersandn oil what seemed
to us IT'S plain import and meaning, any support TO
The proposed bill for borrowing millions OF dollars
on pledge of the future revenues of our canals
The twelfth section OF the 18th article OF the constiu
ton declares that, therein specified. debt
shall be hereafter contracted by behalf OF this State
unless such debt shall be authorized by a law some
single work object, which law shall not take effect
until has been submitted TO and received the assent of
the people at general election.
The sixth section OF the article OF the constitu
ton declares that "the legislature shall not SELL lease
or Otherwise dispose OF any OF the canals OF the State
but they shall remain the property oil the State and
der lis management forever" The third section OF the
same article provides that the remainder OF the
oil the canals (aer setting aside The pledged by the
constitution Tor repairs and to pay State debD SHALL
eah fiscal year. be applied. in such the egsla
ure shall direct TO the completion OF the Erie canal
largement and The Genesee Valley and Black River
nas, until The sad canals shall be completed.
These provisions OF the constitution 10 us so plain
that no man can misunderstood misconstrue their
meaning They intended TO guard and project the
people against hssty legislation and corrupt schemes OF
public plunde sanctioned by falhless representatives in
the legislature Tor the purpose OF rewardng party adhe
rents, and perPeuaiing their power al the expense
OF the tax payers of the State.
The twelfth section before referred 10, plainly declares
that deb shoA hereafter be contracted bha Of
me people Of THIS Mns excep, in the manner therein au-
tborZed and yet attempt has been made, Dotwith-
standing that plain declaration, to borrow nine millions
OF dollars, under the preence that debt will be thereby
created Our minds not acute enough TO understand
how The State can borrow nine millions OF dollars,
pledge or mortgage OF s own property, and for tie own
use and agree that it shall be repaid with interest," and
not debt for the money thus ed nor we
able 10 understand how the legislature mortgage or
pledge the revenues OF canals, without violating that
plain injunction OF the constitution which declares that
the Legislature shall se lease or 0ternIss dispose Of
dsg u the canals Of The State but that they shall remain