Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1852-07-23
To the People of Union County.


it to be my duty, as public officer, to
offer to you some explanations in relation
to the subscription of 100000 by the
County to the Susquehanna Railroad Com
pany, together with the reasons which iu-
fuenced my conduct in the matter. Be
fore the passage of the law by the Leeis-
lature authorizing counties to subscribe,
the Commissioners were consulted by
prominent gentlemen through the county,
Wings and Democrats, and we were in
formed by them, as we'll as directly by the
men at he head Of the Company, that
the location of the road on this side Of
the river, depended mainly upon the sub
scription by the county. To all these i'm
portunities, Mr.. Wilt and myself replied,
that we would be governed by what the
wish of the people Of the county might
be, so far as we could ascertain it. The
law was passed by u Democratic Legisla-
ture, received the approval Of His Excel
lency, William Bigler, the Governor of
the State, authorizing US to subscribe.
We still hesitatsd, wishing to consult the
wish of 2 majority Of our constituents, so
far as We could ascertain it. To myself
it would have been tenfold more accepta-
bic if the law had authorized us to sub
NIT the question to q cote Of the people,
but this amendment the Democratic Legis-
lature and Governor did not see proper
should be put in the Bill. About this
time, the Union Times, the organ of the
Democratic party in this county, took up
the subject and in number Of able ar
ticles Showed the great advantage it would
be to the people of this county to have
the Road on this side of the river from
the Blue Hill, and urged upon US the
prop-iety of subscribing, and subscribing
at once, the sum of 100000 Meetings
were called at several places, and the same
matter urged upon US. Among the rest,
very large meeting was held in the
Grand Jury Room on the evening of the
4th of March last, and a committee of
seven was appointed to prepare and submit
report That committee was, John See
bold, Joseph Casey, John NJ. Baum, Ja-
cob Horlacher, Henry Mourer, Charles
Merrill, and Joseph kleckner.
The committee were all present at the
meeting, and were called to retire to
another room to deliberate on their report.
Six Of the gentlemen went, Mr.. Casey
declining to act. After a considerable
time, they returned with unanimous re-
port and resolutions, which are in part as
TO- lows:
"When the Central Road pays 6 per
cent. in its unfinished state, we can scarce
ly form an estimate of this road, what it
will do when finished Comparatively,
we are warranted TO say that it will not he
under IL per cent. When in view of such
results, independent of the convenience
and benefit Of the community through
which it will pass, as well as the millions
of the great West, the South, and the
East, the advancement of property, and
the elevation of our own State, we would
say, delay no longer, more especially when
sister State comes and taps US as 1t were
on the shoulder, aud bids US arouse from
our lethargy, stand up, and We will sup
port you, this is the time for action
As counties are now legal corpora
tions, therefore,
Resolved, That for the eventual bene-
fit Of this county, We most respectfully
ask the Commissioners Of the county to
subscribe stock, to the amount Of two hum
dred thousand Dollars, in the Railroad
from Harrisburg TO Williamsport, pro
vided the said road will be located on the
West side OF the West BRANCH Of the
Susquehanna at or about the Blue Hill,
to the Northern terminus Of the county.
Resolved, That we recommend to the
meeting to appoint Delegates To the Bal
timore Convention, to meet 18th inst
Samuel Roush, Esq, presided at the
meeting. These proceedings were pub
lished, and never called forth one word in
opposition to them-as were the proceed
ings Of other meetings. Besides this, |
consulted privately with as many citizens
of the county, Wigs and Democrats, as
| could, and while some expressed them
selves opposed TO the measure, yet large
majority Of those l conversed with ex-
pressed themselves favorably to it and
urged it upon us. Under these circum-
stances we made the subscription, yet no
sooner was it made than John NJ Baum,
Editor Of the Union Times, the man who
pressed and urged us, and as a member of
the committee stated the road would bring
in II per cent, and pledged his honor to |
sustain US, turns around and assais us
with every epithet for having done what
he urged upon us in every way he could. |
This course no doubt is pursued by Baum
for the purpose Of injuring the Wing par
ty, to which Mr.. Wilt and myself belong.
This course | know is looked upon with
;corn and contempt by many high minded,