Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1852-06-03
The Truth Of History.


committed with instructions. House adjourned.
The Truth of History.
The Vneennes Gazette under the above caption, en-
deavors prove that the Democratic party response
bic for most Of the evils and losses Of the Internal I'm
provement system, because two persons belonging TO
that party members Of the first Board of Internal
Improvement, and that Maj. Morrison held temporary
appointment as member of the Board in 1899
There was one feature in the mammoth Internal Im
provement bill which the Wing party in the Legislature
Of 1886, held to, with tenacy than any other,
and that was giving the appointment of the Board Of
Internal Improvement to the Governor thus cenerng
in man, the entire patronage of the whole system
Governor Noble then the Executive of the State,
and all acquainted with the man well know, that the
Wing party had more devoted advocate He
was in truth for several years the very embodiment Of
Whiggery in Indiana and although in the end after Civ.
ing that party life and being for several years in our
State, he had exclam with statesman Of old,
II had served the people with half the zeal served
my party, they would my old age have thus de-
serted me-"
Still the fact stands plainly before as that the Wing
party determined, before the bill passed. place its
entire patronage in their own hands
This feature of the BILL giving the Governor the ap
pontment of the Board of Internal Improvement was
resisted in the Senate by Governor Whitcornb one of
the powerful speeches that uttered before
the Indiana Legislature. He portrayed the dasger Of
comforting much power and patronage one indi-
vidua which might be used for party purposes; and also
showed that such Board would necessarily carry on an
extended and extravagant system and forever prevent
while the Wing party in power am efforts TO clas-
sify. The then Governor being friend Of the system
as was, the people of those counties provided for
in the law, would have voice ia the election Of the
Board The substitute advocated By Governor Whit.
comb and others was that the Board should be elected
by joint ballot vote of the Legislature, which they
thought would operate a wholesome check.
While this discussion was pending it understood
that Mr.. WOODBURY., who had then bat very recently
joined the Democratic party, and who had previously
been very ultra Wing, would be appointed the
Boar1, for the Madison road. Mr.. Woodburn was the
owner of very extensive property to be affected by the
completion Of that work and this fact gave assurance
that he would enter the service with great energy of
character He had been identified with Democra.
cy in any Of its struggles in Indiana, and his appoint
ment was one in which it was supposed the peculiar
interests of Madison to be promoted more than
any thing else His object, said would be "a
Madison and complete the work speedily as pos
sble and he has the consolation of knowing that he
represented the only work outside of the Wabash and
Erie canal from which the State has derived any return
for the money expended.
Mr.. Long was appointed on the White Water canal
and had been for the mistakes of the Wing Ene
neers in locating the levels of the canal low which
has caused the breaks and other damages this
Eav IL,
stockholders Mr.. Long like other members of the
Board, got al the money he could the work and If
he exceeded his estimates, from desire finish
the canal before all went down. than from any
other consideration
Mr. Morrisons course, in expending money on the
Central canal in 1899, was from the same motive.
He has always challenged full investigation into his
conduct He took charge of the work, at time when
the Wings began desert the sinking ship, under an
appointment from Gov. Wallace, and if the crisis had
been delayed few months longer, with small addi-
tional expenditure he would have had canal in opera
ton from Anderson the Bluffs of White river dis
lance of sixty miles and had this been DONE long before
this private company would have finished the work
the Wabash and Erie canal thus giving central Indi-
Eastern canal outlet The misfortune was that
Mr.. Morrison had been appointed, as under
the game that played from the beginning his work
would have got its share under his management.
Bat these things have nothing all to do with the is
before the people. The issue Isl which party brought
the great evils, under which we now labor upon the
people of Indiana! Impartial history tells us, that
Democrat held the office of Fund Commissioner and
the impartial history contains figures that cannot
le shO,cing loss bonds Sold for shich received
consideration Of than four millions Of dollars be-
sides hund eds Of thousands of dollars more the shape
Of discounts and losses in hypohecated bonds and other
6nanciering. ASA lsa
History tells US that the Wings insisted the appoint
men Of the first Board of Internal Improvements, by
Wing Governor That Governor Whtcomb and other
Democrats resisted this power, dangerous to be
conferred on single individual particularly on one
devoted his party was the thea Governor History
tells u.s. that OF the nine members Of the Board but
two were Democrats and of these convert,
and who was never charged with favoriag Democrat
over wing all the time he was in Office.
Impartial history tells us, that, at early day. before
all was lost, large portion of the Democratic party
took ground for classification, and supported John Du-
mont, although Wing, the classification candidate
for Governor Here, at the seat of Government, the