The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1853-10-06

secure the patronage and the power they
afforded, and the plainly-expressed will
of the people was insolently disregarded.
At last hopes were entertained that we
were to be relieved of this blistering stain
upon our character, and this destroying
canker preying upon our vitals. A comp
any, composed of a number of the most
wealthy and enterprising gentlemen in
the State, offered to lease cur public
works for term of years, and pay, L be-
lieve, a million annually for the use of
them. This proposition, by which the
State would have been the gamer of the
whole amount rendered, it was hoped by
all disinterested persons would be ac-
cepted. But again Democracy interposed
1T was not yet glutted with official
plunder. The offer was rejected, and
Democracy continued its career of pro-
figacy.
But by whom was The offer made -
Among the gentlemen composing the
company were several ex-Canal Commis-
sioners, under whose management of the
improvements the State realized little or
nothing. As public officers they could
bring no revenue to the State; but as in
dividuals, with the same resources, they
could calculate liberal profit to them
selves, and then offered million of
dollars annually for the lease. Why was
it that such strange discrepancy existed
between the proceeds of the public works
under their direction, and the offer of the
very men who controlled them? Can it
be explained in any other way than that
this sum is annually squandered by our
agents? [ have considered this matter
carefully, and I must charge 1t up0A the
Democratic party, that the men they keep
IN p0ager are s1riaallzing the Communicable
ont Of a million Of dollarS annually -
If am wrong [ shall be glad to make
the correction, but a general denial will
not suffice. For years this corruption has
been conceded by the candid of all parties,
and if explanation is possible, it is high
time it was furnished. | have shown
how the expenses of our public work have
been more than trebled in five years, and
|
has not been presented to the people
of the State in that time, and if this con-
duct is defensible, [ beg the Democratic
party to let US have the defence.
And what spectacle does this present!
To see our noble old Commonwealth
dragged to the very verge of bankruptcy
by the habitual villainy of her agents
and the people still following the behests
of party blindly to sustain it. The gen,
eral system of transacting business on
our public works would make a man in
private enterprise despised in any COM
munity, and our courts would seize him as
a felon. He would be dreaded as if his
very touch was contamination, and until
his operations could be confined to the walls
of some hospitable prison, public justice
would not be satisfied. But he is an
agent of the State forsooth.-he deals
bountifully, and shares his plunder iber.
ally with his accomplices, and public O.
pinion seems to have grown strangely In
different to this species of robbery. AnC
how long will the people of the State, BY
whose hard earned taxes this proagacy is
supported, stand idly by and permit it t.
run its high handed career? Is there NJ
remedy for this official villainy? l an
swer that there is but one hope of sub
stantial reform, AND THAT IS THE
UNCONDITIONAL SALE OF THE
WORKS And until this is affected
the indications are that the same fata
abuses which are now practiced, for years
will be practiced still. grant that W,
, cannot realize the cost Of their construc
tion-that we must lose heavily in th,
sale; but we can reduce our State deb
nearly one half, and destroy the grea
cause of it's increase, without reducing ou
revenue. Why, then, will we madl.
persist in retaining them in the posses
sion of the State, merely to fill the coffers
of our agents and their accomplices, anC
? to be used as a vast machine to crush th
honest sentiments of the people? VIII.
, will we 90 on recklessly and spend mill
? ions to improve and perfect them, whel
the experiment thus far has been wors
: than failure? Look at the Alleghenies
they are studded with the favorites o
the dominant party; and with our treas
l ury Just replenshed with borrowed capi
= tai, contracts have been awarded wit
; the most shameful disregard of fairness
4 and thousands Of dollars have been heed
r lessly expended in the enterprise. Thu
r we are not only plundered of the resour
: ces of our present improvements, but W
S are plundered again to extend them, an
r make the field still wider for official ia
0 voritism and fraud. And where is th
r chapter to end? Are we to 90 on yea
b after year, still increasing our annus
. appropriations, still adding to our deb
G and crippling still more the prosperit
and progress of our State? If not, wheI
: is revolution to begin! Should it begi
!. now, or are there still fresh swarms {
=. cormorants. whose thirst for plumber
f yet to be satisfied We have, again an
c again, been driven to the very verge {