Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1854-05-06
Correspondence.

WASHINGTON, April 90, 1854

WASHINGTON, April 23, 1854.
Friend Masscr In looking over a late
number of the Sunbury american, (April 81
| noticed that you have received the same
erroneous impression which many others
have received, in regard 10 the grant Of pub
lie land which your member, Col Straub, has
sough, to obtain from Congress 10 aid in the
construction of the Sunbury and Erie Rail
road You say that Congress is not dispose
TO grant any public land, for railrtad pur
poses, out Of the State in which lbe lands e
located. Let us SEQ how the case really
stands and what the prospects are of utI.
mately obtaining The grant in question.
At an early day of the present session, Col.
Siraub prepared bill, appropra'ing 1,5oo,-
900 acres of the public land for the benefit
of the Sunbury and Erie Railroad which was
referred 10 the Committee on Public Lands.
On that committee was the Hon. Mr. Hies;er,
Of the Lancaster district, who faithfully Sec
onded your members efforts 10 procure
favorable report. A, first, the prospects OF
obtaining such report were decidedly un-
favorable. Even Mr.. Hester became dis
couraged; but by dint Of the unwearied ex-
ertons of Col. S, the Committee finally au-
,horized Mr.. Hester 10 make report TO the
House in favor of the asked for grant "Ob-
server" the Washington correspondent of
the Philadelphia Ledger, says tina, MIR.
Hester reported Senator Cooper's bill 10 the
House with the Land Committees endorse
ment. No report tghaieuer has been made;
the friends of the project believe that it
would be inexpedieat 10 urge The matter at
the present time. This week, Mr.. Benefits
bill for the distribution Of the public lands
among the old aud new states will come up
for the action Of The House and OF this you
=, :, may rest assured, that satisfactory assurances
- have been given to Col. Straub, Mr.. Hester,
IL and other Pennsyvanians, Who have shown
:" the lvelest solicitude in order TO secure a
y railway communication with the Lakes, that
IN in case OF the passage of the bill, provision
NJ a, the same time will be made appropriatng
IN the 1900 900 acres for The benefit Of the
is Sunbury and Erie road.
o' II may moi be out Of place 10 state, in con-
ee nec.on with this subject, lha! the present
n congressional delegation from your Slate is
a! composed of greater amour, of effective,
vi working talent, than was ever known before ;
II. and here let me suggest 10 my old demo-
eo cratic friends of Pennsylvania, not merely
Isl the proprety, but the necessity of keeping
as their representatives longer in Office than the
lis customary peTod-always presuming that
u' they have proved themselves 10 be both homes.
III and capable. You send man to Congress,
Ian hy ho h. h.. in
- the parliamentary rules-by the time he j:
&c initiated into the modus operandi of transact
an ing business at the public departments io
es the benefit OF his constituents by the time
OF from frequent encounters, he has been shar
II pened into keen and cuccessful debater-
er. and by the time he has attained The respec
and confidence Of his fellow members. an,
'a' therefore in situation 10 promote the inter
ng ests of his district, he is "ro,a,ed,n as it i
10 termed, ont Of Office "The democratic doc
=" lrne of rotation in office mus, be preserved .
VI" eXcaims the pot-honse politician. Demo
a'e cratic nonsense After young lad had scr
eh' we'd his apprenticeship faithfully, and wa
NV capable of turning out job in most skill
uFand workmanlike manner, who woul,
'uillh VI MN out VI uuOfS 10 maxi
,re- room for the services OF some awkward, ie
W.T. norant BOBBY? Who would think of dischar
nv gng clergyman, doctor, or lawyer, on In
'e.' simple ground that their professional service
MS had covered the exact period of four years
Up The more experience they have The greata
'"'' their reputation and influence, and the mor
are largely are their services sought after. Til
oy service of legislation is the most profouu
. and intricate of all services, for il embraces
"" within its vast range, the primitive prime
I'm pies Of law, physic and divinity. The doc
s a' trne of rotation may with both saret
for. o,,,,.a ho a,i;,, - 80 r, q,
"'S' holder, with plenty 10 receive and nothing
'o'' do bu, in my opipon il is sheer folly an
va madness TO apply il TO men who have
'e~ study, experience, and natural gifts, becom
ech able Legislators. The reason why the Soni
'"g and West have had such prepo6dera,u
influence in our national affairs is, iha, Il
The people of those sections of the country whe
ON they succeed in eectng good man 10 Coz
Ger. gress, they take good care to encourage, 70
orr. ter aud sustain him and 10 retain him lon
o,. enough in office to obtain a national inluenc
,in and national reputation If The doctrine
10y rotating an NJ c., out of Congress every fo'
,h,. years had prevailed there, we should nev'
have heard Of our Clays ,Calhouns, Benton
Forsylhs, McDuffies, Kings, Ctiuendens, an
other illusrious names.
The season here is cold and backward,
'"' Congress is doing - nothing. Everl
. thing, it seen, must be postponed until II
ESQ dog days. c. f. j.
, Law OF DESCENT IN UTAH.-.ln Utah, Q
j. The death of man, his property descends
The Mormon Church, his wives aud chIldre
mol being recognized as heirs. The chuTc
,,o,- is the sole heir of all property.
ihs