Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-03-22
NO. XVIII.

Cdli HIdkc HUES uponey ~ ih'eShh6 q" s"Ss~
lands than can be made BY investments IN
Eoiher speealations? Nothing has carried
them into the, new States but the hope Of
gain.
Lot me tell the gsstfeman from the west
one thing that will grow out of the policy
pursued by them in reference 10 these land
grants. You grant them to The State to be
sure. bat when so granted, the land imme-
diately passes out of their hands into the
grasp Of soulless corporations. What will
be the resafts These corporations, invest
ed with their great powers, are to have the
benefit Of all these lands, and the control Of
all these Improvements. They are to have
the power OF disposing of them; and the
result will be, that We shall bear against
them the same complaint in regard to with
holding the public lands from market, which
has been made against the government by
gentlemen on this floor. What restrictions
do they impose in regard to The sale Of the
lands Do they say that they shall sell
them TO actual settlers, or sell them within
given time, Nothing of that sort. The
result will be, then, that these corporations
will become oppressive. They will war
upon everything that crosses their path, In
order to make the most money by the heart
less abuse of the power placed in their
h1nds, Inliscreetly, as think, by these
legislative acts. And ] shall be surprised
if, in the course of very few years, We
do not find some of these gentlemen pro-
claiming doctrine which they regarded
many years ago as remarkably odious-the
doctrine Of charter brea aking, started by Mr.
Dallas, of Pennsylvania.
The burden will grow ntolerable, and
they will desire TO getrid oft. And in or
der to get rid oft, they will ask repeal
be repealed if they get the desired relief.
I shall be surprised if such is not the result.
| confidently expect it; and if the burden
were upon any people other than those who
made the bargain, do not know but ]
should clap them on the back, and applaud
them for attempting to relieve themselves
from it But they have made their bed, and
so let them lie.
Now, sir in regard to this Illinois char.
ter; refer to it again for hepurpose Of show
ing that it is somewhat differen! charter
from the one which is proposed in this act,
the Illinois railroad charter is for "a grant
of lands 10 the State OF Illinois for the con-
structing of railroad from the southern
terminus of the Illinois and Michigan ca
nal to point at or near the junction the
Ohio and Missippi rivers, with branch Of
the same 10 Chicago, on Lake Michigan.
&C."
Well now, what does this bill proposel
THAT there be and is hereby granted TO
the State of Wisconsin for the purpose Of
aiding in the construction Of railroad from
near The boundary Of said State, east Of
range thirteen, by way of Janesrilie, in Roek
county and Fond du Lac, on Lake Winne.
bago, TO such point on Lake Superior as may
be designated under the authority Of said
State, and for the construction of branch
railroad from Janesville, by way Of Madi-
son" &c.
Now, why does not this road run from
Chicago to its terminus on Lake Superior
by the most direct line! Is it necessary
to run northwest for eighty or ninety miles.
and then zig-xag, and then northwest again
to Lake Superior! If the road were run
straight from Chicago, the distance would
PROBABLY be one hundred and fifty or two
hundred miles less than by the proposed
route
Mr.. COBB. Gnterrupting.) Yes; but
that route IS perhaps impracticable.
Mr.LETCHER. Oh, no doubt: of course
it is mpracticable, when the company want
to make war on these lake shore towns for
the benefit of Chicago. 1t was that which
made it impracticable. There cannot be
any other reason for their running the road
IN the manner they propose. But that is
impracticable, how do they expect to get
up to the Falls of St. Croix nver BY the
Ohio line'
Mr.. COBB. To run round it.
Mr.. LETCHER., Yet they propose to
run one line of the Rock River Union Val.
ley railroad to the falls of ST. Croix, and the
other to the point on Lake Superior but
neither of these roads can be run in d.
rect line for the greater part of the distance.
They can run an airline from JanesvilIe to
Chicago, or from Janesville to Fond du
Lac, where there are no public lands but
whenever they come to the public lands,
they run to the best advantage for the in.
terests of the company.
Then it is matter which is TO profit
them. Then they begin to see what is to
be had when they get to that point. There
is nothing to be had below it; why then
run by this circuitous route to Fond du Laca
They run the road in the manner pointed
out from their desire to withdraw trade from
the lake shore towns, that they may take
it to Chicago and reap the profits of its
transportation. If it comes down by the
Lake Shore railroad, i'll passes these towns.
Trade would most probably stop at some
one of them. The Lake Shore railroad is
now iE progress, and portion of it has
been graded. Other portions have been
contracted for. And yet these gentlemen
tell US that this road, almost straight, and
which is forty or fifty miles shorter than
the road proposed, and which runs from
Chicago to Fond du Lac, is of no conse.
quence, and gravely insist upon it that Con.
gress must make this road for their accom-. {,
mediation, although in so doing they serl.
ously injure the interests of those who have
invested their money in the Lake Shore
road, and as seriously injure the trade of
Milwaukee and the other lake shore cities
and towns. Is it not asking too much,
Now, sir, cannot understand these
things 1t strikes me that any man who
will reflect, and will look at the causes
which regulate the conduct of men and con.
troll their actions must come TO the conclu.
sion that there is something in this matter
which demands and requires some moro
satisfactory explanation than has vet been
given. 80