The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-11-10
rrrwe had little thought of being drawn into


remarks on the controversy between the City
Council and Straight Line Railroad, and still
further was it from our intention to say any,
thing that could be construed into a lack of
personal respect for the members of the City
Council individually, who are gentlemen, in
their private walks, commanding the esteem
and respect Of the entire community. We
said nothing ourselves of them personally or
as a body We stated what we imagined
strangers abfoad-who neither knew the men
nor understood their motives-would say of
the Council and city, upon the issue between
the Council aud the Road, as presented by the
Council itself he reasons of the report,
were wholly inadequate to justify, in our
view, the refusal Of the Council and we have
not since been able to discover anything in it
to change our first opinions. Nor do we think
that Judge Foster has mended the natter
He has failed to add any force, by new facts
or arguments, to his original report We OBJ
iected to the report, not for what we found in
it. but for what it did not contain-sound argu-
ments and conclusive reasons. There were
no monsters in it for US to demolsh. Hap
Ply would it have been perhaps, for the fair
fame of the city, if the committee could have
conjured up respectable bugbear, at which,
they could have affected some rational fright
The world might then have thought it the
natural timidity of old gentlemen.
Plaindealing is certainly in public affairs
ifnot in private-the best policy. 1t is evi-
dent to every one Of candor that the city
have no good legal defence for refusing the
delivery of the bonds. The city has subscrib-
ed for 100000 Of stock, which it has agreed
to pay for, with its bonds. When called upon
to pay its subscription, it refuses to give its
bonds; and to justify its refusal, assigns incon-
elusive and frivolous reasons which no lawyer
would risk his reputation. in saying were of
any legal validity. Now what would the
world say of any individual who had entered
into contract with others to carry on an en-
terprise, and had agreed to contribute his notes
for certain amount, to the general fund; and
when called on to give the notes, and, without
being able to give any satisfactory reason,
should withhold them-would it not be said
he repudiated? And how much less discredit-
able would it be in him to repudate the con-
tract, than to repudiate the notes. after they
were given? Would his notes, extorted from
him by decree Of court against his will, be
as ssleahe in the market, as if voluntarily
given? Would not the purchaser of notes say
to himself, if this man has attempted to avoid
giving the notes under fair valid contract, he
will certainly evade, if possible, the payment
Of them. Can there be any other mode OF
reasoning among sensible men? The city
now stands in this posture, before the world;
and very great damage has already been
done to the cty's credit, and to the interests
Of the road, and we ought to do all we can to
repair it.
The error we conceive, has been in not de-
claring the real reason Of the committee, for
the refusal of the Bonds which they have
not had caudor or resolution enough to avow;
and which is q distrust of Mr.. Carpenter and
Smiths management of the affairs of the
road. If this had been openly avowed, it
would have saved the city's credit, and the
character of the enterprise. Then the true
question would have been presented to the
citizens. It would have been question Of
confidence in the honor, integrity and capaci-
ty Of the men to manage the enterprise and
the people would have asked themselves,
whether more efficient laborious and faithful
men could be found to complete the undertake
ing-for onward it must go, if it sinks five
times what it has cost; to stop is fatal to the
prosperity of the city. And this is the ques-
ton now before the people; it will be a YER
dict of the people upon the private complaints,
the secret insinuations, and the open charges
against Mr.. Carpenter and Mr.. Smith. If they
are guilty let them be condemned. But if they
are laboring for the public good, and are, as
they profess, beneactors of their fellow-citi-
zens. every man should boldly and resolutely
defend them. There can be no more MOI tai
or wicked stab at the welfare Of communi-
ty, than to have all the efforts and labors Of
its public spirited citizens-those whose views
of their own interests, are broad enough TO
comprehend the "hoIe Interests Oh Ile cIty
and State--paralyzed and thwarted by
false charges and SANDER. He who prowls
among us at midnight, with the incendiary's
match TO envelope in destruction the fortunes
of citizens, and the lives of unconscious inno-
eence, is not &c be so much dreaded-is not
SO dangerous an enemy to the public good, as
ne who destroys the just confidence of the
public in It's citizens---or of man in manly
falsehoods and defamation. Denounce to the