Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-01-15
1irect tendency to deter canitalists from com

direct tendency to deter capitalists from COM
mencing those very necessary improvements,
without which we would be comparatively iso
lated; and is unjust, because it interferes with
! rights already guaranteed by the State. and
/ by which action individuals may become suffer-
ers. regret that have not more substantial
data at command by which the rate of Increase
! in the business of the roads now in operation
I in our State, could be accurately exhibited
From such as have been able to obtain, l am
satisfied that, during The past year. it has been
nearly fifty per cent. IN the amount of legiti-
mate business yielding receipts. Those now in
operation in our State, although their cost of
construction is but compared with most eastern
roads, yield, as has been ascertained, far great
er net earnings in proportion to their ex
tent.
This is gratifying and not only furnishes
! strong assurance of the safety of such invest
ments in our State. but affords ample grounds
for the opinion that every legitimate enterprise
ofthe character referred to, win, in consequence
be ultimately carried forward to completion
That this will be result am confident, provi-
ded the Legislature does not throw unnecessary
obstacles IN the way, Or engeDder feeling OF
insecurity in capitalists by reckless Legislation
or direct interference with chartered rights.
| deemed II my duty, as l have on all occa-
sions like the present, to urge upon the last
Legislature the propriety Of memoriaizing Con-
gress IN relation to the Improvement OF our
rivers and harhors by appropriations for that
purpose by the General Government. That
body, however neglected to act in accordance
with my recommendation, and no step was ia
ken in relation to it. / trust that sou will not
omit TO forward respectful memorial upon
this subject, setting forth our views and wishes
relative to the same, and urging Congress Ell
Their to grant us the means necessary to the at
tainment of the end sought, or remove those
disabilities under which we now labor, and
which are etfectually in preventing our remed
wing the evils ourselves.
There seems to me to be peculiar impro-
riety in the course thus far pursued by the
General Government towards the Northwestern
/, States Of the Union in this respect While our
f commerce is suffering from the drnger inseper-
able to exposed navigation, and the vast inter-
ests of the whole lake trade ieoparded to I'M
necessary degree thereby, Congress has, While
continuing to make appropriations to assist the
sea board, neglected to FURNISH means in any
degree adequate TO answer the demand: which
the West have felt justified in urging upon it,
The injustice Of such denial would be less
apparent if Congress would place those States
more Immediately interested, III an attitude
winch wonid enable them to carry forward
the necessary Improvements themselves.
But such q course of policy has been pur-
sued by the General government thus far, that
while we IN common with the entire west, have
paid our proportion of the amount adequate
to prosecute to completion those works OF i'm
provement deemed necessary for The sea board,
we have only been denied the same privilege
Of calling uuon the National Treasury for our
immediate benefit, but we have been, and are.
resting under disabilities which only Congress
have it III their power to remove. and which in
al Lott
Of Improvements required for the safety and
convenience of our own commercial interests.
The commerce Of the great Lakes has long
since attained national consequence and the
interests Of the east and the whole country are
interviewer by its relations to a degree that
must necessarily be affected by every disaster
to il. Thus far, we have had butlittIe TO thank
the General Government for, save those bcne-
+. hts resulting from Democratic Institutions, and
of which we are al the common recipients
/ Saving those embraced in donations for sDecial
/ purposes, we have paid into the L. 5. Treasury
the fixed value Of every acre OF land now or
! heretofore owned by the State or its citizens
and OF this amount thus promptly advanced
the whole country has received the benefit
These reflections are rendered yet more calling
by the fact that while other States have been
admitted upon Il much more liberal footing
with regard 10 The public lands we have been
. aItEGDTi3tlGIlS
we consider our due, but also those MONEYS be-
longing to the State by the plauest principles
of equity, have been withheld for reasons en-
tircly insufficient and unsatisfactory
The General Government still owns nearly
or quite onc-thrd Of the domain. embraced
4 within the boundaries of the State. while it
does not afford any assistance to orr treasury.
or Tighten in the smallest degree the burdens
Of ourtaxaton. trust that these facts viii be
by you fully expressed in a memorial 20 Con
gress upon this subject, and that YOU will urge
our representatives there to be more PROMPT
and efficient action than heretofore has been
aroused, with but few exceptions, in our be
half
In this connection | viii also recommend
your memoralizing Congress upon another sub
iect, which in my judgement may be in the En-
tUle Of visit OF vast importance not only to our
own State but 10 the entire country | refer
to the projected Railroad to the Pacific /
know Of no interprizc SO well calculated to add
to the resources Of tho whole country. nor any
which can approximate to it in the rapiditv
with which it would envelope the same. Ii
would become, literally a Highway of Ma
tons, and the treasures OF either hemisphere
would seek passage across ii, TO find their
mart on the other The increase of material
wealth in the country by the opening up of the
almost boundless regions OF the y est will set
calculation to defiance, and while this will add
to our power people, it win furnish anoth-
CT link in the chain which binds US together as
a common whole. As this is matterin which
the entire Union is concerned, it might not be
thought pl oper to indicate in the memorial any
particular locality for either the terminus or
route to be pursuedby the same. l have how
rver, given the subject some attention, and
have arrived to the conclusion that the most
favorable route, taking every subject into oon-
sideration, must start from the some point on
the Lakes, or at the head waters of our west
en rivers and connecting with the Lakes
It's from thence that produts of the eastern
countries, crossing ourContinent rs well as those
the growth four own soil and labor can radiate
to every point of CONSCIENCE in the Union more
readily by means Of the extensive wafer comnu-
mcatlon there afforded, and the chain ofraroad
also brought in connection, than from any other