The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1856-03-06
From the Cincinnati Gazette.
The Mastadon Swindle.

From the Cincinnati Gazette.
The Mastadon Swindle.
We have seen in some papers within
few DAYS, that the Senate of Ohio have
passed resolution in favor of having
Congress repeal the duties, which have
bel paid since 1850, upon railroad
iron, and if we are mistaken, to suspend
the payment of duties upon railroad iron
TOR two years to CONS, which simply
means that for eight years the legitimate
duties levied upon railrovd iron shall, in
stead Of remaining where they belong,
in the National Treasury, be tranferred
to the pockets of foreign stock and bond
holders, railroad companies. and Wall
street SPECTATORS. Since the formation
Of our government, no scheme of public
plander for pri vate asgrandizement has
approached this in magnitude and impor-
sance. In compariss n with this, even
the Collins line bill, vetoed, and justly
So by the President during the last ses
sion dwarfs into insiYnifgance.
w 10 not know, and we do not
care, who was the originator of the Ohio
Senate resolution. Neither do we know
who vottd for it, or who voted a.aius.
it, 1t is sufficient for us to know that
such a resolution has been passed. and
because that it has, We raise our voice A.
gainst it. Ii those who voted for it had in.
vestigated the subject--had given IT the
consideration which its Importance de-
mands, we are satisfied that it would
have died the Death OF ignominy that it
deserved.
. If our Government is ever overturned,
and representative government become a
bye word and scorn, it will be because
of the corruption which it engenders. the
isolated locality Of Washington; the mean
ness and ioadyism which beset the path
way of Congr ssman in that District the
army of loafers and lobbyers, the mere
tieankers of a long peace and a calm world
which throng the highways and by ways
approaching the capital; the abject fun.
keyism, and the open. bald faced. rotten
corruption everywhere visible; the inhuen
cos of naanoy, end tire Embellishments Of
butterfly society; all tend to the down
ward path of simple. pure republicanism,
and the decentralization OF national legis-
lation. And there is no remedy for il
but in the pure morality of the people,
and Determined purpose on their part
to resist the eevil, and hurs their ven
geance against those who have betrayed
their confidence, and "flled their m nds'
with bribes of filthy luere. spG
I, The matter Of refunding the duties up
on railroad iron had its origin in that hot
bed of impurity and corruption, Wall
treet; two years ago. The object of il
as to take from the nationsl Treasury
f,centy millions of dollars, and place it in
d. thepock't~ ofrailroad stockholders, Euro
pean bond holders and Wall street agents
and specuators. Two years ago the
scheme was concocted, and corps oil
.defunct politicians am used-up members
OF Congress were installed committee to
lobby the thing through. Men who had
all their lives been in5favor of protection
10 American industry hired themseIve.
TO work the destruction of one of the
most useful branches OF ofAmerican labor,
namely. the railroad iron business. Men
who invested their all in the business:
who bad, b, their liber,lty and enter
prise. opened the faliow mines of coal &
iron, erected forgts, given work TO men
in want oft. builtnp villages, and in va.
srious ways contributed to the material
) wealth and permanent prosperity Of the
country were to be betrayed and ruined
/ by the passage of just such law as the
Senate of Ohio has declared itself in favo,
Of having passed by Congress. the effec,
(which would be emphatically to make
The. rich richer and the poor poorer.
j A circular, addressed to the various
railroad companies of the United States,
dated New York, March 2lst, 1854, a.
. mong other things, says: A.fT
asis ''To make provisions for the expenses
unavoidably incident to the prosecution
OF the measure, it was agreed at the meet
ing that each company coming into the
al RAM cement li5uIdi advance, for tbi,
purpose, the sum OF 800. and that If
case ofsuccess, there should be paid by
each company to tie Committee, for the
further expenses that may be incurred