Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1856-01-17


mands which the West have felt justified in urg-.
ing upon it. The injustice of such denial would
be less apparent if Congress would place those
States more Immediately interested, III an attl-
tude which would enable them TO carry forward
the necessary Improvements themselves: but
such course of policy has been pursued by the
General Government thus far, that while we, IN
common with the entire West, have paid CIR pro-
portion Of the amount adequate to prosecute to
completion those works OF improvement deemed
necessary for the seaboard, We have not only
been denied the same privilege OF calling upon
the National Treasury for our immediate dement,,
but have been and are resting under dlsaDlaties
which only Congress have il in their power tore
move, and which interpose an eHectual bafrler 70
the completion of improvements required for the
safety and convenience Of our own commerciai
interests.
Thecomnerce of the great Lakes has long since
attained national consequence, and the interest
of the East and the whole country are interwo'
ven by its relations to degree that must neces-
sariiy be affected by every disaster to It. mus
far I'VE have had bu. little to thank the General
Government for, save those benefits resulting
from Democratic institutions, and OF winch we
are all the common recipients. Saving those emf
braced III donations for special purposes, we nave
paid into the L. S Treasury the fixed value OF
every acre of land now or heretofore owned by
the State or It's citizens and of this amount thus
liptbFl!y uEtICtU, the NiIoG A'N| 4SN~A
we'd the benefit. These reflections arc yet more
CALLING by the fact that while other States have
been admitted upon a much more liberal footing,
with regard to the public lands, we have been de-
nie1 not only the necessary appropriations we
consider our due, but also those moneys belong
ing to the State by the plainest principles ofequl-
tv, have been withheld for reasons entirely in
sufficient and unsatisfactory.
The general government still owns nearly or
quite onc-thrd of the domain, embraced within
the boundaries of the State while it does not nj
ford any assistance TO treasury, or tighten, IN
the smallest degree, the burdens OF ourtaXation
trust these facts will be by you fully expressed
in a memorial to Congress upon this subject, "
| that you will urge our representatives there TO
more prompt ana efficient action than heretofore
has been aroused, with but few exceptions, in
our behalf
In this connection will also recommend your
I mcmorializing Congress upon another subject,
which in my Judgment may be in the future OF
vast Importance, not only to our own state, but
to the entire country. | refer to the projected
Railroad to the shores of the Pacific. know OF
no enterprise SO well calculated to add to the re-
sources of the whole country, nor any which CAP
approximate to ii in the rapidity with which 1t
would develope the same. II would become ut
orally Highway of Nations and the treasures
Of either hemisphere would seek passage across
it, to find their mart in the other. The increase
VI IItCltitL NCtll III tG country ny iiC
up of the almost boundlcss regions ofthe West,
will set calculation at defiance, and while this
viii add to our power people, 1t will also FUR
nish another link in the chain which binds us To-
gethcr a common whole. As this is matter in
which the entire Union is concerned, it might not
/ be tho't proper to indicate in the memorial any
particular locality for either the terminus or route
to be pursued by the same. have, however,
given the subject some attention, and have arriy-
/ cd ut the conclusion that the most favorable route
taking every subject into consideration, must
start from some point on the Lakes, or at the
head waters OF our Western rivers, and connect
! ing with the Lakes 1t is from thence that the
products OF the Eastern countries, crossing our
Continent, as well as those the growth OF our own
soil and labor, can rad:ate to every point of con-
sequence i'll the Union more readily, by means OF
/ the extensive water communications there afford
ed, and the chain ofralroadS also brought III con-
nection, than from any other point which can be
designated upon the map of the western country
/ | would cali the attention to the fact that for
a long time past attempts have been made by law
| less individuals to destroy lives and property by
/ placing Instructions upon the tracks OF railroads
and in some instances a serious destruction OF
! property has been caused by such means, though
! fortunately no lives have been sacrificed. This
! is 4 matter which demands year attention III
once, and by the imposition g~hcavy fines and
( the confinement Of the offenders for n long term
in the state county prisons, you may possibly
do much towards checking the spirit of whole
sale destruction aud murder which has thus been
exhibited
Numerous Military Companies arc being form
ed throughout the State, and the applications for
! arms and equipments have exceeded the supply
furnished by the General Government. The spir
: it thus evinced it would be well to foster and by
the code of laws applicable more particularly to
the uniformed military, render It still more use
f,ll if called upon to act. The arms furnishedby
the t. :. Government consisting of ordnance
stores adantcd to tl"ir wants, are of 4 superior
quality and enough has acady been supplied us
to furnish very re pc table force with the vari-
ous munitions of wor. In order to render the
Military Companic. entitled 20 the use of these
arms OF essential service III time of need, it is
highly necessary that some system applicable to
them he devised and adopted by the Legislature.
| DO not recommend the passage Of q law which
would involve any constable consumption of
/ time or money by those composing the different
companies, but have no doubt that asimple code
free from such objections, and binding upon those
enrolling themselves, could be framed, which
would add greatly to the cffciciencv of the mill
tary i'll every respect, should anemergcncy arise
calling Tor their intervention. The power OF the
various military ard civil officers of the State to
control the force Of the former under our inlper-
feet system, is liable to be brought in question,
and serious evils may possibly arise tharefrom.
Where the officer is made full to understand the
limit Of his power and the soldier the certain eX
tent of his duty, We may readily count upon eff
tcctUal service from both.
trust that any further legislation upon the
subject Of Prohibitory Liquor Law will be dis
countenanccd by you. The experience of other
States has clearly demonstrated the inutility and
vicious tendency of such laws, wherever there
has been an endeavor TO enforce them, and the
highest judicial tribunals therein have opon the
fullest examination, decided the very principle
of prohibition, as well as the coRcomitant provis-
ions necessary to its enforcement, to be in viola
ton OF some of the most cherished rights of the
people. ] do not believe that any law which
would prove etficacious preventive to the
use of wines and liquors, can be so framed as not
to interfere materially with those privileges or
natural rights which the citizen retains to himself
under our constitutions; and am further of opin-
on that if 1T were possible TO avoid these ohlec-
tons Judging from the experience of other States
the evils sought to be cured would not be rem
edied in any material degree by such enactments.
On the other hand, l ami firmly convinced that
they would only tend TO increase the very evils
they attempt to prevent, by substituting egisla-
ton in place of the power which puohc.opImon
and innate moral sense should exert, and which
can alone ever prove sufficiently powerful to at
tain the end sought by such laws. n attempts
at compulsory measures have proved successful
tho II rot