The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1857-04-02

10 will not do for us to cvade that res.
possibility, by turning that matter over
to the Courts thereby giving this great
combination an opportunity TO manage
and pettifog their cases through by
means Of eminent legal aid. and n cor
ruption fund of 1921 600. obtained from
the State by fraud and disregard of law.
What chance, Mr. President do Won
suppose the State will stand in contest
with such q combination2 None at all.
sir. Could have my way, 7 would fol-
low the example Of New York under
very similar circumstances. The Leo
islaturo of that State, being convinced
that the contracts for cularginp her ca
mails TO the amount of some Ss 600 OOn
had been let under a combination like
the one here developed set them all
aside and re-let the works. The poo.
pie approved the act. It was just, and
the only adequate remedy I am not
aware, sir, that the great State Of New
York lost any credit by it, or that sLa
was, in consequence Of the act. dis
graced in the eyes Of the world. L
think her bonds will yet sell for as
much in market as those of Ohio have
been sold for, Notwithstanding this
horrible act Of reputation. The Same
arguments were used there. in opposi-
ton to the measure, that are now used
here. Gentlemen abhorred the idea Of
the Legislature assuming judicial pow
ers The ghost of reputation was con-
Jurod up, and exhibited with all its
horrors and deformity. Some trem-
bled and others tainted, but the major.
ily pursued the even tenor of its way.
and repudiated the whole "batch" OF
fraudulent contracts; and strange TO
say, the State Of New York still sur
wives
There is one feature in the New York
case, which it may be we'll enough to
notice. The law under which their Ca.
nal Commissioners acted, did not REQUIRE
| the contracts to be let to the lowest res
Iponsble bidders, but "to such parties ps
should propose to perform the work on
/ terms the most safe and advantageous
to the state, having due regard to price,
the abilities Of the parties, and sccu-
rites offered in the performance there
OF. ct the contracts were not only
set aside, but one Of the Commission
ers impeached, for abusing this wide
discretion, in not letting the contracts
to the lowest responsible bidders, bav-
ing the ability to perform the work; and
this abuse of discretion was not any
more glaring than in the case which
is now before us for our action.
But the most curious phenomenon
! brought to view in this discussion, is
the position occupied by our friends.
the Democratic Senators. They eclipse
even the Senator from Franklin, in their
opposition to what is called Reputation.
and in their devotion to the sanctity of
contracts. 1t is queer to find these
Democrats, on these questions, battling
side by side with the Ajax of the old
Whig party. Fo. their benefit, 1 will
refer to few precedents, set by tie
Democratic party in the days of its gle
ry. A Democratic Legislature, in
1913, upon the petition Of the inhabi.
tants along the road repealed the char.
ter of the Columbus & Sandusky Turn
pike Company, and appropriated their
road to the public, on the ground that
the Company had forfeited their char
ter, No testimony was taken, and the
! Company was refused the privilege Of
going into Court to test the question:
The Company had built a road through
new country, expended a considerable
sum more than they hadreceivcdi in toll o,
otherwise All the stockholders ask, is
to be allowed to test the question Of
forfeiture, and if the Court decides that
the charter was not forfeited then that
/ the State make the stockholders whole
for the money expended in the con
struction Of the road Democratic
Senators will not grant the stockhold-
ers Of this Company the right to 20 in
to Court at all, but they are struck with
horror at the idea Of refusing to ap-
propriate money on fraudulent con
tracts, before they have been tested by
a Judicial trial
The proper officers Of State, in pursu-
ance of law, let out, by contract, the Leg
islative printing A Democratic House
Of Representatives, in the next Legis-
lature thereafter in violation of the
contract and Of the law directed their
clerk to give the printing to Medary,
| for no other reason than because tho
contractor was a Wing, and Medory o
| Democrat
In 1850, the Legislature authorized
the Governor to use such means as ho
might think best, to obtain certain lands
from the United States; provided that
the expense should not be charged to
the Treasury. The resolution evident
ly intended to give the Governor author.
ity to make a contract, with somebody,
to give a share Of the lands as a COM
lpensatioa. The Governor made such a
contract with John w. Allen, and
large amount of lands were acquired,
which never would have been acquired
in any other way, Gov. Wood, in his
message of 1852, says; Gle (Allen)
has performed important services, had
it not been for which, the State would
have been without all she has gained
by them, perhaps forever" Yet, the
Democratic Legislature Of 1872 passed
a resolution repudiadug the contract,
without providing for a judicial decis,
ion upon it, They not only repudia-
ted the contract, but took the benefit
of Mr.. Aliens important services, with
out Offering to pay him, or compensate
him in any way.
But, notwithstanding these Demo