The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-01-17
les. Boys whose minds and characters are

society. Whereas, if these youths were
placed at an institution admitting none but
Juveniles, under the care and supervision OF
judicious teachers, and there taught, not
only the ordinary branches Of education,
but those principles which lie at the founda
ton of all excellence in character, they might
be reclaimed Of their vicious habits and re-
stored to socidty, prepared to bee pine its or
nsmcnts and support. / commend this sub
iect to your attentive consideration
Our Common School Law, though estab-
lished on correct basis. is yet found in some
of its details, embarrassing and almost I'M
practicable. Itr,guires careful revision, and
| refer you to the very excellent and ex-
tended report Of the late Superintendent OF
Schools for the particulars in which II is
dcemsd defective, in the hope that you Will
be able so to amend it as to remove all ditfl-
Guilty connected with its successful admins
tratien.
Our present system Of Banking Laws
operates as well, perhaps, A. We had any
reason to anticipate, yet it has hardly been
tested sufficiently to authorize . decided
opinion as to what its effect may be upon
the business Of cur people in times OF gene
raj pecuniary embarrassment and distress.
| would suggest such amendment OF those
laws as experience may have shown to be
necessary for the safety of bill holders, but
without any material increase Of the powers
of Banking Corporations.
The inhabitants Of our State were, in &C
cordsnce with the requirements Of the Con
stitntion enumerated in the year 1855. 1t
will therefore devolve upon you to form new
Senatorial and Representative Districts, SO
as TO give the several portions of sur State
th.ir just share Of the legislation OF the
country. A proper regard for the rights oil
the people, as well as the great principle OF
equal representation, which undsrlss all our
republican Institutions, would Of itself die
tate the necessity OF 50 adjusting, frem time
to time, the representation of constituencies,
"a to prevent the great inequality which
arises SO often in 4 country augmenting in
population so rapidly as ours. The trainers
o! our Constitution, acting upon the juxt'and
popular principle Of equal representation,
have provided that the Legislature shall. at
ia nsxt regular sess ION after an enumeration
has taken place. afportion the State into
new stricts. In performing this impera-
tire duty, it may be well to consider whether
the very large increase of population in our
State since the Constitution was adopted,
amounting to more than half million Of
people, does not require an increase OF the
number OF Representatives, as provided by
the Constitution, would recon- mend such
an increase, rs not only dictated by consider
atoms of convenience, but, also, as matter
Of popular rights.
TIE Illinois Central Railroad Company,
having obtained for the pUrposcof the con
struction Of that read, The large body Of
land granted to the State by the Genera
Government, ard having in rtturn under
taken certain obligations toward the State
and the people, claims for that reason, the
particular attention Of our Legislative and
Executive Departments The fat,ering terms
in which my distinguished pred eccssor has
spoken OF this enterprise, are, inI NY opinion
well deserved. believe the work, when
fully accom- lished, VIII stand unr!val!ed,
even in cur country, prererbisilb renowned
for bold and gigantic undertakings. L. is
proud monument Of the .kj.l, sacacity and
enlightened views Of those who conceived
and nave thus far executed H. The pscuni-
AIRY benefits 10 our State Treasury arising
from the arrangement between the State and
tie Company, are unInistskably great, pro-
missing they do a, no distant day, entirely
to relieve our citizens of taxation for State
purposes. But the beneficial elects CT this
great enterprise, upon the business OF the
people at large, and more particularly that
portion Of them in Southern I.lineis, who
have heretofore laboIed under such serious
difficulties in reference TO mar kets, and com
merc;al Intercourse, but who viii soon rival
in all the elements OF greatness, their hther-
"a moro favored friivw CiI1zeUs,-aTc almost
incaleulable. have the fullest couiidsnce
that you viii extend every reasonable hcili-
ty TO this Company in the prosecution OF its
fterprlse-wh.le al the same time you will
guard with the utmost caution the rights CT
the people IN this behalf
IL IS but reasonable, pc; haps, that should
Lerc avail myself Of the opportunity Of dis
ungu'shing certain individuals who were
prominent in the inception OF this great ca
terprise. To Morris kctchum, George Girls
VOID, David y. Neal and Jonathan S:urgs
are We mainly indebted for the successful
carrying out Of this great project. Mr..
ketcAual, especially, was as active as he WAS
efficient IN organizing the company, and in
derising ways and means ior the prosecution
Of the work. In these things he was ably
sustained By the other genticmea named.
And on more than one occasion when tAe
prospects OF the enterprise were sh-oaded in
gloom and doubt, and when nothing but the
most bold and skilful policy could have saved
it, these gentlemen risked their own private
means 20 an extent which, had the enter
prise failed, would have involved, some Of
them at least, in irrepxrable ruin. | take
q
mer before the State in the light which
know is proper one, that our people in fu-
ture, may never forget to whom they are
most justly indebted for the great work of
the Central Railroad.
In rejecting upon the various causes Of
oui almost unparalleled prosperity as State,
ought never TO forget that a highly in
telligent and industrious emigration has ma
teray aided US in successfully developing
the rich resources of our soil, and building
up our cities and villages. The spirit Of our
National and State Constitutions, and the
wholesome laws enacted in the early stages
Of our history, extend to emigrants, after .
reasonable time amongst us, if not all, yet
ma.y and practically the most important
right, Of full citizenship. In the firm be-
lief that The wise policy Of our great states
men is not only just in itself, but eminently
adaptedfto inspire tae settlers from foreign
lands with attachment to our common coun-
try and Its benign institutions, and to ex-
t;nsuish amongst them feelings Of prejudice
and separate nationality, congratulate my
fellow citizens, so large a portion Of whom
have come from distant lands, upon the re-
turning spirit of harmony and kindness, be-
tween all classes Of society, which but re-
Gently seemed, from a combination Of causes,
threatened with permanent disturbance.
The question Of the extension of slavery
into our new National Territory, although
not forming any part of State politics, was
nevertheless so prominent feature in the
late canvass, as to create the expectation,
perhaps, that should, on this occasion, say
something concerning it.
Up TO the time of the repeal Of the Mis-
sour Compromise, had ever considered the
existence of Slavery within the United States
as an anomaly in our Republican system,
tolerated by necessity springing from the
actual presence Of the institution among US
when our Constitution was adopted.