Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-12-24
DEFERRED ARTICLES

HE NIAGARA SHIP CANAL.-Beloy the read
er will find communicative from a gentleman
connected with the distant press, for the truth
Of which he vOuches. We confess to no know
leGge OF the facts involved in the case and
publish his statement concerning the scheme
IN question simply by way of elieiting due in
Iuiry on the part of Congress into the propri-
ETY. Of the proposition to donate a large portion
of the public domain in nominal aid Of the
construction of this particular work. 1t is
very certain that immense quantities-almost
Prineipalitles IN themselves-of the public land
arc given away nOminally in the construction
Of internal improvements, some of which have
proved useless, while others have turned out to
be little better than schemes to enable few
soheming adventures to clutch fortunes thus
donated. Ii may be that the work in question
deserves the patronage of the Government, as
about to he asked for it. If so, it will afford
us great pleasure TO see the fact demonstrated
70 the satisfaction Of Congress. Nevertheless,
we deem 1t our duty to publish this communi-
cltson by way of securing thorough investi-
CATION Of the subject:
The pToJsf of Il ship canal around Niagara
Falls, upon the American side, is among the
schemes which 4 company Of adventu ers now
present
Congress. The modest fOrayiSts upon the re-
sources of the country to whom re ference is made
Will ask that there be sliced of and appropriated
TO them million of acres uf the publ ic domain
a. alt To their enterprise, upon the very plausi-
ble condition that the canal, when completed,
shall he forever free TO the Government Of the
United States
u deserves to be known aud the attention Of
Congress in particular should he called To the
fact, that the Niagara Ship Canal project rests
upon no real responsibility whatever; that the
in no of
ana the true ps ties In the interest, are broken
down operators, who now need the name of the
United states Government as an endorsement to
give them further opportunity to speculate out Of
d too cTedulOuS and considering public.
financial history, founded on the exploded
Cochltudte Bank Of Boston, and including
dfY concerns of kindred termination, bears i'm
PresSlvely upon the heme under notice A sim
Elr page in that history, furnished by the records
cf the supreme Court Of the State of New York,
IN one OF the western districts, presents the as
founding and warning facts-that, in the name of
project similar to that of this ship canal. one
HEHdTfa and tt1.Hty-oRs thousand Sis hundred
oHd hfty-SII dollars were obtained, and of that
large amount only about fourteen huadysd and
ftcsHfg-nrs dollars were ever paid And this is
out part, an item only in a prOtracted list, of
The operations kindred in character) which un-
der cover or credit of legislative grants have been
carried on TO win money from the members of
various communities by chief promoter of the
ship canal.
Parties who can so obtain money, il may well
be supposed, can afford to employ men to lobby.
BY reason of such skill in them in turning tue
sanction OF legal grants to individual account,
the earnestneSs and pertinacity which distin-
SniSheS them excftes no surprise Ii has not
therefore, astonished those informed i'm the prem
i'-s, that very prominent Democratic Senator
was recently approached on the subject of the
snip canal, at his Western home, in order 10 Sc
cure for u his favor, and through him, the favor
OF our Chief Mag gistrate, in 80 far to gain for
II cOnmendation by him in his message to Con-
g'ess But; it l. gratifying to know that the Sen
dtor applied To either was not sufficiently impres-
sible to be so influenced the financial foraysts
hoped he would be or that the President was
found to be Of stuff too stern to be wrong ht upon
Tor such purpose. even by one 50 near him, and
oi >o marked distinction. For the end sought
waS not attained; the President ignored the en-
10 II hoped the members Of Congress will as
P.OiuSelY regard the foundation OF every appli-
cation for their f4vors, and earnestly and ex-
dctE ScTutihIZs the TeSpOnSisility With the par
ucula' aim of parties asking their favor, and as
wholly and boldly ignore every SC heme proposed
% Them, which shall 80 clearly be found to rest
on The mere private interest of lobby adVentuT-
"fs No matter what the merit in any given
project, IL in the hands in which il appears and
Oy the parties moving IL, there shall be good
ground for believing that in its name, a. thus
pdtiOTward, the public is simply to be plundessd,
the government of its resources, and Individuals
oi their means, by factit Gus credit 50 impaired
10 dl12ulSlng or fraudulent men, then the duty
"t our Legislators, most unqueStionably. is to
send the applicants empty away.
This was the principle acted on in the of
the first Minnesota land bill last winter, and the
PrOPle are concerned in its being maintained by
the present Congress.
There are other schemes In hand to be proposed
f0E the favor OF Congress, eminently entitled
10 De laid bare this OF the Niagara ship canal.
which shall each in its order, in due time be no
tced, aad always with records to fOrtify. and
upon the responsibility Of watchman upon their
walls VIGILIUs.
EIRGISIA-The New York Journal of Conn
recently contained letter from Norfolk,
" 6