Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-01-22
PLYMOUTH INDIANA, THURSDAY JANUARY %, 1851

y istra.ion Of voters. But the prsctic
n workings of registry laws, in other Slate
have failed 10 convince me of the ada,
tation of such laws to our community.
:, The officer making the registry is as liza
/. ble 10 be imposed upon as the Judges ,
2 our elections; and as wide field r.
{ fraud and corruption would be Opened
E as exists under the prerent system.
! A remedy for illegal voting may b
found: by requiring an actual residenc
in the township. or election precinct. Q
not less than sixty days priortc the tim
J of voting. and by the multiplying Q
: election districts; thereby avoiding IN
. collecting Of large bodies OF voters q
one place, and iessening the facili,ies 70
fraudulen, voting. Where lew voter
are csngregared at a single precinct
there will be little danger Of excited ,au,
angry feeling, he righ, of suffroes viii
be exercised with more freedom and de
liberation; and The voters will be NOR,
generally known 30 each other and TO ,h,
officers of the election. The penaltie,
for illegal voting and for aiding md abe,
ting ther,o. either by soIicits,ion. in
tinids,ion, or transportation, should b.
largely increased.
The practice OF betting upon election,
is great and growing evil. tending, more
shan any other cause, TO destroy The ru-
rity Of The ballot boz, and The prsc lice
should be visited with the severest pen
slties. The history OF the past year has
satisfied me that. unless some efrec,usl
means can be adopted to protect the cleo
live franchise from corruption and desc.
Grafton, our ins tftutions will soon be a,
the mercy OF an unlicensed meb.
The Report Of the Trustees of the Wa.
bash and Erie Canal will be laid before
you. /: will be seen that The Trustee,
have caused the standing timber on the
Birch Creek Reservoir, in Clay County.
10 BE- removed, at . very heavy expense !;
thus allaying all cause OF complaint on
the part Of the Inhabitants residing in
tho vicinity Of that work. Though the
best snedieai authorities reported. under
law OF the Legislature, that this stand
ing timber would not prove injurious
to the health Of the surrounding cors,,ry.
yet so completely did CONTRARY opinion
take possession Of the pubic mind IN that
vicinity. that. on two several occa sions,
since the last meeting Of the General As
sembly. that necessary feeder to the ca
nal was destroyed b, an armed mblage
Of portion Of the iuhabit,nis OF the
county. # 4x
These ousrsges wete promptly report
cd 10 this department. and lost no time
in adopting such measures as WERE in
my opinion. best calculated to re-estab-
lish the supremacy Of the laws in that
hitherto peaceful community. In the
exercise OF the power given BY the Con-
stitution, & proclamation was immediate.
lv issued; and other ouirsges being COM
mitted. and threatened. not only upon
the Canal. but on private property, an
adequate force was immediately dss-
patched to the scene Of lawiessness.-I
Determined to sustain the law, resto re
order. and. If possible. punish the ag
grsssors, my duty Was plaiu. Some ar
rests were made. and trials had. which |
resulted in tine discharge of ell the per.
sons implicated. Pence and order. how. |
ever, were restored and muin,sined.
As me only cause Of complaint Is now
removed, may we not hope that the peo-
pie in the neighborhood Of this Rsser.
voir. as well ss ell other citizens, will
refrain from further hostility snd vio-
|ence 10 the works 4nd structures of the
Csnssi That the Trustees had q perfeet
right TO construct the Reservoir. and that
hey adopted the mode Of its construction
rom the original plans aud surveys of
he State authorities. aud by the exam.
pies Of other Sta.es, ere mstters which
ldmit Of no doubt That the persops
'ngsged In the destruction Of the Reser.
'ois. were misled by the belief tha; the
'esl;h Of the country was endangered by
he timber remaining on the submerged
and, is equslly clear and und oa b,ed and
{ anything could justify their eouduct.
his mistaken conviction would be q pal. {
istion ofsit.ufa lti hsff11s 4.sisra 80 IL
twill be seen BY reference to the re. /,
'ort Of tho Trustees. that there Is a seri.
us diminusion Of the'receip,s OF tolls q
n the Canal, IS compared with the in
ONE of 1854, snd the preceding year. Il
y the report Of 1855. made to this de
srtment. it will be -observeds that the {
'lls for that year fall short. more than s
,rty thousand dollars, OF the income of c
10 prev ious yesr, md that the seceipts !,
" tie year just closed. show astiIl fur n
Ter decrease oftwensv- six thousnnd do,. o
rs before the revenue Of ls55-makiup. d
J two years. an aggregate decrease OF b
xty-six thousand doIisss. - ssni salI.1 al
This decline in tho revenues of the g,
NAL. seems quito oextraordinary, /, and es. Iir
.cisIly, rs il is believed that the nsvi. ith
iion was msiDtsined with fexer inter. "
piions than occurred in the year when Il
. revenues yielded the highest income. Ia
hsrePost Of the Tsustees will explain tt
is decrease; and to that report your st +. -
ntion 10 respectfully directed. ss3l di
II is gratifying 10 have the assurance nj
n,sined in the report OF the Trustees 81
AZ the completion of the Reservoirs st
Fch Crock, snd other psecs utions 10 a. pI
70 good supply of water, will ensure. ls
} the comueres OF the snsxs SEASON, q Pr
'se seliabIs nsviesiions then that Of suy sh
.vious period. The Canal is now con. ci
srsd in good repair. sud such arrange sg
'n,s ere besag perfected - will rive Ipi
49, = = Il =