Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-04-24

KEEP YOUR HANDS ON YOUR POCKETS
Towards. the close Of the late session
Of our General Assembly On event occurred
which, though likely to be followed. by
the most serious consequences, has attracted
but little notice from the Press or the pub
lie. We allude to the memorial presented
in behalf Of the Bondholders, and Of which
William L. Dayton, Of New Jersey, late
Republican candidate for President,
is a chief promoter These people com
plain that the policy Of the State in charter
ing railroad companies has been detrimen-
tai TO the interests Of the Bondholders and
in violation toe Of the engagements Of
the State when she transferred to them the
Wabash and Erie Canal in payment Of one
half her debt
Our own conviction is that no assault,
short OF downright robbery, could be made
upon the State Treasury, more groundless
and impudent than this II is most ingc-
Nous scheme, designed with all the art, and
managed hitherto with all the dexterity OF
veteran treasury eaters, to accomplish one
Of those mammoth enterprises of money
getting, which. Of late years, are becoming
so frequent in Congress and tho various
State-Legislaturos as every where to create
profound conviction Of the corruption Of
these assemblies, and in the minds OF most
men Of sense Of utter hopelessness and des-
pair The very measure by which IL Is now
pretended these bondholders have lost mon
ey is one Of the class to which we allude.
II is perfectly well known to all men other
wise conversant with political Affairs Of In
diana during the time ihatnsasure was un-
der discussion, that everywhere the ssser-
ton was openly made and found credit that
the grossest corruption had marked every
step Of its management We need not re-
eur to the details Of these various rumors,
for they are familiar to our readers, very
few Of whom doubt that the Butler Bill !,
as the act was familiarity called. however
beneficial It may have proved to the State,
never could have passed into a law without
the aid of the most artfnl and persistent
lobbying with all appliances and means to
boot that inscriptions men, who saw mon
cy In the thing, would not use.
Its origin was outside Of the Legislature
London and New-York, with the aid Of that
strong sense OF justice known 50 eminent
Is to prevail at Madison and Terre Haute,
concocled the scheme. II was project
profeasedly emanating from the bondhold-
ers, and for their benefit The bill, as pass
ed in 1916 and revised in is47, was under
stood TO have been drawn by some foggy-
headed London Solicitor, whose pedantic
stupidity has made II labyrinth ofpream-
bles and proyisoes whereases and ccndi-
tons, browning the elaborate nonsense with
an alphabet OF amendments, the effort to
read and comprehend all which would drive
a man Of plain understanding into Ct Of
apoplexy Thus originated, there must
needs BIO godfather to preside over the des-
tiniea Of tho bantling; and Mr.. Butler, Of
New-York, with contingent Zee, "a was
openly asserted, Of 1000. kindly perform
ed for IL the Office, which Mr.. Dayton now
assumes for Ia offspring
Everybody, surely, remembers Mr.. But
lor. Nothing could exceed his industry, his
patience, his.ample resources, his impuriur-
able self possession. His manners were OF
the oeaginous kind, so smooth, insinuating,
and easy that you would suppose no had no
such rough conditions In hismental or phys.
ical machinery ~ jar or friction Through
several weary sessions he, with his corps OF
agents aud friends, peacefully wormed his
way amid storm Of opposition In which
ridieule and argument were piled In vain.--
The golden shower prevailed and tho bond.
holders got all they asked--the Erie Canal
Cor one-half the debt and inierest--paying
bonds for the ether The contract was re-.
ciprocal there was g'dd pro quo and the
persons representing the bond-holder were
suspected Of getting the wors, Of tho bar
gnin.
not the men whowould atthe time have been
But ten years are gone by. Tho bond
holders have completed the Canal and con
tnue peacefully TO enjoy Ia profits. The
state has faithfully paid the interest on her
bonds. No one could have imagined q
ground for discomfort, but that the thine
opens plausible field Tor an organized 70
ray upon the Treasury and to some peopl,
sseh temptation has only to show itself
They never pray "lead Us not Into tempta
ton II IL just what they are always look
Ing for, and are never so happy as wher
they find promising one. Now the cry 4
=" You hare permitted railroad eompanie
10 lay their tracks along our line, they Aar
taken aray oar freight, we can't stand a.
competition, and, u you haze any honesty
you wiH pay ~ our damagesf OF cours,
this Is not the language Of the memorial. :
That Is a carefully written paper, most del
icatsly expressed, hardly venturing TO cen
sure anybody, but stating certain assumed
grounds Of complaint for which, indeed
nobody l. much to blame, but which grea
and magnanimous people win hasten to r.
move. The initiative Is taken The pape
presented, just at tho end OF the session
when no debate can be taken upon il, an
no step be taken in regard TO IL So it lie
over Atanother session, the scheme vii
be fairly opened, and then, whoever finds
any pleasure to observe tho lobby, may SO
the familiar faces Of men whose motions ar
governed by the Scripture apothegm--
where the carcase Is, there tho eagles ar
gathered together" The old process wi
be gone through again, and new burde
of taxation imposed on the people to enric
the pockets of these Unsuitable iseches
M IL A