Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1858-05-27
Kenosha Harbor-Hon. John T. Potter

Some persons may perhaps reco.ect, that an
article appeared in the Tunes newspaper pub
lished in this city some weeks ago, csnsuring
our Representative in Congress-Hon. John F.
Potter for the smallness of the Harbor appropri-
alton reported for Kenosha. We did not at
tach any particular Importance to the article in
the Times, because we did not suppose any SEN
sible man in this congressional district, would
be influenced by it to believe that Mr.. Potter
had been negligent of our harbor interests.
A few days since we received letter from
Mr.. Potter, detailing the proceedings of the
Committee on Commerce in the matter of Har-
Dor appropriations Although the letter was not
designed for publication, yet we take the lib,
erty of giving portion of it to our readers, for
the reason that it contains facts which should be
generally known by all interested in Harbors on
our Lake coast. Amy complaint against Re
publican members of Congress- for remissness
of duty in respect to Harbor appropriations
comes with bad grace from the Democratic
side, while a Democratic Congress is committed
against app, OPERATIONS for this object.
WASHINGTON, May 18th 1858
Times paper published in your city, with an
article marked, for the purpose, | presume OF
drawing my attention to it. Had | seen the ar
ticle, without having my attention thus particu-
larly called to it, certainly should not have
deemed it worthy of the slightest notice, for any
intelligent person who resides in Kenosha,
would see at once the object which the writer
OF that article had in view when he penned it
to excite the prejudices of the ignorant against
those in Congress to whom the people have en-
trusted their interests. For the benefit of that
class Of men / wish the editor of the Kenosha
Times, would inform his readers; first, that with
in the first six weeks Of the present session of
Congress introduced bill, on notice given,
approprating for Kenosha Hsrbor $39, 926 &C.
cording to the estimates of the Engineer, and
that the bill on my motion WAS referred to the
Committee on Commerce. that being the appro-
pirate Committee. Secondly that the Committee
on Commerce cen sists of nine members; Coch-
rane n Y Chairman, Miller Va, Miles S. c.,
Stallworth Ala, Eustis La. Landy of Pa, all of
whom are Democrats, and Washburne Illinois
Wade Ohio, q ComiEs Massachusetts,, Republi-
cans Thirdly, that on the 18th of April Mr.
Cochrane the Chairman of the Committee re-
ported against the bill introduced by me and
against making any appropriation either for
kenosha or Racine and but S23,7S4 for Milwau-
kee. Fourthly, that on the same day Mr.. Wash
burne OF Illinois reported bill appr0priating
for the Kenoshs Harbor S2SO00, and for Racine
$4,000, and for Milwaukee $4,000. Let him
further inform his readers that the six demo-
Gratis on the Committee were opposed TO giving
Kenosha dollar for its Harbor and that
the bill giving them $2S, 000 was reported by the
three Republican members of the Committee.
VIII he please state further while his hand is
in, " that the Democratic Chairman of the Com
mittee on Commerce in the Senate asserts open
ly that no Bill appropriatiRg money for Lake
1 - I
that in all probability such bill would be We
toed by the President were it possible to get
it through Congress. The writer of the article
does Mr. Washburne and myself too much honor
to ascribe to US a controlling influence over the
six democratic members of the Committee
Yours Respectfully,
JOHN +. POTTER.