Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-06-03
TOWANDA:
c.nrsnap alor1inp, gnue 8. 1853.
,ur OF THE STATE CANALS.
TO THE PEOPLE
OF THE
9TH SENATORIAL DIST.

r,rov CITIZENS by your suffrages in
NJ A. f.U Of 1886, the undersigned was chosen
..nrasept YOU in the high and honorable
..;,ion Of a member Of the Pennsylvania
H S,r,te Ever distrusting my ability to serve
.,r in that capacity equal to your expectations
" a desires, | nevertheless accepted the place
,.', generosity conferred upon me with a
I'm % determination to discharge my duties
h 1abfpIIy on all occasions meeting every i'm
n .,..anr question fairly and openly by giving
NJ ,bar an affirmative or negative vote, as my
NJ ,i,ment dictated after a faithful eXamina-
~ofthe question. Ifin thus en1eavOring to
4 what | conceive to be right, have failed
n n defend your rights, or to protect your in
s.a.ts when in jeopardy or if in any respect
v lave been ufaithful to the great interest of
aa Commonwealth, then indeed should you
s,r4 me to a strict accountability for such
,,-.r,.ion from official duty. But before
4,mcnt is pronounced upon my official acts,
claim the right to a fair hearing before an
aresr impartial and intelligent constituency.
Dnriar the time | have been a member Of
ae legislature many important acts have
ns,ed and become the laws Of the State, eff
..frr the vital interest and welfare Of the
Commonwealth and whether right or wrong,
4 far as | am informed, my course has met
he anprobation Of my constituents save in a
a.e instance, to wit in the passage of the
3g during the last session authorizing the sale
( the State Canals to the Sunbury and Erie
Railroad Company. To what extent my views
we're known upon this question l have no
.anS Of knowing, but one thing is certain,
av were well known to many Of our best and
-ost influential citizens, and from none Of them
"A | hear one word of opposition to this mea-
me From the first | yielded i the approval
Z nv Judgment, not, it is true, to all its de
a.l> as it passed, but to its main features and
smfrmIy convinced in my own judgment that
ae whole people will, on reflection approve
le sale | have mentioned the fact that
many of my constituents knew and approved
Of ny course it is not done, however, to
shield myself from the responsibility Of my own
e.ts, for them | alone am responsible to my
lstituentS, and seek not to Shirk it for 9TH
.N to bear No voice Of remOnStrance or op-
position ever reached me during the pending
t the measure from either of the two counties
nnrsng the bulk Of my district. You may
therefore imagine my surprise on my return to
ind few of my political friends uniting with
III" Rats who feed upon the public eXpendi-
tGro' along our line of canals, in denOuncing
measure Of such great Importance to the
Welfare Of the State 1t was not to be expect
that those who fattened upOn the plunder
't1c public treasury, and absorb into their
9a10ckctS one dollar out of every three eX-
-p0iel on our public works, would approve of
measure that destroyed their vocation and
ocsrd up the public treasure against their
7'melatiOnS but that the honest tax payers
Of The Commonwealth should complain when
he nHnderers are driven off, would indeed be
strange. have no fear that they will do so
7hsn the matter shall be fully and fairly un-
irdood
This warfare is gotten up by designing men
manufacture public opinion to help the polit-
cal organization that has held the control of
he public works unnterruptedly for the last
reRty years, and using them all that time to
l>,aln their party, and to reward partizan fa-
'2FItes, making seryility to party a qualilica-
au0n for place upon them, instead of fidelity
tie State. Against this kind of warfare
respectfully protest.
It is alleged that the legislature took the
.oNe by surprise in the passage of this mea-
a'e, that they were not elected with a view
dispose Of the State Canals. This alega-
ION must sound somewhat strange to intelli
'.4, men who know that some ten years or
-''a since the people Of this State decided by
vote IN favor Of selling all the public i'm
'9yements and in obedience to the will of
~pcope 50 expressed, some three or four
~s have passed by as many different Legisla-
o'eS and have been approved by your Co
.'aor> authorizing a sale Of the Main Line
"oa Philadelphia to Pittsburg, and yet it was
w, ", sod until last year, when it was finally
>.osed Of to the Pennsylvania Railroad
-oA9any in accordance with the wishes Of the
s'3Ie under the provisions of law passed in
%. winter Of 1857, and in addition to this, the
.-e Of the Main Line was defended by the en-
' press Of the party with which have acted,
"'olghont the State and by many of the op-
>',oa press, and the sale of the balance advo-
'.sdeyerywhere in the last Gubernatorial can
,,. ,e'N If there was any one question upon
,1.cn our people were united, it was upon an
~ .'1ie absolute, and complete separation of
@s Htate from all participation or connec-
-ou with anything like public works and
,-"e permit me to remark, that any person
10, "a. justified or defended the law for the sale
.1e Main Line, ought not to make mry faoes
W. ,sI the IN sale to the Sunbury and Erie Rail
.a y. Company, for frankly confess | gave
@o sa' Oil my support with more reluctance,
.5 .aa any measure ! have ever yet supported
y, ,,.,g,Peadent Of the almost universal expression
NJ. Ue people in favor of sale, there is nc
-slP,e upon which State ownership Of pub
..t;D GgFkS can be justified, except when absolute
~, ,oI'ty on the part of the people render il
r. possible for individual or associated eEter
e.. .r. 70 70 accomplish great public improvement.
.'~""'ed by the growing business of the coun