Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-06-03
DAIL Y
Correspondents OF the Spy.
Letter from Wisconsin,

newspapers are just now pretty full OF comments
upon the result of the recent investigation in the
Wisconsin Legislature, into the doings and tam
perinRs of the La Crosse Railroad Company with
the Legislature of 1856. Certainly, the develop.
ments were astounding enough, even to those
who had been tolerably conversant with the gen.
eral details of the operation. Such magnificent
lobbying, such wholesale purchase of votes and
influence, is really without parallel The hislo-
| ry of the transaction will long be referred to a
curious example of corruption in youthful Re-
| publican State.
1t is. however, rather singular feature in the
annals of our ynunger States and Territories,
that they are most wicked in early infancy, and
| grow purer and better they grow older Cali
fornia was Pandemonium for a while; now she is
becoming little respectable. 1t was in the early
| history of Mississippi that the Legislature was
bribed to favor the famous Yazoo grant, which
has been recently cited furnishing parallel to
the La Crosse infamy in Wisconsin. l have i'm
mense respect for the pluck and patriotism OF our
Free State brethren in Kanzas; but, on concur
rent testimony, am constrained to believe that
the prevailing tone of morality is not high in that
Territory. Michigan, Iowa - all the Western
States, in their turn, have passed through the
phases of corrupt legislation, judicial bribery,
wholesale cheateries, and polit cal immortality.
Wisconsin has been profoundly cursed in this
regard Her population, whether native or alien
born, is a substantial and industrious one. The
great mass of the people have sympathy with,
and only disgust for, the rascaity and dishonesty
which have brought scandal and disgrace upon
their State. The only guilt with which they can
be charged, in the premises, is the culpable in
difference and apathy with which they have for
merly regarded the shamelessness of their poll.
tcians and rulers, 1t is to be hoped that the ex-
posture OF this stupendous purchase and sale of
egislators-bartered for bonds, like cattle in the
shamtles-will teach them to elect honest men
tc their high places of trust. and will, at the
same time, awaken such wholesome public sem
timent as shall overwhem the evil.doer with its
indignation.
1t is to be remembered that the men most like
ly to be prominent in Western legislatures and
political office are men of the speculative class
The INDUSTRIOUS part of the community, intent
upon privatsgain, till their farmss buy and sell
merchandise, and let the State take care of ITSELF
N--S"
Offices of sponsibty-nay, who wear the Judi
cisl ermne, are too often those whom nobody
would trust in any relation Of private life. They
are needy spectators, broken bankrupts-char-
acterless or character clouded. They seek the
Legislature or Office for the opportunity which
station gives them to barter votes and influence
for gold, or TO advance some private, precious
scheme of swindling.
1t is related of judge in the early days of
Michigan that when it was proposed to impeach
the testimony of witness, by showing that he
had fed from a prosecution for forgery, in the
State OF New York, he ruled the question mad.
INVISIBLE. "Good God % said he, what becomes
of the rights of the citizen, if such Investigations
are to be allowed in court of justice Why
gentlemen of the bar, all ran away from some.
where "a remark which gained additona force
from some remembered circums tances of his
Honor's career. OF such history and reputation
are too many OF the prominent politicians and
spectators OF the younger States and Territories
But time will change this. Decorum, at least,
will come with age, and Wisconsin and Iowa op.
orators will yet transact business adrotlY pri.
vately, and respectfully, the more polished
swindlers of Boston, New York, or Philadelphia
Meantime, if there are any unhappy holders of
La Crosse stock in your visinty, let me assure
them that great confidence is here ielt in the new
direction of tho board, and that it is morally
tam the road will be finished 10 the Mississippi
before 1859 comes in. Let me further advise
them to sell in the first flush of triumph, at the
completion of the road; for, magnificent as the
enterprise is it can never pay its dents and the
old stock must be wiped out before anybody can
realize any profit from it. The company was ru-
ined BY improyidence and fraud and eaten up by
usury before it ever received the land grant which
it cost so dear to buy, and which has, SO far, been
productive Of no profit.
Yetit is impossible to exaggerate the impor-
tance OF this road to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and
the Northwest. 1t opens magnificent range of
country; it taps the travel and freight of the Up
per Mississippi, connects with the proposed land
grant roads Of Minnesota, and will vet be ex-
tended to the shores of Lake Superior-that vast
inland sea, whose long repose is disturbed at last
by the frequent keel whose shores begin to be
lined with busy villages and haunted by prospect.
ing spectators, in search of future Chicagosand
Milwaukies.
Business is still dull at the West Chicago is
thronged with wayfarers, but the rush of business
IS not SO overpowering it was wont to be.
Stores are to rent, and real estate is stagnsnt.
Now is the time for the superabounding and
surfeitng capital Of the East to be invested in
Western property. Every fool rushed hither Ito
be swindled, perhaps), when everybody else was
buying, and land was high; only the wise man
comes now, when money is not, and land is a
drug-is cheap, and will be cheaper. Western
men begin to chafe under this tedious and en-
forced inactivity. They cannot endure the still
tle-the whirl. But they must wait while.
Paving debts is tedious process; liquidation is
a long story, and dull one But it must be en-.
dured to the end. '0yerstraned credit must be
gradually restored economy must take the place
Of extIavagance for while-prudenee, of wild
speculation. The world must call more loudly
than now for the breadstuffs, before the West can
be lifted out OF this stagnancy. After while,
however, that will happen. When commerce re-
wives when all the spndes of New England re-
new their once ceaseless play and motion when
the mechanic industry of Worcester, and Spring.
field, and hundred other haunts of hundred
handed labor, shall receive its wonted reward
then the wheat and all the farm products Of the
West Will be once more in demand. Wars and
Tumors of wars will augment its price to the old
standard Then will return the career of activi-
ty. enthusiasm, speculAtivsness. prosperity, and
Improvement, which amazed everybody who so.
journed or travelled Westward two years ago.
KhPPA.
COL Forney Of the Philadelphia Press, has
not taken his armor off, but thus boldly &C.