The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-01-08
ing exchanges with other societies, and with

made to contribute SO extensively to the
general good.
THOMPSON & FoREMAN's CLAIM
| Mcssrs. Thompson & Foreman, of London
have an unadjusted claim Of long standing
| against the State which ought now to be set
| tied. understand that there is no longer
any quest on as to the amount which they
are entitled to recclve-they having given
up their claim for damages, and nowasking
| Tor what is fairly their due for iron furnish
ed our State-and it is only necessary that
the legislature sho4ld authorize some one to
settle and pay the claim. This having been
long q trivial matter Of vexa,ion, ] hope
the legislature will take measures to have it
disposed Of.
REFORM SCHOOL.
took occasion two years ago TO call the
! attention Of the legislature to the nccessity
| of establishing a school at some suitable
| pcint for the reformation Of jnvinie offend.
! crs The necessity for such an institution
| becomes every day more and more appar-
ent-its wisdom the more obvious as We re-
! fleet that it is more economical and in every
respect better, to keep children at school
than to keep men in prison. The success
Of the school at Chicago, rs ablished by that
/ city in 1865. fully demonstrates its adapta-
biitieS to the purposes contemplated. The
idea Of furnishing mere boys, frequently of
very tender age, as if they were adults, con-
/ filming them in prison " it'll old I'd harder ned
offenders, Is most certain way of running
! them utterly. They should be placed, not
IN prisons not among hopeless Convcts, but
I III Il situation " ere they may tie surround
ed by the proper moral Influences, and
! where they may be instructed TO walk IN the
paths of virtue, ana consequently OF hap
! pincsS, and whence they may emerge, pre-
pared to run the career OF life with credit
and honor
| CRIMINAL CODE.
/ By our criminal code, stealing property
of the value OF five dollars constitutes grand
larceny. and subjects the offender to Iun-
iShment in the penitcntiary. Much retiec-
ton and some practice in criminal law have
convinced me that the value of property ia
ken, 10 constitute grand larceny, ought TO
he fixed, Ms high, at least as twenty dolla RS.
Quite a large numl er e those sent to oura
pcniteuriarv are convicted ct larceny Of
property valued at barely five dollars, u
very li,tie above that su'a. A iicb, punish
Elcnt tor such Offences, such as impri.on.
mcnt in county lallS, would b- better, | am
inclined 10 heieyc, in every respect Bu;
without going into an Argument on this
subject, earnestly invite you to consider it,
Mur1I, -Y>TEI.
Our militia system Is exceedingly defec-
tive indeed. 1t is little better than none
But propose, at friinre day, to give my
, views or that subject, aud suggest some
radical amendments Of the militia law.
POLITICAL
] took occasion in my first annual mes
sage to refer to disturbing questions which
then agta'cd and continue TO agi,a;e this
country. /, is TO be depofed that any qucs-
ton exists so important ard yet SO com lex
as TO disturb the perfect amity which should
prevail IN government constituted Ike
ours
Instead Of decree OF causes Of com plant,
new subjects Of disturbing character are
presented, until it would seem that fixed
determination prevails 10 depravc public
sen iment. and accession t To aggression.
until either through exhaustion or indiiT,r
,nce all opp stion to Matchmaking slavery
shall subS,de or become inert
The decision OF the highest judicial ,ribun-
al known TO our country, apparently design
ed TO encourage the eiief that -laSery may
and does OF richt lawfully exist in al the
territories, Ii not IN all the States Of the
Union. was a backward step in the march
of civilization, which has excited the sur
prise and rtgrs: Of ve,y large PORTION o.
all the people in the Union.
w mile the belief Is incxIcullted that the
hand Of Providence has marked ont choS-
en- boundry within VII en- no other instiiu-
tons than such AZ are sustained by human
slavery can hc prosperous or produce tue
results desirable for the promoIj ion OF human
welfare, and while negroes arc openly i'm
ported and landed our coasts IN defiance
OF law. without ANY apparent probability o!
punishment Tor the outrage, or OF prevent
ing its recurrence. it NAY be vain to hope
that any harmony viii be very soon es,ab-
li>hod i'll reference 10 this disturbing ques-
ton.
The public mind does not find in such ac-
ton any immediate prospect Of repose. The
anomalous condition Of things IN this regard
Is an admonlton 10 Us that vigilance III the
protection OF Aumrn freedom and human
rights shonid be 9uickcncd, the pertnau-
ent elevation and happiness OF the white race
will be dang-red.
To avoid the perils that surround our in
situations, and to pcrpetuate freedom and
extend the blessings OF berry designed and
LETT US an Inhortance hy our forefathces, il
is important that We should rot shiIk from
such a declaration Of our opinions, and from
such positive action as Will e1ectually ar
rest further aggressions Upon the laws OF
the nation and the spirit Of the constitution.
In an age SO prone to Misrepresentation
as the present, our devotion to the consti-
tuition ard the Union cannot be too fire.
quently nor too distinctly declared. In
view of this cannot forbear placing upon
record my protest, embodying. as l believe
the sentiment Of the people of Illinois, ag'st
the idea and against any national policy con
forming to the idea, that the Almighty has
drawn a line on this continent on one side
OF which the soil must be cultivated by slave
labor.
| feel II but just 10 express nv sense Of
obligation 10 all the State officers for the
faithful manner in which they have dischar-
ged their respective duties Nothing could
be more perfect than the system Of each,
and the admirable order in winch the affairs
of their several offices have been kept.
In con fusion, gentlemen, l beg to ex
press the hopo that your session will be
alike pleasant to yourselves and profitable
to the people whose representatives you
the destinies Of nttions. will guide your
steps Alright. WM. H. BIssELL
Springfield. Jan. s, 1859.
Gen. Lane, delegate to Congress from Or
egon, estimates the population Of that terri
tory at $4,000. The statement which has
recently gone the ronnds of the papers, fix
ing the population at $4,000 or a little more,
is incorrect. An imperfect census in 1855
gave 1890.
II any people in tho world needed apostle to
their devils out, il is who live in this
logged country. The miasmatic poison of lamps
and Marshes becomes vertable devil in the blood to
.el in he