The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-05-16

The policy democrats professed to adopt, but
failed to carry out, vas to make the damages re.
covered from tresspassers upon the state !ands
pay all expenses incurred in :he recovery. This
policy has been faithfully carried out by the pres
ent Land Commissioner, and instead OF drawing
large amount from the Treasury for this object,
be will have realized, before the close Of his adj
ministration, handsome sum to the Treasury,
over and above expenses incurred, as his ensu-
ing report will show.
We now come to the Auditor General, who has
lately been made the object Of most fierce and
malignan. assault. We can say with truth, and
with no dispsragement to his immediate prede'
cessor, that the Office has never been conducted
with more integrity, economy and efficiency than
under the present administration. Early and late
he has been at his POST, and has discharged the
onerous duties of his Office with promptness,
ability and fidelity TO the interests of the State.
We canuot close this article without abiding to
an Infamous attack made especially upon him by
the pro-slavery organ at Detroit, in its issue Of
Friday last.
Taking for its tex. the raising Of the tolls upon
prOpellers and steamers to the same rate as here
tofore paid by sail vessels, it draws conclusions
that are utterly unfounded, and worthy only Of
the base heart from which they smanated The
facts of the case are simply as follows: 1t was
supposed in the outset that the canal would be
more liable to receive damage from the passage
of sail than Of steam vessels. For this reason
the tolls upon them were placed at higher rate
But experience has shown this to have been Q
mistake. The passage Of steam vessels causes q
much more violent agitation OF the waters Of the
canal than does the passage Of sail vessels, anc
this agitation, as every one must know, Is one o.
most potent agents in undermining the work
Besides, serious damages have been sustained
from steam vessels, by the breakage Of appurte
nances to the canal /, vas thought therefore by
the Board to be no more than just that the same
rate Of tolls should be exacted from one class o
vessels, as from the other.
But, it is asked, why not lower the rate o
tolls upon sail vessels instead OF raising it upoI
steam? The reason is obvious. Not only is j
necessary to provide fund sufficient to pay al
necessary expenses for the repairs and operating
the canal, but deb. created by a Democratic
Legislature, debt already large and rapidly in
creasing, must be provided for by means of tn
revenues derived from the tolls upon the canal
| Our readers are aware that the Democrats
party, in addition to giving the original contract
ors the entire grant Of lands made by Genera
Government for the construction Of the Saul Ca
nal, RENTED the taxes upon those lands tor fv
Years from and after the completion of the canal
Taxes upon these lands have been irSula.ly "a
sesssd and returned to the Office Of the Audito
General, where, in obedience to that Legislative
enactment, they are reserved from collection o
sale. Here is a deb. constantly accommodating L
the counties in which these lands are located
and for the payment of which no provision Wa
made, except from the tolls of the canal.
This explanation will be satisfactory to all sen
> sible men, and proves the falsity of the charge
made upon the Board.