Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-03-09


State cheated I wish to test whether in
view of all this knowledge, the members
Of this House arc willing to discharge
their duty as Legislators, having upon
their shoulders the responsibility of pro
tecting the peoples interests, and ensuriug
the security of the State. wish by this
amendment to test whether they are
willing to give up everything-to strike
out all provision for the protection and
security of the State, and place the money
Of the people into the hands of this COM
pany, with absolute power to wipe out the
debt and cheat the State entirely. For
this purpose, Mr.. Speaker, not for the
purpose of battling the company, not for
the purpose of interposing any obstacles
to the completion of their road, but purely
and simply for the purpose of protecting
the Stato-the people of the State and the
peoples money! offer this amendment.
1t merely provides a method Of insuring
that the money raised under this bill shall
60 to the legitimate objects which are pro.
posed, the bonds being delivered as the
work proceeds. Now, L hope that gentle
men will take this proposition into con-
sidoration. Let them not shut their eyes
and their ears against every proposition
which may be presented for the purpose of
amending this bill. Let them not deter
mine to carry it through, blindfoldod, and
refuse this small protection to people and
the State, which my amendment provides.
hope the amendment will be adopted
The question being taken the yeas were
25, nays SO; SO the question was deter
mined in the negative.
Mr.. Hill. Those of US who were here
at the last session of the Legislature, know
with what earnostness and under the very
whip that measure was passed-how de.
sireabe it was represented to bo by the
friends of that measure that this re ief of
5000, 900, preferred scrip should be gram
ted and, sir, when they had obtained
that, it was considered by them, and SO
expressed, that they had obtained a great
matter.
Now, the gentleman from Erie, (Mr.
Ball, y declares that that was no advantage
to the company that instead of giving
them bread, the State gave them stone
Why, what did this company ask of the
State7
Mr.. Ball. I rise to explain. 1 said
that the company asked relief and they
got nothing but, that this Legislature
gave to the contractors, who were moi
asking for anything, stone.
Mr. Hill. They certainly gave, Mr.
Speaker, at the suggestion ofthe company
the friends of the company had the bill il
-. L oeg ~ CORRECT the gentle
man again. Neither the company nor th,
contractors, in the first instance indicated
much less asked for, this measure. Ithac
its birth and parcntage in the halls of thu
Legislature.
MIR. Hill. That is very true. It haG
its birth here. When the bill was befor,
us, section was sprung upon us giving tc
this company authority to issue bonds tC
an unlimited extent. If that invitation
had become law, the company would
have had all that they desired; the State
iwould have been defrauded out of he,
whole claim; and We should have had nc
legislation for that company here this year
But, Mr.. Speaker, had made myselt
acquainted from the very highest officers
OF that company, ms to what these claims
would amount to, and the uttmatum was
said to be s50O,00O; that would cover
every dollar that was due tho contractors
or material men for work done or m materials
furnished to that road When this section
came up containing no limit-desgncd,
thought, as snake to cheat and defraud
the State-I offered an amendment pro.
viding for limitation to s5OO,O0O. 1t
was voted down and in lieu of that amend.
ment, the friends of the bill inserted an
additional 100000.
l ask what that 100000 was fort I
have been looking over the report of that
company carefully, in order to See what
became of that 5000, 900, and this $780,
600 which WAS not necessary to meet the
object therein expressed l have been un-
able to find out, sir, where it has gone !;
and, in the absence of such information,
sir, l ain inclined to the belief-I am fully
persuaded-that that extra 500 900 dol
lars was not converted or used for legitimate
purposes lfit was so used, sir, it should
have been SO expressed in The report of That
company. We want 10 know The purpose 10