The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-04-15

Remarks Of Senator Bierce, on presenting the
Report Of the Select Committee, relating to
the sale Of the 5State yStocl in the Pennsylvu-
MIA anl Ohio lanai Company, in Senate,
March 20, 1863
Mr. PREsIDENT-The course of debate, on
the subject now before the Senate, conipels
meto change the course | had intended to
pursue on this occasion. l have been accused
of being actuated in what | have done to ex-
pose this gross fraud on the people of Ohio,
by personal motivcs-by some Selfisi. and I'M
iuStifiable desire to injure some official char
ac;ers connected with the transaction Sir,
have no personal motives. | do not own
cent of stock in the canal, nor in. the railroad,
and never did, and so far from desire to in
jure any one connected with the transaction,
every one of them. so far as l know, is my
political friend !; and until my sense of duty
compelled me to make this expose, was my
personal friend Whethar they remain so
nOw, | shall never take the trouble to inquire !;
and hope they will pardon me for saying it
will make no difference with my course
whether they remain so OF rot. Personal
friendship and official favor will not draw me-
nor official powers drive me from my course
The gentleman from Ashland Mr. Kenny I
accuses me of want of "5acEbone,'' because
w hO0 oldhu up " dCJlOH anu
the gentleman from Belmont Mr.. WcIshI I
accuses me of furnishing materials for elec-
tioneering documents to the Democratic
party.
Mr.: Welsh here disclaimed any intention
of making such charge ff ftai aii
l certainly so understood the Senator from
Belmont, and could not do otherwise. But
accept his disclaimer As Chairman of this
committee, | have investigated the trdnsac
ton. believe | understand it, and when
any Senator has called on me for any fact
connected with it, | have given him the in
formation without regard to his political con-
nections. 1t is not party question, and
should not be drawn into party politics. 1t
is a question involving $420,O00 of money
drawn by taxation from the laboring people
of Ohio, and all gone sold and transferred,
together with $37,379 "a, the money on
hand at the time of the sale, which belonged
to the State, for S35,0OOi Personal motives
did not aetuate me and had | remained si-
lent, and seen the property and money of tie
people thus squandered, wasted, given away,
and bonus paid for taking them, L should
have felt in my conscience that the conf
dence of my constituent s was entirely mis-
placed To the charge my want of Z" back
6one'' I think the Senators on the committee
With me VIII not make the charge. L have
labored in getting the facts together have
put them in tangible shape have got them
where the people can read them, and under
stand them, and with their verdict l shall be
content. The Select Committee have exam
ined them, and we have made report-an-
swering, simply, the propositions submitted to
u.s. without any speculations or opinions of
our own on the subject With that report 1
am satisfied. 1t was unanimous, harmoni-
Gus report, leaving the Senate and the people
to draw their own conclusions. Having done
this, had determined to leave. the subject
without remark or comment, but the direc-
ton the debate has taken and the charges and
insinuations ma e against me and my mo-
tives, compel me to different course-to
make an expose of the facts connected with
the transaction.
This Canal Company was chartered by the
joint acts of the Legislatures of Pennsylvania
and Ohio in 1927. The construction of the
Canal cost the sum of about 81 100000, of
which Ohio subscribed one third, $4,000.
The Canal did small but increasing busi-
ness, down to 1854, when its report says -
The controlling interest in the Canal became
held by those aol5o had deep interest IN the Cleve-
land and Mahoning Railroad" In the single
article of coal, the transportation of which
! I IL.