Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-11-03
For the Intelhgsncer.
Democratic COnSlSteney-TheO Oorpo-
ration SDirit. -'


The leaders of the late Democratic par
Iitv always professed an excessive horror OF
lcoroorations. A baited bull could not be
provoked to such transports of rage by the
sight of a red rag, as these gentlemen
would exhibit at any proposition to incor-
porate afnercantiTe or manufacturing COM
pany. In January, 1s48, the illustrious in
ventor Mr., Morse, applied to the Ohio leg
| islature for an act to enable him and his
associates to erect a line Of telegraph from
Marietta to Bridgeport A bill was accore
dingly brought in but encountered fierce
opposition. Senator from q north ives.
tern district become eloquent. Never bV
his consent should one of them soulless
lcorporations set foot on the sacred soil OF
Ohio. A corporation had neither soul
to be damned nor a body to be kicked. II
was bartering away the peoples liberties.
These iron, and wooden, and turnpike and
| rail road corporations would combine to.
| gether and trample the liberties. of the
people under their feet. The bill passed
with great difficulty; but strange to say Mr..
Morse's poles and wires never deVoured
any dy'sSchildreu.yetl Z" -
Two years later the Ohio constitutional
lconyention met. AS a favored part of the
/ State had received immense outlays from
the State treasuryNfOr internal improve
lments, an attempt was made to get sOmel lib
eral provisions by which associated capital
Knight be enabled to cOnstruct railways
aud other lines of communication through
the less fortunate parts of the common
wealth. But the thing}w impossible
\ To the self-constituted Democrats leaders
in that body, an association of capitalists
4 for such q purpose had far more terrOrs
than the far famed Dragon of Wantley:
! tsThe Dragon of old who churches ate
uRed to coma Sunday.
4 Whole congregations were to him .
H. But q diSh Of SAlmSgundL .-
A. Poor children, he dsVOured three
| That could not with him grapple,
1 But at one sup he champed them up .-.
As man would an APPLE"
And accordingly all lassociatious for such
Ipurposes were laid under restrictions so
4 rigorous as, in the judgment of most cap
italists, ito amouuttO a total prohibition.
All those Insignificant lines of railwsy which
adoru aud ,enrich,the State we're construct
ed -comp8uies Incorporated under the
old constitution; and IL is not at all prob
able that Chic will ever see another tm-
provement OF the kind until the People
become convinced of the folly of pursuing
! an idea to- silly extreme and change
their organic law "A jealousy ofcorpora-
tions, when enlightened and moderate, is
llaudRhle. Il is only the excess OF this
lprinCiple that deserves censure. 1t is q
melancholy truth, that men bound together
by peculiar interest will prefer that in
terest to the well. being of the community
at large, aud, in case Of q conflict, will,
whether we'll OF illinformed, pursue their
lown objects with selfish ardor. An e1.
treme Jealousy of a little combination Of
men, formed for the purpose of hammer
ing iron, or weaving cloth, or making a
turnpike or railway, msy be aud often is
Ridiculous. Yet the principle remains and
will ever remain true, that combinations
OF men having separate and peculiar in
terest may become dangerous and pernl-
cious to the community.
Bot what shall we say Of the consistency
of politicians, who flame with burning zeal
against the little combinations OF our
friends for Industrial and commercial Pur-
poses, and who flame with still hotter zeal
in favor of the great combination of our
enemies, bound together by the ties OF
their "peculiar Institution" What shall
= we say Of men, WhoI as in the instances
z cited, rave against our little domestic in.
dastrial associations with the malignity Of
demons, ,sand,Wh0 rave in favor Of the great
hostile pro slavery combination with the
maIiguity Of fends. If we look not mere
/ IL ct names bat at the substance Of things
We shall see that the combination Of South
ern slave holdersis a gigantic corporations
inF compsEison, with which the mightieSi
Commercial corporation, ever creased b.
So -.tsIfZ- nAie'spL