The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-05-04
Extra Session of the Legislature.


It is not little amusing to notice the va
rious sensations which Gov. Oglesby's ''feeler'
put out few weeks ago; as to the propriety of
calling an extra session of the Legislature,
creates in different quarters. Among Demo
Gratis the expression is almost unanimous that,
If the Governor will include in his call but
the one object of legislating on the subject of
taxing the shares of the national banks, then
the extra session should be called; but if the
general business of legislation is to be thrown
open, then from another session of the present
Legislature deliver US But the fun comes
in when we come to read the comments of the
Republican papers on the subject. They are
really in comical strait. Some are apparent
ly owned, body and breeches, by the banks,
and make all sorts of absurd excuses for
throwing cold water on the project of an extra
session. Others, like the Norris Advertiser,
thoroughly convinced Of the rottenous and
beastly corruption of the Legislature, as ex-
empliticd in its proceedings last winter. and
dreadng the effects of another session on the
PARTY, labor in all sorts of comical WAYS to
manufacture arguments against called ses-
sion, without giving tine true one.
For bold mendacity, however, the Spring
field " Journal" beats them all. Being the
organ and mouthpiece of Gov. Oglesby. it
must approve the call; and not daring to
censure the Legislature for adourning without
-
Ievying this tax at the regular session, must
apologize for them, and doing so says, the de-
cisiOn OF the Supreme Court of the L.. S.. con-
tirming the power of the State to tax the
national banks, was not known at Springfield
until the day after the Legislature adjourned
That decision was made three weeks before
the Legislature adjourned, and the fact was
noted in the daily papers, of which each mem
her had voted himself about twenty copies
Then it is susceptible Of proof that a number
OF prominent members of the Legislature were
written to from washington as soon as the de-
cision was made and before it was promulga-
ted, advising them of such decision and urg-
ing them to act upon it. Dare the Journal"
deny this! Then is it not notorious. ut least
it has been charged over and over in respecta-
Die newspapers by Springfield correspondents
that the banks spent $25 900 in the lobby last
winter, to s,nsther any attempt to have a
: proper bill taxing them passed through the
Legislature?
We hope the Governor will not hesitate to
call an extra session Of the Legislature. We
want to see the gentlemen brought face to face
with the banks on this question We care not
whether they are confined to this one subject
by the Governor or whether the whole field of
Legislation is thrown open to them. In the
former case they may be dragooned into pass
ing one righteous act for the good of the peo
pie, and the State will be the gamer; in the
latter case, they may again form innumerablc
rings" and give way to general corruption,
which will so disgust the people that the
Republican party will never again be able to
kick in Illinois and SO the State will again
he the gamer.