Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-01-28
Grnnor B. GoopLANpEn. Editor.
CLEARFIELD, PA
The Greaf S,rindIe.

The greatest robbery now being
perpctrated upon the American peo-
pie under the guise of a public bcne-
fit, is the railroad jobbiug undertaken
by Congress. By the schemes set up
by that body, the people will not only
be robbed of millions of dollars in
money, but of oil the public lands /;
that which should be held in reserve
for the payment of the interest on
our huge public DEBT, is being friI-
tered away by our Representatives as
of no account whatever. The mem
bers are not satisfied with being made
wealthy through the construction Of
the Pacific railroad, but seem to be
looking around for an opportunity to
swindle and rob every railroad com.
pany chartered by the States.
We are pleased to notice that our
member, Mr.. Mccullough, at Harris
burg, has taken the "bull by the
horns" by introducing a joint resolu-
ton in the House, calling upon Con
gressmen to desist from and abandon
their railroad schemes. Congress has
no more right to grant railroad char
ters in the States than n citizen has
to steal horses; and the members are
driven into this attempt to black-mail
railroad companies from the very
same motives. The horse thief vio-
lates public morals and law, and takes
private property orpriUate use while
Congress not only violates all the
morals and law that the former
can, but their act is far more odious
in its effect, as it takes public proper.
ty for priuate use-the agent robbing
his employer.
Tho necessity Of the construction Of
the great line of railway to California,
we freely admit but that in its con-
struction a great fraud is being prac-
ticed upon the people, there can be no
doubt, and it win not be long before
we all realize it. The fact that town
ships of land six miles square were
offered TO members for their vote to
consummate the swindle, shows that
powerful agencies were brought to
bear upon the case, other than the
mere construction Of the road for
commercial purposes. Gen. Carey,
Congressman from Cincinnati, last
fall declared in a public speech at
Pittsburg, that a member holding a
-. -s-.i--,a -
thousand dollars north Of stock in the
Pacific railroad, for which he neuer
paid a cent, while he himself was of.
fered whole township Of public land
for his vote.
How is it possible that men can Of
fer these bribes to Congressmen, if
they do not design to cheat the pub.
lie! We predict now, that future
investigations will prove that the pro
jectors (nearly all Congressman or
their relations) of the Pacific railroad
have deirauded the public Treasury
out of hundreds Of millions Of dollars,
and that the greater portion of the
road will have to be constructed"
by the government and millions more
invested, or it will have to be aban.
doned and handed over TO some private
corporation. This great iniquity,
however, will end in some lasting
good The doctrine Of State rights
pronounced "beresy," by political
mountcbanks and fools-is just now
handsome shield for ]. Edgar Thomp-
son, Esq, and other railroad Presi.
dents and stockholders, to take shelter
under while the storm of corruption is
raging in the Ramp
The "heresy," if we mistake not, |
will be claimed by other Presidents
and stockholders before long. We
refer TO National Banks. The parent
who gave birth to these institutions |
in a few years more will be as lily
able to take care Of them as the rail
road, and their officers too will be loud
in calling for State rights to protect
them when theirmoney is endangered.
Those men who refuse to subscribe TO
great principle until their cash in
railroad and bank stock is placed in
jeopardy, by denying its use and 20.
tency, we apprehend will not be cred.
tied with much patriotism or sound
morals by subscribing TO these princi.
pies at the eleventh hour.