The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-03-12
Have We an Enemy Among Us?

Have We an Enemy Among Us?
For paper printed at Ottawa, and sup
posed to have some tenderness for Ottawa IN
terests, the Ottawa Republican, certainly shows
asingular insensibiity to anything calculated
to place those interests in jeopardy. ltopen-
" and earnestly supported the election of
men to the constitutional convention last fall
who were placed before the people on the
avowed issue of dividing this county and to
the whole extent which that involves iujur-
ing Ottawa. When Mr.. Eldridge brought
his proposition for eflecting the division of
this county before the constitutional conven-
ton, the Republican undertook to explain
away and defend its provisions. And now
when another direct thrust is made at Ottawa
interests in the constitutional convention, in
the matter of removing the supreme court to
Chicago, as is proposed to be done by Sec. 4
of the article on the Judiciary, the Republican,
to lull the fears of Ottawa, purposey misstates
the plain terms of the section by interpreting
it as follows:
1t will be noticed that section four authorizes
one or more terms of the Supreme Court to BE-
held in the city of Chicago, at such times as the
court may appoint. This section has not yet
been passed upon. Should it be adopted as it
stands, and the constitution be adopted, and the
court should appoint the time, and the city of
Chicago furnish new court house without ex.
pense to the state, it might result in the end in
the removal Of the Supreme Court from this city.
And it all might be accomplished despite the
g &hn Snlln
members of the convention, both of whom would
doubtless oppose it to the best Of their ability.
The section is in these words:
Terms of the Supreme Court shall continue to
be held in the present grand divisions until
otherwise provided by law; and in addition
thereto, one or more terms of said court shall be
held, for tie Northern division, in the city of
Chicago, each year, at such times as said court
may appoint, whenever said city or the county
of Cook shall provide appropriate rooms therefor
and the use of library without expense to the
State.
This section, says the Republican, author
Uses one or more terms to be held at Chicago
at such times as the court may appoint"
while the Republican, with the section before
it, hors that 1t says one or more terms
SHALL be held in Chicago each year," the dis
erection of the court only being in fixing the
day and the month. And this removal of the
court to Chicago, the Republican, compliment
ly thinks, may be accomplished despite the
strenuous opposition Of the La Sale county
members" Have these members shown any
such opposition? The section was before the
convention whole day, and dozen amend
ments were offered to it. But did Mr. Ed
ridge or Mr.. Hart give the remotest hint,
either in the shape of IN amendment or YER
bal objection to the proposed removal Of the
supreme court from Ottawa to Chicago I?
Does anybody expect 4 word of such oppos-
ton from Mr. Hart, Of Earlvillc, or Mr.. Ed
ridge, of Peru, though both were elected
through the sycophancy of the Ottawa radi-
cal politicians and whom both cannot help
but despise. And this is the humiating po-
sition Ottawa is placed in by her local poll
ticans, that she is dependent upon her enc
mics for help, the only help to be expected
from them being the kind of help the vulture
gives to the lamb.
The propretors of the Ottawa RepuJlicaa
are all from the west end of the county, their
feelings and interests and their hopes of tu-
ture political preterment center there, and
they are as ready to sell out Ottawa to graft
fly the enemies of Ottawa rs they are to kick
off and sell an old pair Of boots.