The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-09-03
OTTAWA FREE TRADER: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER g. 1870

1870 bSAA - ~ SOA> - -
these bonds, aud the people, after furnishing the
money to build the roads, and throwing in forty
miles OF alternate sections of land along the
route, are efectually cheated out Of all security
! upon the roads.
Did Mr. Cook ever vote or protest against this
most prodigious swindle? Did he ever appeal
to the people against tho venality of Congress ?
Did he, in fact, ever tell single one of his con-
stituents anything about itp No such gigantic
steal was ever perpetrated upon long suffering
and ove'taxed people in the history of the civil
lied world, yet Mr.. Cock has not only not spoken
or voted against it, 50 far as know. but he has
helped to keep it secret by his silence.
1t does not seem possible, in the first place, that
such crime could be successfully accomplished
and in the second place that it could have been
60 successfully kept from the people, is marvel.
GUS. A territorial delegate in Congress said, in
the hearing of the writer, that he ithe delegate)
got $500 of these first mortgage bonds, and he
had no vote; he could only taN in Congress. If
territorial member WIS worth $25, 600, how
much was a member from the sixth congression-
al district worth? This is problem for the
voters of the sixth district to solve.
1t is publicly known and denied by nobody
that Mr.. Cook has made large fortune as rail.
road attorney during the last sixteen years. It
is also we'll known that he made the most earnest
and effective speech he ever made in Congress in
behalf OF the Illinois Central Railroad Company
''Out of the fullness Of the heart the mouth
speaketh." 1t is also we'll known that Mr.. Cooks
late partner, Mr.. Campbell, trained to watch
over railroad interests by Mr.. Cook, is now the
leading railroad attorney Of the state, and for a
long time has received, and is still receiving, q
large annual salary from three separate railroad
companies, and that Mr.. Cook has still large
railroad business in the Supreme Court of the
State.
With all of these facts staring the voters of
the sixth district in the face, will they re.elect
Mr.. Cook to Congress? Is he the proper man to
represent us9 Can We safely trust him to work
and vote for free trade, and to protect tho public
lands against the schemes of the railroad sharks
If SO, why has he not something to show IN his
him in these particulars 2 1t is not for lack of
opportunity. He has had the best chance in the
world to make himself useful-no member Of
Congress ever had better.-snd yet he has failed
dsgracefully failed, except in the direction of
his private interests.
But lest make this letter too long, will on.
ly say further, that the object of this letter is to
suggest the propriety of calling Peoples Con-
vention, without distinction Of party to nomi-
nate candidate for Congress- The old party
issues are dead, as before intimated, and party
distinctions need no longer be kept up. Let the
mass of the people rally in their might and elect
a man to Congress from the sixth district who
make himself heard and felt in behalf of his con.
stituens in support Of equality in taxation, pro-
lection to labor, preservation of the public lands
for the use of the actual settler and not for land
sharks, and who is not now or never has been and
never will be an attorney for railroad companies
against the people, and who cannot be bought
with first mortgage bonds or otherwise.
Have we such man among US who can beat
Cook, and who is ne? In the 10th Indiana Dis.
trict the people, ignoring party, are running
free trade man against COL Williams, the pres.
emit incumbent, who has just received the Repub.
lican nomination for the next term
This recreant Republican, as did Cook, mis-.
took the Pennsylvania iron manufacturers for
his constituents and voted for Scheuok's bill.
and the penalty in his case will be leave to STAY
at home. This 10 the "ticket of leave" we must
give Cook If we do not we whet the knife
again for our own throats and put it into Cooks
hands to use again as he has done before. Hosts
of Republicans know are anxious to vote for
better man than Cook Hosts of Democrats
would be glad to see him defeated. Hosts of
workiugmen would rejoice to see him politically
buried, for he has no sympathy with them or
their cause. Hosts of Temperance men are
pledged against him as long as he keeps Hop
kins and others to hand around the bottle. Let
US have convention and unite in supporting
the right man. A. ]. GROVER.
Earlyille, Aug, 1870.
AYERS HAIR vIGOR.