Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1871-05-05


Lancaster, May /, 1871.
DEAR SIR The importance of your
letter demands prompt an candid reply.
If were citizen Of iowa county, with
out the appearance Of intermeddllng where
I ought not, certainly should advocate
the extension of the Mineral Point X. ~
through your county, lifting that road
from the humble condition of mere feed-
e., to great thoroughfare, through which
the trade and travel to, and from, the lum-
Der and pine regions of northern Wiscon'
sin and Minnesota would find it's shortest
and most convenient route. L might 60
so far as to advise the county and towns
through or near which the road might
mass to issue their bonds in purchase OF
the stock of the road, although such Stock
as is always the case with unpreterred
stock, might prove worthless. l might so
advise, though the incubus Of half mil
lion of debt that now presses upon the
county had it's origin in the folly, fraud
and excitement that violated the sanctity
of the ballot box, and enabled one section
of your county to saddle upon all. the ex-
penses and costs of q project to which, 1t
is claimed, large majority of the legal
voters of the county were strenuously OPP
posed. Communities have become wiser
since that time, if not more honest.
We have registry law that has in great
measure, since its passage, preserved the
purity of the ballot box. Moreover,
should the county subscribe for stock,
(and this was your first propostion,) such
contract could be drawn up between the
Construction Company and the County, as
would preclude the possibility of imposi-
ton ON the county. When given length
of road is finished and pat in running or
der, and so certified to by the county au-
thorities, then certain amount OF bonds
deposited as an escrow with some trustee
shall be delivered to the company. Sus-
picion and caution might suggest that ev-
is possible. This 7 grant-the trustee
might prove faithless, but all transactions
between man and man are liable to such
possibilities.
It is true that dread the influence of
corporate wealth and its attendant power,
and railroads are king among such corpor-
atoms; Goliahs in size among grasshop-
pers. But it is the glory of our age that
our millionaires are disposed to lay out
their money in this way giving employ
ment to thousands, and drawing the re-
hottest regions Of our continent into con-
tiguity, enabling the tiller of the soil to
reach the markets of the world, and unit
ing our widely separated millions into one
nation with political, social and CONNER
cial ligaments stronger than its iron bars.
But I would not feel such an interest in
your proposition were it not connected
with the idea of freeing your county from
the heavy debt that must continually dis
turb the mind of every thoughtful man in
it. Who among you has not asked the
question, how, when shall the debt be
uaids Can it's collection be forever delay.
ed, and is there any process known to the
law by which the federal courts can en-
force it's payment? Considering the ORR
igin of the indebtedness, that a large por-
ton of the people were opposed to the is
sue of the county bonds in 1858, they
were iustifable in resorting to every legal
means to avoid the payment. The courts
of last resort, both State and national,
have affirmed the liability of the county,
and all further resistance is useless and
hopeless. If the owners of your bonds are
large capitalists, they will not feel disposed
to remit one farthing of the Indebtedness
because they know they can coerce itspay-
ment. If any body teaches your citizens
to the contrary, he has not informed him
self on the subject and the good sense of
your people should reject his advice. Al
ready federal Circuit Judge has ordered
his Marshal, in case the local officers re-
fuse to do their duty, to enter the limits of
St. Genevievc, and collect a judgment
against that city from the proceeds of any
personal property he may find there be-
longing to its citizens The actual suffer
ers must then sue their peighbors for con-
tribution as best they can. | sincerely
and firmly believed that your county had
q good legal defence against these bonds
which our Supreme Court would sustain
but grief, blame and recrimination afford
neither relief or remedy. | do not see at
present an easier method of paying off
this old indebtedness than that proposed
by you, for the debt must be paid, if not
by the voluntary action of your people
then by the coercive power of the federal
courts.
1t is very clear that ifa particular town
should buy up such an amount of the out
standing county bonds as would equal its
quota or proportion of the whole debt that
such town would be protected from fur
Their outlay for other portions of the debt,
either directly or indirectly, and it would
make little difference which. If the town
were required to pay any portion of the
other bonds or judgments, the county
would be compelled to refund to t, at
) least an equal amount on the county bonds