Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1874-10-01

little in the way of legislation beyond
the tax and appropriation bills. The
talk endured for months; the work
was accomplished in weeks.
The first session of the Thirty-sec-
Ond Congress was prolonged until the
31st of August. The acts passed
embrace one hundred and forty-four
pages of the statues. All but the first
thirty-seven pages are covered by acts
approved on the last taUo ddys of the
session. Earlier administrations had
planted the National Capital, had
framed the leading features of our
land system, had dedicated liberal
portions of our public domain to the
cause of education, and had COM
menced the Cumberland road and
other works of internal improvement.
When, after nearly thirty years of
misrule, you drove the Democratic
party from power, the Cumberland
road was still unfinished, and the
party had been educated to believe
that the National Government had
no constitutional power to complete
such work.
That singular faith did not prevent
the party from entering at0O11 such
works, but, seemingly, only from
completing them. They did not re-
frain from making appropriations,
even for improving rivers and har-
| bors. Sometimes such appropria-
ton were made regularly and some
times irregularly. Apparently they
were scrupulous only that appropria-
! tions should be made at such times, in
such sums, and for such purposes as
would promote commerce least and
party interests most. On the ap-
proaehes to Wilmington, n. c., appro-
priations were made, at various times,
amounting to more than $500, 900.
Wilmington has sewlled from a pop
ulation of seven thousand in 1850 to
thirteen thousand in 1870. On the
! Red river in Louisiana there was ex-
pended at different times more than
i've hundred thousand dollars. That
river washes eight counties in the
State of louisiana. Those eight
i counties had a population in 1840 o.
fifty-four thousand; in 1870 of one
hundred and six thousand. On the
harbor of Chicago, which is the gate
way to the Northwest, the home o.
millions, they doled out appropria-
! tions amounting to $217, 900. On the
/ harbor at Milwaukee they appropria.
ted in 1874, $50, 900. Eight years Later
they resumed the work, apparently
with the determination of complet-
4 ing il. Fifteen thousand dollars were
appropriated that year. The veal
following they appropriated the mu'
i nificent sum of $163.94, and the1
rested from that labor. Congress
voted other appropriations for similar
works, which encountered the EXecu'
tive veto and Democratic Repre-
sentatives, finding they must DISC
bey either President or people, decid-
ed to disobey the latter and obey the
former
THE LOUISVILLE CANAL.
/ < A great natural highway, the Ohio
river, along which is poured q com
merce of incaIculable value, was OBJ
Il structed by rapid, near Louisville
The interests of that commerce re
quired canal to be built arounC
those rapids. Congress did not as
sumo that duty, nor even let it alone
The State of Kentucky chartered {
! company to construct that canal anC
to toll the commerce of the Ohio
The United States aspired to the dig
! nity of a stockholdeF in that company
and achieved it. The Government
took and paid for 1902 shares, at one
hundred dollars each. Private par
ties took 1908 shares. The canal was
built, the tolls were fixed, commerce.
bled, and the company's treasury fill
ed. The revenues were so large il
seemed a MY the Governments should
share them But as a stockholder
the Governf aent was entitled to near
ly one-thiiEd of the net revenues. The
Government was not represented il
the management of the company
I That was governed by five directors
each of whom was a stockholdeF
Those directors concluded they could
make a better use of the revenues thar
to divide them with the Government
q To that end they resolved the cana
ought to be made free. In order tha'
it might become free it was resolved
, that the net revenues should be ap
piled to the purchase of the pTiV0t,
stock. Having found a market fOl
the stock, there was nothing left bu
to fix the price of it. That was mod
estly set by the directors at only fifty
per cent. premium.
Kentucky sanctioned the arrange
ment; the United States was not con
suited. But it was evident that if th'
earnings which belonged to the Unit
ed States were appropriated to pur
chase private stock, the United States
would soon own a majority of the
stock. To avoid such catastrophe
Kentucky required the directors tx
pay for the stock with Government
funds, but to have the stock trans
ferred to the directors, who shouIC
hold it in trust for the United States
} but vote on it as the legislation o
Kentucky required. ..4 s.
/ Tn of th diTnafinnc fl1.
directors proceeded to apply the sur
plus earnings to the purchase of th'
private stock. Between 1842 and 1856
they paid fer such stock, of the pa
value of $709, 300, the sum of ST, zoo
| 262. Then the directors admitted
: they had received enough, and noti
fed the Secretary of the Treasur,
+ they were ready to transfer the cana
! to the custody of the " General Gov
f eminent so soon as the Department
may be prepared to receive it." Bu
/ it happened that at that time the Sec
= retary was also a Kentuckian. HI
; evidently felt that he could take SONS
liberties with his friends. He accord
ingIy replied that Congress had no
authorized the acceptance, but re
quested the president and directors tx
retain one share (for eligibility, anC
tolmanage it under the charter unit
, authority might by law be conferred
on the Department to receive it,
, The president and directors very
promptly acceded to that request. 1
should be noticed that the conduct O
the Secretary exhibits an instance O
defence to legislative authority on the
part of high executive officer which
is believed to be quite unique. He
, could not feel free to take charge o
the canal himself, because Congress
had not told him to do so; accord
igogLy he gaze it to his friends. ,SucI
exhibitions of scrupulous regard fol
the limits of Jurisdiction are seldom
witnessed. 1t is gratifying to know
: that this one was duly rewarded
VTI,o,, 4k,o 1ss+;vo l, fd ,,xv -