Locomotive, Volume 32, Number 5, Indianapolis, Marion County, 24 March 1855 — Page 2

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III THE PRESENT BANKING LAWS. It is generally admitted by the leading papers of all parties, that the people were grossly betrayed by the members of the last legislature. Not only so, but this fact is commented on with surprise, by papers outside of the State. The conclusion at which they arrive is, that the people of Indiana have learned nothing from their experience in the last few years. Our own papers, while they condemn the laws, seek to excuse each one its own party ; and charge the fault upon others. The facts show that no party is free from blame. If this had not been the case the laws couldnot have passed, as the majority in the Senate belonged to one party, while the majority in the House belonged to the other. : , ; . The members of the legislature acted with their eyes open, with a full knowledge of what they were doing. The faults of these laws were plain ly laid before them in the communications published in the newspapers at the time, and in the veto messages of the Governor. In the face of all this, knowing that their actions would not be approved of by their constituents, in defiance of the dictates of right and justice,, voting down the salutary amendments which were proposed, they ' deliberately passed the laws. . Whether strong inducements in the shape of promises of bank stock, cash in hand, or promises of political favor' led them to do so, it is not for outsiders to pre-i sume to know. Surely no legislator can frame any good excuse for sacrificing the rights and in terests of his constituents, and violating the trust confided to him ; and when he does so it is morally certain that he has some powerful hidden mo-i tive for the act ; unless, indeed, his intellect is so obtuse that reason can have no influence on his decisions. Whether one party had a greater share in perpetrating the fraud than the other, does not bear directly on the questions now before us. These questions are whether the evils inflicted on the people of the State by the passage of these laws are such as to require an immediate remedy, and if so, what that remedy is?,: ,-. , ,v' The faults in the free banking laws, which are set forth in the Governor's veto message, are undoubtedly great;; and ought to be corrected at the very earliest possible moment. These, however, might possibly be borne with for two years, until the next legislature assembles,1 and until the bitter lesson of experience had once more proved their importance. .. ; , But what shall be said of that gigantic monster, the new State Bank, which possesses all the bad qualities of the old State' Bank, and others in addition, without one of its redeeming points.' It is true that, the proposed gift to this bank of over half a million of dollars on the part .of the1 State was overruled ; but its charter is still such that it will have an 'unlimited power for evil, without the least probability that it will be pro-' ' ductive of any good to the people. , It was the design of the charter that this bank should be. placed in the hands of unscrupulous" sharpers, and to exclude all honest men from having any; share in it. . For this purpose the :law provides, that the subscription books may be closed the mo--ment the requisite amount is subscribed, so that one or more sharpers may take the whole of the stock at once, the moment the books are opened,' excluding all other persons. Having thus, the, the sole control of the bank, they proceed in their, swindling operations. They are allowed to re-'i ceive on deposite, moneys, bullion, plate, and other articles of value of small bulk, and to issue notes to the amount of three times the value of the deposits on hand. By paying a good bonus to capitalists they might induce them to deposit, large amounts with them for the time being ; three : times their value in notes'" would be issued ; and the deposits being afterwards withdrawn from the bank,' the country would be flooded with notes,, the payment of which would not be secured by one cent, either in money or property. '' Or com-' mencing with three or four hundred thousand' dollars on deposit, about a million might be issued in notes ; half of this issue might be, if nee-, essary, exchanged for other funds, then nominal- , ly loaned to the creatures of the bank, and re-; turned again as deposits, and a new treble issue ' of notes again made on these deposits ; half ofthis new issue might be used as before, and so , the circulation, continually increasing, might be; enlarged indefinitely ; and even if we suppose all the deposits to have been made in'gold and silver, : the notes could not be ' worth more than thirtythree and a third cents on the dollar. So far as the action of the legislature is concerned, the people of Indiana are delivered over, bound hand and foot, to the mercy of these landsharks, for the next twenty years ; for the legis-', lature it appears cannot repeal the charterwithin : that time. What the tender mercies of dishonest ; bankers are,' all krtow ; ' wresting sometimes a ' fourth, sometimes all of the proceeds of its daily labor from the hands of honest industry. : . In reference to this charter, the Journal of Commerce says, Vsuch a basis for banking is a disgrace to the age in which we live, and we won-' der that the people of that State allow such a sys-" tem. Such a bank mjgbt well afford to pay a liberal sum for the charter, but we shrink from the supposition that the legislators who supported it could have any personal interest in such a scheme." ', ,. Now is there an honest man in the State who approves of such a system of banking as this ? or is there one who would not willingly lend a helping hand for its overthrow 1 But we are informed that it is beyond legislative control, so that even if it were allowed to stand two years, until

the session of the next legislature, they would not have the power to repeal it. This being so, the only power that can reach the evil is a Convention to amend the Constitution. The present constitution, indeed, provides that in calling a convention, the first step shall be taken by the legislature ; but such a provision ai this, is of itself null and void, for the people have the power inherenin themselves, of making and unmaking constitutions ; and do not need to ask the gracious permission of any legislature, composed of, their creatures, to exercise that power. Such a provision is as if a law were made requiring a robber, , so soon as he had committed a robbery, to deliver himself forthwith into the hands of the officers of justice. It is not probable that any legislature whoso enactments are so outrageous as to require the assembling of a convention to annul their doings, will themselves recommend the calling of one.,,, ,.,.,.,. , '

.; Neither could the terms of the new bank char ter have any force in opposition to the will of a convention of the people. The people constitute the highest tribunal of the State, which recognizes no power in any other to limit its authority ; nor can it limit its own authority, for that is complete at all times, and as enduring as the existence of the State itself. No legislature has the right to bind the people by their actions beyond what is morally right and equitable, whether their power is so expressly limited in the constitution or not The people did not delegate, nor intend to dele gate to them any such power. They were elec ted only to make wise and salutary laws, nothing more; no power was entrusted to them to de fraud and swindle the people of the State, either directly or indirectly. When they transgress the principles of equity and justice, the people retain the right, in convention assembled, to annul their actions. , . '!.!-.-..:' It is with the people to decide whether they will be defrauded by unscrupulous bankers for twenty years, to come or not. They' have the right to elect ' their delegates to a convention at any time, and to enforce theirenactments. Whether they will act in the matter, or quietly submit to be swindled for twenty years, rests with themselves. ' A time for testing the' matter might easily be fixed upon by common consent, or by recommendation of the Governor. . ! ',:.: (. I One of the People. . ... :, STATE AGRICULTURAL FAIR. , , Mr. Editor: In a few days the State Board of Agriculture will be in session, for the purpose of locating the next Fair, fec. "': ". , ' It is known to your readers that the Legislature did nothing on the subject. I wish to suggest a course of action in the premises.! . ,; Let our citizens propose to the State Board to raise a sufficient sum of money to put the grounds,' in this city, j in order for the' Fair, on condition that the Board locate the Fair here for, say, three successive years.; Could this be done, our Hotel keepers, boarding-houses, &c, and County Society, would have sufficient inducement, to subscribe the necessary funds; but for a single year they have not. ;. , . , - The State Society, and the farming and mechanical interests of the State would be greatly benefitted by such an arrangement. Public Good. ., .:, MECHANICS' INSTITUTE. , , . Why have we not a Mechanics' Institute in our city? We have a larger number of mechanics, and a greater variety,1 than many other places supporting such an institution, and their, number and. variety are annually , increasing. Such a Society might be the instrument of much good. ' It should be organized upon a plan that would open it to all our citizens for ' membership, and secure it a liberal endowment of funds. One of the most important , acts it could perform, would be to offer annually a handsome . reward, or premium, to the rerson or persons who should introduce into our city, a new branch of manufacturing business. ' History informs usof a city that successfully fostered its growth to greatness by this means., I , , ' i j r I throw out the idea for the reflection of others better qualified to, appreciate and' communicate upon the subject. ' What say you? : Life or Death of Indianapolis. Lecture on Russia. ,., '., ' A lecture on Russia was delivered on Saturday evening, at Masonic Hall, by Dr. Baird, giving a number of geographical details of this great emV pire,' larger in extent than that of Rome in the days of Trajan.' The lecturer referred to a number of the characteristics of its; people, in proof of their affinity with the 'Asiatic races. Russia is a level and low country in relation - to the sea, and a large portion of it is covered with forests. In a great many of the towns the houses were built of wood, and the only city he knew of in which they were built of stone, was Sevastopol, which was a very substantial city itself, as well as its fortifications. In many parts of the empire there are no slaves for instance, in Finland, Bessarabia, and the old kingdom of Boland. '' The proportion in which the property in the serfs was distributed, was as follows: ' , 20,000,000 serfs belonged to the Emperor. ! 1,600,000. to the members of the Imperial Family. " ' '; '" 26,500,000 to the Nobles. 1 ' i The late Emperor had formed a plan for their liberation, by the serfs themselves allowing a certain sum to be worked out by labor in a series of years, for their emancipation; but though it was never yet ' carried into execution, the system of slavery was such that it could be abolished, and they were preparing the serfs by education, fcc, for the reception of the boon of freedom. The military schools of Russia contain 1 10,000 students.' Many interesting details were given of the peculiarities and customs of the people, of their dress, their hospitality, their politeness, their marriages, their funerals, the ponderosity of their church bells, and the rapidity of their traveling with four horses abreast. Religious toleration exists in Russia, but the Greek Church is the national religion. An immense mass of details were crowded into a lecture of about two hours and a half in duration. The lecture this evening will discourse of the war. Cin. Com. ' S3T The State Board of Agriculture meets in this city next Monday.

TM 10 CO MOT IV

TO CONTRIBUTORS AND CORRESPONDENTSi Marion. For two reasons we would rather not publish one is, thut the copy is not all iu our hands, aud wo can't Judge how it will conclude; aud the other, that we consider it in bad taste to make children use such remarks on Bible subjects. We know that it is not uncommon, and thnt one of the leading magazines of the country does it regularly, but it is irreverent and in bad taste. The story, as far as we have it, is well written. Pukr. If one-fourth its present length, we could And room for It as it is, we think our readers understand the matter sufficiently without occupying so much space to explain. A variety of other articles have been received, some with and others without the names of the writers, but we think the space can be better employed by other matters.' We have determined that the correspondent department of our paper shall be Improved, and unless articles come fully up to the standard we have adopted, they will not appear a mere string of words, however pleasantly connected, without Ideas and good suggestions, can be of benent to no one, and is a loss of space to the publisher, and time to the reader. We trust correspondents, in preparing their articles, wilt bear these facts in their minds. We are auxious to receive well written communications at all times, and such we will always try to find room for.' , y.. SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 1855. yrjSaturdnyisthe day of publication of the Locomotive when It will alwaysbereadyfor subscribers. In nooasewill woletacopyofthepaper go from the office befor pnblica tionday. . ' ; OFFICIAL PAPER FOR THE CITY. , OFFICIALPAPERTO PUBLISH THE LIST OFLETTERS More Steam. For over a year we have been favored with more job work than we were able to do, having frequently been obliged to turn jobs away for the want of presses to do them on;. This difficulty has now been obviated by the introduction of another Adams' Improved Steam Press,-just from the manufactory in Boston. 'We are now putting this Ijttle jobber in its place, and we think by next week the shafting and press will be in running order, so that all jobs entrusted ,to us can be done promptly aud well.. Our new press is from the same establishment, and of the same make as the large Adams we have had o ..... running for over two years, and we know to. a certainty that no inferior work will , be turned off from it they are universally admitted to be the best presses made, for fine work,' and are the same kind that the large establishments ' in the east do all their fine , work with. With . these presses, and our new Copper-Faced Type, we think we can offer extra inducements to all that want their work done in the best manner, to call at our office. After next week both presses will be running, and we would invite all that like t6 see nice machinery, and the best arranged Printing Office in the country, to call and examine them; and particularly the Ladies,' who can call at any time with propriety. ' Of course, all who want Books or Jobs printed, know where to coilse to get it done. . , ' ' ' Read the Imprint. One" of the best evidences of a successful merchant, is to get all his printing done at home, by his own customers. It would be a good plan for every one to read the, imprint at the bottom of the bills that will be circulated by our merchants just returning with their new goods, and where you see one printed in the east, avoid that store as you would a pestilence, for there is no better evidence of a picayune spirit. We don't think any of our merchants do this, but still it is well enough to read the imprint.. Advertise! That is the doctrine.' There is no investment pays so well to the business man, or mechanic, as judicious and liberal advertising. And in selecting your: papers, get those that are sought for by their readers, and ' read with interest, which is generally the ones that have the largest circulation. Barnum says "While you are attending to one set of customers, your adi vertisement, read by thousands, is bringing you others." 'Barnum knows. '' ' ' ' ';' " The State Fair. We would ask the attention of business men, hotel keepers, and all others interested, to the suggestions in another column.in relation to the State Fair. The location will be, made in a few days, and we are led to believe that the committee will locate the next Fair here, if anything like a liberal spirit is shown by our citizens. If three successive Fairs are held here, every business man. can subscribe liberally to the erection of permanent 'enclosures and buildings,! and the possession of these would be a great inducement to continue the Fair here afterwards.This is the point for the Fair, and our having it will go largely to clear away the hard times we' are promised with this summer, v'; : ! '.! I Modest. D. C. Minick,,of the Carlisle House, presented a bill to thd City Council' for J 260, for taking care of John Wade, sick of the small pox at his house for 17 days. ' Among the items we notice hiring a hand at $5 a day, and 100 damage done to house.: It was reported by the committee that the bill was referred to, that the person that had the disease stopped at the house," and that no officer directed or instructed him to' keep him or take charge of him. The bill was very properly laid on the table, , If every person sick in 'the city, has to be nursed and attended to : by the city, at the rate of $260 for 17 days, it would take $50 on the $100. of taxables every year to pay it. s ; ,(., : ', :,.:r &B We have neglected to call attention to the . advertisement of Messrs. Kelshaw fe Sinker,'Boiler Makers,' in this paper. ' With their improved machinery, they can furnish anything intheir line better and cjieaper than it can be pro-, cured at any other place. We have had a boiler of their make in use over two years, and it has never cost a dime for repairs. They are reliable ; men to deal with, and all in want of articles they ' furnish will do well to call on them. " '"- ' . S3T We understand that Dr. L. Van Buren, for a long time a successful practitioner of the Homoeopathic school, in this city, is about leaving, us, to locate in Louisville, Ky. He carries with him our best wishes for success.

SPRING'S COMING. ,' As yet we have t6 look upon the dirty, drabbled, coat-tail of old Winter, as he slowly takes his departure. ', But we have heard the notes of the blue-bird, and we take them as the notes of promise that we will, ere long, have the bright sunny smiles and gentle breathings of t young Spring. We have had a hard winter hard on poor folks and fragile bodies. We have the poor always with us ; God pity them. Now the spring time is coming and the summer will be here will the poor be forgotten ? . Yes, we suppose so, unlil they come again, when the. winds blow cold, and starvation drives them abroad to seek for food, raiment, and shelter. Happy they are in their poverty when the sun shines warmly, but bitter is their lot when the winter storms gather about them. ; Necessity, it is said, is the mother of invention ; and so we think necessity is the mother of crime. We may talk about education, it is a great salvo ;. but we never can educate a starving stomach not to help itself. In this land, individual pride is a characteristic. Men and women feel that they are equal to their neighbors, and,' that the chance of fortune is all that places them beneath their neighbor's shining conspicuity. It is peculiarly the truth with us, that fine feathers make fine birds. ! The young men and the young women see the fine feathers of their young neighbor birds, that have been nestled on the lap of Juxury. ...They know that these feathers are to be had for money, i They are poor very poor half starving perhaps and they cannot see why they should not bo entitled to shine as well as their neighbors who shine without effort. ., Hunger and rags may at .first induce them to sin. One sin, gilded with success, sends: forth a second. So they go and come ; sin after sin till the form of poverty stanfls at last jewelled in dishonor and dark crime. ,. So, many .go. . It becomes then the interest of the community to see that none are unprovided, with employment : to see that no man or woman in the community lives or shall live without some employment, by which he or she may obtain enough to live comfortably, and feel ' that independent pride,, which is the birthright of all. ' 'If such were the condition of community,' the committees for the benefit of the poor; such as are now here, would fall into disuse. , The winter winds might . bitterly blow in vain, and the rich man would never hear the footr step of the poor upon his door-step. ' " ' But the. spring-time is coming, and we must smile with the poor, and the rich, and all the world ; for all the world will soon be smiling. Soon the roses will, bloom. Soon i the , balmy winds of the South will be blowing, and the birds will be bathing their soft plumage in the warm sunshine.' -We wil have the spring and the summer.. Boys will soon be out; strolling of evenings, and the girls will: be hugging the-gate-posts, and kissing the b beautiful roses. Strawberries, ice-creams, fishing tackle, and twoj forty horses will soon be in demand. , Oh, poor folks, if - you only, had next winter, what these young Jehus will throw away this summer, you would'nt need a check 'then on the old clothes department at all.' By the way, would it not be a good idea for the Benevolent Society to issue bill of credit on their deposites of old clothes, under the new bank law? "Poor folks do you hear us?": That's right; issue the bills on the deposites, give the bills to the poor, and then let them withdraw the deposites. Poor folks. you have passed through a hard winter, but the warm sunshine begins to gleam. Plenty of money before long. ' The light and the sunshine always follow the storm and darkness.'' ,: '"' ' .,, ; NATIVE AMERICANISM. ; -' ;' "' It seems to be an argument with some, that because an American cannot' go to Europe and become a citizen on the same terms that a European may come here and become a citizen, that therefore the term of five, years is too short a naturalization period. ' We think in that there is no argument. '( The privileges of a common citizen in Europe are not the privileges of a freeman. Many million native born Europeans may live their lives out, ! without' ever a hope of the privilege of having a' voice in the administration of government; so that what is denied , to an American in Europe, is also denied to the native European; land therefore the European leaves his nativ land, as the American disapproves it, for the reason that he prefers individual independence and equal rights to humble gropings amid the shadows of palaces and lordly castles. , What is our country, and who are we?;- Some of us claim to be native Americans! That is, we were born upon American soil. - Boy, what was your grandfather or grandmother?, ( Perhaps if it had not been for their early departure from the shores of old Europe, you might, by the accident of birth, be now roasting potatoes in . among the bogs ot swate. Ireland, or eating Russian black bread in the neighborhood of.SevastopoL, , Perhaps you might have ,been a Welshman; or a Hollander. 1 Is it a crime to have been born on European soil, 'or shall the rights of man be denied to man merely because he happens to have been born where liberty dares not show' itself? The. birds of the air and the fish' of the sea have the winds a'nd waters of the earth' to bear them wherever they may choose. ' So has man, and there is no portion of religion, natural or revealed,; that has given to any particular nation any particular portion of the earth, and commanded that nation to drive away : every foreigner who comes within gun shot. ' ' ' ' If all 'this broad domain, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, belongs, exclusively, to native born citizens,-merely by virtue of their' having been the first to swindle the Indians out of it, we would like to see the papers' for it. ' . JtSTWe certainly must be a liberal people, and have a generous set of public officers, that will permit steam works to go on in the public streets.

The smoke from the shinde machine in front of the Capital House, has been blowing in the faces of the passers by for the last three or four days, much to their annoyance, ,1s this right? . What say you, Mr. Mayor ?

BE SOMEBODY. It is not quite true we believe that man may

be in this world what he pleases, but we believe he mio-ht be in many instances far different from what he is, if, instead of standing like some lone weed, to be blown this way and that, to waver or to fall, as the winds may move him, he would move himself and go forth into the world with a mind to do and a heart to smile, let the world be what it may. The man that always wears the smile of open free-heartedness, is always the happy man, let him be rich or poor, high or low. And we believe it is for man to wear this smile, generally, if he pleases. A long lugubrious coun tenance a head hanging down, and a hp hang ing lower, are disgraceful to humanity. Stand up; look up; step out; be somebody. There is no order from Heaven to "walk light and talk low." Politicians need only do that; men may walk and talk right out, loud and strong. , ';.'V-;. MUSY C. -': : We like music. ' We suppose we always have liked it. . We suppose we liked it when op. our mother's knee we sank into sweet repose, under the soft lullaby that breathed from her lips. We know we loved it from the time we could pucker our mouth to a whistle, flourish a penny-rattle or strike' the. sweet tongued jewsharp, or -pinch a cat's tail. But since then, we have learned to value music that the world esteems of a higher order, We have listened with delight to artists of the first talent from away across the deep blue sea. We thank Barnum for the finest we ever listened to of any kind.' We are listening to music now. - What is it? The music of the churchbell. When it ceases, we will listen still. May we hear what follows ?. It is the suppliant's prayer. There is the eloquence of a heart's sincere devotion; the. confidence and love of one who loves to pray. There is music in the solemn sweet toned church bell ; but, oh ! there is music sweeter still in the pleading words that float away to Heaven in prayer. '-. : We rather think the building erected on the corner of Meridian, and Washington streets as a huxster's stand, comes under the ordinance to prevent the erection of wooden buildings. If this is so, and we can put no other construction on it, it will be hustled out of there quick. These huxter's stands are getting to be a nuisance that the council should provide against by ordinance. If business men pay rent for buildings, and taxes on their wares and merchandise the council should protect them in their business, and not permit the public sidewalks to be used by birds of passage, that interfere with them, and incommode the public. " We hope the judiciary committee will take the preparation of an ordinance on this subject under consideration. -, 1 jJ3?"The Indianapolis and Cincinnati railroad companyhave succeeded in completing arrangements with the Ohio and Mississippi company, to lay down a third rail on the track between Lawrenceburg and Cincinnati, so that the cars from this city can run directly to Cincinnati, -without chanjre.: The terms of agreement are, that the Indianapolis and Cincinnati road are to be at all the expense of laying the additional rail, and to give one-fifth of the receipts of through freight and passengers to the Ohio and Mississippi road. The other road is to offer no inducements to pas-; ' sengers from Cincinnati to come by Vernon. It is anticipated that the track will be completed in ninety days. , , . 1 ,.' ., ,. S3T We would call particular attention to the advertisement of S. Wilmot, Hatter, in another column. Mr. W. manufactures nearly all his hats here, which is an additional inducement to all that go in for the encouragement of home industry. ' : - . , . . ' ,i ,. : j!3rWe would call the attention of all interested in Bounty Lands, to the card of Mr. A. H.: Brown, in another column. Mr. B. is well ac-,; quainted in Washington City, which will be of great assistance to him in getting the applications made through him speedily acted on. : 1 About 4 o'clock on Wednesday morning,; the residence of Mr. Hildeburg, about one mile south of the city, was burned to the ground,: It' was a two story frame, with no insurance on either house or furniture. . ! - .i. jtEf?-It is reported on the streets that the Know Nothings have nominated an entire ticket for city officers, from Mayor down. We have heard the names, but our information is not direct enough , to give them. ' If this is so, we suppose they will, be published in good lime. i . The Township election is on the 1st Mon-. day in April. , This township will have to elect . three Justices of 'the Peace, Constables, &c. , f JTSrWe would call attention to the card of , Messrs. Buell and Haskell, in another column, both as Attorneys, and as agents in procuring,, patents for the Bounty Lands. ; . Any business eillluLCU, iiucui, in ciwjci i.upai;i(,v, will promptly attended to. (. ,: -1 itST Smith's Speller and Defiker's Manual, published by Daniel Burgess & Co., New-York, lias been laid .on our table by Stewart &i Bowen,' Booksellers of this city. . This appears to be a Very USclUl DUUIV iwi uvituuia, uctici iiiiaiitiiu,nnA .JncirvrvA? tf t.Jlkfi t.llP til fl CP ff tllP ftf.Vinftl 110.nuu lii.u - r v..w ........ - tionary, containing many words not in the latest edition of the Dictionary. Office of the Grand Scribe,) ' Indianapolis, March 19, ltsoo. 1 ) ' . : m, . 1 ' . 1 : f ii ' i llie neiii semi-aunuai sessiou oi uie uthiiuDivision of the S. of T.'of Indiana will be held in Crawfordsville, Montgomery county, to commence on Tuesday, the 24th of April next, at 6 o'clock, P.M. - . . It is earnestly desired that every Division in the jurisdiction be fully represented, that we may rejoice in the achievement of so much of our la--bors as the passage of a stringent Prohibitory Liquor Law, and devise measures for its enforcement. By order. E. H. Barrv, G. S.