Rising Sun Times, Volume 4, Number 192, Rising Sun, Ohio County, 22 July 1837 — Page 1
mm 1
BY ALEX. E. GLE.
RISING INDIANA, SATURDAY, JULY 22, 1827.
Oh! who is like the Mighty One! " Oh God, my soul thirstcth for thee.'''' Psalm 63: 1. O, who is like the Mighty One, Whose throne is in the sky, Who compasseth the universe, With his all-searching- eye: At. whose creative word appeared The dry land and the sea? Mv spirit thirsts for thee, O Lord, My spirit thirsts for thee! Around him suns and systems swim, In harmony and light, Beside him harps angelic hymn His praises day and night; Yet -to the contrite in the dust For mercy turn will he My -spirit thirsts for thee, O Lord, My spirit thirsts for thee! Yes! though unlimited his works. His power withholds them all, He clothes the lilies of the field, And marks the sparrow's fall : The ravens young crr not in vain, Then will he pass not me; My spirit thirsts for thee, O Lord, My spirit thirsts for thee.
The Bridegroom to his Sleeping Bride. lecp, loved one, sleep thy tangled hair Flows loosely o'er thy bosom hare; Yet sleep in peace no prying eye, Save thy lovers own, is nigh; Sleep, dearest sleep thy lovers breast Pillows thy rest. Sleep on, sleep on nay, do not start 'T is but thy lover's beating heart, Whose pulses throb against thy cheek, Tokening the love they cannot speak. Sweet dreamer sleep thy lover's eye Is watching nigh. Sleep cn, sleep on. sweet folded flower, Till rosy morning's dawning hour; Sleep and dream on thy lover's arm fondly sheltering thee from harm; Sleep, and fear not thy lover's car Is listening near. Omnipotent of earth and heaven! By whom ail blissful gifts are given To whom this treasured one I owe, ' That sleeps upon my bosom now I give thee thanks for-evcry bliss, But most for this! THE BRIDE A Sketch. Amor,- the crowd who were hastilv pro-
menacing the streets on L-lmstmas eve
was Charles West; and it his step degenerated into a stride, and then a run, he niirht be pardoned. Charles West was a
new made bridegroom. The transition from the dirty, cold street, to a warm parlor, was in itself pleasurable; added to that to be welcomed home by a bright-eyed girl all smiles and blushes,(for the honey moon was barely passed,) was absolutely too paradisal for earth. Emma had wheeled the sofa in front of the fire, and as Charles seated himself beside her, he was certainly a very happy fellow. Alas! he had only as yet drank the bubbles of the cup. Emma looked lovely, for the glow of the warm coal fire had given a bloom to her usually pale check, which lighted the luster of her dark eyes. But there came a shade of thought over Emma's brow, and her husband instantly remarked it. It is strange how soon husbands see clouds on their liege lady's brows. It was the first
that Charles ever saw there, and it excited
the tenderest inquiries. Was she unwell? did she wish for any tiling? Emma hesitated, blushed and looked down. Charles pressed to know what had cast such a shadow over her spirits. "I fear you will
think me very silly, but Mary French has
i
them and he reflected a minute before he said, ' Emma, my love, get your bonnet and cloak on, and walk with me, if you please.' Emma looked as if she would like to pout a little longer, but Charles said 'come,' with such a serious gravity on his countenance, that Emma thought proper to accede, and nothing doubting but that it was to purchase the carpet, took his arm with a smile of triumph. They crossed several squares in the direction of Brent's until they at last stood before the door of a miserable tenement in a back street, 'where in the world are you taking ine,' inquired Emma, shrinking back. Charles quietly led her forward, and lifting the latch, they stood in a little room, around the grate of which, three small children were hovering closer and closer, as the cold wind crept through the devices in the decayed walls. An emaciated being, whose shrunk features, sparkling eye, and flushed cheek spoke ot deadly consumption, lay on a wretched low bed, the .Might covering of which barely sufiiccd to keep her from freezing, while a spectral babe whose black eyes looked unusually largo from its extreme thinness, was vainly endeavoring to draw sustenance from its dying mother. 'How are yon, Mrs. Wright?' quietly enquired Charles. The woman feeblyraised herself on her arm. 'Is that ou Mr. West? Oh how clad I am that vcu are come your mother?' 'Has not been at home for a month, and the lady who promised her to look after you in her absence, only informed me to day of your illness.' 'I have been very ill,' she faintly replied, sinking back on her straw bed. Emma drew near, she arranged the pillow and bed clothes over the feeble surfferer, but her heart was loo full to speak Charles observed it and fcltsatisfied. 'Is that beautiful girl your bride ? 1 heard you were married?' 'Yes, and in my mother's absence she will see you do not suffer,' 'Bless you Mr. Charles West bless you for a good son of a good mother, may your young wife deserve you; and that is wishing a good deal for her. You are very good to think of me,' she said looking at Emma,'and j ou arc just married.' Charles saw Emma could not speak, and he hurried her home, promising to send the poor woman coal that night. The moment they reached home, Emma burst into tears. 'My dear Emma,' said Charles soothingly, 'I hope I have not given you too severe a shock. It is sometimes salutary to look upon the miseries of others, that we mav propcrly appreciate our own happiness. Here is a purse containing seventy-five dollars, you may spend it as you please." It is unecessary to say that the 'odious wilton' kept its place, but the shivering children of want, were taught to bless the
name of Emma West, and it formed the articulate murmur on the lips of the d ing sufferer.
192.
punishment that ought to be the due of a villain that would rob her and leave her helpless babes to starve, after which he turned, with a most piercing, withering look, upon the defendant, and with masterly eloquence, held him up to the court as the very wretch that had robbed the widow, and took the food from the verv mouths of her orphan children; and what aggravated the crime still more, she was so poor that he thought he could rob her with impunity that no one would espouse her cause and protect her; "but, thank Heaven," said he, ""there is a man they call Jo. Daviess." It is needless to add, he gained a handsome indemnification, which the widow received with heartfelt gratitude towards hei noble champion."
OFF-HAND PRACTICE. When Col, Burr fought his duel with Mr. Church, in 1797, on account of the latter having asserted that a bond of the Colonel's which the Holland Land Company held against him for $2,000 had been cancelled for secret service rendered by him to that association; Mr. Church was attended to Ilobokcn by Abijah Hammond, Esq. and the Colonel by Judge Edandus Burke of South Carolina, who must have been an Irishman by descent, from the evidence of his name and the confirmatory testimony of the following fact, narrated in Mr. Davis' "Memoirs of Aaron Burr." "On the ground a most ludicrous accident occurred. Previous to leaving the city of New York, Col. Burr presented to Judge Burke his pistol case. He explained to the Judge that the balls were cast intentionally to small; that chemois leather was cut to the proper size (o put around them, but that the leather must be greased (for which purpose grease was placed in the case,) or that there would be a difficulty in getting the ball home. After the parties had taken their stand, Col. Burr noticed the Judge hammering the ramrod with a stone, and immediately, suspected the cause. When the pistol was handed him by his friend, he drew the ramrod and ascertained that the ball was not home, and so informed the Judge to which Mr. Burke replied, 'I forgot to grease the leather, but you see he is ready, don't keep him waiting; just talc a crack as it is, and PU grease the ncxtP Colonel Butt bowed courteously, but made no reply, and discharged his pistol in the state it had hoot, frlvon tf him. Till SI t)tftr f for
after was the subject ot merr . ....
those who had heard it.
some lime
rimcnt among
Steam in the Astor House N. X. There are many more wonders under the sun than man or woman dreams of; and a guest at the Astor House, who is eating the good things of this life there, and seeing the fine things of this life there, and seeing the fine things of the world, little imagines that there is down stairs, in the cellar, under ground, a curious fellow Without head or heels, tongue or ears, hands or feet, who is doing a miracle of things, for the guests all over the house ironing clothes in one place, washing in another grinding coffee here, and scrubbing knives there now cooking victuals, and now pumping water from eight to ten thousand gallons per day, and throwing much of it even into the sixth story! The maids in the wash room use him to dry clothes, as well as to boil them and there is a rail-road there too to move the clothes presses in! The cook uses him to cook all sorts of vegetables, from cobbage to potatoes. Indeed he is used for almost every thing, so that he is chamber-maid, washer-woman, knife scourer, kitchen-maid cook, coffee-grinder, clothes ironer, bathing-room boy, &c, And yet he has the capacity to do a thousand other things with the same pufF for he can grind flour, saw boards, row, paddle, or do any thing, or almost every thing you ask him to do. This is 'Avery's Rotary Ensrine.1 It is
truly astonishing to see the amount of
labor performed by that little engine, and especially when it is understood that the amount of fuel used in. fifteen hours costs, on an average, one dollar twelve and a half cents. iY. Y. Express,
lippn sitt'iv with me this atte
'Not for that, certainly,' said Charles smiling. 'Oh I did not "mean that, but you know we began to keep house nearly at the same time, only they sent by Brent to New York for carpeting. Mary would have me walk down to Brent's store this evening with her, and he has brought two, and they are such loves.' Charles bit his lip. 'Mary,' she continued, 'said you were doinir a first rate business, and said
she was sure vcu would never let that odi
ous WiUon lav on the parlor, if vou once
saw that splendid Brussels so rich and so
ehcen only seventv-hvc dollars.
Now tho odious 'wilton,' had been select
ed by Charles' mother and presented to theo,and the color deepened on his check,
as his animated bride continued, 'suppose we walk down to Brent's and look at it there are only two, and it seems a pity not to secure it.' 'Emma,' said Charles gravely, 'you arc mistaken if you suppose my business will justify extravagance. It will be useless to look at the carpet as we have one which will answer very well, and is perfectly new." Emma's vivacity fled, and she sat awkwardly picking her nails. Charles felt embarrassed he drew out his watch and put it back, whistled, and finding a periodical of Emma's began to read tdoud some beautiful verses. His voice was well toned, and he soon entered
into the spirit of the writer, and forgot his
emharrassmems, hen looking into Em
ma's eyes how he was surprised instead
ot the glow oi sympathetic feeling he ex
pected to meet, to see her head bent on
her hand evident displeasure on her brow, and a tear slowly trickling down
her cheeks. Charles was a sensible
oung man I wish ther6 were more of
JO. DAVIESS. It is said that the following anecdote of this distinguished individual was not, until lately, published. It was related by a venerable Kcntuckian, who was well acquainted with Jo. Daviess. "There lived near Lexington a very poor widow, who by dint of rigid cconomy aniasscd enough to purchase several pigs, which she put into a pen to fatten for the support of herself and numerous familv
When her pigs were grown, and fattened one of her neighbors upon a slight claim or pretence, went to the old lady's sty, deliberately raised it, drove her hogs off, slaugh
tered, and snugly deposited them in Ins own tub. The poor woman remonstrated, but
in vair;, and not being able to incur tho expense of a legal prosecution, she was left without a reined-. On quite a pleasant afternoon, in November, a man dressed in a blanket coat and lecgans, with a rifle,
called at the humble dwelling, and inquir
ed for a drink ol water. She furnished
him in a gourd, which if it could not boast of splendor, did at least of cleanliness. Aftei he had refreshed himself with a draught from the homely cup, leaning upon his trusty rifle, he enquired where the widow iived who had been so basely robbed, relating the circumstances of the theft. The maternal tear that coursed down the injured widow's check, answered most elo
quently. "Dry up your tears, good woman," said the stranger, "I have no doubt some one will assert your rights and defend them." "O, no," said she, wiping away her tcrs, "1 know of no lawyer but Harry Clay that will undertake a suit without a fee, and he has gone to Congress."
The hunter still endeavored to console
her, shouldered his rifle, and followed by his faithful dog, soon was lost in the woods. The case duly instituted, but by proper nrocess was removed to a distant county
by the defendant. When it was called for
trial, a man with a blanket coat was seen
to arise and address the court thus, "Your
honors, and pcntlemen of the jury, this is
linr character, a case that
" " i : - . ' . .
Heaven has vouchsafed to protect me
rasn of the widow and the orphan. Al
ter the testimony was examined, which
was verv Dointcd, the blanket coat again
rnsr and after recapitulating the evidence
very pathetically spoke tor the lanor anu
toil that a poor widow had undergone to
gain a scanty pittance for a helpless family, which soon awakened a universal sympathy in her favor, and caused the sturdy
jurors to drop their heads to hide a lurking tear; and the stern Judge, it was said, was
seen to pasn an unwelcome messenger
THE THEATRE. Dr. Channing, of Boston, in a late address, uses the following languge in relation to the theatre: "I approach another subject on which
a greater variety of op ion ion exists than perienced
on the last, and that is the theatre. In its present, state, the theatre derives no en
couragement. It is an accumulation of
immoral influences. It has nourished in
LIFE TS NEW ORLEANS. The Editor of the New Orleans Herald says "The theatres are closed it is too hot to hunt too tedious to fish and most of us are almost too indolent to read. The only amusement in which our citizens can now indulge in is, to ride out in the dust in the evening, or walk the streets and inhale the cool air after dark. In these times of dulness, the man who would invent any pleasant means of banishing ennui, should be looked upon as a public benefactor. We are too modest to claim such honor for ourselves but we will barely suggest a diversion, which we have found very interesting, and which our readers are at liberty to try on "their own hooks."
It is, to take a chair after tea, seat yourself upon the balcony or in the porch, and the musquitocs light upon it, and, just as
they have fastened their bills, strike them on the back with the right hand: the relief
which follows the paui, end the gratification of that "attribute of the god's revenge," spreads a soothing pleasure over the mind,
which is the nearest approximation to perfect beaiititude which we have ever ex-
To the People of the State or Indiana, Prepared by a committee appointed for that purpose, at the late Classification Convention. We, the undersignedcommittee, by order of the delegates from the counties of Clark, RipleyrSwitzerland, Hancock, Shelby, Dearborn, Rush, Cass, Carroll, Parke, Hendricks and Decatur, in convention assembled, for the purpose of deliberating on the system of Internal Improvements in progress in the State of Indiana, and for the purpose of devisinga iust and equitable plan of conducting the same, respectfully submit on behalf of the convention the following views in relation thereto, to the people of the State of Indiana: With a view of averting the dangers which threaten the State from the impro-! vident manner in which the said system of ) Improvements has been projected and conducted, the people of the aforenamed counties in their primary assemblies have appointed delegates to meet together, consult and deliberate on the aforenamed subjects, with such other delegates as might be appointed by our fellow-citizens of the State to assemble with us; rowing to reasons obvious to cvry one acquainted with the subject, a very large portion of our fellowcitizjns residing in the counties south of White River, on the Wabash, and in the northern and eastern parts of the State, aU though friendly to the objects which this convention have assembled to promote, have failed to appoint delegates to meet us in this convention. In many counties it is believed that due notice of the time, place, and purpose of this convention has not been given, owing to the partial circulation of those papers friendly to our cause, and
the pertinacious silence on the subject of
this convention ot those newspapers in the State opposed to us in opinion. It is believed also that not a few of our friends
have supinely relied on the hope of that
strength which truth and justice usually lends to any cause for its support in the ensuing legislature. The delegates assembled as aforesaid held it to te their duty (although few in number) to lay before those who sent them to investigate this subject, and the public at large, a few of the facts connected with the present system of Internal Improve
ments, and their opinion, and conclusions
temperance, and all vice. In saying this,
DR. FRANKLIN'S WIFE. Franklin, in a sketch of his life and
habits, relates the following anecdote of his frugal and affectionate wife. A wife
callv, csscn ually evil. I can conceive of p", . .- c , -vn fi,,. w
I do not say that the amusement is radi
a theatre, which would be the nobelest of PurcimM ? u P k .K, '
till C1.IH'.. LliH-UUJj ft .!. U ll'gll 1 111 "He that would thrive
....... .... 0 ... and elevating the character of a people. The deep woes, the mighty and terril pas
sions, and the sublime emotions of genuine
Must ask his wife,"
was lucky for me that
r , i
it was lucky tor me that i naa one as
much disposed to industry and frugality
tragedy, arc fitted to thrill us with human as myself. She assisted me cheerfully in
sympathies, with profound interest in our my business, folding and stitching pam
nature, with a consciousness of what man nhlets. tendmsr shop, purchasing old lin
can dare and do and suffer, with an awed nen rags for making paper, &c. We kept
feeling oi : the tearful mysteries ot lite. 1 he no idle servant, our table was plain and
soul of the spectator is stirred from the simple: our furniture of the cheapest. For depths: and the letharsv in which many instance, my breakfast was for a long
live, is roused, at feast tor a time, to some time, bread and milk, (no tea,) and i cat
mtensness ot thought and scnsability. it out ot a two penny earthen porringer,
The drama answers a high purpose, when with a pewter spoon ; but mark how luxury
it places us in the presence ot the most will enter tamuies, and make a progress
solemn and striking events of human his- in spite of principle, being called one mora
tory, and fays bare to us the human heart ing to breaKiasi, i iouna u in a cnina dowi, in its most powerful, appalling, glorious with a spoon of silver. They had been
workings. But how little does the theatre bought for me by my wife, and cost the
accomplish its end! How often is it dis- enormous sum ot three and twenty snu
1 .. . - I jm. 1 1 t 1 1 .1
trraccd by monstrous distortions of human lings; tor which she had no otner excuse
nature, and still more disgraced by pro- or apology to make, dui mat sne xnougm indelicacv. low wit. her husband deserved a silver spoon, and
such as no woman worthy of the name can china bowl, as well as any of her neighi l ! mt ! lUn Cool tnn a m r rvf
hear without a blush, and no man can take bors. mis waa un; m lll.v,
ilcasure in w ithout self-degradation." plate or china in our house, which atter-
i wards in the course oi years, a: our weuuii
Another Slave Case. A negro man increased, augmented gradually to several
n:.tnfMl T.nwis. helonirincr to Mr. Mc'Kain. Hundred pounds in value
7 o O J I
of Mobile, was a short time since enticed
away from his master by some Diackiegs, Mr. Fox an the Methodists,
.i 1. - . : i . , (i.:. iia.a i
wiioiu lie iiccomiJiiiiieu iu 11113 cii. iicio ., - ,, , . . . - ... ii , I The following high compliment was paid he was arrested as a fugitive and taken be- ' " , , ? r if...
4, , , i i .i..J 1 te IVieinouisui uy nix. iui in uia i iusumy tore the recorder, here he acknowleged cirC(Jmstance whic
ins
from his eye; then commenced upon the
s conumon, anu requeaiuu iu uc scui i - - m!m..(i,n f dm
home. 113 was accordingly put on board 1 """.., . A . ti-j .u.
a vessel for the nurnosc. but before sailing, Pr u., nuy r..g.-w u
, , tA u i. ,Ara rise ot JYietnoaism: and tnis was a nean
huuvuj vw i J " fc J B I -a H7LA 11 ...
Oil l- t lj ct i istirrinc innuence. na.iever uns
. .'.':. - , - I ovorn r.nlic mnv find in the siiDOOsed
I . I I I L I nl-talnnt hrli n I ----- I I
dividual, and Lewis was brought before r
1 4 1 TU a nm no haw- I ll?0 V-i W V UVUUt. w -
ing been duly cited to produce their proofs be classed among the benefactors-among r k; :j.:. u k; the most illustrious benefactors of this na-
being
nl rilQ irtorttittr f In 1 H r onnilirv
thai hf nnnnnrnrl nc rAnnril for TjAWIS:
Whiskers. A voucr ladv in Vermont:
nre mistaken, I want no council. I've boen having by accident spilt a few drop ot
lVWir Ynrk Inn niirh? and now 1 1 patent hair oil on her cheek before going
want to go home to Massa McKain I've to bed, awoke in the morning with whisseen enough of New York niggers, and kers several inches long! At least bo
they aint half what they are cracke'd up the story runs.
So, there s no U9e in saying any
to be.
more
There's a Jack tar at Boston now
It is unnecessary to add that the
request of Lewi6 was granted, and he is shipmaster, who is only 48, and has cross now cn his way to Mopile.--Y. YSwu Jed. tUe Atlantic 148 times!
rawn therefrom. The convention is ful-
y aware that this deliberation would have
K'fo" lhaiOIfcli$ "WfcHW-J! Ji0J"fflS
system; that many (if not all the atten
dant evils of the system) consequent on the
hasty and improvident action ot the Legis-
aturo on this subject might have been pre-
entcd, had the subject received trom that
body the investigation which its impor
tance required. It is well known, however, that in that branch of the Legislature
in which the bill originated, it was intro
duced and forced through the House in the
space of twentyfour hours, although the constitution required all bills (except in cases of emergency) to be read on three
several days before their hnal passage. It is also known that the bill was never print
ed, that not one reason was given by its friends for its passage, nor one objection
permitted to be urged by those opposed to it; and that on its second and third readings, it was forced through under the ope
ration ot that most tyranical ot all rules
of legislation which cuts off all debate on
the merits ot the measure, Estimates had
(it is true) been procured of the cost of
constructing the various lines ot improve
ment then contemplated; but it is equally
true that these estimates without bemsr
read or referred to, were sent off to the
printer, where they remained until after
the passage of the act creating the system
That the Legislature should have dis
carded all aid from the reports of the en
gineers, and should have shut up all other
sources ot information on the then impor
tant subjects of its deliberations, is believed
to be a proceeding wholly unpreceaeniea in any deliberative assembly; at all events
it will not be wondered at, that the merits
of a system, established without dehbera
Hon, should be investigated, even at tins
late period.
The following is a summary of the lead
ing provisions of the bill, viz : The White
Water Canal is authorized to he construct
ed. It commences at the west branch ot
the White Water River, at the crossing of
the National Road, and terminates at two
points on the Ohio River, viz: at Uincin
4 .
nati and Lawrenceburgh. it is also extended up the west branch of the White
Water River, above the National Road, to
some indefinite point. Also, a connection by Canal or Rail Road, to commence at some indefinite point, and end in Madison or Delaware counties, at some suitable
noint. Appropriation $k 1.400.000. What
mav be the ultimate cost of the extension
of the Canal, and the connection of the
White Water and Central Canal cannot
even be guessed at, as no surveys had been
made of them at the time ot the passage ot
the bill. The reports ot the engineers lett
this matter as uncertain as were the routes
themselves, both of which, by the terms of the act. are left to be fixed by a board of
Internal Improvement, who are wholly ir
responsible to the people, holding their offices by appointment. 2nd. The Central Canal commencing
at some indefinite point on the Wabash and Eria Canal: hence bv Munoey town and
Indianapolis down the valley of thevfe
fork of White Riyer, to its junction wnn tne
..- fl, :j
r-rV Vef; ltlenCe lV sorrm indefinite route to Evans ville, on the Oh? River, with a proviso, however, allowing the board to adopt a different route on the northern section of the Canal, but obliging them to make a navigable feeder to Munceytown, costing probably $1,000,000. For the construction of which Canal and Feeder $1,500,000 is appropriated. 3rd. An extension of the Wabash and Erie Canal from the mouth of Tippecanoe River, down the banks of the Wabash River to Terre-Haute; thonce down Eel River to connect with the Central Canal, or else by some other indefinite route to be determined by the board, to connect with the Central Canal, for which an appropriation is made, of $1,300,000. It is said of this Canal, that it is impossible to raise the aqueduct, which forms a part of it, .high enough above the river to prevent the obstruction of the river navigation. 4th. A Rail-Road from Madison, by Columbus, Indianapolis, and Crawfordsville to Lafayette. Appropriation $Iy 300,000, By the estimates returned to the Legislature, the costs of running this road through Crawfordsville, will amount to the sum of $034,899 G2, more than the cost of the direct route to Lafayette. No satisfactory reason can be assigned for the out-laying of a sum so enormous for ithe accommodation of one petty county seat; but this is only one instance of a whole class ef cases of unjust favoriteism which the bill would furnish us. 5th A McAdamized Turnpike Road from New-Albany through Greenville; thence by some indefinite route near Fredericksburg, through Paoli, Mount Pleasant, and Washington, to Vincennes, for the construction of which $115,009 is appropriated. 6th. The Board of Internal Improvement is authorized to construct a McAdamized Road or Rail-Road as they4 may deem expedient,from Jeffersonville through New-Albany, Salem, and Crawfordsvi.le, for which is appropriated $1,300,000. 7th. The inconsiderable sum of $50,000 is appropriated for removing obstructions in the Wabash River, between tha mouth and Vincennes, to be appropriated as the Board shall see fit.
Last, though not least, 8th. A Rail-Road or Canal from some
indefinite point near Fort Wayne, to Lake
luicnigan, by tLnmdejimte route, and cost
ing an indefinite sum, for the completion of
which the laith ot the state is irrevocably
pledged..
making the total sum specifically "app're priated, $10,000,000 It has been coqee
ded, however, by the friends and foes of
the system, nay, by its projectors, that this sum was wholly insufficient to complete the works, and that it was intended merely as a committal of the State to a further
prosecution of the system. Th- is obvious from the slightest examination of the act. The very fact that three of the works have
never been surveyed previous to the passage of the bill) and that the ten millions of dollars appropriated is exclusive of tho
ast mentioned work, shows sufliciently
)iain that its projectors never supposed
that ten millions would complete the system
such a small sum was only named w ith
view ol hood winking the peoplj until
the State was so far committed, that it would
be ruin either to go on with the system, or recede.
It is impossible to calculate, with any
degree of certainty, what will be the ulti
mate cost of the system, for many reasons. The first cause which operates to make
any calculations on the subject uncertain,
is, that the powers ot the Board ot Inter
nal Improvemeat m constructing the works are scarcely limited. They are, it is true,
bound to construct a work between the terminating points named in the bill, touching at such of the county seats as the Legislature saw fit to favor at a cost of millions, but in no instance does the bill tie them down to e given survey, and they are permitted to diverge to the right or left as their caprice or interest may dictate. The surveys, therefore, furnish no data from which to calculate the probable cost of the work, and although procured with a good deal of labor and expense, seem not to have been used or relied on by the Legislature in any manner. It is not improbable that this discretion may be exercised by the board of public works, in such a manner as to produce an increase in the cost of the system four or five times the original estimates. Tho Board of Internal Improvement are constituted by the act wholly independent of the people, not receiving their offices from them, and not being amenable to them in any manner for any of their acts; while they are invest ;d with almost unliminited power, by changing a route, to appropriate the money of the people as they pleas. One instance of the manner in which tho board has exercised their powers is sufficient to illustrato what we roean--whilc it furnishes us with a useful lesson, teaching the danger of surrendering to an oligarchy of nine, the legislative authority of the State. By the original estimates returned to the Legislature, the cost of constructing the Rail-Road between Madison, and the head of the inclined plane, was reckoned at the sum of $35205. The Legislature of nine (i. e. the board) saw fit to change tho location of the road from that choson by the engineer, and the same road un der the new location has actually been let at the sum of $176,827, or $141,622, mor. than t0 ld location would have cost.