Lewisburg Chronicle

For the Lewisburg Chronicle.

Penn's Township Division Meeting.

A large and respectable meeting of the citizens of Penn's township, Union county, was held in the Union School House at Selinsgrove, on the evening of the 14th inst., with the view of taking into consideration the propriety of dividing Union county.

On motion, HENRY W. SNYDER, Esq., was unanimously called to the Chair, and J. H. App, Joseph Sharrf, and D. L. Becker were elected Vice Presidents: Jno. Emmit, Esq., Secretary.

The object of the meeting was stated by the Chairman. The meeting was addressed by Geo. Hill, A. C. Simpson, Esqs., and Col. Wm. F. Wagonseller.

The following preamble and resolutions were then offered and unanimously adopted.

Whereas, The freedom of thought and action, so long as the laws are not violated and transgressed, are the inalienable right of the people of this county, and all underhanded movements in public affairs to be deprecated by honest men; and whereas, we have viewed with pain and surprise the effort made by the people of New Berlin, at our February Court, to induce the Grand Jury to authorize the County Commissioners to erect a new Court house at the expense of the tax payers of the county, without having given previous notice of their intentions, thereby seeking to tax the people of the county without their knowledge and consent; therefore

Resolved, That we look upon the effort made to erect a new Court house at New Berlin at the expense of the tax payers of the county, as altogether unauthorized, and uncalled for by the people, and got up by the citizens of New Berlin, and others residing in its immediate neighborhood, for their peculiar benefit and advantage.

Resolved, That we do most decidedly disapprove and will most uncompromisingly oppose the idea of taxing the people of the county, when no benefit arising from such taxation can in the least degree result to the people of the county generally, but will only serve as a peculiar advantage to a certain town, or particular portion of the county.

Resolved, That in our opinion one town is, morally and legally, just as much entitled to public charity as another, and when the people are to suffer taxation for the building up and sustaining of towns, we claim as much for each of the towns on the south side of Penn's creek, as New Berlin has a right to claim for herself.

Resolved, That in Israel Gutelius, Esq., through the Union Demokrat, we have a faithful, determined and uncompromising defender of the rights of the people of this county, and that his course in so manfully and independently exposing the treachery and underhanded movements of a number of the citizens of New Berlin in relation to the building of a new Court house meets with our most sincere approbation.

Resolved, That the attempt on the part of some of the public journals and citizens of New Berlin, to frown down and ridicule Israel Gutelius, and the citizens of Lewisburg, the citizens of Selinsgrove, and others—for advocating and defending the rights guaranteed to them by the constitution and laws of our country, meets with our utter contempt and decided disapprobation.

Resolved, That we deem it a duty and a privilege at all times and under all circumstances to advocate such principles and measures as will conduce to the greatest advantage and benefit to the people generally.

Resolved, That we believe that a division of Union county by a line commencing at the west end of Northumberland bridge thence by the New Berlin mail route to Penn's creek at a point one fourth of a mile above Mowrer's mill, thence up Penn's creek to its nearest contact with the east end of Jack's mountain, thence along the summit of said mountain to the western line of Union county, is a measure in which we, in common with the rest of the citizens of the county have a deep and abiding interest, and we believe that a division by the line designated would in every point of view be of such general advantage to the people of the county as should induce them to urge upon the Legislature in the strongest terms immediate and energetic action in favor of division.

Resolved, That we will now go to work and make use of every honorable means in our power to bring about a division of Union county by the line designated, as speedily as possible.

Resolved, That we have learned with great pleasure that a bill has been read in place by the Senator from this district that the new county is to be divided from any liability on account of the bonds given by Union county to the Susquehanna Railroad Company for $200,000, and that the whole responsibility is to rest on the northern county, where it properly belongs, inasmuch as the Railroad will pass through the entire length of the eastern line of that county.

Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting be published in all the papers in the county; and that the editors of the "Star" and "Times" are particularly requested to publish them in their papers.

Signed by the officers.