The Ottawa Free Trader

To the Citizens of Ottawa exclusively.

"Salus populi suprema est lex."

The welfare of the people is the supreme law

To the truth of the above quotation I have ever humbly bowed, and therefore gave myself no little trouble to search the records and write out the expose of the official transactions of certain gentlemen in this county for the benefit of the public. But in being so I endeavored to avoid meddling with any man's private conduct or business affairs; and therefore, I knew of no reason why the pragmatic gentleman who figured himself in "the Free Trader", hath not of proper to tread upon my private toes, unless he be one of the gentlemen whose acts conduct I have hung up as a matter of curiosity for the people to gaze at, his object being to divert the scrutiny of the public from himself. But if he be, and this be his object I think he will fail as signally as he has hitherto in satisfying the people of his fitness in that capacity to transact their business, for it is my purpose not to permit either of the gentlemen to slink or start from the position in which I have placed them, by any other path than that of an open, manly, and honorable justification. If this can be given, I shall be as pleased to hear as any man of their acquaintance. Yet, after all, perhaps I ought to thank this anonymous Mr. "H." for it gives me an opportunity, without incurring the censure supposed handed I later meddling with other people's private affairs unasked, of correcting the impression made upon the minds of many of our citizens that the only obstacle in the way of the water of Fox River being dug weed in the village by the trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. This impression, if it does as I am credibly informed it does to a great extent, has been produced—by whom? Why, solely by three or four individuals who have lived here for some time, and have grabbed all the real estate through or near the village that they have been able to get, a far greater portion thereof wise, and who have not, up to this slight a dollar to the support of it. These men, however, by having their minds somewhat red on the subject perhaps rights, by the use the canal is doing them that they had to tolerate the water Fox River Ottawa with full consent and that other farm preparation;—these men I say have made the grand discovery that I and my family cannot look into the settlement of our private rights to fall a larger song, that, instead of the water used on our own premises, it might enter value, it can be brought down an west to immediate city of their property. it will not case us vainly, and think these men their pockets distend of mine. What a profound else strange to conception did not burst their capacious sides! But in all truth and soberness, I see no good reason why I should be called upon to sell my property, or that of my family, except at our own time, pleasure, and prices, to benefit either the town of Ottawa, or any other town or individuals. Let some of the gentlemen who are so anxious about it, first set the example by selling some of their own property to fix by the purchaser, and then I may take it into consideration. What water has been taken for the use of the state, has been taken without my having yet mastered in the matter. Nor have I received a copper for the damage that has been done by the canal feeder taking through our premises and ruining gauges some 15 acres of land. But neither the trustees or any of their official agents have ever asked me for the privilege of drawing down the water of Fox River to use for hydraulic purposes in Ottawa, nor have they asked me to set a price upon such privilege. True, I have been wheedled by some of the harpies about town to say how much power I would take delivered in the town, and reimpose the road man to the trustees to be used and looted on ought to the either or four mill stones. They thought if I would say four it might answer. If I read the gentlemen aright, their object is not only to enhance the value of their own estate by the operation as lessen to the value at mine, but it is to so manage the concern as to for themselves a portion of what I surrender to their trouble. Else why their anxiety to place themselves between me and the trustees in the negotiation? Let an official request or proposition come from the trustees, and I will give it due consideration. But in such business as selling or relinquishing property, I own I form this anonymous gentleman who skulks behind the letter "H.", which, by the bye is not, most certainly, the initial of his surname. For probably it is one of his Christian names. "Hateux tomsours pour propre de ne faire jamais par autrui, ce que je pouvais faire par moi-même." It was part of my business even last year to make arrangements to improve this water power. A preliminary agreement was entered into while I was in New York for that purpose, which failed after my return before from a cause that could neither be foreseen nor controlled. Negotiations are now going on with a gentleman in the east, and, if successful, we shall be able to commence operations in the ensuing summer. Yet this need not prevent a portion of the water being used in the village and probably will not, whenever the proper authority applies for it and is willing to pay a fair consideration for it. In order to show Mr. H. how superlatively ridiculous his last question appears, I will answer it, in true Yankee style, by asking another. Why are the people of Ottawa deprived of steamboat navigation solely because he has a certain house and lot in town, which he refuses to surrender short of two or three times its actual value? Who can answer this question? I am sure Mr. H. has not the requisite mathematical knowledge, or he never would have asked so silly a question. Nevertheless, he might do wrong to see it untenanted notwithstanding property as being rapidly here, for what the people think it is now worth, without reference to his own opinion, and let them use the money to improve the river. What say you, Mr. H.? Come, show your humanity by setting an example worthy of all imitation.

A. I. HOWLAND