Searching the Records 
 
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 3 1924 030 264 612 
 
The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
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 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924030264612 
 
SEARCHING 
 
 THE RECORDS 
 
 BEGINS WITH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF 
 1828-9, AT VANDALIA, ILLINOIS «f w «f THAT 
 YEAR MACOUPIN COUNTY GOT GOVERN- 
 MENT LIFE W¥f¥riirw FROM THIS TIME TO 
 THE END OF THE YEAR 1869 THE RECORDS 
 HAVE BEEN SEARCHED FOR THE TRUTH 
 OF THIS BOOK *•»»■ THIS COVERS THE CON- 
 STRUCTION OF THE THREE COURT HOUSES 
 
 WHILE THESE RECORDS ARE LOCAL TO THIS 
 
 COUNTY THE QUESTIONS DISCUSSED ARE 
 
 FOREVER UNIVERSAL: 
 
 THAT IS— MORTGAGOR AND MORTGAGEE ^ THE 
 
 TAX QUESTION— CITY, COUNTY, STATE AND 
 
 FEDERAL TAXATION <r BONDHOLDER 
 
 AND TAXPAYER 
 
 THE MONEY QUESTION IS GRASPED FROM 
 A CONSTITUTIONAL ST ANDPOINT xrw THE 
 TOPICS, CONFUSION, EDUCATION, SUCCESS 
 AND THE CHURCHES ARE - ALSO HERE 
 DISCUSSED «r»r ir*r *« Mf^ wtr trif 
 
 BY 
 
 JOHN MORAN, CARLINVILLE, ILLINOIS 
 
 STATE REGISTER PRESS, SPRINGFIELD, ILL 
 DECEMBER, 1 BBT 
 
COPYRIGHT BY JOHN MOEAN 
 
 
PREFACE 
 
 To THE Eeader: 
 
 This book is named naturally, "Searching the Eecords," 
 because tliej- were searched to obtain facts and figures which 
 cannot lie. The spirit of this book ought to live forever more, 
 not only in Macoupin county, but in all the counties of the 
 state — nay, it ought to live among men wherever they pay 
 taxes, wherever they are not slaves. A man must eat to live, 
 and the things he eats are certainly taxed more or less. So, 
 if a man has nothing but the clothes on his back, he pays 
 taxes. If the streets are paved, the land owner then bears 
 the tax, but when he rents the land or houses there, he adds 
 the tax expense, and makes the renter pay it. This tax ques- 
 tion will never down. The many will submit to be wronged. 
 Even myself submitted for years to illegal and oppressive tax- 
 ation. At one time I paid about |300 to the city authorities, 
 for which I got not one dollar advantage. This was paid 
 when such taxes run higher and higher, year after year, till 
 they were about eight times higher, on the same property, 
 than formerly. You rent a house at |4(l(t a year. The tax on 
 this is about $100 yearly. In other words, one pays one-fourth 
 his income in taxes. At the same time, he must keep up re- 
 pairs, and suffer, perhaps, in collecting his rent. To me the 
 tax work is all oppressive, and morally lawless. I am the 
 
first to attack its bulwarks in book form, and to demonstrate 
 its iniquity, and to point out the remedy. I am the first to 
 point out the proper method to fight bond-taxes for public 
 buildings, by a bill in chancery to set aside the cloud on the 
 title to land, when these bondholders become too grasping 
 and lawless. 
 
 If this method had been known in Macoupin county years 
 ago, they could have saved themselves from tons of taxation, 
 and compelled the court house bondholders to take the build- 
 ing for their pay. Were this method pursued foreign lenders 
 of money, at ten per cent, semi-annually, when they pay no 
 taxes, as was the case on the new court house, would beware, 
 before they parted with their money. This method of mine 
 would save millions to the people who are illegally taxed in 
 this country or any other, where equity jurisprudence is ad- 
 ministered. 
 
 The world of wrong is not yet dead. Public buildings 
 and court houses will yet be built on borrowed capital, under 
 illegal action of the authorities. When and where this is 
 done, this book points out the remedy, by which the people 
 so taxed can escape paying them. The book points out safety 
 to the lender, who must first know the legal powers of the 
 offlcers who contract with them for money to erect public 
 buildings. Let justice be done on both sides. Yes, "Let jus- 
 tice he done, though the heavens should fall."' 
 
 John Moran. 
 Carlinville, 111., December, 1897. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 1st Chapter — Confusion. 
 
 2d Chapter — The Tax Question. 
 
 3d Chapter — City Taxation. 
 
 4th Chapter — Mortgagor and Mortgagee. 
 
 5th Chapter — Federal Taxation. 
 
 6th Chapter — The Three Court Houses. 
 
 7th Chapter — Education. 
 
 8th Chapter — The Churches. 
 
 9th Chapter — Success. 
 10th Chapter — Money. 
 11th Chapter — The New Court House. 
 
SEARCHING THE RECORDS 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 CONFUSION. 
 
 "Produce your cause, saith the Lord, bring forth yoin 
 strong reasons, saith the king of Jacob." It is my purpose to 
 reduce some thoughts to writing; some facts which I Ivuow 
 to be true; some wrongs which ought to be righted; some 
 things which only a few may linow; some things which have 
 not yet been written about in this country. All know that 
 since the war commenced, morals, conscience, honesty, affec- 
 tion and rectitude of one man for another are things of the 
 past — not things of the present times. Before the war, these 
 things were prevalent in the United States. After the war, 
 these things prove scarce. Before the war, the stranger 
 could go among the farmers all over the, states, if on business. 
 It cost him nothing. They took him in gladly, as Abraham 
 did in his days. He was not called a "tramp" then, as he is 
 looked upon now. Then the laborer was paid thirty dollars 
 a month and board, breaking prairie with oxen — when he 
 could buy the best land in the world for one dollar and a quar- 
 ter an apre. He cannot do that now. Man's affection for, 
 and duty to his fellow is "played out." "The pound of flesh" 
 is the thing universally wanted. For eighteen hundred years 
 it has been preached, "Love your neighbor as yourself." "Do 
 
unto others as you would be done by." How many are they 
 who, before God, have acted accordingly? They who are near- 
 est to the fulfillment of these commands are the more worsted 
 by the iniquities. It is notorious that "The tabernacles of 
 robbers prosper — and they that provoke God are secure, into 
 whose hand God bringeth abundantly." Yet all history shows 
 that they who work evil on this earth, who circumvent their 
 fellow in business for pelf, sooner or later come to grief. "The 
 wages of sin is death." We know the story of the old kings 
 in this respect — Herod, Achab, Nero, as well as hundreds of 
 others. All these characters were cruel and selfish. They 
 brooked no antagonism. Their work was law. They who of- 
 fended them lost their heads. Paul, Peter, Andrew, and other 
 thousands — great, grand, true, moral heroes of God's work — 
 must die to appease the wrath of rulers so wicked. Truth 
 and justice have had a hard road to travel through these long 
 centuries. Indeed, the way has been up hill and craggy since 
 the dawn of creation. There never was a great soul in this 
 world who stood forth among men for justice and truth, but 
 what was pelted with filth by those he befriended, and 
 mocked at by those who took in sheckels at his expense. He 
 who said, "I know my Redeemer liveth," also said, "The just, 
 upright man is laughed to scorn." Again, he said, "But now 
 they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose 
 fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of 
 my flock." The prophet said: "That the seed of evil doers 
 should never be renowned." Since the war, it would seem 
 that things have become mixed. It would seem as though 
 
things have been reversed. Sabbath-breaking by railroad, 
 labor and corporations, State laws and Federal have been 
 made for the interest of the tew against the many. The 
 lands of the people have been legislated away from the people 
 into the possession of the few. Pre-emptions are things of 
 the past. "Eastward" must men now make their way, in- 
 stead of "Westward." The old man, the log house, the rural, 
 industrious family, are superceded by the mortgaged home of 
 young maidens and striplings too proud to work as their 
 fathers did, but who must make a living by their wits and turn 
 up in divorces and insurance suicide or broken banks or other 
 evil methods to sail over the ocean of life under false colors. 
 The fathers knew but little of these methods of finance. 
 Jackson, who spent eight years at the White House as Presi- 
 dent, had no idea of a "free pass." No idea of securing him- 
 self a pension. No idea of traveling like a king — not paying 
 his way as he went. No idea of going as a dead weight, but 
 rode home in his carriage over bad roads to the hermitage in 
 Tennessee with ninety dollars in his pocket. After eight years 
 of honest service for the country, he was necessitated to 
 borrow money from a friend to pay his colored servants with. 
 I said he had ninety dollars. Yes, as he left the White House 
 this was his great pile, all in silver dollars — but on the way 
 these dollars flew into the hands of young Jacksons who made 
 their names known to-the hero of New Orleans. Here was he 
 in need of money, who downed nullification as well as the 
 bank that had loaned millions to congressmen in order to 
 have them vote the bank's perpetuity. To compare a man like 
 
10 
 
 that with presidents of some yea,rs past would be to compare 
 Washington with Cleveland, or Jefferson with Hays. For 
 my part, I cannot help but believe that the days of moral 
 worth are things of the past, except in rare cases. That 
 "avarice run mad,"' in men in high places," is fast tending to 
 the destruction of American institutions. "The wicked walk 
 on every side, when the vilest men are exalted." When the 
 prophet said: "The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunk- 
 ard, and shall be removed like a cottage — and the transgres- 
 sion thereof shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall and not 
 rise again." All know that the vilest men are exalted. The 
 vilest men put in office, by the vilest tricks and methods, and 
 the better men driven to the wall. Honest, capable men put 
 down, because they are poor and do not respond to the pay- 
 ment of iniquity to the iniquitous, but how few there are who 
 know how it is done. The man who resorts to this method 
 in politics is always well dressed. Holmes-like, cool, cold- 
 hearted, pretends to be every man's friend, and the oracle of 
 his party. He prides himself in never being a candidate for 
 ofQce, and yet he is the candidate-maker. No one can succeed 
 in the primary without his license, and the price of that I leave 
 for those who have paid it. This is "blood money." The 
 party is not responsible for this. They know nothing of this 
 vile wretch's doings. If one becomes a candidate for office 
 without his license, this wretch looks round for some one like- 
 ly to take votes from him, starts the dogs in his trail — invents 
 some lie and slander on him, and when the vote is counted 
 the candidate of this traitor is exalted — the other beaten. 
 
11 
 
 Suppose A becomes a candidate for oifice. He is competent, 
 honest — nothing can be said in truth to his disadvantage.. 
 This man is too honest and able to be seduced, or bought. The- 
 oracle, the Judas of the party, the captain-general knows it- 
 He knows he cannot seduce him to do his dirty work, or agree 
 to pay him "blood money," to warrant his nomination. So he 
 brings out a candidate against him. After a while it is seeu 
 the captain-general's candidate cannot "get there." Instant- 
 ly, this captain goes to "C," tells him he must run for mayor. 
 They all talk of him. They all want him. He can be nomin- 
 ated. C has some axes to grind. So this speech does the 
 work. C is announced for mayor. Here C takes the votes 
 from A which gives B, the captain's candidate, the nomina- 
 tion. Xo matter what tricks, what lies, what deception, what 
 stabbing in the back, in the bush, the captain does to his 
 friends — all must support the nominee, or be "bolters."' The 
 many do not know the ways of this captain general. He is 
 working to the interest of his pocket. The many are not sus- 
 picious. The thief does the work when the property owner 
 is asleep. It now might be as well said that where there is 
 this third candidate for nomination, there is always a "nigger 
 in the wood pile." All may not know the origin of this phrase 
 "nigger in the wood pile."' Two men were having their horses 
 on the race track. The two racers M'ere on their way to the 
 end of the race, when the near horse shied, and lost the race. 
 Here, there was a wood pile, in which a nigger had hid him- 
 self. As the horses were near this spot, the nigger run 
 his head out to scare the near horse, which of course lost the 
 
12 
 
 race, while its owner was not aware of the "nigger being hid 
 in that wood pile." So, you see the trick. The triclc of tlie 
 captain-general is just as mean and fatal. The better horse 
 was beaten by the "nigger in the wood pile." The better man 
 is always beaten by the captain-general's trick. This is the 
 reason why we have so many incompetent public servants. 
 They become stolid and corrupt, and were never fit for public 
 trust. The good may weep at the sight of such workings 
 everywhere. When such as these are voted for and elected, 
 no wonder we see "robbing taxation." 
 
 He who steals a loaf of bread, like the galley slave, is pun- 
 ished. He or they in oflQce doing the "big steal" are all 
 "honorable men." To think they would do wrong, would it- 
 self be considered criminal. For my part I do not agree to 
 robbing taxation, and so I call it — and so thinking I am justi- 
 fied in resisting the taxation for that purpose. I find that 
 mankind are utter cowards on the question of taxes. They 
 think if the tax is not paid, their land must be sold, and that 
 such illegal tax must be "paid some time." They never think 
 that here is a law suit. If I, in resisting the tax, am beaten, 
 then I must pay the tax and costs, but if I beat the case, then 
 the case is won by me, and so where there was thought to be 
 a debt, judgment, or tax incumbrance, it is all wiped out, and 
 there is no incumbrance on the title. The thing is clear, and 
 yet the people think their only salvation is to pay all assess- 
 ments, no matter how illegal or corrupt these burdens may be. 
 
 The galley slave is put in prison for a life time, but so 
 niany looking wise, and friendly, do the evil, dirty work se- 
 
13 
 
 cretly, to All their pockets, to deplete tlie cheated. They 
 imagine they can never be discovered. "Murder will out." 
 The great governor of the Universe sees the cheat. He permits 
 things to be done, but he sees the doers of evil, who cannot 
 escape punishment for all time. "There is no peace to the 
 wicked.'' Sooner or later they must suffer for their vile 
 transgressions. "The way of the transgressor is hard." The 
 history of all time shows that even when the evil doer escapes 
 suffering, if there is such a case, the punishment or suffering 
 is visited on his descendants. "The sin of the parent is vis- 
 ited on the child." One can see this in the make-up of chil- 
 dren. The parent is cross-eyed— so is the child. The parent 
 is weak-minded — so is the child. The parent is red-haired — ■ 
 so is the child. The parent is squint-eyed, sore eyed, or half 
 blind — so is the child. "Like produces like."' The consump- 
 tive in mind or body transmits the disease to his offspring. 
 Cabbage seed does not produces grass, nor grass seed cab- 
 bage. It will not produce turnips, onions, nor potatoes. An 
 early rose does not produce a peach blow. 80 of all things. 
 It is the law of life, of reproduction. The man who lives by 
 tricks played on his fellows, while pretending friendship to 
 ment, or his belongings, by the unalterable laws established 
 the other, this man, sooner or later, must suffer the punish- 
 ment, or his belongings, by the unalterable laws established 
 for the good of all. 
 
 I could fill a book with examples of this kind, which my 
 eyes have seen. Wickedness is not happiness. It is never 
 in the hearts of great men. See the moral greatness of Ben 
 
14 
 
 Franklin, Edmund Burke, St. Paul and Moses. The world is 
 bettered by their having lived in it. What is wealth com- 
 pared to the greatness of such wonderful men of genius. The 
 horizon of their mental vision encircled all mankind and all 
 nations. The horizon of some men in office, nowadays, is 
 that of a "free pass," and the drawing of a salary. Is not this 
 practice universal? 
 
 I thought I was through with the captain-general. I be- 
 lieve it will pay and interest the reader to speak a few more 
 minutes on his actions, for they certainly were new to me, 
 and will be to you. His work is done. You can see it on the 
 surface of politics, crooked, ugh', mean, the effects are seen, 
 like that of a mole, but when you hunt for the doer of the 
 crooked work, he is not so easily captured. His works is 
 Holmes-like — he pockets the money — cremates the witness. 
 For more than ten days before the last democratic primary 
 in this city, his candidates and lieutenants were distributing 
 kegs of beer, cigars, money, to seduce those whose morals lie 
 for all time in that direction, whose stomachs predominate 
 over the morals. The winning part was Holmes-like, effect- 
 ual, but dirty. The thing disgraces a man's offspring. It 
 would, in the course of time, destroy our American institu- 
 tions. Xo true American, no true Christian, no true gentle- 
 man or student of human government, could ever resort to 
 the tricks, foul schemes, here truly narrated. Nothing but a 
 burrowing, creeping rat could plan the dirty work. The thing 
 is evil, unhealthy and cancerous. The beer went north, east, 
 west and south of the city in the city limits. Many were 
 
15 
 
 drunk the big part of that time with the beer and whiskey. 
 I found where the stuff was drank by voters — paid for by can- 
 didates, many of them in combination to seduce voters to 
 them, to the injury of others, and all against the statute. I 
 found where this was done, even on the Sabbath day. These 
 men think they have a right to do these things, both voters 
 and candidates. That it was no ones business; when, in truth 
 and in law, it is everybody's business. It is even the people's 
 business, for they ought to be indicted and punished. I found 
 where, on West Main street, at another spot, on the primary 
 election day, where the kegs of beer were put in the night be- 
 fore, and where these lovers of beer were to meet and have 
 their rations, and have their tickets fixed — all to vote in uni- 
 son and for each of these candidates. I saw men of seventy 
 years voting drunk, from that spot, from that dirty work. I 
 however, learned this by accident, but it was too late in the 
 day to stop it — too late to lock the door when the thief had 
 done his work. 
 
 I said some of these law-breakers think they have a right 
 to do these things. Pretty fellows, these, to make oath they 
 will discharge their duties according to law. What is the 
 law? The statute on primaries says : "By offering a reward, 
 or bribe, or by treating or giving to him any spirltous, malt or 
 other liquors, either directly or indirectly, influences or at- 
 tempt to influence any vote, in giving or withholding his vote 
 at such election, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and 
 on conviction thereof shal be punished by a fine of not exceed- 
 ing f 500, or imprisonment in the county jail not less than two 
 
16 
 
 nor more than six months, or both, such fine and imprison- 
 ment, in the discretion of the court." 
 
 Here is another section in regard to such offense on Sun- 
 day: "Whoever keeps open any tippling house or place where 
 liquor is sold, or given away, upon the first day of the week, 
 commonly called Sunday, shall be fined not exceeding |200." 
 
 , This statute is violated in our city. Shall the breakers 
 of this law feel "smart" in holding office, instead of being dis- 
 graced and punished? Shall Sabbath breakers also in treat- 
 ing and giving liquors on that day to influence votes, 
 escape? If they escape, then good men will not 
 only refuse to run for office, among such people, but will even 
 refuse to vote at election times. Edmund Burke, in speaking 
 of the crimes of India on the people by Warren Hastings, said: 
 "I do then declare my conviction, and wish it may stand re- 
 corded to posterity, that there never was a bad man that had 
 ability for good service. It is not in the nature of such men. 
 Their minds are so distorted to selfish purposes, to knavish, 
 artificial and crafty means of accomplishing those selfish ends 
 that, if put to any good service, they are poor, dull, helpless. 
 Their natural faculties never have that direction. They are 
 paralytic on that side. The muscles, if I may use the expres- 
 sion, that ought to move it are all dead. They know nothing 
 but how to pursue selfish ends by wicked and indirect means. 
 No man ever knowingly employed a bad man on account of 
 his abilities, but for evil ends." 
 
 One might ask what has become of public morals and of 
 public laws for the government of the country? When it is 
 
17 
 
 known on all sides that the rich and unscrupulous only can 
 be elected to office? Of course there are noble exceptions. 
 As things now run and work, it is not safe, nor prudent, for 
 any aspiring party man to office, to see wrong in his party, 
 nor to open his mouth concerning any defect, any corrupt act, 
 any meanness or treachery in the ranks. He must only see 
 these things in the other party, and open his mouth to criti- 
 cize them to his till, and in this, he is considered a safe leader 
 — or worthy for office. Universal custom, like this, is worse 
 than leprosy to the young generation. Not one man in a 
 million will dare to stem the breakers, kept up for those who 
 ask office at their hands. Honesty, ability, faithfulness is not 
 what they are after. Success is their prayer. The offices 
 and salaries, and pickings are the things they are after. You 
 will see their indelicacy, unfaithfulness, impudence which is 
 always the brat of ignorance, stolidness and incapacity to see 
 their duty to those that are entitled to it under the laws of 
 our country. 
 
 The facts in regard to the captain-general, I would omit 
 from my book did I think the trick was confined to the city of 
 Carlinville and Macoupin county. It is so mean and dirty I 
 would leave the work for him and his posterity to reap the 
 things which were so iniquitously sown. But my opinion is, 
 there must be a "ring" of such men, banded together for pelf 
 , from city to city and county to county, and perhaps from State 
 to State in this country to squeeze money from candidates for 
 office. So it is notorious that men cannot win without 
 money. It is said that in Great Britain the rich lords can vote 
 
18 
 
 in any and all townships in which they own property, as bul- 
 locks and asses, the more of this stock, the more votes they 
 can deposit. So, you see over there, asses and bullocks do 
 the work. Over here, asses and bullocks cannot count in 
 the election, yet beer and whiskey and such "arguments" ef- 
 fect the same result. The difference is "tweedle dum and 
 tw«edle dee." So you see the wrong and injustice here is by 
 the captain's tricks. Over there the wrong and injustice is 
 by the law. No doubt the Carlinville wrongs are universal. 
 They ought to be universally known. This is why I publish 
 the trick, so that its votaries may be known, and may yet 
 come to grief. "Their sin will find them out." When found 
 out, when the captain and his gang are known as such, then 
 there will be an end of the "blood money." Any candidate 
 having the scent or "ear-marks" of the captain-general's 
 coaching is forever swamped in that community. It strikes 
 me that these are they: "That hatch cock-a-trice's eggs, and 
 weave the spider's web, he that eateth of their eggs dieth, 
 and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper." 
 
 THE INJUSTICE OF OUR SYSTEM OF TAXATION IX THIS STATE, AND 
 
 HEMEDY. 
 
 Editors Enquirer: Every citizen in this state who pays 
 taxes, is more or less interested in this question — and it may 
 be that every tax payer clamors, not a little, about the pay- 
 ment of taxes. For years this injustice has gone on, and this 
 clamoring would seem as certain as death itself; and yet, so 
 far as I know, no attempt has been made through the press of 
 
19 
 
 this State or its legislature to remedy the evil. Hence, I 
 write now, hoping to draw the attention of these two powers 
 to the question, and that certain parts of our revenue act may 
 be repealed, and certain amendments made by the present 
 legislature to remedy the wrong and that justice may be done 
 to the mortgagors and mortgagees of realty. 
 
 Suppose I buy of A a farm here, valued at $10,000, I pay 
 A |1,000, leaving me in his debt |9,000, for which I execute to 
 him my notes with interest, payable yearly or otherwise, he 
 retaining in his deed to me a vendor's lien for the debt and in- 
 terest. I now enter the farm. I go to work to improve it. 
 The assessor comes on and enters my name on his book and 
 this farm not only in accordance with my actual interest in 
 the farm, |1,000— but for its whole valuation, |10,000, on 
 which I am compelled to pay taxes. Then it is supposed that 
 A, who has my notes, is also' assessed for them, which to a 
 plain man would look like double taxation for this farm. 
 One can not see the jusice of repeating assessments of taxes 
 on this farm because it was sold to me, but our supreme court 
 says it is the law — while the supreme court of other states de- 
 cide the reverse. So the law is that this farm which was taxed 
 once before I bought it, now is doubly taxed. Why am I 
 taxed with more than my real ownership in this farm; that is 
 |1,000, because the farm can not fly to an adjoining state, or 
 emigrate to Berlin, Paris or London, or secrete itself in a 
 banking house from the proces of law, as can A, who can sell 
 my notes, or ship them to another State, or wholly reside any 
 where outside our State limits — and thus wholly elude the 
 
20 
 
 assessment or payment of any taxes on these notes. Now it is 
 notorious everywhere that such securities are lilie the air — 
 existing, all around the townships of the State, or like milk 
 sickness, when you appear to be in its pi-esence — "it is not 
 there; it is over the way at the other place." For my part I 
 am not here charging blame to the holder of such securities, 
 for why shall a resident lender of money pay taxes on these 
 securities, when he sees before his eyes his brother having a 
 bushel measure of such, residing in France and not paying to 
 our collector one nickle on them. I blame the law that is so 
 loose which produces the trouble, which forever levies these 
 fines on the resident farmer, who with his family early and 
 late work and struggle to get means to meet these demands, 
 stinting themselves in many things in order to pay taxes on 
 what they never owned. 
 
 Any tax payer in city or country having ever borrowed 
 money on his realty can easily see the injustice of the present 
 taxation. 
 
 Now for the remedy. Let the assessor be empowered by 
 law when he comes to assess my farm instead of assessing me 
 for the value of the whole farm, assess me for my interest iu 
 it, that is now $1,000, and assess A with $9,000. In other 
 words, I am assessed with the undivided one-tenth of the 
 farm, and A with the nine-tenths of it, and let these assess- 
 ments be special liens on the farm for the taxes. Then when 
 the collector comes on to collect the taxes, I pay what is as- 
 sessed against me, and if A should fail to pay his share — let 
 the part assessed to him be sold in accordance with the pres- 
 
21 
 
 ent law, and when I or other jjersons can buy the same. If 
 an outsider buys, let it be fixed so that the projjer notices are 
 given to A and myself, when I can redeem by proper payments 
 — say a few months after A"s time for redemption. However 
 this point can be easily fixed to prove fair to the parties inter- 
 ested. 
 
 If any tax payer who may read this pajjer has any good 
 objection to the views here expressed, let us hear from him 
 in the Enquirer under his own name. Truly, 
 
 John Moean. 
 March 2, 1889. 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 THE TAX QUESTION. 
 
 The reader of this book will see, from my views on this 
 question, as early as the year 1889, when the foregoing article 
 was copyrighted by me, that I was even then alive to the 
 iniquity of our methods of taxation in this State. Since that 
 time, nine years have gone by, yet nothing has been done to 
 remedy those wrongs; rathei;", are the evils of legislation ag- 
 gravated in this respect. Take the case of "The Building and 
 Loan Associations.'' For years past they have been doing 
 business in this State, till their riches go up to the millions. 
 They are said to reach eighty million dollars, yet not one cent 
 tax have they paid on these millions, as individual persons are 
 compelled to pay. They got an act passed exempting such 
 property, such shares of stock, exempt from taxation, which 
 
22 
 
 was simply fraud, and void at that, for it was unconstitu- 
 tional. The constitution says: "The General Assembly 
 shall provide such revenue as may be needful by levying a 
 tax, by valuation, so that every person and corporation shall 
 pay a tax in proportion to the value of his, her, or its prop- 
 er-ty." One would think this was clear, and easily under- 
 stood. One would think no man, company, or corporation, 
 like this, could be exempted from taxation. They had the leg- 
 islature to enact that their property in the concern should be 
 exempted from taxation and, so all who had money to loan, 
 rushed to this concern with it, getting from time to time large 
 dividends, without paying a cent tax under this scheming. 
 The lawyers, the bankers, the money lenders, the abstract of 
 title men rushed into the concern with their money, their in- 
 fluence, their labor and "booming," and if a plain, honest 
 man wanted to borrow some money anywhere in the counties 
 of the State, he could not get it, as of old, from his neighbor. 
 He must go to the building association and submit to their 
 terms. As there are sundry persons who have suffered from 
 these terms, I leave the narrative for them. I never borrowed 
 from the concern. So I owe it nothing. I have no ill will 
 against the individuals working the machine. Of course no 
 one can know them except in his own locality. I simply hate 
 it as a corporate body without a soul, to monopolize business, 
 and pay no taxes. Laws granting special privileges to such 
 classes, whereby they work with eighty millions of money, it 
 is very clear outsiders pay it all. 
 
 A few years since there were two assessors at Joliet, who. 
 
23 
 
 God bless them, took upon themselves the duty and courage 
 to assess some building associations there, who immediately 
 became indignantly aroused — demanding of the assessors, 
 "Why they dare to become law breakers," and to disturb 
 their quiet, and their business, which had so long never paid 
 on that business one cent tax. Custom becomes a law, some- 
 times. The lords of these associations thought their right to 
 evade or avoid taxation was forever secured. The assessors 
 thought otherwise. What then? These assessments were in 
 due time returned to the county clerk. These associations 
 were considered tax delinquents, like other plain people. But 
 they go before the county court there to fight the cases, and 
 resist judgments. In the county court the act of the assessors 
 was sustained, judgment against these associations was 
 given for the taxes assessed. Then they fly to the Supreme 
 Court by appeal. They make a terrible uproar all over the 
 state. They make the press lively with their grievances. 
 They send round circulars for help in money to get great law- 
 yers to down the Supreme Court and the constitution. They 
 at length discovered they could not do either — nor intimidate 
 or buy that court, and so the decision of the county court was 
 affirmed. The court announced that they must pay taxes as 
 other persons. The concern could not do business with mil- 
 lions of money without paying its fair share of taxes. What 
 then; do these building associations pay taxes. No; not 
 one cent. How do they beat the Supreme Court? If the 
 reader will look into the laws of 1895 in this state, he will 
 find an act there for these associations — purporting to amend 
 
24 
 
 a law of March 30, 1872, where it says: "The shares of stock 
 are to be taxed," instead of taxing these associations by the 
 names they sue under, and are being sued. In other words, 
 their proper corporate names. How will the assessor find 
 the shares, or share holders? They can instantly sell out or 
 secrete such shares. Run them off to the next city or state, 
 and thus forever defy the tax collector in payment of one cent 
 tax on such shares, and yet these associations call themselves 
 "all honorable men." Men banded together by these methods, 
 claiming exemptions from taxation, and at the same time 
 courting others' money in the concern, to relieve them also of 
 tax paying, is the meanest trick, besides the whole manipula- 
 tion being under a void law. They want a man to rise from 
 the dead, and save them from paying taxes. They amend a 
 void law. It looks as though the legislature has no more re- 
 sponsibility. 
 
 These men caniot serve these scalping corporations, and 
 serve the people at the same time. These interests are seen 
 to be in conflict and antagonistic to each other. 
 
 They do not pay their share of the burdens of taxation, 
 and so it has come to pass that he who pays taxes, pays eight 
 times more than he ought to pay of right, or eight times the 
 sum he formerly paid years ago on the same property, and 
 that where it has not increased in market value. All say 
 every one ought to pay his share of the taxes according to his 
 property. But the law is so made that under its workings, 
 there is a penalty put on truth, and a reward for lies. The 
 law says tax the mortgagor and mortgagee — or lender and 
 
25 
 
 borrower of moneT. The mortgagor is in possession of the 
 farm. The assessor puts him on his book with all he pos- 
 sesses — gives him no credit for what he owes on the farm. 
 The law says the assessor must see the mortgagee, who says 
 his mortgage note is sold, when it may be in bank, or in his 
 pocket. By this lie, he is rewarded by not being assessed. 
 If he tells the truth, says he has the note in possession, then 
 the penalty is put on him for truth, by assessing him to the 
 amount of the mortgage. Here he is assessed for the very 
 thing the mortgagor is already assessed. 
 
 In this county, before it acted under township organiza- 
 tion, these mortgagees were never taxed. The common peo- 
 ple thought as the land mortgaged was taxed once, that was 
 enough. No one thought that one debt should be paid twice. 
 Under township organization, the supervisors superseded the 
 old methods of seeking for property to assess, or rather they 
 discovered a "mare's nest." They procure a number of clerks 
 to copy all mortgages of record, and then, hunted up, those 
 who held them and taxed them anyhow. The time they were 
 not smart enough for the supervisors. They thought the rec- 
 ord of the mortgage was taxable, so that year the supervisors 
 were on top. The next year after that, there was an end of 
 taxing these mortgages, for while they were of record the 
 notes could not be found, and so men's wits became sharpened 
 in one year. They found out the mortgage could not be taxed. 
 The note alone could be taxed, so of course these notes were 
 like pins in hay stacks — "find them if you can." Laws made 
 so loose and mean as this tax revenue act has proved to be. 
 
26 
 
 and passed on by the Supreme Court as good, or legal, are 
 both liable to the severest moral criticism. 
 
 My method above copyrighted is perfect. It is unanswer- 
 able. I reserve my right to it, and so if this or any other state 
 wants to use it as a tax method — they must buy it from me. 
 There has been committees in Chicago for years trying to flx 
 up a scheme for taxation, but "they are not in it." The more 
 they work at it, the more the failure. Justice in this thing is 
 like mathematics. The problem can be worked or solved one 
 right way — all other ways, the thing is wrong. In adding, 
 subtracting, multiplying and dividing — one unit wrong — will 
 destroy the right result. The more they work with this unit 
 increasing at every move, the worse the result. So it is in the 
 tax problem. My method alone defies debate. It is right. 
 It is just. It is truth. By it the one tax on the land, the one 
 debt is paid — no more. Justice here is demonstrated. Injus- 
 tice, corruption and lawlessness result from our methods of 
 taxation. 
 
 The employment of men to fix a revenue act will make it 
 worse. These men will be moved by interested parties, more 
 or less, when, perhaps, they do not wish to do wrong. My 
 idea is when men are first paid for bringing forth a revenue 
 act, that is just — it cannot be done. Justice cannot be hired 
 or sold, or bought. It might be said, he who is first paid in 
 advance before his invention sees light — his work or invention 
 is under God's providence, a "brat." Money cannot create 
 brains. Money cannot make genius. Eather is it a stumbling 
 block to wisdom. Mr. Mulhall says that "the United States 
 
27 
 
 far exceeds any other country in its power to i^roduce wealth. 
 That since 1840 this power has been more than trebled, result- 
 ing in an addition to the natural wealth of forty-nine billions 
 of dollars — one billion more than the total wealth of Great 
 Britain." It struck me that Mr. Mulhall's statement may not 
 be true. That to find out the wealth of a country, or nation, 
 resort must be had to the records of deeds, mortgages, or as- 
 sessed values of that country or nation. Tender our system of 
 taxation, the moment a mortgage is made of land, or chattels, 
 it is double taxed, ily articles before referred to shows 
 this. Suppose I borrow of A one thausand dollars. T give him 
 note and mortgage on my farm. It is of record. He is taxed 
 with this note. I am taxed on the land that secures it, and 
 if I keep the money by me idle, or buy cattle with the money, 
 in either case I am again taxed on this one thousand dollars. 
 This is triple taxation — and this kind of false and fictitious 
 values in taxation is all monstrous — though Irf/al, but corrupt, 
 unfair, untrue, wicked and ungodly. A people capable of put- 
 ting down the British lion and making a constitution, the 
 wonder of the world of thinking men, ought to hate and spurn 
 it, as they would all kinds of theft. 
 
 Such false, fictitious values and assessments are put on 
 the records, and then these are sent to the auditor of state, 
 and then Illinois is "booming." Then the same of the other 
 states — all booming. And so this Englishman may be badly 
 in error and badly deceived by passing upon the national 
 wealth of this country. One may answer: "If this is true 
 of our country, why not of other countries?" "If our valua- 
 
28 
 
 tions are fictitious and doubled and trebled in some cases, 
 those of tlie otiier nations are also." I know it is true of ours. 
 I learn this of European nations. There they do not mort- 
 gage and sell lands as here. There the kings and lords own 
 the most of the lands. Instead of conveyances, they make 
 leases for lives or a century. So that we must have ten thou- 
 sand conveyances or more to the one conveyance of land there. 
 So, I am satisfied this great English statistician does not know 
 what he is talking about when he computes the wealth of the 
 United States. Is it not time for us to bestir ourselves, and 
 make true laws, honest laws, honest records, honest wealth, 
 and let me say honest figures, that are not lies. In other 
 words, let us have truth and justice — not a great bubble — a 
 moment seen, then gone forever. 
 
 I know, now, of a mortgage in the court house in this 
 county for $75,000, drawing interest in gold. This interest 
 with a share of the principal, must be paid twice a year. All 
 this money is sent off to another state, without one cent tax 
 paid on it by the mortgagee. There is no law to enforce pay- 
 ment on such speculation. This is why money lenders are 
 always seeking foreign markets to do them so much good by 
 lending them money. 
 
 All is wrong. All is confusion. Why? It puts a tax 
 on the debtor, the mortgagor, on property he does not own — 
 puts a tax on the mortgagee if he tells the truth — releases 
 him of tax, if he lies — puts a tax on the resident owner — but 
 lets the non-resident collect his securities here, and pays no 
 taxes. This is well understood by business men, but the 
 
29 
 
 common people know nothing of all these laws, and all this 
 infamy and confusion. Men take their securities, often out of 
 the county, or state, before assessing time, so they evade as- 
 sessment and the payment of taxes. Men lend money here, 
 and then take their notes with them to another city, collect 
 the interest when due, and pay no taxes on such transactions. 
 For my part I do not blame them. The law itself is odious. 
 It is a door open for rich sharpers to lend money and pay 
 no taxes. If the non-resident lender here collects his notes, 
 as he does, and pays no taxes, not one cent, then why shall a 
 resident mortgagee pay taxes on the mortgagee note in his 
 pocket when he knows the mortgagor has already paid the 
 tax. This system is so monstrous, so burdensome to the 
 debtor, and so unequal in what men should pay, that it re- 
 tards even the development of all mortgaged farms, all mort- 
 gaged property, in city or county, if the mortgage is steep 
 enough on the value of it. "There is no peace for the wicked." 
 How can there be happiness covered with so much evil, so 
 much crookedness, so much injustice, so much confusion, and 
 yet no proper effort made by the powers that be to fix things 
 in order, which is God's first law to men? 
 
30 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 CITY TAXATION. 
 
 In my solution of the evils of our system of taxation, the 
 reader need not imagine that all its wrongs were there point- 
 ed out. The great general wrongs were set forth, and the 
 cure shown. Now, I am going to point out other evils, other 
 confusions, other frauds and misdemeanors by those in au- 
 thority, upon all the city people, and which they bear without 
 an idea in concert by them — to rid themselves of such mon- 
 strosities. "AVhat is every man's business, is no man's busi- 
 ness." All bear the load — while no one man undertakes to 
 arrest the wrongs, by appealing to the proper forum for re- 
 dress. At length when some one grapples with the monster, 
 appeals to the courts for succor, what does the multitude? 
 Nothing. They reaji their share of the benefits, without pay- 
 ing for the, same. They profit by the courage and labor of 
 one man, without troubling themselves to know how such re- 
 sults were brought about. I have here in my mind what has 
 happened in Carlinville under our forms of taxation. The 
 constitution of 181s and 1S48 of this state put no limit on the 
 legislature as to the amount of money which might be raised 
 or levied by the authorities by taxation. The first provided: 
 "That the mode of levying a tax shall be by valuation, so that 
 every person shall pay a tax in proportion to the value of the 
 
31 
 
 property he or she has in his or her possession." Under that 
 constitution no one was hurt by taxation. No one complained 
 of high taxes. Xo one was known to secrete notes and secur- 
 ities in banks, to ship such off to the next city or state, before 
 assessing time, to endorse banking notes or securities to other 
 towns or persons to evade the assessor. That time is not now. 
 These people are all dead. They were the pioneers. They 
 worked for an honest living. They tilled the soil — the old 
 man, the old woman — in the old log cabin. How patiently 
 they looked for the corn, and cattle and the hogs, and the 
 sheep, and the horses to grow and increase on the prairies. 
 God was with them. In that log cabin also grew up the fam- 
 ily from infancy to old age. That civilization reminds me of 
 the words of Job, where he says : "The stranger did not lodge 
 in the street, but I opened my doors to the travelej," wha 
 opens his door now to the stranger? Who opens his "doors" 
 to the traveler who lodges in the street? The doors of the 
 old log cabin were hardly ever shut. The stranger was then 
 welcomed. All men were equal who were honest, industrious, 
 self-supporting. Now, a man is measured and respected, not 
 by the extent of his culture, his honesty, his merit or virtues, 
 but by the weight of his pocket, and the extent of his earthly 
 possessions. This kind of a man does not open his doors to 
 the stranger who lodges in the street. Yet, we are told the 
 world is "getting better," "more enlightened," "more intelli- 
 gent," and more "God fearing." It may be true. It may not. 
 Men who praise the world now, may know what they assert 
 to be true. It is certain they did not live at the time of Job. 
 
32 
 
 He knew what he was talking about. I would like to see 
 any one out of any school from the days of King Herod to this 
 time, whose speeches could prove equal or superior to the 
 ones of Job. Thev cannot be found. There are speeches in 
 the "Antiquities of the -Jews" even, which have not vet been 
 surpassed, by all the efforts of the schools of learning, diction 
 and oratory. So this praise of enlightenment and "puffing" 
 over later times and later people, which seems to have gone 
 forth over the world unchallenged, may not be true. Indeed 
 it can not be demonstrated to a verity. Orators and lecturers 
 and teachers now-a-days carry too much sail for their ballast. 
 Their canvas must lower when they accost opposing winds 
 and seas, in which elements they become shattered and 
 stranded. 
 
 Yen see that the constitution says "that every person 
 must pay a tax in proportion to the value, of his or her prop- 
 erty."' Nothing there said about insurance companies, build- 
 ing associations and other incorporated concerns. These 
 companies, or inventions of monopolists to make money out 
 of the people, now swarm over the land. Were then as scarce 
 as cabbage worms or the pest, the butterfly, England brought 
 us the cabbage worms in the days of Mason and Slidell affair, 
 and she has brought us these other corporations, or incorpor- 
 ated concerns that make money, by being law breakers — that 
 is, gentlemen law-breakers. By such lawlessness our lands 
 have been given all away to such gentlemen — law-breakers — 
 from the people. The true and proper owners of all that do- 
 main — all stolen away from them — why shall theft take ad- 
 
33 
 
 vantage of its own wrong? Why shall stolen jjroperty, ov 
 stolen lands become secure in title to gentlemen law-breakers 
 in getting such things from congressional law-breakers? To 
 asseut to the right of Congress to part with that domain, as 
 ■it did, shows that there must be some disease in the national 
 virtues that has not yet become truly known to the people. 
 
 The constitution of 1S4S first speaks of these corpora- 
 tions: "The general assembly shall provide for levying a tax 
 by valuation, so that every person and corporation shall pay 
 a tax in proportion to the value of his or her property." Even 
 under this constitution, there were no inequalities, no irregu- 
 larities, no wrongs which caused men to clamor, by odious and 
 unjust taxation; nor was there even a limit yi-t put upon the 
 general assembly, in the amount of taxes to be raised or 
 levied. .Vfter this comes the constitution of ISTd, which does 
 put a limit on the legislature, as to the amount of taxes to be 
 raised, as to the per cent, on every hundred dollars valuation, 
 and th(-n bad, rich men, unscrupulous corporations swarm the 
 state by ganging multitudes, and cities with their nefarious 
 methods of doing business, and their sharp tricks in collect- 
 ing accounts, taking the money so collected on securities here 
 and at times got l>y taxation, taking these collections, and 
 these taxes away out of the county or state to New York or 
 Boston, or London, but not one cent tax paid by these shy- 
 loiks to our officers. The system is truly rotten. It is not 
 just. A government of injustice will at length fail of having 
 wise, good and thinking citizens to respect it. It is not in 
 the nature of things that injustice and corruption in govern- 
 
34 
 
 ment and men, that it can long succeed in being a blessing 
 to the people. Tricks cannot always win. You have seen 
 what was said about the |75,000 mortgage in the court house, 
 free from taxation, which is a case in point to verify the dis- 
 cussion of the question. Is it to be wondered at that sharp 
 rich mortgagees, who retain counsel by the year, evade taxa- 
 tion, while those who are more simple, and not so rich, who 
 are mortgagees for smaller sums, say |oOO, pay taxes on such 
 securities, thinking the record of the mortgage is taxable — 
 when the note alone is taxable under the laws. So, if the 
 note is in mortgagee's pocket, but he tells the assessor it is in 
 Egypt, his lie makes him whole under the law. The effect of 
 this bad system, this lying is that when one pays taxes he 
 pays eight times more than he. ought to paj^ in justice. Small 
 properties are all assessed, while the big ones so often escape. 
 Small properties are taxed eight limes too much. The reason 
 is the law is first all wrong and odious, while it is law, it is 
 not just, yet the Supreme Court has passed on this revenue 
 act, and held it legal. Its construction makes triple taxa- 
 tion. It is the payment of one debt, or judgment, three times. 
 That is, the debtor pays three debts instead of one, when un- 
 der mortgage. This has been already shown. My belief is, 
 the case has never been properly argued before the Supreme 
 Court, else the court could not have so decided. Certainly, 
 there is nothing written heretofore — there has been no discus- 
 sion in the line I have pointed out. It is by much continued 
 thought on this question, whereby its crookedness and evils 
 
.35 
 
 are here seen and demonstrated — for my argument is true 
 and just. It is impossible to demonstrate the reverse. 
 
 After one is taxed so unjustly, if he fails to pay such 
 when due, then the methods of proceeding to enforce payment 
 by the officers of the law are so burdensome and unfair, with 
 costs and penalties, that it becomes an engine of confiscation, 
 whereby rich scalpers possess themselves of lands to the utter 
 ruin of the poor owners. Here is an example. If I refuse to 
 pay the taxes assessed against me, on my farm or lots, they 
 are returned by the assessor to the county clerk as "delin- 
 quent." If I go before the county court to resist judgment 
 on the same to sell them for the taxes, and judgment is given 
 against me, here I have no jury trial. Here, if I appeal, I 
 must give bond to the people with two or more sureties to be 
 approved by the court, in a sum to be fixed by that court, 
 and here I must also deposit a sum of money with the collec- 
 tor, large enough to cover the tax judgment and costs. Here 
 also, I must appeal within the term of the court, though judg- 
 ment may be rendered the last day, nay the last hour of that 
 term of the court, for such thing did happen to myself in our 
 county court a few years since. After the judge ruled against 
 me, he refused to adjourn court to the next day, as he could 
 do by law, and it was his duty when asked for, so I might 
 have a little time to think on what was best for me to do — 
 not a small thinking matter for any sane man — not a small 
 matter for the most experienced lawyer in the state. His 
 answer was, he must end the term. He was then the judge. 
 Since then he has gone before a higher judge than himself. 
 
36 
 
 I would pray to that Supreme Judge not to judge his case as 
 mine was judged, and that we be all forgiven as we forgive. 
 So at length I withdrew my objections in writing and appear- 
 ance in the case, put the same on record, then filed notice on 
 all evil doers, and scalpers, not to buy said property at sale 
 under said judgment, as it was utterly void; that I would file 
 a bill in chancery to set aside the same or any certificate of 
 purchase procured under said infamous proceedings. I was 
 as good as my word and notice. The bill was filed in the cir- 
 cuit court to set aside that judgment and the certificate of 
 purchase got by the buyer, and the court decided I was right, 
 set aside the proceedings, cancelled the certificate of purchase 
 so that in this case he who would possess himself of his neigh- 
 bor's vineyard, as did King Ahab in the case of Naboth's vine- 
 yard, though he did not lose his life, did lose his money, in the 
 transaction. 
 
 Again, while he must appeal in term time, he cannot ap- 
 peal to the circuit court, nor the appellate court. He must 
 go to the Supreme Court. In this case the plaintiff has the 
 state's attorney or other paid ofQcers to prosecute, and I am 
 taxed with my share of the fees for that purpose, while in this 
 legal fight I must pay my own way, and the multitude never 
 think, never sympathize, never offer one cent to him who 
 makes a precedent, whereby his and his children's property 
 cannot be tax-stolen. The reader will see here that the law 
 is made in favor of scalpers, in favor of those who can take 
 care of themselves — and against those who are at their 
 mercy, in this thing of tax buyers, for not one man in a mil- 
 
37 
 
 lion will fight the case. It is a machine without sympathy — 
 without justice, without gratitude, without fair play to all. 
 It is a machine to obtain its ends, regardless of equity, be- 
 cause the machine, if legally beaten, this machine's pocket is 
 not hurt. In all I have here written, I have worked my way, 
 as it were, through the woods or wilderness. I am the first 
 pioneer to attack all this infamy, and to succeed in a certifi- 
 cate of purchase being canceled without a tender in court of 
 the money paid by the buyer. After this case was decided, 
 or rather decreed to me, I then resisted this lawless tax on 
 my property, before the same county court, the succeeding 
 year, when that court released the taxes, not wishing to an- 
 tagonize the circuit judge in his decree, and yet there are 
 some cases there now pending to be yet passed on by the cir- 
 cuit judge. It is simply impossible to keep the tax authori- 
 ties within the bounds of the laws. The best men, the 
 ones who might do right, are not the ones who are elected to 
 office. In elections, merit is not sought for by voters. Cer- 
 tain factions may be personally interested in confusion, in 
 wrong, rather than right. Some times criminals and peni- 
 tentiary birds are elected — are voted for to rule over us and 
 fix ordinances under which we pay taxes. One can see ex- 
 amples of this sort mostly in all cities. Some are elected to 
 oflflce who don't know the multiplication table. Some times 
 church members will vote for one who does not know the 
 Lord's prayer. Under our system of voting in cities where 
 the adventurer harbors himself, the gambler, and the 
 idler, and all kinds of humanity, with all kinds of morals and 
 
38 
 
 evil and crooked ways, the money adventurer who appeals to 
 the belly of the masses will beat the meritorious poor who 
 appeals to the conscience and manhood of the voter, so that 
 the drinking and paid voters get their man to the ''top of the 
 heap." When honest merit and ability become swamped, 
 "They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind." 
 
 After this case was won the tax books of the whole county 
 had to be revised, so as to have assessments made in accord- 
 ance with the decree of the court. It took a number of clerks 
 some months to do the work. I think the county clerk was 
 paid extra for the job. I know I was not. It might be be- 
 cause I was not good at begging at the public crib. Bushels 
 of money are paid over by the authorities where there is no 
 legal warrant for so doing. This is every one's business — 
 say sixty thousand people — yet hardly "any one"s business." 
 No doubt the tax books of the whole state need the same re- 
 vision. 
 
 Before the decree in this tax case, the city authorities 
 levied any amount of taxes, which their notions suggested 
 they might want to use, paying no attention to the limit put 
 on them by the statute and constitution. This case gave 
 them to understand they were not yet masters of the people. 
 They were simply agents, and generally poor ones at that, 
 who are not to buy an ass when the master wants a race horse. 
 They are not to borrow money on notes when the laws say 
 there must be an appropriation and levy. They are not to 
 issue warrants, giving them to the laborer, who takes them to 
 the bank, where they are discounted ten per cent. These were 
 
39 
 
 the methods — this was the jumble turned out by the city au- 
 thorities before my case was decided. I believe the note- 
 making, the warrant-issuing, the bank discounting is more 
 or less "played out." I believe lenders begin to think these 
 authorities are not like the king, who can do no wrong, and 
 whose word is law. I believe I am the one by whose action 
 in the proper forum such economy is brought about. I be- 
 lieve this extravagance, this jumbling these evils are more or 
 less in all cities. I believe these authorities took upon them- 
 selves to do as the authorities did in larger cities as St. Louis 
 and Chicago, thinking they could make Carlinville the won- 
 der of the state, by running her in debt one-half million dol- 
 lars, which would have been done were it not the case in 
 question. This case put an end to iniquitious private incor- 
 porated companies hereabouts, who proposed to make the city 
 big and populous, by enriching themselves in getting land 
 and money to "set up" their plants in our midst, and then in 
 a few years perhaps burn down or fly awaj- from here, or com- 
 mit suicide. There is more than one case of this kind seen. 
 You know I state the truth, and this is everlasting. I have 
 seen towns in this country that were built up in a few years 
 by "booming," and then in a few years became few, with deso- 
 lation. How the first man, or number of men, took into his 
 or their heads to demand money and property of those who 
 owed them nothing, for settling in their midst, carrying on 
 Ais or their private business, can only be understood by those 
 who are born wrong, "whose heart is deceitful above all 
 things and desperately wicked." When I look on that "seven 
 
40 
 
 to eight" infamy, whereby Tilden lost the presidency, where 
 there was a "raffle" to count the votes of sixty millions of 
 people, by one man, instead of doing so by the constitution, 
 "when I see the "salary grab" of Congress voting themselves 
 back pay of five thousand dollars each, when I see such Coq- 
 gress doing away with all the public lands of this country, 
 granting such to railroad corporations, instead of giving the 
 same to the people, who were then and now and hereafter the 
 only proper owners of those lands. When I now see that this 
 people have no rights that such Congress, or such huge rot- 
 ten corporations are bound to respect, I feel that misery, pov- 
 erty, and confusion is the final end of the great mass of the 
 people. Rome was once the ruling power of the world. 
 Where is she now? Where is that disciplined army that 
 downed the mighty walls of Jerusalem? Where is Caesar 
 and Alexander, and even Xapoleon? It is only by good laws 
 any nation can be built up. Bad laws will destroy auy coun- 
 try. Can this country be an exception to the others? Here 
 I am reminded of the words of Alexander H. Stephens: 
 "Look at Greece. There is the same fertile soil, the same 
 blue sky, the same inlets and harbors, the same Olympus, 
 there is the same land where Homer sung, where Pericles 
 spoke — it is in nature the same old Greece, but it is 'loving 
 Greece' no more." Her paintings and sculpture are things 
 of the jiast. They are not reproduced. The world of educa- 
 tion, and of taxation to support schools of art fail to equal 
 the grand old masters. Genius can not exist in the lap of 
 luxury — in the arms and embraces of great wealth. A genius 
 
41 ' 
 
 who perpetuates his memory must sprout, and develop in the 
 midst of error, evils, wrongs, oppression, fanaticism and hy- 
 pocrisy generally. 
 
 The strangest thing of all in the tax business is that while 
 the law is that each one shall pay taxes in accordance with 
 the value of his property, that means its market value, or 
 rather it shall be assessed at its market value, which is never 
 done. In this county it is assessed at about one-fourth its 
 market value. Some times more, some times less. In some 
 counties less than this, while in other counties more. In Chi- 
 cago, it is said, property is assessed one-tw(»ntieth to one- 
 fiftieth of its value. It is said that there the whole of the 
 property is assessed nineteen million dollars in valuation 
 less than the city was assessed twenty years ago. It is said 
 the rich real estate owners buy the assessors to assess them 
 low, or not at all, and yet with all this commotion, all this 
 public scandal, by the people against incorporated companies, 
 stock companies, banking institutions, building associations, 
 and foreign money lenders, as well as resident lenders of 
 money, after all this oommotion and uproar, the legislature 
 meets, adjourns, draws pay, make noise, but does nothing to 
 remedy the worst wrongs that can fasten themselves upon 
 any people. Evidently the members of that body or power 
 do not see it as I do. They are like the "blind leading the 
 blind — all fall into the ditch."' To suffer the revenue act, to 
 live longer without amendment under the method I have 
 above pointed out, is to suffer a cancerous act to eat out every 
 thing, it fastens on to its ruin. The body having the power 
 
to cure this mighty wrong, but does not do so, surely does not 
 realize its responsibility to the people. Railroad free passes 
 to law-makers and pay for Sunday as well as other days will 
 never make saints and martyrs of men on this earth. Also 
 free passes to other men in high places, wearing long robes, 
 and saluted in the market place — all this breeds ease, laziness, 
 looseness, ingratitude, hyjtoerisy and contempt of duty. "Fill 
 your pocket with stock," is the motto. 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 MORTGAGOR AND MORTGAGEE. 
 
 Those who have borrowed money, securing it by mort- 
 gages on their farms, or other property, know something of 
 the burdens of such business. They know the danger the 
 debtor has undertaken, that while the farm was once unin- 
 cumbered, now it is mortgaged for one-half its value. In 
 eleven cases in twelve it is at length foreclosed, bought in for 
 the debt by the mortgagee, though the owner had paid three 
 times the amount of the debt in interest and costs, and fees 
 and commissions. A wants five thousand dollars. His farm 
 is worth ten thousand. He has lived closely for years to 
 save so much. The young folks think they must go to col- 
 lege. They think they must pull down the old house which 
 has done good service for years past. It is not in style. It 
 must be replaced by one "up-to-date," in nice work, by a nice 
 
43 
 
 architect and builder. The borrowed money does the worli. 
 The young folks have not yet learned that "he who buildeth 
 his house with other men's money, is like one who gethereth 
 himself stones for the tomb of his burial." There was a time 
 in this country when it did not cost a man so much to borrow 
 money as it does now. There was a time when one neighbor 
 would lend his money to his neighbor. Sometimes take his 
 note, and trust his honesty for the pay. This was often done in 
 old times, and succeeded on both sides. How is it now? The 
 war has sharpened men's wits — hardened their hearts — till 
 not one case in a thousand can men see any difference be- 
 tween legal rights and moral rights. Here is the system of 
 rights in loaning money. If I want |5,000, I must go from 
 the farm to the city, see the big man, big sign — real estate 
 agent or banker — "money to loan cheap." This man asks a 
 commission of five or more per cent, to procure the money — 
 say, for live .years. Twenty-five to fifty dollars to furnish an 
 abstract of title of the farm, though I may alreadj' have an ab- 
 stract of it in my pocket. Then a fire insurance policy must 
 be got with twenty-five dollars more, and then the making and 
 recording of these conveyances is another sum I have to pay. 
 Then if I fail to pay the interest as it becomes due, also the 
 taxes, then all become due, and I must be foreclosed, with an- 
 other bill of costs in court. After my case is in court, and 
 I try to find another loan, so as to pay the old debt, with 
 court's costs, and attorney's fees provided for in the mort- 
 gage, then I must go through the former method of another 
 bill of fees, commissions, costs and so on, to rid myself of 
 
44 
 
 this mortgage, to be replaced by another. This is jumping 
 from the frying pan into the fire. Then time goes on — crops 
 may fail, hard times set in, everything is out of "joint." 
 Men's ways are not as nice as they used to be. The old 
 woman is dead now. The young folks do not find things to 
 work as prosperously as they expected. Some have married, 
 some divorced, some dead. So a few years more and the farm 
 goes to the rich man — goes to him who alreadj' has more than 
 enough of earthly goods. The law of too much or too little 
 appears to be the law of civilization — too rich, or too poor. 
 It would seem to be the law in the production of crops. See 
 anything in nature grow, if it meets with early reverses, as 
 drouth, rains, frost, by which its growth or vitality is re- 
 tarded ; then it never will properly develop or mature. Even 
 the worms prey on the little that is left. "Take the pound 
 away from him and give it to him that hath ten pounds."' 
 To every one who hath shall be given, and he shall abound, 
 from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be 
 taken from im."' 
 
 Then,' was a time, before the war, when there was a vast 
 quantity of vacant, unoccupied land in this country, and pop- 
 ulation scanty. When one managed to possess himself of 
 land then, with or without mortgage, in the end, he came out 
 all right. Taxes were easy, living easy, stock grew and in- 
 creased on the vacant lands. Railroads were built, popula- 
 tion increased. The only thing that gives too much value 
 to land, as in large cities, where sometimes a lot sells at the 
 great price of .1250 for every square foot. When these things 
 
45 
 
 all grew and developed a hundred fold, both mortgagor and 
 mortgagee, or borrower and lender of money, prospered 
 equally. Congress gave the public land all away. It gave 
 those railroad builders other things as subsidies by acts of 
 Congress, Avhich subsidies or millions of money the people 
 were compelled to pay, because Congress, of itself, is like the 
 king or lords of creation. They don't work, they are not self- 
 supporting, nor have they a Ben Franklin, or a Jackson, or a 
 Jefferson now among them. Then all things were ''booming." 
 — the more steals by those in authority, the more tricks and 
 deception to blind the people, the more "booming." Lands 
 went upward in price, stocks went up, wealth flourished, in- 
 surance companies on lives of men and property covered the 
 land. Machinery work took the place of human labor. All 
 was "booming." No one asked the cause. No one thought 
 of a business ebb could ever exist again. No one thought 
 of the future low prices for the farm's products. One hun- 
 dred dollar horses selling for five dollars in the market; wheat 
 13.00 a bushel, hay $20.00 a ton, flour, |20.00 a barrel, muslin 
 eighty cents a yard, and so on — the future price was not 
 thought of — wheat going down to fifty cents, flour to four 
 dollars a barrel, muslin to four cents a yard, hay to |1 or $8 a 
 ton, and so of other things. Yet it is seen that land does not 
 run down in the market. Rents do not run down. They 
 rather go upward. So now, and for some time past, among 
 us, he who undertakes to rent a farm for cash, cannot win. 
 He can not succeed. He can not make ends meet. He must 
 quit the business in despair, and so is it of him who in this 
 
46 
 
 state of affairs, this civilization, borrows money— mortgages 
 his farm to secure it— pays interest, commissions and other 
 fees to obtain the money— pays for an abstract of title of his 
 land, pays for all the making and recording of documents, 
 insurance also — the one who does this, in these days, will 
 find himself in a few years driven to the wall, though his 
 "cattle may be on a thousand hills." These vampires will 
 eat him out of house and home. His end will be that of a 
 pauper. How many such have I seen? My sympathies go 
 out always when I see such sufferers. My bitterness is 
 aroused when I see the ones causing it to roll in the good 
 things of this earth, but at length die, leaving riches to be 
 fought over by the heirs in courts, with ill feeling engendered, 
 and tons of costs. He who has a competency, not too poor, 
 nor too rich, is in the proper position to be happy. The very 
 rich cannot be happy, because they have too much. The very 
 poor ran not be happy, because they have too little. "Give 
 me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient 
 for me, lest I be full, and deny thee, or lest I be poor and 
 steal.'' Why can not mankind be taught wisdom from this 
 doctrine? Why can they not subsist on their own honest ex- 
 ertions, without, at all times, almost harrass the weak, op- 
 press who they can, and "circumvent their brother in busi- 
 ness?" Can it be true that the oppressor ever can be happy 
 on this earth? Can anything be happy that is wrong, untrue, 
 unjust, perhaps cruel? "There is peace on earth to those who 
 submit to God's providence, and relies truly in his love. King 
 David says: "I have been young, and now am old, yet have I 
 
47 
 
 not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seen begging bread." 
 Were it so fixed that the result of man's labor could be prop- 
 erly utilized, or so distributed, where justice might be done, 
 then all mankind would haye enough — and enough, it is said, 
 is as "good as a feast." The way the world stands men are 
 not satisfied with enough — not satisfied with a cempetency 
 of the things necessary for one and his belongings. His am- 
 bition is to get more — to climb higher and higher — then this, 
 more getting and higher climbing, only makes him more un- 
 easy, more unhappy — petrifies his youthful affections, and 
 then is seen "man's inhumanity to maa that makes countless 
 thousand* mourn." This meanness in the nature of man it 
 is seen in the hog. This overreaching, which is only a legal 
 term for stealing, or might makes right, is seen in all human 
 history, in all civilization. For seven centuries Great Britain 
 has been at it.. She is at it today. She draws from Ireland, 
 not bigger than Indiana, forty million dollars yearly in taxes, 
 and in rents eighty million dollars more. How can they pay 
 so much and yet live is hard to understand. She is very care- 
 ful, when she fills our institutions of learning with her books 
 on political economy, that this tax-squeezing of Ireland is 
 left o-ut. This is not all. She pays thirteen and one-half mil- 
 lions yeiirly more than her share of taxes, compared with Eng- 
 land's rate*. When will this wicked nation learn to be just? 
 When will she restore that? She has robbed and ceased to do 
 iniquity that she may live? Can this iniquity, these mighty 
 wrongs upon a weak, ignorant people, though there are ex- 
 ceptions? <-'an these things perpetuate England's rule round 
 
48 
 
 the globe? She must yet go down as Kome and Athens and 
 Greece did. Wherever she rules there is famine. India, with 
 252 millions people, are all starving, except the British officers 
 there, who rule that unhappy race. Edmund Burke devoted 
 his life to the "betterment" of that people, but England is to- 
 day what she was at the time of Warren Hastings. Power, 
 money, cruelty, overreaching, is her watchword. Her present 
 queen wrote a book with one idea, that of her servant, John 
 Brown. She wrote it on the Highlands in the days of our 
 "unpleasantness" between Xorth and South. But not one 
 word in that book in sympathy with the poor fellows that fell 
 in battle in that strife of five years. No doubt it would please 
 her Majesty to be not only Empress of all the Indias, but Em- 
 press of all this western continent. She and the great fat veto 
 President would be nearly alike in bigness, fatness, wealth, 
 but scant in everything else. No doubt were they set up as 
 golden calves there would be worshipers many. The big mass 
 of mankind will never lose their fascination for the glare of 
 things they never can attain to. Ireland and India are always 
 object points of famine under the queen. This country has 
 been an object point by her government under the fat mug- 
 wump President and others to run the country in debt, in 
 times of peace 2G2 millions, to the wish of such gold-grabbers. 
 After all such confusion and wickedness one cannot see how 
 such rulers can sleep at ease, for it is said "there is no rest 
 for the wicked." There ought to be more human sympathy 
 among mankind, in and by and between nations. Yes, mil- 
 lions times more than we have seen or read of. There ouo-ht 
 
49 
 
 to be less envy, strife, trouble, bitterness, wickedness, malice 
 and meanness; more kindness, goodness, more charity among 
 men. Ambition, selflsbness and avarice "run mad," usurp 
 Virtue's throne. The poet must have so felt when he wrote: 
 ''I live for those who love me. 
 
 Whose hearts are kind and true. 
 For the Heaven that smiles above me. 
 
 And awaits my spirit too — 
 For all human ties that bind me, 
 
 For the bright hopes left behind me, 
 And the good that I can do." 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 FEDERAL TAXATION. 
 
 Having discussed the question of city, county and state 
 taxation, and having done so as a pioneer, for I have seen 
 nothing in the books to instruct me on the question, in the 
 road I have taken for the better settlement of the question. 
 It will be now in order to discuss this mode of federal taxa- 
 tion, wherein it will be seen that these powers proceed often 
 times outside the constitution, and are then more lawless than 
 the ones the officers arrest and bring to conviction in federal 
 courts. Take the case of the tax income act of Congress at- 
 tempted to be fastened upon the rich, of all the states, for all 
 time. That very act was popular. It was as popular as that 
 of the pensions. Yet, what may be popular may not be con- 
 
50 
 
 stitutional. Congress made that a law, as far as that body 
 could give life to a void act. Congress, with its big men and 
 "free passes," imagined it was like Parliament — omnipotent. 
 It thought as it had destroyed silver as a legal tender, it now 
 could reach the pockets of the rich all over the land, and make 
 them happy that they were living in a free country. So it 
 managed things for its marshals and other oflScers to sweep 
 over all the states, to enter the rich man's house, at any hour, 
 night or day, puzzle him with questions, which, if not properly 
 answered, he is taken out of his own county, away from hig 
 own courts, to a foreign forum, a federal court, to be there 
 made convict. No one ever heard of such doings as that be- 
 fore the war in this country. But, the supreme court punc- 
 tured the great bubble, and it was dead. Has Congress learn- 
 ed any thing in seeing that brat die? It is strange that so 
 many persons in Congress and outside think that act would 
 prove healthy for the people. No act should be made by 
 Congress, or any other legislative body, to controvene the 
 constitution. No law should be made, at any time, upon any 
 pretense, to conflict with the constitution. That itself is an- 
 archy by the law makers, who escape punishment, while other 
 kinds of anarchy, the actors are punished to imprisonment for 
 life. The constitution says: "Representatives and direct 
 taxes shall be appropriated among the several states which 
 may be included within this Union according to their respec- 
 tive numbers." Here is the power given to Congress to tax 
 and it must be done in the way pointed out. It cannot be 
 done by that body arming its marshals and deputies to roajn 
 
51 
 
 all over this land at pleasure to put questions and raise money 
 simply because one is rich, and eTen owns a county — not at 
 all. When that body needs a revenue, if it has not sense 
 enough to get it on exports, duties, imports and excises, 
 then it must let the states know how much revenue they 
 need, and for what purpo>se, when each state will see to it 
 that its quota shall be raised and paid in accordance with the 
 number of its Eepresentatives in Congress, not in accordance 
 with the number of the state's rich men. By this method the 
 revenue is raised by the states, at the time of their raising 
 and collecting their own or other taxes quietly, without 
 one federal officer to take a hand in the business, without 
 any spies or ill will engendered. In the same manner that 
 the state taxes are collected in every city, township and 
 county in the state, without one state officer coming into 
 these various places to assess and collect such tax. This 
 system of a government within a government, a sovereignty 
 within a sovereignty, a wheel within a wheel, when all work 
 in harmony, is the beauty and very life of our instutioas, 
 whereby state's sovereignty perpetuates all. The moment one 
 power, one sovereignty encroaches on the other that moment 
 there is a clash, the wheel within the wheel not running, or 
 the outside big wheel not working in its usual way, the ma- 
 chinery is liable to destroy itself. "A house divided against 
 itself cannot stand. A family divided against itself cannot 
 stand. The man and woman as husband and wife divided 
 against each other cannot stand. Neither can this country 
 or government by over riding the constitution, as is so often 
 
52 
 
 done since the war, to the injury of the people. Before the 
 war it was thought that white men had "the right of life, 
 liberty and the pursuit of happiness." After the war this 
 became changed. If one keep tobacco, cigars, whiskey and 
 perhaps other things, he must pay a federal tax on them. If 
 he raises corn on his farm, and he wants to convert it into 
 whiskey, so he can ship it off more easily and profitably, he 
 must pay a federal tax. If he does not comply, he is arrested, 
 not by his county sheriff, the officer of his election, but by 
 a federal marshal, not elected, but appointed at Washington. 
 In this arrest he is not taken to his county jail, but to the 
 capital, miles away from his county, to harass and intimidate 
 the citizen by methods new, crooked, evil, and forever uncon- 
 stitutional. He Is not tried by a jury of his own county, by 
 an elective judge, but by a jury of strangers, and an appoint- 
 ed judge. If he is found guilty, instead of asking pardon 
 from the Governor of his state, he must ask pardon from 
 the President. Here, every move of the machinery of that 
 federal court and its ofUcers clashes with the constitution, 
 and the law of the land for the protection of the citizen, 
 and his pursuit of happiness. It is simply despotic, arbi- 
 trary, kingly and tyranical, and no doubt these federal courts 
 think they are just and running inside the constitution. 
 The work is lawless. It is anarchy itself. It is so absurd 
 that the reader cannot help but see the wrongs, as if work- 
 ing a problem. A unit too much or too little, in adding or 
 substracting, multiplying or dividing, the result is erroneous. 
 So is the end or result of this federal business in breaking 
 
53 
 
 in on old established customs of the common people. In 
 making laws by Congress illy digested, without thought, jus- 
 tice, nor constitutional right, upon the false pretense of neces- 
 sity. If the federal authorities can make their tax levies 
 among us in separate states, by way of license or otherwise, 
 on tobacco, cigars, whiskey, beer, whether these things be 
 luxuries or not, then they can also execute their income tax, 
 levy on any or all men, rich or poor, which the supreme court 
 pronounced void. They could tax and levy upon all things 
 in all states at their pleasure, the reason of these things 
 being taxed by the government, tobacco, etc., and also put up 
 with by those who trafBc in them, is each one who trades in 
 the business puts on the government tax on what he sells, 
 and finally it is the devil taking the hindmost — the consumer 
 pays the tax. 
 
 The Federal government has no more right to violate the 
 constitution in attempting to raise or levy taxes or in any 
 other essential matter than had Great Britain to tax tea 
 brought into the colonies. There is an old maxim which no 
 law maker should forget: "Do as you please, provided you 
 injure nobody else." He may do as it pleaseth him, but he 
 must take care not to be in conflict with the constitution, and 
 the law of the land. For nearly two centuries before the 
 revolution, European sovereigns who gave charters to colon- 
 ists of lands in this or other countries, reserved to themselves 
 the power to control such lands, liberty and privileges. This 
 was the method by which the thirteen colonies were made 
 and grew. After the revolution, under the constitution, the 
 
54 
 
 government began to sell the common lands of the United 
 States, or the several states, to their citizens, who were al- 
 ready in the possession of personal and politiial rights, which 
 the government did not give, nor could take away. Yet it 
 has come to pass that Congress gave all the lands away to 
 railroad companies, instead of selling the same to American 
 citizens, already in possession, and putting the money in the 
 United States treasury. Here is the great national wrong 
 which should be remedied, and have these lands so stolen re- 
 stored to the people. In the Century Magazine for November, 
 1885, is this: ''The stocks of those great corporations are 
 turned into dice, by which gigantic gambling operations are 
 carried on, operations in which fortunes are lost and made in 
 a day, operations by which honest men are tempted from 
 honest industry to their ruin, and other more honest men who 
 resist the temptation are involved in the ruin which a com- 
 mon wreck inflicts upon the community. As if this were not 
 enough, the brakeman sees these great corporations the re- 
 cipients not only of vast powers, but of gifts as vast. He sees 
 the nation giving away to these railroad companies an area 
 nearly equal to the great states of Pennsylvania, Ohio. Indi- 
 ana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri, and 
 three times the total area of England, Ireland, Scotland and 
 Wales." 
 
 The book says "the wicked walk on every side when the 
 vilest men are exalted." In the last few years it has been 
 seen that the president run the country in debt two hundred 
 and sixty-two million dollars. Is not that a vile act done by 
 
an ignorant, vile man — even when Congress was in session, 
 with no attempt to stop him, or impeach for high crimes and 
 misdemeanors. If one man can do so, why not some other 
 one man repeat the infamj'? Where is it to stop? A can- 
 cerous act or crime like that, suffered to go unpunished, is 
 a forerunner of American dissolution. When it is once set- 
 tled in the public mind to have contempt for the constitution, 
 the law of the land and old American ways, it will not take 
 long to destroy the old institutions and to put in their place 
 acts and doings of irresponsible adventurers. One of the 
 great dangers now is, there are so many who think the presi- 
 dent is like the king — "he can do no wrong." That Congress 
 like the Parliament, is omnipotent. That if the constitution 
 does not specially prohibit them, then they may reach out and 
 enact what they please as laws. When the true construc- 
 tion is, Congress can only act and make laws, when that in- 
 strument expressly or impliedly grants the power, just as the 
 charter from the king grants rights to the colonist. The 
 charter is the measure of his powers. The constitution is the 
 measure of the powers of ( 'ongress. Where in it does Con- 
 gress find power to give pensions to women direct, who were 
 never in the army. Some of them granted large pensions 
 who are already rich, and possessed of large incomes. Is it 
 any wonder the public mind loses respect for authority, and 
 laws, when it is seen on all hands the law makers are de- 
 bauched; when it is seen how the colonies became free from 
 Great Britain, and framed the constitution, limiting the pow- 
 ers of Congress, not making that body the owners of the 
 
56 
 
 common lands of the country, but making it, as it were, trus- 
 tee in and over these lands for the public good — for the good 
 of American settlers — it will thus be seen this Congress was 
 not the lords of the land to do with them as they pleased, vir- 
 tually confiscated these lands from the people to the stolen po- 
 session of incorporated companies. No criticism is too harsh 
 or bitter as against Congress in these acts of confiscation, to 
 outlaw or depose the people of such vast bodies of lands. 
 
 From one great judge I quote this from the Dred Scott 
 case: "The jurisdiction of the federal government is limited 
 to certain enumerated objects, which concern all members 
 of the republic, and that the local or municipal authorities 
 form distinct portions of supremacy, no more subject within 
 their respective spheres to the general authority than the 
 general authority is subject to them within its own sphere." 
 Again he says: "Congress was made simply the agent or 
 trustee for the United States, and the subject of the trust to 
 any other beneficiary or sestuique trust, than the United 
 States, or to the people of the United States, upon equal 
 grounds, legal or (equitable, Congress could not apporpriate 
 that subject to any one class, or portion, of the people to the 
 exclusion of others, politically and constitutionally equals, 
 but every citizen would, if any one could claim it, have the 
 like right of punhasp, settlement, occupation, or any other 
 right in the national territory."' Quoting the constitution to 
 law breakers is like quoting pure morals to thieves. Yet, the 
 right must be advocated. While government exists right and 
 wrong, good and evil, kindness and harshness, love and 
 
57 
 
 hatred, attraction and repulsion, growth and decay, are ele- 
 ments in the make-up of men, which are forever at war with 
 each other. It is as God on one side, the devil on the other. 
 
 If, then, the "jurisdiction of the federal government is 
 limited, as it is to certain enumerated objects," where is the 
 power to levy direct tax on the people of the states, rich or 
 poor, upon any thing, or all things. That charter, that deed, 
 that constitution, by the thirteen United Colonies, that su- 
 preme power wrested from the king of Great Britain and 
 placed in the states or people united that power is in them 
 yet, except as it was given Congress or its agents to work 
 under for the public good as their servants, not masters. 
 Here Congress must look for its authority to give us laws. 
 Outside this no one is bound to obey them. No right is given 
 to directly tax the people. This power remains with each 
 state. She is an usurper and tyrant robber, when she at- 
 tempts to do so. Equally so is she an usurper and tyrant 
 when she brings hither her army on any pretense, unless 
 called for by the methods known in our American institu- 
 tions. "The quartering of large bodies of troops among us" 
 is an early step to the destruction of the civil power of the 
 state and the dissolution of American institutions by federal 
 and centralized government. The federal government must 
 seek its power in the constitution, and show plain men in 
 the state where she seeks to control them that the constitu- 
 tion so empowers her. She must not do so by constructive 
 reasoning, which is the method of all tyranny, and kingly 
 diplomacy. Wrong doers always give a plausible reason for 
 
58 
 
 a false act. B3' this means libert.y has been at all times uni- 
 versally lost. For the federal government to override the 
 state, by constructive reasoning on the constitution, is the 
 antagonism of the father for the son. "It is the house di- 
 vided against itself. Jefferson did not believe in the 
 license of tampering with the constitution, and mak- 
 ing it speak that which its founders never thought 
 of; doing that under it which is opposed to the spirit 
 of its authors; doing under it some oppressive act to the 
 injury of the many, while the act might help the few. At 
 the time of the Louisiana purchase from Napoleon, Jefferson 
 was in doubt whether it could be done under that instru- 
 ment, and so he said: "I had rather ask an enlargement of 
 power from the nation, when it is found necessary, than to 
 assume it by construction, which would make our powers 
 boundless. Our peculiar security is in possession of a writ- 
 ten constitution. Let us not make it blank paper by con- 
 struction. I say the same as to the opinion of those who 
 consider the grant of the treaty making power boundless. If 
 it is then we have no constitution. If it has bounds, they 
 can be no other than the definitions of the powers which 
 that instrument gives. It specifies and delegates the opera- 
 tions iiermitted to the federal government, and gives the 
 powers necessary to carry them into execution." This fine 
 passage I find in the Dred Scott case. Reading from men 
 like these I have quoted, compared with recent Presidents, 
 or some who think themselves statesmen in Congress, is like 
 reading from the last speech of Moses to the Hebrews, when 
 
59 
 
 "he tells them he is going to die."' He speaks his last time 
 to them, with Avhom he had spent forty years in the wilder- 
 ness. They were rebellious since he knew them. He did 
 not so state to make them angry, as it was not befitting him 
 to now make them feel troubled, as he was going to 
 his fathers, but he simply reminded them of their conduct 
 when they would think to stone him twice. So now, if they 
 would abide the ordinances, statutes and commands left 
 them for their guidance, they and their posterity would be 
 blessed. Also their basket and their store. But if they put 
 aside these ordinances and commands then they would be 
 scattered among the nations, and left few in number, and 
 they would repent when it would be too late. We have had 
 rulers, mental pigmys, who- are always below this grand com- 
 mander of the Jews. My object in giving this from Moses is, 
 it seems to me, since that race in the wilderness was so wick- 
 ed it could not enter the promised land, only Joshua and 
 Caleb in 600,000 of them. They died in the wilderness, leav- 
 ing the young generation to follow these two leaders, to pos- 
 sess the land promised them. Now, if these law-breakers suf- 
 fered on account of their transgressions, as they did, what is 
 to save us, this great union Of states, if our law makers ig- 
 nore the constitution and set up for themselves other and 
 golden calves to go by, and set at defiance the commands in 
 that constitution for our safety and perpetuity. Our fate 
 will be that of them and other nations that in the centuries 
 have lost their liberty. Will not our sin find us out? I have 
 not as much respect for a law maker that breaks the constitu- 
 
60 
 
 tion, or knowingly or ignorantly enacts a void law, to saddle 
 upon our people, than I hare for a man that is seen insulting 
 and beating his wife, or that forgets the wise commands of 
 his parents. Public servants have some responsibilities. They 
 must know their duties, and have courage to execute them. 
 The people will see straight some time. They cannot be 
 fooled all the time. God's wisdom may some time nestle in 
 their hearts. They yet love the constitution. The congress- 
 man that is not guided by it, is like the mariner sailing the 
 wide ocean discarding compass, sun and the polar star. He 
 will not do to tie to. 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 THE THREE COURT HOUSES. 
 
 Having given some space as well as thought and labor 
 to the question of taxation, it is now in order to enter into an 
 investigation, and discussion on the methods taken by the 
 authorities in the building of the three court houses in this 
 county. All have read, heard, or know more or less of the 
 new court house — universally known as the "Macoupin Coun- 
 ty Court House." Most of the county people know of the 
 brick court house, built in the center of the Carlinville square 
 in 1S40, but which was taken down upon the completion of 
 the new court house. The history, the records in this county, 
 the statute creating the county, and for the building of the 
 first court house, and jail, here, all have proved to me to be 
 
Gl 
 
 both surprising and interesting. One day, while I was search- 
 ing among the old books and statutes of this state, in the base- 
 ment of the new court house, in the midst of dust and cob- 
 webs, for some thing which might enlighten me on some other 
 question, I came across a small statute book, paper cover, 
 with about 250 pages. On the cover was written 1828 — 1829. 
 On the inside of the cover was the name written, "Seth 
 Hodges." The handwriting reminded me of the old days in 
 school, when we used to try all methods and capers at grand 
 penmanship, big and irregular flourishes. On the other side 
 was written, "Seth Hodges. C. Com., was born Oct. 26, 1728." 
 The first page was this: "The Revised Code of Laws of 
 Illinois containing those of a general and permanent nature, 
 passed by the sixth General Assembly, at their session held 
 
 at Vandalia, commencing on the first Monday of December, 
 1828, and those made previous thereto, and ordered by the 
 said General Assembly to be republished. Published in pur- 
 suance of law, Shawneetown, 111. Published by Alexander 
 F. Grant & Co., Lodge L'Hommedien & Hammond, Printers, 
 Cincinnati, 1829. 
 
 Here it would seem that the assembly had ordered the 
 printing of this statute book at Cincinnati. Perhaps it could 
 
 have done it cheaper there than in this state then. ZSTow-a- 
 
 t 
 days, an assembly with railroad passes, think but little of 
 
 economizing for the public good. Such jobs are now given 
 
 to schemers who "can do the most good" — for the party, or 
 
 "ringsters." The printing of this statute book of 250 pages 
 
 in Cincinnati, at that time, demonstrates to me, the honesty 
 
62 
 
 of that assembly. No thought then of a ring doing the work 
 —by an appropriated steal. The assembly then was more 
 careful of price for the public good than an assembly is now 
 of dollars or even thousands. 
 
 I will now copy from the statute three sections there en- 
 acted for this county, or rather creating the county, and for 
 the building of a court house and jail. I do this, to show the 
 reader of this book, but more particularly the tax payers of 
 this county wherein they failed in their light in resisting the 
 building of the "Macoupin court house." I do not think this 
 statute, this special one, was ever thought of nor mentioned 
 in that light or litigation between the county and the bond- 
 holders. It being a statute for this county, it was entirely 
 omitted in the revisions of the statute books afterward made, 
 and so the lawyers would naturally overlook it, in that court 
 house fight, and without which it was simply impossible for 
 the county to succeed; but with this statute, it is plain to me 
 the county could have been saved of tons of taxation for reck- 
 less, illegal and unnecessary burdens of debts. Looking at 
 the question in this light this statute, those old cobweb rec- 
 ords have become truly new and interesting to me. It is a 
 discovery unthought of by any of those engaged in this three 
 million dollar court house,^ 
 
 It is my own opinion, the result of much thought on the 
 (juestion, after searching the records that there never was any 
 power in the authorities to change the location of the court 
 house, as was done, nor in the legislature to legalize the 
 court house debt, as was done by it. This being the case, 
 
63 
 
 it may be asked, "Have the authorities power to tax us for 
 the payment of the court house bonds? The people of this 
 county now Ivuow that I have been lighting tax authorities 
 for tlie hist nine years. I have been doing it alone, on my own 
 responsibility. When I began the fight I was like one start- 
 ing to learn arithmetic. It is said there is no "royal road to 
 learning." One must study, work and resolve to down any- 
 thing and all things in the way, if corrupt and illegal. I knew 
 little then of its crookedness. I did know something of its 
 unequal burdens. I did know the rich and strong made the 
 weak and poor bear the heavy burdens. I did think all ought 
 to be treated justly and alike, in the support of our institu- 
 tions. Something spurred me to action, to resist the tax au- 
 thorities in the proper forum, and so far it is known in this 
 county, while they have been "downing" me in the county 
 court, though not always, I have "downed" the authorities in 
 the better and higher circuit court on the chancery side. Am 
 not through yet. Xo doubt this is the biggest, deepest and 
 most important question the world of men, and governments 
 have to deal with on this earth. I believe it is the least un- 
 derstood. 
 
 At one time there was a great prejudice raised against 
 huy one who dared question the right of the authorities to 
 levy any amount of taxes they thought fit to. Often this was 
 said, sneeringly: "I have enough of any one who does not 
 pay his taxes." This song is not now sung in this county. 
 Sneerers have learned that it is not business, nor justice to 
 pay illegal or robber taxation. Sneerers have learned they 
 
64 
 
 are condemned "out of their own mouth."' They haAe learned, 
 while they would "throw stones" at another, the sin was at 
 their own door. "Their sin will find them out." The rec- 
 ords shows some getting rich by becoming bankrupt, and re- 
 fusing to pay honest debts. Truth is a wonderful thing in 
 the causing of empty prattle to "shut up,"' and that in these 
 sneerers forever. 
 
 I said I would copy three sections of this statute, "An 
 act creating the County of Macoupin," in force January 17th, 
 1829. 
 
 See. 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois 
 represented in the general assembly, that all that tract oi 
 country within the boundaries, to-wit: Beginning at the south- 
 west corner of township seven, north range nine, west of the 
 third principal meridin; thence east on the line dividing town- 
 ship six and seven to the southwest corner of Montgomery 
 County; thence due north to the southern boundary of Sanga- 
 mon County; thence west on the southern boundary line of 
 Sangamon and Morgan Counties, to the range line dividing 
 ranges nine and ten; thence south on said range line to the 
 place of beginning, shall form and consitute a county, to be 
 called Macoupin. 
 
 Sec. 2. For the purpose of fixing the permanent seat 
 of justice of said county the following persons are appointed 
 commissioners, to-wit: Seth Hodges, Joseph Borough, John 
 Harris, Shadrach Eeddick and Ephram Powers, who, or a 
 majority of them, being first sworn before some justice of 
 the peace of the state, faithfully to take into consideration 
 
65 
 
 the convenience of the people, with an eye to the future pop- 
 ulation and eligibility of the place, shall meet at the house 
 of Joseph Borough, in said County of Macoupin, on the third 
 Monday of March next, or within six days thereafter, and 
 proceed to examine and determine on a place for the perm- 
 anent seat of justice of said county. Provided the commis- 
 sioners aforesaid shall locate the seat of justice on public 
 land, they shall designate the same, and certify to the county 
 commissioners uf said county, as soon as they shall be qual- 
 ified to office the half quarter or quarter section of land so se- 
 lected for said county seat; and it shall be the duty of said 
 county commissioners as soon thereafter as they may be en- 
 abled to enter the same in the land office of the district in 
 which the same may be situated, and they shall immediately 
 therafter lay off the same, or any part thereof, into town lots, 
 and sell the same on such terms and conditions as may be 
 most advantageous to the interest of said county, and the 
 proceeds of the sale shall be appropriated to the erection 
 of a sufficient court house and jail. But if the said commis- 
 sioners appointed to locate said seat of justice should locate 
 the same on the lands of any person or persons, and such 
 proprietor or proprietors should refuse or neglect to give to 
 the county for the purpose of erecting public buildings, for 
 the use of said county, a quantity of land, not less than 
 twenty acres, situated and lying in a square form, to be 
 selected by said commissioners, then and in that case the 
 said commissioners shall proceed to select some other situa- 
 tion, as convenient as may be to the place first selected. Pro- 
 
60 
 
 Tided the owner or owners of the land shall make a donation 
 of a like quantity and for the purposes above mentioned. 
 And the said commissioners, after having made such loca- 
 tion, shall designate the same, and certify as aforesaid to the 
 next county commissioners court to be held in and for said 
 county. And it shall be the duty of said county commis- 
 sioners to demand and receive a tith' in fee simple for the use 
 of said county, for the donation of land as above stated, and 
 to lay out the same into town lots, and sell the same, and 
 appropriate the proceeds thereof as before mentioned, which 
 PLACE when so fixed upon, shall be the periianet seat of 
 justice of said county, all of which proceedings shall be en- 
 tered of record in the books of the county court. 
 
 Sec. 3. I'ntil public buildings shall be erected for 
 the purpose the courts shall be held at the house of Joseph 
 Borough, in said county, or at such other p?f/ee as the county 
 commissioners may appoint. 
 
 I now have copied this statute, such part of the book as 
 appears vital and necessary to the discussion of this court 
 house taxation in this county. It fixes the boundaries of the 
 county. It says the i)lacc fixed on by the commissioners shall 
 be forever the permanent seat of justice for Macoupin County. 
 It names the five commissioners they appoint to act in the 
 case. The place or spot where they must meet, and the time 
 and the quarter fir half quarter section to be got or donated 
 for the use of the county forever, on which to build a 
 court house and jail, and other public buildings. It says 
 these commissioners must be first sworn before an officer to 
 
67 
 
 faithfully take into consideration the convenience of the peo- 
 ple, with an eve to the future population and eligibility of 
 the place, and meet at the house of Joseph Borough, on third 
 Monday, March then coming, or within six days thereafter, 
 and proceed to examine and determine on a place for the 
 permanent seat of justice of said county. That said dona- 
 tion of land shall not be less than twenty acres in the form 
 of a square. It says the proceedings of the commissioners 
 must be reported to the county commissioners' court at the 
 next term, and that said commissioners shall receive title in 
 fee simple to said land for the use of the county commis- 
 sioners and successors forever. All of which was done by 
 these agents and oflScers in pursuance of the act, and in com- 
 pliance therewith, and all of which is recorded in the proper 
 places in the court house. 
 
 The public square was laid out on the 27th of August, 
 1S29, as shown by the plat of record by Ezekial Good and 
 Seth Hodges, conveying the land to the county commissioners 
 — Seth Hodges, Thomas Davis and William Wilcox, and ac- 
 cepted. 
 
 The June term of the county commissioners' court the 
 commissioners appointed by the General Assembly reported 
 their action in meeting at the house of Joseph Borough, get- 
 ting a donation of thirty acres of land for the seat of justice. 
 That they fix it in the southwest quarter of section 28, T. 10, 
 R. 7, in Macoupin county. The minutes of the court show 
 this: "The court received report of the commissioners ap- 
 pointed by law for fixing the seat of justice for the county, 
 
68 
 
 which report reads as follows: The commissioners appointed 
 by the General Asembly of the State in 1829 to locate the 
 seat of justice for the county of Macoupin, having fixed upon 
 the following site for the seat of justice for said county, and 
 lying on the southwest quarter, section 28, T. 10, E. 7, dona- 
 tion, thirty acres to be situate in an oblong square, 80 poles 
 in front, on the north side to run 60 poles south, stake drove 
 on the north side of the public square, equi-distant from east 
 and west corners on north side, facing Main street, to run due 
 
 east and west.'' 1st June, 1829. 
 
 Seth Hodges. [Seal.] 
 
 Jas. BoEOfOH. [Seal.] 
 Jno. Harris. [Seal.] 
 
 ''The court received a title in fee simple for the above de- 
 scribed lot or donation of ground, which said bond is ordered 
 to be filed in the clerk's office of this court." 
 
 The deed of Hodges and Good to the commissioners — 
 Lewis Solomon, Eoger Snell, Samuel Lair — of date 13th of 
 February, 1833, of thirty acres recorded in the court house. 
 The deed refers to the act of the General Assmbly appointing 
 the commissioners aforesaid — that they did locate the seat of 
 justice in southwest quarter of section 28, T. 10. E. 7. in 
 Macoupin county, 'and for a donation of land for the purposes 
 of court house and jail, and the erecting of other public build- 
 ings. Hence the deed is made to the county commissioners, 
 and their successors forever for said purposes, and for the use 
 of the county. "Beginning at a rock 12 or 13 inches wide, 
 6 or 7 inches thick, and 3 or 4 feet long in the ground, in 
 center of Main street, on eastern boundary line of the town of 
 
69 
 
 Carlinville, by plat or map adopted and agreed upon by -the 
 commissioners and of record in said county, and running west 
 with center of said street SO poles to western boundary line, 
 thence south with said line 60 poles to south boundary line, 
 thence east 80 poles to eastern boundary line, thence north 
 
 with said line 60 poles to the place of beginning, making 
 thirty acres, more or less." 
 
 It will be seen in the act of the general assemby that 
 the commissioners' court were to "lay off the same or any 
 part thereof into town lots, and sell the same to the ad- 
 vantage of the county, and the proceeds to be appropriated 
 to the erection of a sufficient court house and jail. The lots 
 were laid out in pursuance of the act by the court, but in 
 selling them, and getting the money, the records or minutes 
 of the court does not show. It shows where certain persons 
 were appointed to sell lots, and where report was made, and 
 received of such sales, but instead of stating what the lots 
 sold for, or how sold, or money got into court, nothing of 
 that sort there. The court says report made by persons of 
 lots sold under his appointments, "all satisfactory." The 
 acts of the commissioners' court at that time are many, and 
 important. It appointed its clerks, approved their bonds. 
 For wrong action it tried and ousted them from office. It 
 appointed revenue collectors, and fixed how much taxes 
 should be raised, and fixed weights and measures; also, it 
 fixed rates of taverns for board, and for liquor. The court 
 was in fact king of the county. Yet there is no tyranny seen 
 
70 
 
 in its action, in tliat long record of poor writing, but honest 
 capitals always in the wrong place. Hardly any points of 
 punctuation. Yet, enough is shown where now, I, a friend 
 of the court, and that of justice, am enabled to draw some- 
 thing from that docket of these entries for a great county, 
 in a great state, and which reached through the space of 
 eleven years to the year 1840, when the brick court house 
 in the center of the square was completed. There is no index 
 to that docket. What have the officials been about? To have 
 left such important and valuable minutes or records in the 
 dark, among cobwebs, where not one in ten thousand ever 
 looks into that book. Much less, does' one look there to study 
 its contents. It is now my opinion had the book been in prop- 
 er time studied by any good working lawyer, and had the 
 book recopied, and indexed, so one might find what he was 
 seeking instantly, instead of having to go through the whole 
 record getting here an idea, there another, here one thing, 
 there another. There is no connection as the book is now. One 
 has to make his own connections. So T had no small labor 
 in working the case to make the reading of this book, on 
 this commissioners' court items easily understood. The coun- 
 ty ought to revise and dress anew that old book, at any cost 
 or expense. The book is a better friend for this county than 
 these court house bondholders, who forever eat us out of sub- 
 stance, and yet say, "not enough." I shall dwell no longer 
 on this point, but before I end this discussion of these three 
 court houses, I shall show as clearly as mathematics that 
 the county is burdened with debts which are illegal and 
 
71 
 
 void. Where is the land that was given to- the county for- 
 ever? Where was the power to sell more lots of the thirty 
 acres than was then needed for court house and jail? Where 
 is the power to remove the court house from the original 
 spot or place selected by the commissioners on which it and 
 jail were built? Where the power to sell court house and jail 
 lots and buy others at the expense of the county? The spot se- 
 lected and accepted under the act, under the donation, this 
 spot cannot be sold, nor confiscated. It is as though the king 
 owned it. We, the people of this county, are the owners in 
 fee of that land forever, unless they have parted with it by 
 some act under the law. I will not take up these four vital 
 questions now, as I have more items from the court's docket 
 to give you. When these are all copied, where it is shown 
 the amounts spent in court house and jail, then it will be 
 in order to answer the four questions above put, and that 
 will demonstrate the rights of the county, as well as the 
 claims of the bondholders, who insist upon the county being 
 forever taxed to fatten them, and their belongings. 
 
 From this old book — this old commissioners' court dock- 
 et — I now proceed to copy some items, which, I believe, will 
 not only instruct, but prove interesting to the reader. 
 
 "It is ordered by the court that the lots of numbers fol- 
 lowing sell for the prices following, to-wit: Lots 73, 77, 76, 
 112.00 each. Lots 79, SO, 81, 82, 70 and G7, |6.00 each. And the 
 lots unsold in block immediately south 1st S. st., fS.OO each, 
 and that the commissioners take no less.'' 
 
 "It is ordered by the court that the clerk of this court 
 
72 
 
 contract for two seals — one for the use of the county court 
 clerk's offlce, and the other for the use of the circuit court 
 clerk's office, and that he be authorized to draw on the county 
 treasurer for amount of costs of said seals, and order that 
 amount paid when so much is in his hands belonging to the 
 county." 
 
 "Also that the editor of the Illinois Intelligencer be al- 
 lowed the sum of |2.00 for publishing the advertisement of 
 the sale of lots in town of Carlinville. That the clerk pay 
 same out of any moneys got for sale of lots." 
 
 "On motion of William S. Holton, he is allowed to keep 
 a tavern at his own house in said county for the term of one 
 year. Given bond flOO; also paid tax |1.50; amount tax as- 
 sessed on said stand by the court." 
 
 "Ordered by the court that Theodorus T)avis be allowed 
 the sum of |1.25 for letting out the erection of the court house 
 in the town of Carlinville.'' Sejitember term, 1830. 
 
 "June Term, 1829 — Ordered that the surveyor lay out 
 in lots, under direction of the commissioners, and 20 lots to be 
 offered for sale." 
 
 "Till public buildings be erected, it is ordered that court 
 hold at house of Ezekial Good, near county seat." 
 
 "The court being advised do order that the sheriff col- 
 lect but one-half per centum ad valorum of the revenue on 
 personal property listed for taxation in the county, and that 
 the treasurer remit one-half his charge, and so much of the 
 former order, as required one per centum ad valorum be null 
 and void." 
 
73 
 
 "21st of Aiiyust, 18l!t) — It is ordered by the court that 
 Charles Lear be allowed the sum of seventy-fliTe cents for one 
 day's labor, in cutting hazel in the town of Carlinville." 
 
 "Ordered that Theodorus Davis be appointed commis- 
 sioner to sell and dispose of the lots in the town of Carlin- 
 ville; also that he be appointed agent for the county to su- 
 perintend the letting out the erection of the court house and 
 pound for this county; also, that H. H. Davis be allowed the 
 sum of |2.00 for two day's labor in cutting hazel in the town 
 of Carlinville. Also, that Jno. L. Davis be allowed one dol- 
 lar for one day's labor for cutting hazel in said town of Car- 
 linville." 
 
 "It is ordered by the court that the building of a court 
 house for said county of the following description, viz., to be 
 built of hewn logs 18 by 24 feet, the logs to face one foot on 
 an average. The house to be built to be two stories high, 
 the lower story to be 8 feet between floors, and the second 
 story to be six feet below the roof. To have one door below 
 and one above, door to be cased, and to have a good strong 
 plank shutter. The windows to contain 12 lights or panes of 
 glass, S by 10. Two good plank floors to be jointed and laid 
 down rough. Roof to be double covered, with boards, weight 
 poles to be shaven. Cracks to be lined o^n the inside with 
 shaven boards and crammed on the outside with mud and 
 straw, or grass well mixed together — all to be composed in a 
 strong manner by the first Friday after the second Sunday 
 in August next. Will be let on a credit of six, twelve and 
 eighteen months to the lowest bidder on the 19th inst. The 
 
74 
 
 undertaker to give bond with approved security for the per- 
 formance of his contract, and the clerls of this court advertise 
 the same." 
 
 I have copied this order of the court, being short, simple 
 ■ — no big airs or grandeur there — to be compared with the way 
 things are done now. See how careful, simple, honest this 
 court's statements? "Door to be cased, and a good strong 
 plank shutter." "Windows 12 lights or panes of glass, 10 by 
 8." He does not even say "inches." This affiant avers, his 
 ill knowledge of "weight poles." Have made no inquiry — 
 don't know that "Webster defines it. 
 
 The contract or order for the jail is quite lengthy, so I 
 have omitted its copying. It must have cost considerably 
 more than the court house, which cost the sum of one hun- 
 dred and five dollars and sixty-six and two-third cents. "The 
 jail was to be 18 feet square, made of hewn logs — the under- 
 taker for its performance to give bond to the county comis- 
 sioners, to be completed by 1st of September, 1833." 
 
 "September Term, 1830.— "Ordered that the clerk of this 
 court notify persons indebted for lots situate in the town of 
 Carlinville that unless they come forward and make payments 
 between now and the next term of this court their notes now 
 due will be put in the hands of an officer for collection." 
 
 Think of a court sitting down over his docket making 
 an entry like that one, giving notice to debtors for lots, by an 
 officer, to "please come round" and settle up by next term of 
 the court, instead of them being then there to pay for the lots 
 thev had bought. 
 
75 
 
 "Ordered that Setli Hodges, the undertaker to erect the 
 court house, in the town of Carlinville, be allowed the sum 
 of 148.33 1-3 for the same, to be paid out of the money arising 
 from the lots in said town." 
 
 "Also that John Gray be appointed commissioner to sell 
 and dispose of lots in the town of Carlinville." 
 
 "Ordered that Seth Hodges undertaker to build the court 
 house in Carlinville, for the county, be allowed the sum of 
 $57.33 1-3 for erecting and finishing the same and for extra 
 work done on same." 
 
 "September Term, 1832. — Ordered that the clerk borrow 
 for use of the county for one year $137.-30, provided he can 
 do so by giving not exceeding fifteen per cent, per annum, 
 and that he pay the same to Hardin Weatherford to build the 
 jail of this county." 
 
 "March Term, 1833.— It is ordered by the 
 court that the following species of property, 
 viz.: Town lots, slaves indentioned or registered 
 negroes, or mulatoes, servants, wagons and pleasure carri- 
 ages of every description, distilleries, all horses, mares, mules, 
 asses, and meat cattle above three years of age; watches with 
 their appendages, clocks, household furniture, hogs and 
 sheep, be subject to a tax of one-half per cent, for the pres- 
 ent year, and that the county treasurer list the same accord- 
 ingly." 
 
 "March Term, 1835. — Ordered by the court that 
 James C. Anderson, Isaac Greathouse, Seth M. 
 Otwell, John E. Lewis, John Wilson, be appoint- 
 
76 
 
 ed agents for the county to borrow a sum of money 
 not under five, nor over |7,000, at interest not over eight per 
 cent, per annum for the term of years, not under six, nor 
 more than ten years. It shall be borrowed for the purpose 
 of erecting a good and sufficient brick court house for the 
 county aforesaid, to be lent for said building in such manner 
 as the aforesaid agents shall direct; said court house shall be 
 completed within two years from the time of obtaining the 
 money. That reasonable compensation be allowed said agents 
 for their services while necessary engaged in the discharge 
 of their duties, they enter into bond of |4,000, made payable 
 to the commissioners and successors." 
 
 "March Term, 1836.— It is ordered by the court that the 
 agents appointed at the March term to borrow money, not 
 under five, nor over |7,000, at eight per cent., not over, for 
 term of years, not under six, nor more than ten years, for 
 brick court house for the county, be authorized to give ten 
 per cent, to be borrowed for the county. The faith of the 
 county to be pledged for its payment, principle and interest. 
 
 "It is further ordered that said agents publish for three 
 weeks successive in the Alton Telegraph and Illinois Ee- 
 publican their intention of letting out the building of said 
 court house previous 8 to .5 weeks before letting it out, and 
 report costs for pay." 
 
 "December Term, 1836— Jesse Ehoades, Thomas Corr, 
 Ezekial Ross, County Commissioners."' 
 
 "It is ordered by the court that John Chapman be al- 
 
lowed the sum of |16.50 for hoarding a pauper the last three 
 months, and furnishing shoes, etc." 
 
 "From the return of Jacob Sears, esq., it appears that 
 David McDaniel was fined before him the 11th of October in 
 the sum of |3.00 for committing an affray, and also that Mil- 
 ton H. Bacon was fined at same time, and for same offense, 
 in the sum of itf.j.OO." 
 
 "It is ordered that the sheriff be authorized to contract 
 for the repairing of the scaffold, and steps of the jail, and 
 that he report the expense of same to the next term of the 
 court." 
 
 "Also that John Logan be allowed the sum of one dollar 
 for cleaning out the Methodist meeting house, after the hold- 
 ing of circuit court." 
 
 This last item is now new to this generation. It ought 
 to have a comment. Think you of holding court in the Meth- 
 odist meeting house, and John Logan getting the "sum of one 
 dollar for cleaning it out." I suppose this was the good Dr. 
 Logan, later Col. Logan, since dead. I think I knew the doc- 
 tor, and I liked him. He was not a stingy man. He had a 
 kind heart. He believed in God, and that one would be re- 
 warded in eternity according to the "deeds done in the body" 
 here. That judgment would await the soul in justice. He 
 told me one time this. We were talking of the way Ireland 
 had been ruled and oppressed for centuries. His words were 
 new and surprising to me. Said he: "If Ireland only had 
 one hundred Methodist preachers, she could be freed, and 
 have her own government." There is some truth in this. I 
 
78 
 
 have often thought of it. When it is known that England 
 always has her arniv, her police at all points forever on the 
 watch for "suspects;" also her detectives, born spies to down 
 and betray those they do not like— when it is known that all 
 her diplomacy is to fatten her at the expense of all others; 
 when it is known she giants and endows the College of May- 
 nooth forever, with a large sum of money yearly, to inlucate 
 Catholic clergymen in Ireland, so as to have them as leaders 
 on her side; when it is known that the great mass of the peo- 
 ple of Ireland are Catholics and they can imt belong to secret 
 orders; when it is known that she keeps up a dissension be- 
 tween the Catholic and Protestant population there, then it 
 is easy to see — it is as clear and true as mathematics, such a 
 people cannot wrest their freedom from England, because, 
 you see, they cannot be revolutionists. This word revolution- 
 ist has been lately defined in Congress by some one. He said 
 the difference between a rebel and revolutionist is, the one 
 does not succeed, the other does. So, you see, if one can join 
 no secret order, then he ran not be a relx-l, or revolutionist. 
 Before he is a revolutionist, he must be a rebel, and in this he 
 must keep his own secrets. Those who succeed in war are 
 best at keeping their own secrets, and finding out the weak 
 places in the other side. Those thoughts came to me as I be- 
 gan to copy the item about the doctor. I liked him as I said 
 before. He did not believe in the o]i]iression of any people. 
 He believed in their freedom. Were he now here, how he would 
 advocate the independence of Cuba from any kingly rule. 
 The Cleveland-McKinley policy to him would be un-Ameri- 
 can and wrong." 
 
79 
 
 "Also that Jolin Lewis, county treasurer, be allowed the 
 sum of 175.00 for listing the taxable property this year." 
 
 "It is ordered by the court that John Chapman be al- 
 lowed the sum of $15.00 for boarding a pauper three months." 
 
 "It is ordered by the court that Elisha Starkweather be 
 allowed |8.75 for boarding and attending on a poor sick per- 
 son." 
 
 "It is ordered by the court that the following be favor 
 
 rates for the year 1837, to-wit: 
 
 For one person 25c 
 
 For stage passenger, do 37^c 
 
 Lodging for one person, per night 12 i- 
 
 Horse, per single feed 12^c 
 
 Horse, per night and day 37^c 
 
 TVTiiskey, per half pint 12^c 
 
 Brandy, rum, wine or jin, per half pint 25c 
 
 Cider or beer, per quart . . . .' 12 Jc 
 
 And that the several tavern-keepers within this county 
 are allowed to receive the foregoing rates and no more. 
 
 "March Term, 1837. — It is ordered by the court that John 
 Lewis be appointed county treasurer for the County Macou- 
 pin for the present year, who thereupon entered into bond 
 with Bela White, John T. Wood and John Wilson securities 
 in the penalty of |3,000." 
 
 "It is ordered by the court that Jefferson Weatherford, 
 sheriff, be allowed |8.50 for dieting a prisoner." 
 
 "It is ordered by the court that John T. Wood be allowed 
 the sum of |3.00 for boarding a prisoner at his house." 
 
 "It is ordered court adjourn one hour. Court met pur- 
 suant to adjournment." 
 
80 
 
 "Negroes Taxed. — David A. Smith produced in court cer- 
 tificates of freedom for tlie following named persons of color, 
 viz: Old Isham, Young Isham, Anthon Monamia, Xathan 
 Henry, Mary Kelly, Eliza Thomas, John and Sarah, which 
 said persons of color presented their bonds to this court in 
 the penal sum of |1,000 each, that they become not a county 
 charge, and that they would all yiell demean themselves in 
 strict conformity with the laws of the state during their resi- 
 dence here, offering the said David A. Smith and William A. 
 Kobertson as their securities, who were approved by the 
 court." 
 
 This item about negroes struck me as a piece of strange 
 civilization. It will look strange to any one who has never 
 resided in a slave state. It will look strange now, so many 
 years after the war, to nearly all persons. Of course, it will 
 be entirely new and strange to the now rising generation. It 
 is !-aid that "truth is stranger than fiction." Is it not so? 
 Here is a free state, always was, and vet I find a statute en- 
 acted, headed, "Negroes," approved January 17, 1S20, under 
 and by its command the court acted in the item copied. This 
 statute has four long sections and three pages. It is a curios- 
 ity. The white Caucasian, of any thing descending from Eng- 
 land's civilization, could make any kind of a statute, and 
 argue it reasonable and holy, why will newspapers write 
 stories, and fiction, and lies, and sickly sensations to our 
 young men all over the land, while the past history, so new 
 and interesting, is to us as dead? Why fill newspapers with 
 "stuff," when an item like this might be resurrected and teach 
 us what we are. 
 
SI 
 
 "It is ordered by the court that the plan of the court 
 house in the county, that the stone caps be dispensed with and 
 that brick arches be turned, and also that the sills for the 
 windows of stone be dispensed with, and walnut sills be re- 
 ceived in their place, and also that |170 be deducted from 
 the price of the building of said house." 
 
 "September Term, 1836." — It is ordered by the court that 
 BeattT T. Burke be appointed to keep a public tavern in the 
 town of Carlinville, for one year from 17 Sept., 1836, he enter- 
 ing into bond, with Jefferson Weatherford security, condition 
 as the law directs, and paying the sum of |3.00 to the clerk 
 with the costs." 
 
 "Special Term, 1836." — The court met pursuant to ad- 
 journment the same to-day as yesterday." 
 
 "The court adopts the following as the plan nf the court 
 house to be finished first January, 1S38." 
 
 "March Term, 1839." — B. T. Burke appointed collector for 
 the revenue in and for Macoupin County for the year 1839." 
 
 "March Term, 1840. — The builders of the brick court 
 house tender the same finished. It is received." 
 
 The world of men, the whole world of colleges and pro- 
 fessors, cannot beat this item for brevity. Here is this brick 
 court house in the square tendered to the court as finished 
 by the builders, and "it is received" by the court. It then 
 shows 14,000 paid builders. This shows honesty all round. 
 Where this is, where there is no trick to deceive, there is no 
 trouble. Tricks and deceit fill this world with trouble. It 
 seems to me these tricks in aid of one's pocket sprout for- 
 
83. 
 
 ward like thistles, cockle buirs and jimsons that encumber the 
 earth, but must be brought hither by the hand of labor and 
 cultivation. 
 
 "Mar Term, 1837.— It is ordered that Jeff. Weatherford 
 be allowed |2.50 for furnishing a straw bed for prisoners." 
 
 September Term, 18.37. — "It is ordered that Giles Adams be 
 allowed the sum of |23.00 for timber furnished in building a 
 bridge across Long Point Branch." 
 
 "December Term, 1837. — John Wilson, clerk of the court, 
 removed. David A. Smith, as friend of the court, suggested 
 that John Wilson, clerk, altered bond, defaced and falsified 
 the record. Eemoved." 
 
 "A. McKim Dubois appointed clerk pro tem." 
 
 "March Term, 1838. — John A. Chesnut appointed clerk." 
 
 "David McDonald allowed .f230 for fencing about the new 
 brick court house." 
 
 "September Term, 1838. — Lewis Solomon, Samuel Lair, 
 etc.. county commissioners." 
 
 "Ordered that B. T. Burke, Esq., be requested to proceed 
 as soon as possible for use of the county, such weights and 
 measures as are required by the laws of the state, to be county 
 standards for seals and weights and measures, and for said 
 county. The same to be paid for out of the revenue in his 
 hands as sheriff of Macoupin County, and to be credited to 
 his charges as such sheriff." 
 
 "March Term, 1835.— The citizens of Carlinville are re- 
 quested to attend at the court house on the last Saturday in 
 January for the purpose of taking into consideration the pro- 
 
83 
 
 priety of incorporating the town, January 16, 1835. Meeting 
 at one o'clock." 
 
 At a meeting of the citizens of the town of Carlinville, 
 held at the court house, 31 January, 1835, to decide whether 
 said town shall be incorporated or not, more than ten days' 
 notice of the object of such meeting having been given, John 
 S. Greathouse was chosen president and Seth M. Otwell clerk, 
 the oath to faithfully discharge the trust reposed in them 
 having been administered by A. S. Walker, a justice of the 
 peace. They proceeded to take the votes of all the qualified 
 votes present, and on counting of the votes it was found that 
 23 voted in favor of the incorporation of said town of Carlin- 
 ville and none against it. Given under our hands this 31st 
 day of January, 1835. John S. Weatherford, president; Seth 
 M. Otwell, secretary. 
 
 Here it is seen when the first move was made to incorpor- 
 ate the town of Carlinville. The work of these early settlers, 
 from 1828 to the finishing the brick court house, to me has 
 proved all new, and as interesting as it was new. The notice 
 of this last meeting was done by Dubois, and well done. His 
 work in that old docket is the only work that demonstrates 
 culture. There are even now few who could equal the record 
 he made in that docket in the Wilson case, for the defacing 
 the record and malfeasance in office. Who, now, among us 
 know anything of our city, then organizing with only 23 votes, 
 but none against it. Is there any place, in the state, now, 
 where an election could be had with ten days' notice, of such 
 importance, and have all in unison? None against it. Only 
 
84 
 
 23 votes at the meeting. Think of any meeting now to or- 
 ganize a city with only 23 votes. Shakespeare's ''Rabble- 
 ment" would have more votes than that. They would, how- 
 ever, be not of the same metal. The more votes now, the 
 more ill-health in the body politic. 
 
 That court had, even then, some idea of dignity. In the 
 item of Burke's being empowered to procure weights and 
 measures for the use of the county, according to law, they 
 st,le hiu! B. T. Burke, Esq. That was in 183S. You see 
 Burke was even then an important man. Well, I became 
 acquainted with him soon after I came to Carlinville, in 1863. 
 I think he then boarded at the same house I did. After that 
 I had dealings with him, and I will say this truth, to me, he 
 was a grand man. Some were prejudiced against him. Per- 
 sons prejudiced can never see straight. They never knew 
 him. A jury in the circuit court would give more weight 
 to his evidence than to a dozen of other witnesses. I know 
 some who cannot tell truth out of court, nor in court. Some 
 car^not Icll truth even were they to try to do so. Born wrong. 
 Burke was a man of truth. I used to think that his merits 
 were not suflicieutly appreciated in this county. Think of 
 such a man being swerved from the path of duty to the people 
 in any of the halls of legislation. Think of a man like him 
 voting for an iucfirporated company, say the Building Asso^ 
 ciations, to jiay no taxes. He would vote all must be taxed 
 
 under the names they are known; sue and are sued any 
 
 other method is fraud. That is what he would do. Burke 
 never refused to help any one that showed an honest effort 
 
85 
 
 to help himself, when appealed to for such purpose. He did 
 believe in the action of man being self-supporting, and not 
 a beggar, when work could avoid it. I am not aware of any 
 case where he oppressed the poor. I do know when they did 
 "bite" him, ran away in his debt, and yet he made no com- 
 plaint. He was a gentle landlord. He had also considerable 
 ambition. 
 
 You will notice that David McDaniel had an eye to in- 
 dustry, for above it is shown he got !if230 for fencing about 
 the brick court house. 
 
 You see that as early as 1838 that Mr. Chesnut was ap- 
 pointed clerk by that court, not then going to the trouble 
 of announcing his name in the papers for that purpose, with 
 costs; not going to the unhealthy method we have now in 
 our midst of furnishing beer, whiskey, money, Sundays as 
 well as week days, to seduce voters from the path of justice 
 and rectitude, when they vote as the belly dictates, instead 
 of as conscience and rectitude demand. Of course this does 
 not apply to all voters. That voters are seduced is going to 
 work some day a hardship that will poison the whole ma- 
 chinery of the government. This sin will yet find them all 
 ont. God's eye is on them. No evildoer from that of Cain to 
 this time can escape the retribution. Those who will go back 
 on friendship, right, justice — also their pledges — are sowing 
 to the winds, to reap the whirlwinds. 
 
 In that docket there is only one case of malfeasance in 
 office shown. That is the case of John Wilson, clerk, who 
 
86 
 
 was ousted or removed by the court for altering and falsify- 
 ing a bond. 
 
 You see they took some tare of prisoners in those early 
 days in this county, for Jeff Weatherford was allowed by 
 that court f2.50 for furnishing a "straw bed for prisoners." 
 
 It is also seen that B. T. Burke did not have to canvass 
 the county in 1839 for the office of revenue collector of Ma- 
 ocupii> The court did the work — appointed him to the office 
 Then they styled him "Esq." In my time he was styled 
 "]V'f jor." In the year 1830 it is seen he got a license from the 
 court to keep a "public tavern" in the town of Carlinville 
 for one year, and he paid the sum of $3.00 to the clerk ,with 
 costs. 
 
 You will notice how the "plan" of the brick court house 
 was changed, "dispensing with stone caps," and "turning 
 brick arches" instead; also the "sills for windows dispensed 
 with" and that of walnut ones received, and here was a re- 
 duction to the county of |170. I have known of public works 
 where there were ordinances made, making essential changes 
 and alterations from original ordinances and that in favor 
 of the contractors and against the city. Very many more dol- 
 lars than this amount stated in that docket, but no money 
 deducted to favor the city. Things are not done that way 
 now. That whole docket of some 13 or 14 years time does 
 not show the words "boodle" or "tramp." Think of deduct- 
 ing money now from contractors in favor of the payor? It 
 would not be considered "smart," nor "up to date" business. 
 
87 
 
 That item in tliat docket is worttiy of perpetuation, as show- 
 ing that both sides were dealing justly, "on the square." 
 
 As to taxing negroes and mulatoes then, this was new 
 to me, filing in that court certificates and bonds, and David 
 A. Smith and the good old Doctor Robertson, long since dead, 
 they appeared to stand by the oppressed. That they must 
 not be a charge on the county, and must behave or demean 
 themselves in strict conformity with the law. How things 
 ha^- J changed since those days. Wonderful that men at one 
 age or time do things, as right, which at other times or age 
 seem so strange and wicked. The idea of those poor fellows 
 called upon to give bonds to that court, simple and yet, in 
 power, regal or kingly court, is certainly new to me, and 
 demonstrates that our Caucasian race was never behind in 
 the elements of tyranny to the weak. Is there any history 
 of their ever repenting or being sorry for wrongs committed 
 upon the weak of any race? Even this little item gives one 
 something to think about. There are many white men to- 
 day, everywhere — nay, thousands; perhaps millions — who 
 think they are free, who are forever in a state of vasalage 
 and misery. In a state of want for the necessaries of life, 
 which the good God grows and reproduces on the soil, if 
 cultivated, which the lords of the world manage to keep 
 labor out of such fields. They keep millions of acres for grand 
 men, so born, as they think, to hunt on. Then the poor na- 
 tives can fly westward to the land of the free, which is be- 
 coming a field for "boodlers." 
 
 You see how simple the thing was done, when John 
 
88 
 
 Lewis M'as appointed by the court on that old docket county 
 treasurer in 1837. His bond, |3,000— White, Wood and Wil- 
 son securities. I suppose there were no banks here then. I 
 see no mention of such grand celebrities, nor anything about 
 banking embezzlements. I see nothing of bankers' names to 
 these bonds in that court. To have a treasurer in these days 
 of a county without some of these big names would show, or 
 seem, that the official was not of so much wonderful import- 
 ance in the community. The ones you go with now give you 
 reputation and prestige. Can it give one true character? 
 
 I have an opinion on this point. It is said it is prudent, 
 some times, not to tell all you know, even though you tell the 
 truth. 
 
 Think of Elisha Starkweather being allowed |8.75 on that 
 docket for boarding and attending a "poor sick man." I have 
 in the last year heard of one man dying of want, ill care, and 
 poverty, when I know of efforts made in his behalf from the 
 proper authority, without avail. Yet, no one is hurt. Great 
 country. The law of the "survival of the fittest" is the magic 
 thing men are after now. The wheat dies in the ground — it 
 loses its original plumpness before it sprouts, to grow and 
 multiply anew many fold. It appears to me that man also 
 must die, before his soul is permitted to fully see truth, jus- 
 tice and fair play to all. "Having no respect of persons in 
 justice, for a loiece of bread he will betray thee." 
 
 You will see the "favor rates" of that court on that old 
 docket to limit public houses or taverns, making rates above 
 which they rould not charge. If such were now done, yon 
 
89 
 
 would hear many clamor, decrying it to pieces, and say it 
 would be anarchy of the government. They must have their 
 freedom to make their own contracts for their own things. 
 Yet they must see that their freedom is limited in drawing in- 
 terest, and the time a note or mortgage runs, without dying. 
 Whiskey, per half pint, 12-| cents. I suppose he thought this 
 would be enough for each one that put up at the tavern. At 
 that time beer was no higher than cider — each per quart, 12J 
 cents. It says the several taverns could get these rates "but 
 no more." This last phrase, "but no more," seems to me 
 hetilthy. The old days certainly must have been favorable to 
 the consumer. I notice the good-hearted old court made no 
 threats on that docket, in commanding his taverns what to 
 charge. It did not utter threats; if they should violate his 
 commands in these rates for board, whiskey, beer, wine and 
 cider, as well as jin and rum, that they must be whipped, or 
 go to prison. In those days the people revered the law — 
 there were but few transgressors. 
 
 In these items on that old docket, I can see the law and 
 action of that court — both were just. Xeitlier done by tricks, 
 nor deception, nor partial, nor one-sided, nor for classes on 
 pretense of it being done for the whole people, or under gen- 
 eral law. Xothing is seen of that kind in that old docket, 
 which, with all its imperfections of learning, I have learned 
 to love, and am now giving vent to thoughts for the young 
 and old, high and low, learned and unlearned, legislative and 
 judicial. State and Federal, from city, county and State, to 
 that of the Federal government. My thoughts and arguments 
 
90 
 
 on taxation will challenge all legislation — all construction of 
 the courts on the statutes I have seen in that regard, both 
 State and Federal. It will be found true that there is no 
 judge in our country but what will be benefited by a study 
 of this book on this question, in searching for what he must 
 know, should he be a true friend of justice and the people, as 
 well as a lover. of solid government, with institutions that 
 ought to live forever. 
 
 The docket in one place shows that Seth Hodges got 
 .*-ls.3.3 1-3 as undertaker to erect the court house. This was 
 in 18.30. Again, the docket shows this entry: "Ordered that 
 Seth Hodges, undertaker to build the court house in Carlin- 
 ville, for the county, be allowed the sum of 1.37.33 1-3 for 
 erecting and iinishing the same, and for extra work done on 
 the same. — Sept. Term, 18.32." So Mr. Hodges got in all for 
 building the old log court house, 18 by 24 feet, the sum of 
 110,5.66 2-3. This item shows the way these old settlers in 
 Illinois began to do business. These men were honest, frank, 
 not "puffed u])," truthful, and knew nothing of tricks to de- 
 (I'ive, knew nothing of "boodle" and lobbying. These were 
 the men that would run to wrest a neighbor's ass or ox from 
 its swamping in the ditch. Nowadays a young man, or young 
 woman, attending a dance would have enough expense on 
 their backs to build more than a score of such court houses. 
 Some of these modern folk, with much impudence much 
 brass, would turn up the nose at that building. They would 
 not acknowledge their fathers hewed the logs and built it. 
 They tell us the "world is getting better, getting wiser." A 
 
91 
 
 world of honest labor, frankness among men and women, too, 
 and that without guile, when each neighbor can have confi- 
 dence in the other neighbor, then the world will be better. 
 Then the world, even of professing Christians of all denomi- 
 nations — I do not except any — will be better than they are 
 to-day, or have been from the time of the Jews in the wilder- 
 ness to this very hour. Of course, I do not hold there is no 
 good persons among these. There are some, even many, now 
 saints on this earth. They will do to "bank on." It may be 
 their worth spares the world from destruction. The wicked, 
 the transgressor, the boodler, all these are blind spiritually. 
 God's grace is far from them, and so they grope in darkness, 
 till at length they come to grief. "The wages of sin is death." 
 It will be seen that John Chapman got -$1.5. 00 for board- 
 ing a pauper three months. Also that John Lewis, county 
 treasurer, got |7.5.00 for listing the taxable property of the 
 county for that year. What a pity such property was not 
 listed now, in the county, instead of having swarms of officers 
 everywhere to do so, which forever cause irregularities and 
 errors, and confusions, and wrangling, and displeasure among 
 many. It is like so many different officers or generals running 
 an army, each one being the "boss," instead of one general- 
 in-chief. The army would be run to death. Here the tax- 
 payers are run in the same manner, with a swarm of officers, 
 assessors and collectors, all running in evei'y township each 
 year, making things lively for those who want a good time 
 at elections. So much confusion in the whole system of tax- 
 ation. It does not comport with proper order and good gov- 
 
92 
 
 ernment. How simple was the old method shown in that old 
 docket. That court did the appointing of one set of officers, 
 who gave bonds, and did the work of the county. Now 
 there are as many in each township drawing pay. The end 
 is confusion. The end is crooked, unfair, irregular, in some 
 cases partial, some taxed, some not. There is no necessity to 
 raise one dollar in five, as is now done, by taxation. Every 
 year worse and worse. The work reminds me of a railroad 
 wreck off a deep embankment or high bridge, where so many 
 meet death at .the twinkling of an eye ; the papers tell us 
 "none to blame." It was your misfortune to be there. "If 
 you don't like how you are taxed move out." 
 
 You can see how the court ordered a change made in 
 the levy of taxes, by ordering the sheriff to simply collect 
 on personal property one-half of the former order, which was 
 only one per cent, ad valorem; and then the treasurer to re- 
 mit one-half "his charge" and so much of the former order 
 on the docket as conflicts with that one was "null and void." 
 
 One-half of one per centum on the valuation of property 
 was law. How much is it now? In the country about ten 
 times us high. In the cities from fourteen to twenty times 
 larger. Is not a man foolish to undertake to build him a 
 large, costly house, to live in in the city now, unless he has 
 a bag of "stuff" — yellow at that — that can never "give out." 
 
 At the March Term, 1838, there is this entry: "On this 
 day came John Gray, commissioner for and in behalf of the 
 county to sell and dispose of the lots in the town of Carlin- 
 ville; appeared and made a final settlement with the court 
 
93 
 
 for all the lots sold by him in said town, and paid to the 
 court the amount due the county thereon; therefore, it is 
 ordered by the court that the said John Gray be exonerated 
 of all claims against him as commissioner aforesaid of said 
 county." 
 
 Here it will be seen that one can not know from this en- 
 try by the court of this settlement by Gray, whether there 
 was a written report or verbal. The court does not say. It 
 does not say how many lots were sold by him — how much he 
 got for them, nor how much was paid into the court. Yet 
 John Gray was a good and faithful servant, as I take it, and 
 so he was "exonerated" by the court. 
 
 I have now copied at some length from that old docket, 
 so long lying at rest among the court's cobwebs — lying there 
 unindexed, undressed, unrecognized, from 1840 to the pres- 
 ent time — seventeen years more than the sons of Israel spent 
 in the wilderness. I have copied you these sections of a 
 statute passed at Yandalia, printed at Cincinnati in 1829, 
 creating the county of Macoupin, giving it legal government 
 life, and which also, unfortunately for the county, was suf- 
 fered to rest among the cobwebs, deserted and unknown, till 
 I now, and believe for the first time, brought forward as the 
 teij to unlock the questions of the court house bonded debt. 
 Of course, some, perhaps very many, may say: "0, too late 
 now to do anything." "Better late than never." 
 
 Suppose I tender what tax I think is just, or I ought to 
 pay of right. The officers refuse it, unless I pay all. Sup- 
 pose I resist the item for court house — I refuse to pay it. My 
 
04 
 
 land is then returned to the county clerk's office as delinquent. 
 In that court they proceed to get judgment against my land 
 for the taxes. Ko one will buy mine. They formerly did so, 
 but they have learned better now. ■ They see it won't pay. 
 They have ceased to stick their nose in my tax business. 
 Then the land is let down to the state, by law, unless I enjoin 
 the sale. In that case I file a bill in equity in the proper 
 court, where the other side is compelled to show all tlieir ac- 
 tion just and equitable, else they become defeated. Here it 
 is in order to take up my four questions, which I promised to 
 do, and, 
 
 First. Where is the land that was donated to the county 
 forever? It may be said "it was laid out into lots and sold 
 to build a court house and jail." The docket does not show 
 how much the lots sold for, though I shall yet see how 
 much the deeds called for, and then can make an estimate 
 whether they went beyond the power given the commission- 
 ers' court by the act of the General Assembly, which was to 
 sell to the interest of the county, and to reserve enough of the 
 thirty acres for jail, court house, and other public buildings 
 for the use of the county, and when the place was selected 
 for these buildings, or the spot for the seat of justice, then 
 there it was to remain forever, and no power on this earth 
 can alter or change that legislative act then complied with by 
 the commissioners, and Hodges and Good donating the land 
 for the purposes set forth in that statute. That act was 
 made for me and all others who thereafter should become 
 citizens of ^facoupin county. It must be known that the of- 
 
95 
 
 liceiis can not do as they please in the administration of the 
 people's business, or their legal affairs. They take an oath 
 to discharge their duty according to law, and their best abil- 
 ity. Their best ability for the public good. This is not sim- 
 ply formal. They must substantially comply with that oath 
 in administering the laws to the pleople's good. Where is 
 the ground on which the old log jail and log court house were 
 built? Of course the ground did not fly away^ but where was 
 the power to divest the county of that ground? 
 
 That ground or spot which was accepted by the court for 
 the county, under that statute, is the permanent spot for 
 these buildings yet — it being the permanent seat of justice 
 for this county forerer. The legislature cannot change it. 
 The legislature cannot legalize the debt, so as to sell or for- 
 feit my land for taxes to build a court house and jail at any 
 foreign point from the original spot which that court accepted 
 and found in that old docket, and I thank God for his good- 
 ness to me in giving me a will and nerve to work for the right, 
 against mountains of crookedness and gross negligence in 
 the transaction of public business. To me it is easier to do 
 the right thing than the wrong one. In working any problem 
 in flguies, when you work it right, all is easy. When you go 
 wrong, even a unit, then, the more you add, subtract, divide 
 or multiply, the worse it becomes. It is so in this business. 
 They have gone wrong. I do not here now charge that the 
 officers who built the court house were aware of the law of 
 the case, and the facts as I have demonstrated from the stat- 
 ute of 1828 and 1829, and this old docket of that court. In 
 
9G 
 
 fact, at the time they were building the new court house, I 
 thought it was for the men of wealth and age to straighten 
 things crooked. I knew little of the legal rights on either 
 side, nor would I now were it not for this docket and this stat- 
 ute. With these, everything is day light in that wilderness of 
 strife, ill will, much turmoil, and a mountain of debt to be 
 paid in boodle taxation. "We have sown to the wind — we are 
 reaping the whirlwind." 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 EDUCj>TION. 
 
 That the youth of the land should have an education, 
 and that at the public expense, there is now hardly any 
 question. But how far at the public expense such is to for- 
 ever continue is the question. That the youth of the land 
 ought to read, write and know the ground rules of arithmetic 
 there is no question. But when it is sought forever by tax 
 legislation to burdeu many with more than common sense — 
 more than a necessary education of the masses under 21 years 
 — then its utility, its justice, may be questioned. Can there 
 be one now found who has received his education under this 
 "free school" system that ever prays for the tax payer? Can 
 one be found whose heart is always grateful to the laws 
 which grant the boon? Shall laws be forever made that so 
 tend to destroy gratitude in the human heart? It is said: 
 "The gods help those who help themselves," The Indians 
 
97 
 
 have been helped — educated perhaps for two hundred years. 
 How much good has it done? They have been fed, clothed, 
 educated and preached to. The result is fruitless. The old 
 habits, the old Indian freaks of nature, will assert them- 
 selves, "('an the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard 
 his spots?'' So many foolishly think the Indian can be civil- 
 ized by teaching him the ways of the white man. So many 
 also think that by the stufling of education into the youth 
 of the land for all time, and that gratis, the result is healthy 
 and blessed. The result will make them a grand people. I 
 am not of this way of thinking. I am not a believer in the 
 "stuflflng" process. It is said: "Where there is a will there 
 is a way." That is he who has a will to do will always find 
 a way to do it. Who puts the will there? Certainly not the 
 teacher, nor the school. He who created the heaven and the 
 earth, and gathered the waters above and below into one place 
 and called them seas — He gave the will. In some this will 
 is more prominent than in others. In some it is forever weak. 
 Education can never change the result. Education cannot 
 make all alike mathematicians or linquists, or singers, or 
 musicians, or orators, or logicians, or poets. As the embryo 
 is created, its bounds are fixed, beyond which the man cannot 
 go, no more than the proud waves of the ocean can overflow, 
 overstep the sands and bars there made to back them in. 
 "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further — and here shall 
 thy proud waves be stayed.'' 
 
 The idea has gone abroad that the more free education 
 the less crime. Were this true its advocates might be con- 
 
 —4 
 
98 
 
 sidered consistent. But it is not true. The great moral 
 wrongs seen in legislation, federal and state, since the war, 
 have been all done by the educated. Instance the congres- 
 sional salary grab, voted by and for themselves each $5,000 
 as back pay. The presidential electoral commission, made up 
 of five from the supreme court, five from the senate and five 
 from the house, all educated, all in a raffle. They pretended 
 to count the votes. At length it was named the ''7 to S" 
 pooling machine. One man fixed it. His politics did it. He 
 counted "Hayes in, Tilden out. That one count made Hayes 
 four years term |200,000, and swarmed the country with 
 .\ouiig heroes who served their country for pay. That one 
 count was the killing of justice, and the praise of crime by 
 millions. The mighty embezzlements seen and read of since 
 the war are all by the educated. The cremation of his fel- 
 lows for the insurance money was done by the educated. 
 Holmes' History and facts are against the side of those who 
 wish to make a great people by "free education." What do 
 we wish to educate? Evidently, the intellect. Some think 
 if the young are stuffed full of figures, or other intellectual 
 knowledge, without any appeal to his heart, which is the 
 quicker and safer guide, then they will be all right in the 
 da.As of manhood. Some think the intellect alone must rule 
 the man. It is said: "The heart is deceitful above all things 
 and desperately wicked." How much time is spent in any 
 school now to correct and chasten this thing? How much 
 time is spent now in any school to frown down on anything 
 base, on anything by which one might take advantage of his 
 
99 
 
 fellow by deception? How many teachers are they in these, 
 our boasted "free schools," that appeal to any advancement 
 outside the intellect? Is the thing called the human heart 
 ever mentioned? The idea is, the whole man is moved up 
 or down, great or small, rich or poor, good or bad, honorable 
 or dishonorable, true or false, grand or low, by that gray 
 matter, the doctors term the brain. This is the organ of 
 calculation. The organ of figures. It is the organ of reason- 
 ing — sometimes right, sometimes wrong. The heart decides 
 rapidly. As quick and true as a flash. He whose heart is 
 free from guile, and there are such persons. You will find 
 these are always in the right, though often proclaimed wrong 
 by those who are incapable of understanding them. If the 
 heart is so desperately wicked it may be asked: "How then 
 can one be free from guile?" Simply because the great 
 Teacher of this doctrine also taught sorrow for sin or wicked- 
 ness. True repentance, true restitution. "If the wicked re- 
 store that he hath robbed, and cease iniquity, he shall sure- 
 ly live and not die." 
 
 It would seem that man has in him two forces — the posi- 
 tive and negative. These are always opposed to each other. 
 They are not unlike that of good and evil, right and wrong, 
 love and hate, stingy and generous, slowness and quickness, 
 dullness and brilliancy. As the youth grows these things in 
 his nature will be found more or less and so as the one side 
 or the other becomes the more prominent, his desire will 
 move in that direction. His mind, or passions, or muscles 
 will move him in the line of the more prominent forces. Right 
 
100 
 
 here is where the education of the heart should begin. If the 
 evil forces predominate, then let them be put under restraint, 
 just as one in his garden cuts down the weeds and briars or 
 thistles that encumber the growth of the crop. It is very 
 clear that the farmer can not raise a crop upon his farm un- 
 less he devotes his attention to it. A time to plough, sow, cul- 
 tivate and a time to reap or take in that which is matured. 
 In this case the careful farmer is alive to all movements in 
 the work to be put on in and about the raising of that crop. 
 He leaves nothing for chance or luck. So should the boy's 
 education be, not simply that of stuffing his little head with 
 so many things of no utility, no appeal to his young heart, 
 that to be "good is to be happy," but on the other hand filling 
 his head with a false ambition, that if he becomes a great sol- 
 dier, scholar or orator, then he will go to Congress, or become 
 governor or president, when the "labblement" will cheer him 
 as their chief. The education of the land today is in this di- 
 rection. Yes, and for years past. Xothing ill, nor false, nor 
 unhealthy should be taught the young. As he grows up, so 
 shall be live. As he lives, so shall he die. "Stand thou here 
 by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and 
 the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach." 
 •'Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall 
 talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou 
 liest down, and when thou riseth up." -And these words I 
 command thee shall be in thine heart." Who now stands by 
 the statutes, commandments and judgments? Are they 
 taught in these costly, boasted free schools? It might be said 
 
101 
 
 that the old laws are of the past, and are upset and aban- 
 doned. That we are under the new dispensation. The human 
 heart is the same everywhere. Truth is the same also. Two 
 and two make four in all places, and at all times. Moral laws 
 have been the same at all times, but these laws are not taught 
 nor impressed on the j'outh's heart by the teachers. The cul- 
 ture that is needed for the child is not given, because the par- 
 ents, themselves, never were imbued with the blessed boon. 
 So all sides go to seed, and the result is tares instead of 
 wheat, sin and uproar, instead of joy and peace. What 
 reader of these thoughts do as Moses thought? What parent 
 teaches his children the great moral laws of God, when he sits 
 in his house, when he walks by the way, when he lies down 
 and rises up? Is it to be wondered at that things are going 
 to seed and that misrule is the order of the day? This kind 
 of teaching would be sweeter, healthier, cheaper than the 
 stuflBng system practiced on the young in free schools, by bur- 
 densome taxation. The advocates of all this great taxation 
 for free schools, and futile accomplishments of that grey mat- 
 ter, the intellect, who claim the work is goiug to make us a 
 grand people — never think that the kind, great man Lincoln, 
 was not burdened with the stuffing process of hardly any 
 schooling in such like tax institutions. The great lawyer of 
 New York, Charles O'Conner, got three months' schooling — 
 no more. It is said of him that for fifty years he was on one 
 side or the other of every big case that went to the Supreme 
 court of that State. That any case that was one year in the 
 lower courts, he would reverse in the Supreme Court, upon 
 
102 
 
 the pleadings or upon some mishap of counsel in the case. 
 Perhaps there never was a man of greater will power than 
 General Jackson. His New Orleans battle, his work on the 
 national bank, and nullification demonstrates all this. School 
 learning did not give him that will. It did not give him 
 much of anything. His early advantages were those of a 
 waif, having hardly any one to care for him. God cares for 
 some people. He brings them up to confound scribes, Phari- 
 sees and hypocrits, men who assume all wisdom, all accom- 
 plishments, but had not sense enough to know that Jesus was 
 king of Israel. Such men are here today. They are as sure 
 to be here for all time, as that the poor are never to cease 
 from off the land. 
 
 The two celebrated English jiortrait painters. Sir Joshua 
 Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough, whose work so often 
 sold for |oO,000, one single portrait, and while they painted 
 at the time of Warren Hastings, and Edmund Burke, yet 
 from that time to this their work has not been surpassed nor 
 even equaled. The point I want to make here is, that those 
 two were, like poets, born so. Neither had any education 
 worth speaking of, nor training, in the art of this, their grand 
 achievements. They painted because they had to. It was 
 their genius. The mind, the task, the love, the muscles, 
 moved them to their achievements. It was their vocation. 
 In that art they worked as true as the needle points to the 
 north pole. Had these two men trusted to others' teaching, 
 it would have simply cramped them, and impaired the beauty 
 of their work. Who taught Columbus to discover this con- 
 
103 
 
 tinent? Who taught Edison his wonderful inventions and 
 achievements? Education must remain forever dumb in 
 answering. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE CHURCHES. 
 
 It is seen that the free school system is run from year 
 to year in all the state; and in all the states, under laM'S 
 made by men. That the system is almost uniform and uni- 
 versal. That there is not a new method and divers divisions 
 seen every year. This thought strikes me as pertinent to 
 the churches. They all read the same book as God's law to 
 man. Pray to the same God for "peace on earth, and good 
 will of man," or "peace on earth to men of good will." With 
 all these efforts the world over the divisions and breaks mul- 
 tiply. Each break, each division, claiming for itself all truth, 
 all holiness. Sometimes they think outsiders are in the 
 wrong, which wrong, if persisted in, will bring its votaries 
 to grief. It is doubtful that these churches, or their teach- 
 ers, or ministers, ever consider that there is some wrong, 
 some defect, in the organization of these churches, which are 
 forever growing more diverse as time goes on. How strong 
 they could be were they all united? How little it would cost 
 each man to pay his share of the expense of running it? 
 Here all men could hear God's word preached. Do these di- 
 verse teachers, or ministers, ever think that in old time, in 
 
104 
 
 Jerusalem, they had a temple. It was for all the people to 
 go there and teach and be taught, and worship God. "They 
 found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, 
 hearing them, and asking questions." "And all that heard 
 Him were astonished at His wisdom and His answers." He 
 said: "I must be about my Father's business." Xow, all 
 these churches, all their teachers, all their ministers, profess 
 that they are "about their Father's business," whose business 
 was to teach "peace on earth," instead of war. Universal 
 lidliness and individual love to God and man by all. "One 
 faith, one Lord and one baptism." In one spirit were we 
 all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether 
 bond or free, and in one spirit we have all been made to 
 drinlf." "That henceforth we be no more children tossed to 
 and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by 
 the wickedness of men, liy cunning craftiness by which they 
 lie in wait to deceive." In the multiplicity of these churches, 
 each having a creed of its own — no two churches or creeds 
 alike — then their members must be as children, tossed to and 
 fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by these 
 different teachers, di- ministers, though they may not know 
 of "cunning craftiness to lie in wiiit to deceive." Xo doubt 
 there is little time spent in thinking over these many diverse 
 doctrines taught by so many different organizations. Not 
 many among the millions trouble themselves in examining 
 their own hearts — in thinking themselves wrong, all others 
 right. They think themselves right; all others wrong. The 
 Greek church, the Anglican, the followers of Luther, or all 
 
105 
 
 the Protestant chuicbes, Buddhists, Mohammedans, Brah- 
 mins, followers of Confusius, Shento religion and Jews, these, 
 each and all profess to be about their "Father's business."" 
 In all wars, in the confiscation of property from its former 
 owners to the strong, to the victors from their victims, they 
 have always professed to be about their Father's buisness. Is 
 it not time to ask whether the world at large is bettered by 
 all this work of these hosts so zealously forever about their 
 Father's business?" The poor, the needy, the hungry, con- 
 tinually multiply in all the land. The more churches the 
 more these kind of people multiply. In large cities, where 
 these costly structures point their domes to heaven, here 
 they multiply. "He that hath the substance of this world 
 and shall see his brother in need, and shall put up his bowels 
 from him, how doth the charity of God abide in him?" The 
 builders of these mighty edifices are all by those who profess 
 to be about their "Father's business." They never think that 
 they might be about their "Father's business" just as well 
 to build less extravagantly, and let the poor have the part^ 
 which folly and extravagance forever crave. This folly and 
 extravagance have so far entwined their evils into the minis- 
 ters who run these orders that there is more time spent in 
 preaching of money matters, and financial aid, than there is 
 in preaching God's kingdom for the just on earth. There 
 are some bishops in England whose annual salary runs above 
 175,000. Preachers on this earth, among the poor, at this 
 large salary, teaching the ways of Christ, who said: "The 
 foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests, but the Sou 
 
'Of Man hath not where to lay his head." And yetvthese think 
 they are about their ''Father's business. All these extremes, 
 all these divisions, all these extravagancies in churches and 
 preaching lead to two things. The very poor have not the 
 gospel preached to them. The very rich keep aloof from 
 attending these orders, l)ecause they would have to pay "too 
 much." The minister makes himself both assessor and col- 
 lector, and so the levy on the rich man's pocket is in his dis- 
 cretion. It has come to pass that those who preach do not 
 go to the "lost sheep"; they rather bid them "come or be lost. 
 Why should there be so many divine teachers of truth? 
 If the truth simply had been taught, if the instruction had 
 been uniform for centuries past, then mountains' weight ot 
 prejudice which have existed for these centuries in the breasts 
 of the masses of mankind, as against those not of their faith 
 or belief, would never have had a lodgment. So it will be 
 seen that the temple for the whole people, where one might 
 teach and be taught, tlicir error and prejudice would soon dis- 
 api^ear. "Let the dead bury their dead,'' "but go thou and 
 preach the kingdom of God." This does not say, go first and 
 rear a grand edifice, in the midst of some large city of sinners, 
 and when completed, ring the bells on high to be heard afar 
 by your multitude of sinners, and if they come not, then you 
 Lave done your duty, and so you can demand your pay. "Let 
 the dead bury its dead." "Come, follow me. Go and preach 
 to the lost sheep. Teach them the way to righteousness and 
 happiness." There is room for all in the same temple. 
 "In my father's house are many mansions." How inter- 
 
JOT 
 
 esting !siich;a place of wovsliip would be where questions could 
 be frankly discussed by those who should be interested in do- 
 ing good ; where those of the sheep-fold might be truly known, 
 where the ways of peace and holiness to the Lord would so 
 advance, instead of its being as it is now, almost a dead 
 weight. No one to speak or illuminate the heart, but the one 
 who is paid his salary for so doing. Men do not consider 
 that for centuries of preaching, there was no salary. God's 
 followers preached without pay. Paul was one of them, 
 when he said: "Even unto this hour we both hunger and 
 thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no fixed 
 abode." Here it can truly be said, that this St. Paul was 
 about his "Father's business." Even then, not all who pro- 
 fesed to follow in the Lord's foot steps did so, for he said: 
 All were not true fathers who were ithen leading and instruct- 
 ing the people. "If you have ten thousand instructors in 
 Christ, yet not many fathers." You see the instruction fails, 
 and is made void. The instruction in God's law should be 
 imbued with God's spirit, which acts on the heart, as sun- 
 shine on the flowers of the field. The heart so not imbued is 
 like these same flowers, growing in darkness — they never can 
 become mature, or things of beauty. If mankind would only 
 consider that all moral laws, which are God's, and given us 
 for our good, have only one right side to them, as truth and 
 , justice. All other sides are wrong. In figures, the problem 
 can be worked one right way — all other ways, wrong. You 
 can not serve God and Mamon. The church can not be a suc- 
 cess without a concert of action. They cannot be a success 
 
108 
 
 while each pulls and works in a different direction from the 
 others. Suppose an army was run by all the officers leading 
 it in accordance with each officer's notions. Any one would 
 say: "That would be foolish." It would be worse than fool- 
 ish, for in battle they would soon be exterminated. This be- 
 ing true of an army, why not true of an army that profess to 
 be the followers of the cross? An army to be successful must 
 be about their general's business — all united — all in concert 
 of action. It is the same of the church. Success depends on 
 unity of action — all in concert in and about their "father's 
 business.'' "God is a spirit, and they that adore him, must 
 adore him in spirit and in truth," not for the salary, where he 
 is tied to one locality. 
 
 He who looks at nature's laws will find they make no 
 leaps. Their action is as true and uniform as the stars in 
 their revolutions. Tliey move to-day in the heavens, as they 
 did thousands of years since. The growth of the vegetable 
 v.'orld, and all things upon the earth that grow, or live, are 
 ijow the same as they ever were. The churches all believe 
 God as the creator of all these things, and that he has made 
 for them an unerring law and unalterable for their existence 
 on earth. This being true for that world of things, why not 
 one unerring, universal, unalterable law for his creatures of 
 whom it is said: "For you are the temple of the living God." 
 "I will dwell in them and walk among them, and I will be 
 their God and they shall be my people." Suppose a heathen 
 is converted, and when so converted may think, "Why so 
 many doctrines?'' "I have learned mine from the Rev. Doctor 
 
100 
 
 Smashall, and now here is the Rev. Doctor Knowall with a 
 contrary doctrine. I is quite different from what I was 
 taught." The bean that grows in the earth, see it creep its 
 tendrils around the stalje, and always in the reverse to that 
 of the sun's course. This is the law by which the bean grows. 
 The world of men cannot grow it differently, that is to fol- 
 low the sun's course. The world of moving, growing things, 
 are as unchangeable and uniform as the mathematics; man 
 alone is always at war with nature's laws. In war with God's 
 laws, and generally he gets the worst of it. Xo doubt the 
 world of churches to-day have a pride in having large costly 
 structures, large congregations of sinners, perhaps many who 
 think themselves sanctified. Large salaries for the ministers, 
 and the better clad in "purple and fine linen," and better fed, 
 and to do, it is thought of them, they are in the right faith, 
 or they could not be so prospered. They must have a nice 
 time here and a good time "over there.'' The book says: 
 ''Woe to you that are rich, for you have your consolation." 
 No doubt the very rich naturally think they are better than 
 the poor. Perhaps they are so. Perhaps they are not. God 
 knoweth. It is said God has no respect of persons, yet it is 
 notorious that there is not a church in this country to-day but 
 what there is respect of persons seen there by the ministers. 
 This respect is seen to enter where the pocket is full and gen- 
 erous to the minister. This will create more respect, more 
 human or sinful love in the breast of the minister for the 
 generous rich than is ever seen for the saintly poor. Is it 
 any wonder thinking men begin to doubt that the preaching 
 
110 
 
 of to-day is all pleasing to God? It being so discordant, di- 
 verse, and becoming year after year so uncertain and indefi- 
 nite. The result is not and can never be healthy. Certainly 
 the way of the Lord is antagonistic to that of satan. The 
 way of his followers must be also to the followers of satan. 
 Here then are two sides— not a thousand sides, or a thousand 
 varying and conflicting issues — and all for pay. Do they 
 not all whc uow lead siiineis, who are about their "Father's 
 business," demand and receive their salaries, and the world 
 think this error — nay, great evil — is of God, who commanded 
 his disciples to "go and preach to the lost sheep, and go two 
 by two from city to city, and eat such as was set before them, 
 asking no questions, for the workman was worthy his meat." 
 The wisdom of the flesh is death, but the wisdom of the spirit 
 is life and peace. "Now the God of patience and of comfort 
 grant you to be of one mind, one towards another, according 
 to Jesus Christ." That with one mind and one mouth, you 
 may glorify God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 There is none to claim that all those different creeds, or all 
 different teachers, or ministers of these churches, are all of 
 one mind, all of one creed, all in unison and concert of ac- 
 tion to save the lost sheep, to release them from the pit, to 
 take them from the company of satan to that of the com- 
 pany of saints and angels. Nay, they are in conflict and 
 trouble in the same churches. There is no peace saith the 
 Lord unto the wicked. My opinion is that God's law among 
 men, his children, should be as true, just, healthy, permanent, 
 and universal, from love as the laws of affinity in chemistry 
 
Ill 
 
 are known to be, and that law is, that all chemical combina- 
 tions takes place in definite, unchangeable proportions of quan- 
 tity. The book says: "The gasses which form water unite 
 in the proportion of 8 to 1 by weight, 8 ounces of oxygen unite 
 with one of hydrogen to form 9 ounces of water. One ounce 
 of hydrogen will not combine with 6, 7, 10 or 12 of oxygen. 
 Eight to one are the proportions for pure water, at all places 
 and seasons; nor is it possible to produce it from any other 
 proportion of its elements." If this law governs these things, 
 which it does, these things, unlike the creatures of G-od, that 
 are of free will. These elements are seen to be forever true 
 to their nature; no change in their chemical combinations as 
 to proportions of quantity. May we not wisely and thoughtful- 
 ly and humbly consider our ways? Must man be right in his 
 action in all these diverse churches, each one differing for- 
 ever from the other, while this law of affinity stares us in 
 the face, and bade us beware of our presumption. If the 
 blind lead the blind they both fall into the ditch. I am of 
 the opinion that the laws of God in the church ought to be 
 as definite, unchangeable, unalterable, true and just, as it is 
 seen by this law of affinity in the combination of these sim- 
 ple things, which are placed on this earth for our comfort 
 and life, whose law and firmness and perpetuity is superior 
 to our methods of action. 
 
 It is doubtful that any preaching had among men in the 
 past has proved good, when its intention was to raise them- 
 selves at the expense of those they labored to run dowuj 
 That preaching which does not tend to raise mortals to the 
 
112 
 
 skies, beyond and outside the preacher's own faith, or that of 
 Ms sect, and which tends to raise or create a coldness in the 
 hearts of one sect against another — that preaching is always 
 and forever evil, and the past world has had more than 
 enough of it. The history of the world has been always in that 
 bad spirit. Had the spirit of love and manliness been taught 
 for all, then there would be more followers of Jesus than 
 there is today. Do these salaried ministers ever think that 
 Greek, Catholic and Protestant united do not equal the num- 
 bers of the uubeli(^vers, Mohammedan, Buddhists, Brahmins 
 and the rest of them. The book says these idolaters are three 
 to one of the Christian world. This being true, it is clear the 
 salary business of the churches has not proved itself a suc- 
 cess. These idolaters ought to be converted to the law of 
 Christ. The salary system will never do it. But these min- 
 isti'rs will tell you that Paul taught that he who preaches the 
 gospel shall live by the gospel. This part has been never for- 
 gotten. It has been always preached, and now they think 
 Oor ordained the salary. When Paul wrote to the Corinth- 
 ians and said: "Know you not that they who work in the holy 
 place, eat the things that are of the holy place, and they that 
 serve the altar, jiartake with the altar." You sec here, he 
 had reference to the Jmvish law, where things were .-sacrificed 
 at the altar by the people, and which was left to those that 
 served at the altar. Then he says: "So also the Lord or- 
 dained that they who preach the gospel should live by the 
 gospel." Still, you see, this has reference to the old law. 
 But Paul follows this up in the text, which is never preached. 
 
113 
 
 because it is against the salary business. "What is my re- 
 ward then? That preaching the gospel I may delivei- the gos- 
 pel irithoiit charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.'' 
 For whereas I was free as to all, I made myself the servant 
 of all — that I might gain the more." You now see that where 
 Paul is given as authority for the salary business, by its advo- 
 cates, that they certainly do err in so quoting Paul, for Paul 
 became the servant of all, preaching gratis, that his reward 
 and gain might be the more in heaven. It is strange that so 
 many have misunderstood Paul, and that these salaries have 
 gone upward as the preachers' talent seemed to excel those 
 of others. By this method such preachers have been con- 
 fined to their own localities, instead of going from city to 
 city, two by two as was commanded. Had this method been 
 pusued all along the line, the eastern world of idolators might 
 now be Christianized. 
 
 It is said that Jerusalem is the center of the world. The 
 new gospel, that of Jesus, was first preached there, proclaim- 
 ing "peace on earth to men of good will," and to do as we 
 "would that others do to us." This was to go forth from these 
 to all men alike as the gospel of truth and righteousness — and 
 that it should act on man as the rays of the sun act on vegeta- 
 tion, and all other things that grow on the earth — without 
 which rajs nothing could grow or mature. These rays ar^ 
 forever doing good, giving life to every thing they beam on 
 the world over, alike, year after year, and century after cen- 
 tury. So should it be of preaching. It should act on all 
 alike, or to see the rays of the Son of Righteousness cover the 
 
114 
 
 world of men with the same one universal light to all, that 
 such might be forever as healthy, as permanent, as uniform,, 
 as universal and as unalterable as those rays of that sun in 
 the heavens, which give life to all living things on this earth. 
 
 The gospel proclaimed to be taught forever to men is 
 true or false. Being true, why must it have a thousand dif- 
 ferent constructions — each teacher or minister putting his 
 own construction on the work. Words, phrases and sentences 
 can never have but one true construction or meaning. It is 
 therefore foolish to think that a great God who made the 
 world, and all things in it, enlightens each of these various 
 orders to do their work in preaching these sundry doctrines. 
 The army of the Lord should be united as one against the 
 army of Satan. The first should be forever teaching and do- 
 ing good, that sin and sorrow, and crime, and selfishness, and 
 deception might disappear from the earth, and that the vir- 
 tues of love, goodness, charity and happiness might be our 
 portion. It is said men should try to do right. Do try. If 
 there is no trial, there is no judgment. If the is no struggle 
 and trouble, there is no victory. The battle is first fought, 
 licfiire the victory is won. 
 
115 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 SUCCESS. 
 
 It will be seen that my great object in writing this book 
 is that truth and justice should rule, instead of error, injus- 
 tice and confusion. That in the levying of taxes there should 
 be no respect of persons, nor classes. That all alike should 
 bear their just share of the public burdens, and that smart- 
 ness, roguery, deception and lies should not at any time take 
 advantage to evade fair taxation, and in this evasion put the 
 burdens on those who are not able to bear them, whereby 
 they are oppressed and kept under. ]\Iy views are before you 
 on education, since it exists by taxation, I mean, the free 
 school system. My views are before you on the churches, 
 since they exist by another system of taxation. You may 
 say: "Very well, this is in the line of ymu- taxation question, 
 or of truth and justice ruling, but what have these to do 
 with your topic, Success?" I answer that the government 
 cannot live without taxation, any more than one can live 
 without blood. It takes food to make blood. If the govern- 
 ment tax that food too high by which my living is impaired, 
 and blood stinted, I cannot live, and while the government 
 in this act is thought a success, I must die by its act; I must 
 die because I cannot help myself, and the world says I am 
 a failure, but the government which caused my death is a 
 success. This application of the government being a success 
 
116 
 
 by its wrong act, and causing my deatli, runs all over the 
 world, among men, in the struggle foT bread, money, honors, 
 power and fame. They say, "The end justifies the means"— 
 that is, one may resort to any or all means, outside the peni- 
 tentiary, to achieve success. You never hear one say moral 
 success. This adjective is not thought of to qualify or limit 
 what is meant by success. As the world wags men in high 
 places commit crimes, and yet such are thought to be a suc- 
 cess. When congress voted itself the salary grab of |5,000 
 each cash it had not earned, this was a success. When one 
 forecloses the mortgage of the dead for a small share of its 
 value, against the widow and the orphan, and sees them poor 
 and homeless, this is a success. When one buys lands at tax 
 sale, and gets fat at the poor owner's expense, this is thought 
 a success. Great Britain in ruling India, where now the 
 millions are straving, is said to be a success. She is a suc- 
 cess, though her parliament grants no subsidies for the relief 
 of these millions. Her subsidies are for battleships of war 
 to capture lands, and islands, and harbors, and seas, and all 
 the weak of the world to rule over them for taxes, so as to 
 make London the wonder of the world in riches and poverty. 
 Yea, how true it is that "the tabernacles of robbers prosper, 
 and they who provoke (rod are secure, into whose hand God 
 bringeth abundantly." I do not know of any writer making use 
 of the grand passage, outside the book itself. I have a right 
 to think that I am the first to make use of it, and I am glad 
 to wield it against a country that makes Ireland pay her .$40,- 
 
117 
 
 tt(»0,()On yearly in taxes and |80,000,000 in rents. With such 
 robbery she is yet secure. Yet a success. She prospers. No 
 subsidies came from her parliament to succor the Irish fam- 
 ine in 1847. It would seem as though harsh words should 
 not be used against this, that or the other which is a success. 
 Xo, not even when this success Is to the other's injury. When 
 the tax takes my food from me, leares me in want, impairs 
 and stints my blood, so I must die. The first is a success, 
 the latter a failure, as the world sees it. The world somehow 
 overlooks suffering, but emblazons that which glitters in all 
 pomij and glory, as the crown of success. I have long won- 
 dered at this. It is the case in all history. In all the schools, 
 colleges and institutions of learning, their votaries are thus 
 imbued. Earthly success is their goal. All their composi- 
 tions and declamations run in this channel. Human success 
 in the main is not my idea or definition. The possessing of 
 wealth is in the eye of the masses success. The wielding of 
 power in office is in the eye of others success. To be the 
 leader of the people is in the eye of many success. Examples 
 of this kind might be extended to pages. Justian taught this: 
 "Live honestly, hurt nobody, and render every one his dues." 
 This man considered this success. Who does so now? He 
 who does is not now considered a su<'cess, unless his pocket 
 is heavier than his brains. Perhaps among all sinners, in all 
 time, no one thinks but what some other has been more of a 
 success than himself, while that other thinks the other one 
 is more so than he. Sometimes you see one a success for a 
 time, as in the case of Aaron Burr, and then comes the ebb' 
 
of the tide of success to him, till the world says, "He's a fail- 
 are." It should not be overlooked that the Lord said: "The 
 foxes have holes, and the birds of the air newts, but the Son 
 of Man hath not where to lay his head." He did not teach 
 that fortune, prosperity, happiness, or success, was in wealth. 
 When one said, "AA'hat shall I do to be saved?" He said, 
 "sell what thou hast, give it to the poor, and follow me." He 
 would not have said so if earthly possessions were the proper 
 success. Yet, it is certain that among sinners in this world 
 the poor will never dance with joy over the price got for land 
 sold in this way. In other words, sell what they have, give 
 it to the poor, and take up their cross and follow Him. It 
 has been suggested, had a law been enacted that no man 
 should get a salary for preaching in the churches, then how 
 many would be left us working for the love? They would fly 
 away like those sinners did that were commanded to throw 
 the first stone. It is doubtful whether the amassing of wealth 
 by individuals and corporations, in the end, proves a blessing, 
 or even beneficial to them, or the world at large. You can 
 see this result from wealth. One has his heart on it. His 
 every thought is for gain. His days are of labor; so are his 
 nights. He takes no rest even on the Sabbath day. His ass, 
 his ox, and servants are always "on the go." It is all hurry, 
 early and late, to the hour of his death. Wealth is amassed 
 but nothing else, and in a short time this flies away. He dies 
 as he has lived, in a hurry. He leaves a will. This gives 
 the estate to the widow for life, after that to the children in 
 fee. Now, the scribe who wrote that will did not understand 
 
119 
 
 his business. The scribe and devisor never thought that 
 will would ruin the estate to the children, in a few years. 
 They thought that this life estate in the widow would preserve 
 the land to the children at her death. But not so. The chil- 
 dren mortgage their interest in the land, and the widow may 
 yet live twenty or more years, and this mortgage and inter- 
 est on it, in that time, sink the estate. It destroys it to the 
 children. Now, this man in life was said to be a success, but 
 this will is the destruction of the children. "Praise no man 
 before he is dead." Another case. One amasses wealth, 
 then he is gathered to tis fathers. He leaves a will. The 
 widow renounces it. She and the children go to law about 
 it. All become "mad at each other." It becomes a small 
 war. The will is broken. The estate is divided, not to the 
 liking of any of the interested parties. After years of liti- 
 gation in the courts, with tons of costs and expenses, this 
 estate flies away. This man in life was said to be a success, 
 but his will is the destruction of all he left behind that he 
 cared for. There is not a county in this state, perhaps in 
 any state — nay not a township, but what the records will pro- 
 duce such examples. This being true, where is the success? 
 This being true, the world wagging, does not fathom its true 
 definition. Indeed, there is a large body of men in this world, 
 doing business, most of whom think they are honest, simply 
 because they may not owe debts, whose work and trafflc with 
 you and me — with so many — here the gain is always on their 
 side; with you and me and so many who give our money to 
 thera. getting in return injury instead of a healthy equivolent 
 
:20 
 
 for our money. The motto of the wise man is to hurt nobody. 
 Ho that wherever one is said to be a success, see that he has 
 hurt no one to obtain his end. If this is right, as I think it is, 
 th( n it will be found by all our institutions of learning, and 
 by such large number of men, or people, that the word suc- 
 cess needs a better, truer definition than the books yet have 
 given us. 
 
 Who was Aaron Burr? There is no case of success so 
 striking as his in this country, till on the morning of July 11, 
 1804, when he killed Hamilton. His father and mother were 
 no ordinary persons. This father was the second president 
 of Princeton college. His wife, Burr's mother, was the daugh- 
 ter of Jonathan Edwards. From such parents Burr inherited 
 more than his share of brains, or intellectual elements. He 
 entered Princeton College at the age of thirteen. He gradu- 
 ated at the age of sixteen, and won laurels over all other stu- 
 dents there. After this, he volunteered in the continental 
 army against Canada. There, with Montgomery, he distin- 
 guished himself. When his commander fell in the field of 
 battle, and they were compelled to retreat. Burr carried his 
 commander's dead body out of the reach of the enemy. His 
 bearing and genius brought him promotion in the army. He 
 was given the command of a regiment. When the revolution 
 ended. Burr settled in Xew York, opened a law office, and 
 married. He was ambitious, aspiring, and, like King Herod, 
 would down any or all obstacles in his way to success, were 
 it frieuti or foe In th.^ destruction of anything or person that 
 stood in his way, he had no element of delicacy nor mercy. 
 
121 
 
 With him, "the end justified the means." Very soon he and 
 Hamilton became the leaders of the Xew York bar — each op- 
 posed to the other, till the people were divided, as to which 
 was the bigger man or the greater lawyer. Bnrr was restles.-i. 
 He wanted everrthing and all things. He would outshine 
 the world of men in his way. So he waded into politics. He 
 became a member of the Xew York legislature. Six years after 
 he became Attorney General of his state. Two yeais after, 
 he became Senator of the United States. One year after, he 
 TN-as nominated for the Supreme Court of that State, which he 
 ■declined. Seven years after, he was voted for as president of 
 the I'nited States — he and Jefferson getting the same number 
 of votes. The election then going to the House of Represent- 
 ativis. Jefferson was elected, and he became Vice President, 
 in -nhich he also distinguished himself for impartial rulings. 
 Yet he is not satisfied. He must be restless. He and Ham- 
 ilton think the world is too small for them both. One must 
 be put out of the way of the other. Envy, tales, slurs are 
 fostered or told Burr to his disadvantage from the side of 
 Hamilton — and so the challenge comes from Burr to Hamil- 
 ton. The duel is had, and Hamilton is mortally wounded. 
 Hamilton's fire, though first was harmless, then Burr took 
 aim and killed. At this point Burr could have done better, 
 by saying, "though I hate you, I spare you to your family." 
 This would demonstrate moral courage and greatness. Then 
 Hamilton's life were spared, and then the world would have 
 never beard, or have been troubled by his adventures, mis- 
 haps, misfortine. and supposed treasons with the afflictions 
 
122 
 
 and ruia of the Hlf'iiui.'vhasseTH. and that Richmond trial that 
 lasted six months, where, at length, he was acquitted, no 
 overt act being proved against him, to make treason. The mo- 
 ment he killed Hamilton, his success ended. This was his 
 Waterloo. Not a spot of God's earth but cried out against 
 him, like the curse of Cain: "Every one who would find him 
 would slay him." Burr, at length, fled to England. The 
 more days he spent there, the more wretched and forsaken 
 he became, while among men in high places he proved himself 
 a master, but over there, with this cursi' on his head, he was 
 as an infant in the way of self-support. He was forced lo 
 roast potatoes in the hot ashes, to satisfy his hunger. A 
 great ship or whale can only sail, or swim in water. Law and 
 politics were the elements Burr could move in and conquer. 
 
 Burr's parents died while he was a youth. No doubt had 
 they lived to old age, they would have taught him the com- 
 mand, "Thou Shalt not kill," or in the words of the wise man, 
 "hurt anybody." Were these principles in the heart of Burr, 
 his career would be a success. Had these parents lived, and 
 said to him, "Son, stand here by us till we teach you the com- 
 mands, judgments and ordinances of God, and let them sink 
 deep into your heart." With these Burr was safe. Without 
 them Burr or any other man on earth is like a ship sailing the 
 ocean without a compass — she must sink, while with the com- 
 pass, its needle forever points to the north — the ship and 
 crew are safe. This compass, this needle, this magnet, is like 
 the conscience of man, perhaps his soul, where the spirit of 
 God is, such man is grand and secure. This body, the temple 
 
123 
 
 of the living God — why should it ever become small, mean, 
 hypocritical? Why should it be a Judas? 
 
 The strangest thing to me in Burr's life is that one can 
 find no where, when he meditates over the past, nor bemoaned 
 lis sad fate, when the world was against him. Nor does he 
 clamor about his being apprehended for treason, in getting 
 up an empire in Mexico^ — nor do we see that he wept when 
 he learned of Thedocia and her child on ship board going to 
 the ocean's bottom. 
 
 It is said that the world does not reason. It looks to 
 the end. It wants the battle won. It does not care for the 
 means. Success or victory is what it wants. To this end it 
 will destroy any obstacle in the way. Powder and bull force 
 and blood are its weapons of warfare. It seems that not 
 many ever think of their end in the amassing of wealth, nor 
 in their achievements for office and honors. The applause 
 of the world is what they are after. In all history I do not 
 know of a man, good or bad, who was more of a success than 
 King Herod. In the making of cities success came to him. 
 In the slaughter of the innocents, the male children of 2 years 
 and under, success came to him. He became a king from his 
 low station as a private citizen, and reigned 37 years. In all 
 that time he proved to be as barbarous as Xero, and cruel as 
 Calligula. Yet, he was a success as the world sees it. In all 
 his war battles success came to him. When the wise men 
 of the East came to Jerusalem to worship the new born King 
 of Israel, he told them to seek his abode, and bring him word, 
 as he also wished to adore Him. He was then King, but see 
 
124 
 
 here how he lied and wanted to deceive these wise men— for 
 he desired to kill the babe. Here his depravity was found 
 out— and so no word was brought him of the abode of the 
 Prince of Peace. 
 
 Herod was a success, for at his death he left wealth in 
 abundance to all his kindred. He left them gold and silver, 
 land and provinces. Of him Josephus says: "When he had 
 done these things, he died, the fifth day after he had caused 
 Antitaler to be slain. Having reigned since he had procured 
 Antigones to be slain thirty-four years, but since he had been 
 declared king by the Roman thirty-seven. A man he was of 
 great barbarity towards all men equally, and a slave to his 
 passion, but above the consideration of what was right. Yet, 
 was favored by fortune as much as any man ever was — for, 
 from a private man he became a king — and though he was en- 
 compassed with ten thousand dangers, he got clear of them 
 all, and continued his life till a very old age. But then as 
 to the affairs of his family and children, in which, indeed, ac- 
 cording to his own opinion, he was also very fortunate, be- 
 cause he was able to conquer his enemies, yet in my opinion 
 he was herein very unfortunate. Y^'hat troubled him most 
 was that he was going to die without being lamented. He 
 wanted a great mourning at his funeral, such as no king ever 
 had before him. As soon as he had given up the ghost, they 
 must place soldiers about the hippodrome, and that all im- 
 prisoned should be shot with their darts, and that this slaugh- 
 ter would bring on a great lamentation from the friends of 
 the slain "and all would take it as a proper mourning at the 
 
125 
 
 funeral of him. The body was canied upon a golden bier, 
 embroidered with very precious stones of great variety, and 
 it was coTered with purple, as well as the body itself. He 
 had a diadem upon his head, and above it a crown of gold. 
 He also had a sceptre in his right hand. About the bier were 
 his sons, and his numerous relations. Xext to them was the 
 soldiery, distinguished according to their several countries, 
 and denominations — and they were put into the following 
 order: First of all went his guards, then the band of Thra- 
 cians, and after them the ( Jermans, and next the band of Gal- 
 lutions, every one in his habiliments of war — and behind them 
 marched the whole army in the same manner as they used to 
 go out to war, and, as they used to be put in array by their 
 muster — masters and centurians. These were followed by 
 five hundred of his domestics carrying spices. So they went 
 eight furlongs to Herodium — for there, by his own command, 
 he was to be buried." 
 
 Now, this is a long passage I quote from this great 
 author of the "Antiquities of the Jews." It will be seen 
 that while he thought this king a hard case — the hardest of 
 his race — yet through life he was in the people's eye a suc- 
 cess. This success was of the flesh, not of the spirit. It was 
 the bear tearing to pieces his victim. He was a slave to 
 his passions, above the consideration of what was right, yet 
 he was always favored by fortune. In all his efforts or under- 
 takings success came to him. Now. in those heathen and bar- 
 barous days, this author did not think him a moral success, 
 because he was above the consideration of right. You see 
 
12(; 
 
 that five days before he died he ordered Antipaler, his own 
 son, to be slain. Then, upon his death, his other order of a 
 jrolden, pompous funeral, aud great mourning, but lest his 
 friends should "go back on him" and not weep over him, all 
 those imprisoned must be shot with their own darts, so that 
 the friends of the slain should weep at this sad act, and then 
 the people would all think the weeping and wailing was for 
 him. HypocricY and deception, like this, is not yet dead in 
 this world. Such is taken for smartness and ability. Where 
 in history is there anything more horrid, and cruel, and un- 
 wise than this? He had been running things in his own way 
 fov forty years, so he thought he must so run things after 
 lie gave up the ghost. His funeral must be more august 
 than any one preceding it. In order to have his death 
 mourned he must slay men. When I was a child, on seeing 
 our; of those glittering funerals, I thought I would like to die, 
 if I could have such a funeral. I knew nothing then of Herod. 
 But in my school days, whenever there was an essay read, 
 or declamation on success, and they were many, I always 
 had before my eye this funeral of Herod. Though I was then 
 too young to think I knew more than Herod, and 
 gave no vent to my thoughts, I now think I was then right, 
 for let me ask where is the utility of that or other wonderful 
 funernls? Somebody must pay for the display. Labor alone 
 tan procure such. Some have to sweat that the funeral may 
 be seen of men. 
 
 Is it not strange that people cannot see truth, justice and 
 utility? They must make display and lamentation over this 
 
127 
 
 tyrant's dead body by bands of music, of various nationalities, 
 and the multitude as well, all in the habiliments of war, en- 
 acting this farce, disgracing human nature. Poor human na- 
 ture had run so low that these very men took a hand in the 
 killing of the Prince of Peace. They could give Herod a 
 funeral, but they would spit in the face of the Son of Man, 
 clamp a crown of thorns down His head, scourge Him, and 
 then spike His hands and feet to a tree, leaving Him there, 
 torn, bleeding, dead; and the descendants of that rabble yet 
 live. Ancient farces are not yet dead, and this world suilers 
 wherever the moral law is broken. Emerson says there is 
 nol a spot on this earth sufficiently concealed to harbor a 
 rogue. In other words, "his sin will find him out." Let it 
 be here recorded for all readers, and all persecution, that 
 such advances the cause of its victim rather than block it. 
 Here it must be recorded that the Jewish nation was not 
 supposed to do as it pleased. That its great Pharsees and 
 scribes were supposed to be great sticklers for the law of 
 Moses. That law was to stone sinners to death, not to nail 
 them to a cross or tree to die. This was the Roman law. So 
 that you see this rabble transgressed their own law, even 
 were the victim only a man. The whole pack from start to 
 finish was a mob — a lawless one without sense, nor mercy. 
 If any one were to be executed they could not by the Jewish 
 law dc so on the cross. Hence the book says: "He that is 
 without sin let him cast the first stone." "The hands of the 
 witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death and 
 afterward the hands of the people." "Bring forth him that 
 
128 
 
 hath ciiised without the camp, and let all that heard him 
 lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation 
 store him." "And he that blasphemeth the name of the 
 Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation 
 shall certainly stone him." "And there came in two men, 
 children of Belial, and sat before him, and the men of Belial 
 witnessed against Is'aboth, in the presence of the people, 
 paying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then thej 
 carried liiiii forth out of the city, and struck him with stones, 
 that he died." 
 
 Tliv-^e quotations from the sacred book show that rabble, 
 that mob, were all law-breakers, were they simply after a 
 plain citizen. The court or sanhedrim itself had prejudged 
 the Son of Man. It acted as detective to bribe his friend and 
 follower, Judas, to betray his night resting place to that 
 court and its soldiery for his apprehension. The witnesses 
 then were not sworn as now. The accusers must first lay 
 hands on the Aictims head, and after that the hands of the 
 people, and let all the congregation stone him to death. 
 
 In the case of King Ahab, where Xaboth refused to sell 
 his ^iiicyaril to him, two false witnesses were procured to 
 show thai poor Naboth blasphemed God and king; and he 
 wa.s taken out and stoned to death, so the king could possess 
 himself of his -sineyard, and confiscate the same. No doubt 
 in his time such "rabblement" thought that king a success. 
 The world's history, the world of civilization, is full from 
 the beginning to the end, of the powerful wicked putting the 
 innocent weak out of the way, with property confiscations. 
 
129 
 
 "Kee'j thee fai- fi'ora a false matter, and the innocent and 
 righteous slay not, for I will not justify the wicked." 
 
 Were I to have power, and from individual success turn 
 to a nation's success, oi the success of the law-maliers, state 
 and national. You know the people think they are cheated. 
 You know they think the law-makers are for helping their 
 own pockets to the people's disadvantage. You know that 
 me" in high places are not looked upon with the same con- 
 fidence and respect which we were taught to do when young. 
 You know that extravagance, hard times, and disturbance 
 generally, each and all become the order of the day. You 
 IvnoA that our law-makers, state and national, travel from 
 home to the capital in the one case and to the capitol in the 
 other with free passes, as though they were better than other 
 men, who must pay as they go, but these former saints are 
 carried free. They, in their own eyes, ride as kings, while in 
 the people's eyes they ride as dead weights. This has become 
 so common and universal with them that some of them have 
 brass enough to argue in its favor. In that case, I quote 
 froni the book: 
 
 "Thou shalt not wrest judgment, thou shalt not respect 
 persons; neither take a gift, for a gift doth blind the eyes 
 of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous." 
 
 "Thou shalt take no gift, for the gift blindeth the wise, 
 and perverteth the words of the righteous." 
 
 "He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but 
 he that hateth gifts shall live." 
 
130 
 
 "A -^vicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert 
 the v.ays of judgment." 
 
 "Surely, oppression maketh a wise man mad, and a gift 
 destroyeth the heart." 
 
 ••'\^ isdom is before him that hath understanding, but the 
 eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth." 
 
 "Many will entreat the favor of the prince, and every 
 man is a friend to him that giveth gifts." 
 
 Now, if these law-breakers can down these quotations 
 by argument, and they show the book I quote from wrong, 
 theu 1 will be ready to repent, and so will the people, for mis- 
 judging them since the war commenced, or since they began 
 to bind the east and west with an iron rail, whereby the syn- 
 dicates, or "the Credit Mobilier," or "The Union Pacific," or 
 "Central Pacific" roads, all names of the same one batch; all 
 steals and robbery of the public lands for their private pock- 
 ets. It Avas then the free jjass iniquity was born. The coun- 
 try has paid dearly in the loss of its lands, and other large 
 subsidies by congress to these regues, whereby selfishness, 
 and siecd, and corrupt legislation are seen in all the states, 
 as -svt'll as federal. The mighty rock that becomes detached 
 from its ancient bed at the top of the mountain rolls down- 
 ward, swifter and swifter, to the valley below at its base; 
 nothing on earth can resist its downward plunge; might be 
 con pared with our downward plunge in these affairs outside 
 the constitution, and the honest methods of legislation by the 
 fathers. Nations rose and fell. Ours has risen; must it go 
 down, too? The one that has gone down has never vet been 
 
131 
 
 resurrected. True, just and wholesome laws, with true, just 
 ;iiid wl'olesonie administration of such laws, can alone per- 
 petual e our institutions. They are the only ones on the 
 earth M-orth the candle and perpetuity. 
 
 Now, you see that in rubbing against these mighty 
 moneyed elements, whose peace and rest must not be dis- 
 turbed by you nor me — because forsooth they say they have 
 made the country what it is — the grandest in the world. 
 They tie the East to the West and North to South with an 
 iron rail — on which they can pass free to the ends of the 
 earth. These great rail syndicates are a ring which is like 
 the horizon^ — you see not its beginning nor end. You see the 
 horizon, and as you reach for it it flies away. And so of the 
 Credit Mobilier, the Pacific, the Pacific Central and so on. 
 My horse is stolen. It is run down. It costs money to hunt 
 the thief. If found, it costs time and labor in the prosecu- 
 tion. It is everybody's business. Nest time I lock the stable. 
 Let the other fellow run down the thief. 
 
 Now, you have seen that so far in my tackling this topic^ 
 Success, I have been after not the small fry but the bigger 
 fish, veritable whales — now standed on dry land to die, un- 
 sung, unhonored and unwept. Truth, justice and utility is 
 my darling object. These are the principles I want covered 
 by this book. These are the principles I would like to see rule 
 the world. You may ask is the world of action void of such? 
 You have not pointed out to us yet any of these beautiful 
 lights of this earth whereby the earth is made better by their 
 having lived in it. Yes, we have had heroes and martvrs. 
 
132 
 
 We have had some that might be said to be the salt of the 
 «arth. You cau imagine these special cases for yourself. 
 
 All my life I noticed that it is the middle class in life 
 tliat is the true success. In th eschool room, and out of it; 
 in war and in peace, for by hard licks, hard work, dash, in- 
 dustry, economy, courage, patience and perseverance, this 
 class makes the world better by their living in it. I now 
 have in mind the scenes of years ago in this state, when one 
 might walk over the best land in the world, but where the 
 habitations were few and far between; where these sturdy 
 ones felled the trees, built fences, cabbins and sheds for them- 
 selves and their cattle, and where they worked, and worked 
 from year to year, the old man and the old woman, and those 
 boys and girls, God bless them, these places I have seen in 
 peace and joy, without a wrangle in months and years to be 
 seen among them. Tliey worked, they were self-sustaining; 
 the.y paid their honest debts. Bankruptcy and suicide were 
 not known. They worked as commanded, "In the sweat of 
 thy face shalt thou eat bread.'' I now want you to know that 
 the eulogies of the world have left this class in the dark. This 
 class, without whose labors in ploughing, planting, cultivat- 
 ing the crops, taking them in to be garnered, and the increase 
 of cattle — this class feeds the world of men. Let these sons 
 of toil "go on a strike" for one or five years, then you may 
 imagin(^ the world's progress and success "played out," and 
 yet who has humbled himself — or rather become wise and 
 ■great enough to record this class the grandest success on 
 God's earth. 
 
133 
 
 "Hurt nobody.'' These short words are not taught in 
 the school room, nor in the church, nor in the family. They 
 should be indelibly lettered in each and all of these places 
 or institutions of learning for the world of men, so the motto 
 might become as dear to them as their very lives. This 
 would teach them that the things to be acquired on this earth 
 to their happiness cannot be acquired by doing evil to others^ 
 I believe I can truly put it here of record for all 
 future generations, and this generation, that no one trans- 
 gressing these words, can, at the same time, be a true gentle- 
 man, or a true lady. Of course, there are some who do not 
 hurt many, but yet they have not the stuff in them to fit them 
 for these accomplishments. I take it that a true gentleman 
 or a true lady, to a great extent, must be born so. They act 
 so because it is their nature. They are unconscious of their 
 charming manners. Are not these a success? A stolid 
 nature "puffed up," with the fat things of earth, may not see 
 much in my thoughts of the gentleman and lady, except their 
 pockets are heavier than their charms. I am not writing for 
 that sort of men; I am after truth, justice and utility. I 
 said before, these were my darkling objects. Without these, 
 no one is a success. 
 
134 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 MONEY. 
 
 This short, simple word is in line with my taxation ques- 
 tion. Taxes must be paid with money. For some years past 
 the people hare been at variance on this question. One part 
 of theui claim that "gold alone should be a legal tender in 
 the payment of debts," and in the same time this same peo- 
 ple say a "silver dollar is as good as a gold dollar," because, 
 they say, it will "buy in the market the same quantity of 
 cotl'ee or sugar or other merchandise that gold buys." The 
 presf all over the country gives us enough of this gab. Sup- 
 pose I have ^1^1,(100 in silver and the same amount in gold coin. 
 Suj pose my house takes fire and is consumed into ashes. 
 These two separate amounts of money are in the blaze. Each 
 is melted into a lump called bullion. Here I have the same 
 quantity of silver and gold 1 had before, but neither metal has 
 on it the stamp. Then what? My silver is worth to me one- 
 half vhat it was worth before, so on it I lose $500; but my 
 gold is Morth to me what it was before the fire, because 1 
 can take it to the mint and have it recoined into money. The 
 low now is so made for gold, but denies this right of coinage 
 to the owner of silver. So here is respect of persons, and re- 
 spect of these metals shown. The rich man with the gold is 
 I'avorcd by the law, while the poor man with the silver is re- 
 
135 
 
 pudiated. In the history of this country previous to the year 
 1873 these two metals worked side by side, each as good as 
 the other, and each being a legal tender in payment of detbs. 
 This was true of this country even before it became free and 
 independent as the United States from that of Great Britain. 
 These two metals worlied side by side in the colonies and in 
 Great Britain for 700 years before the country was called 
 the United States. In Stephen's first volume of "The War 
 Between the States" is this: "Thirteen of those bodies, now 
 Ifnown as states of the Union, were originally, or before the 
 date of our common history, colonies of Great Britain. Some 
 of there were known as Provincial Colonies, some Proprietary 
 and seme Charter Colonies, but all colonies of Great Britain. 
 These thirteen colonies were New Hampshire, Massachusetts, 
 Connecticut, Ehode Island, New York, New Jersey, Dela- 
 ware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, 
 Sorth Carolina and Georgia. These were all distinct politi- 
 cal organizations, having no connection whatever between 
 each other, except that the inhabitants of all were common 
 subjects of the Government of Great Britain. They were all 
 planted at different times, and had different forms of gov- 
 eriments. The charter of the Virginia Government was the 
 oldest : it dates back to 1606. The charter of the last of these 
 colonies was that of Georgia; it was granted in 1732. These 
 colonies as stated, were all separate and distinct political 
 bodies, without any direct permanent political connection be- 
 tween them till 1771." "The colonies did accordingly send 
 up deputies to another congress as recommended, which as- 
 
136 
 
 sembled on the 10th of May, 1775. All the thirteen colonieij 
 aboTO stated were represented by delegates in this assem- 
 blage. This is the congress by which the first permanent 
 union between the colonies was formed. At first, as their 
 predecessor, they adopted various measures and recommen- 
 dations for the relief of grievances, which failing, they came 
 to the conclusion finally, on the Fourth day of July, 1776, 
 that the only hope for the inalienable as well as chartered 
 liberty of each was for all to throw off their allegiance to 
 the r.ritish Crown, and to declare their separate independ- 
 ence of it." 
 
 So far it is seen that the colonies were governed by Great 
 Britain, and that her money alone was deemed legal in them. 
 Now, what was that money? Gold and silver coin. Black- 
 stone, 1st vol., 276: "As money is the medium of commerce, 
 it is the king's prerogative, as the arbiter of domestic com- 
 merce, to give it authority, or make it current. Money is a 
 universal medium, or common standard, by comparison with 
 which the values of all merchandise may be ascertained; or 
 it is a sign which represents the respective values of all 
 commodities. Metals are Avell calculated for this sign, be- 
 cause they are durable, and capable of many subdivisions, 
 and a precious metal is still better calculated for this method, 
 becaus? it is the most portable. A metal is also the most 
 propi'i- for a common measure because it can easily be re- 
 duced to the same standard in all nations, and every particu- 
 lar nation fixes on it its own impression, that the weight and 
 
137 
 
 standard (wherein consists the intrinsic value) may both be 
 known by inspection only." 
 
 "The coining of money is in all states the act of the 
 sovereign power, for the reason that the value may be known 
 by inspection, and with respect to coinage there are three 
 things to be considered — the impression, the materials and 
 the denomination. With regard to the materials, Hir Edward 
 Coke lays it down that the money of England must lie 
 of gold or silver, and none other was ever issued by the royal 
 authority till 1G72, when copper farthings and half pence 
 were coined by King Charles 11. The king's prerogative does 
 not extend to debasing or enhancing the value of the coin 
 below or a.bove the sterling value." 
 
 In his 4th vol., page 84, is this: "The sixth species of 
 treason under this article is, if a man counterfeit the king's 
 money, and if a man bring false money into the realm, coun- 
 terfeit to the money of England, knowing the money to be 
 false to merchandise, and make payments with all. As to the 
 first branch — counterfeiting the king's money. This is trea- 
 son, whether the false money be uttered in payment or not. 
 Also if the king's own minters after the standard or alloy 
 established by law, it is treason. But gold and silver money 
 only are held to be within the statute." 
 
 In page 88 of same: "With regard to treasons relative 
 to the coin or other royal signatures, we may recollect that 
 the only two offenses respecting the coinage which are made 
 treason by State 2.j, Edward 3, are the actual counterfeiting 
 of gold and silver coin of this kingdom, or the importing of 
 
138 
 
 such counterfeiting money with intent to alter it, knowing 
 it to be false. But these not being found sufficient to restrain 
 the evil practices of coiners and false moneyers — other 
 statutes have been since made for that purpose. The crime 
 itself is made a species of high treason, as being a breach of 
 allegiance by infringing the king's prerogative, and assuming 
 one of the attributes of the sovereign, to whom alone it be- 
 longs to, set the value and denomination of coin made at 
 home, or to fix the currency of foreign money. And besides, 
 as all money which bears the stamp of the kingdom is sent 
 into the world upon the public faith, as containing metal of 
 particular weight and standard, whoever falsifies this is an 
 offender against the state, by contributing to render that pu- 
 lic faith suspected, and upon the same reasons by a law of 
 the Emperor Constaine, false coiners were declared guilty 
 of high treason, and were condemned to be burned alive — as 
 by the laws of Athens, all counterfieiters, debasers and dimin- 
 ishers of the current coin were subjected to capital punish- 
 ment. However, it must be owned that this method of rea- 
 soning is a little overstrained, counterfeiting or debasing the 
 coin being usually practiced rather for the sake of private 
 and unlawful lucre than out of any disaffection to the sover- 
 eign — and, therefore, both this and its kindred species of 
 treason, that of counterfeiting the seals of the crown or other 
 royal signatures, seem better denominated by that of the 
 crime of forgery — which is made high treason." 
 
 I have now shown from Stephens' history of the war, 
 that from 1606 to 1732, the kings of England were granting 
 
139 
 
 charters to the colonists, and that the government of (xreat' 
 Britain ruled them to the time of JuIt 4, ITTd, making 170' 
 years, while the time made from the Declaration of Independ- 
 ence to the present is only 122 years. The last is a short 
 time, too short to go bacli in gratitude on the patroits of the 
 Eerolution, who with their Washington won the battles over 
 the British crown, and compelled Lord Cornwallis to fly from 
 these shores eastward to his own, never to return. Xow, by 
 the law of nations, the moment the British were defeated, 
 that moment, the sovereignty of the king vested in the peo- 
 ple of this country, and this sovereignty (ir jiowcr was put in 
 the form of the Federal Constitution, which says that: Con- 
 gress shall coin money" and regulate its value. This <;.'ou- 
 gress is not omnipotent, like Parliament. It is the agent 
 to do such things as the Constitution tells them. That in- 
 strument does not tell them to demonetize silver and take the 
 unit measure of values from it, and confine it to gold — making 
 it only a legal tender in payment of debts. Congress is au- 
 thorized to coin money. Money includes gold and silver coin. 
 These two coins were the legal tenders of Great Britain away 
 back in the 12th century. The patriots knew what money 
 was. And so in the Constitution they tell Congress what to 
 do. And it did make gold and silver coin the measure of all 
 values, of all commodities, and the silver dollar the unit, each 
 legal tender in payment of debts. The silver dollar was made 
 with 371^ grains of pure .silver, and gold at one-fifteenth of 
 that weight, which was again changed to one-sixteenth — that 
 means 16 to 1. In other words, one ounce of gold was made 
 
140 
 
 equivalent to 16 ounces of silver. It was found that the Lord 
 made these metals in these proportions in the earth covering 
 the globe — so this is the reason of the one being so much 
 heavier than the other. 
 
 Now, this was the money of this country till the year 
 1873, when the great crime of the nineteenth century was per- 
 petrated by John Sherman and his followers — so that Eng- 
 land might lend us her gold, and have us in her 
 debt, as was done not long since under President Cleve- 
 land to the tune of |262,000,000— that old tyrant government 
 ■^'getting fat" at our expense. And while all this roguery and 
 meanness are going on — we hear these advocates blow "We 
 are the greatest country on earth." This useless 'i)lowing" 
 has no more sense or bottom to it than the singing of "John 
 Brown's body lies moldering in the dust, and his soul goes 
 inarching on." 
 
 This question is like mathematics. If one has never 
 studied and learned the working of arithmetic, he does not 
 know the book. If he has never studied Algebra, or Geom- 
 etry or Philosophy, or Chemistry, he does not know these 
 books. He knows nothing but what he knows. And today 
 the country is full of these "gabby,'' impudent, braggarts talk- 
 ing, and teaching political economy, and blowing about the 
 virtues of gold. She is a "lady, a queen;" silver, is a "she 
 bastard" and a slump. There is not a week but what one 
 may see some young man, who has got a scattering of these, 
 our new-fashioned notions, out of schools paid for by public 
 taxation, who thinks himself so "smart," away above his an- 
 
141 
 
 cestors of the log cabin, v.ho worked for an honest living. 
 Did not commit suicide, learned to labor, learned to patiently 
 wait for crops to grow whereby they were self-sustaining; you 
 ask this smart young man to tell you the difference between 
 a phrase and a clause, then his mouth is shut, he cannot an- 
 swer. This smart young man never learned the reason of 
 things. So it is of those men who demonetized silver in 1873. 
 They were more intent in helping their own pockets, riding 
 with free passes, destroying with an act of Congress one-half 
 the money of the country, and leaving the other half — gold, 
 in the hands of monopoly and enriched scalpers, while a big 
 part of the country or party proclaim, like the Jews of old, 
 "Great is Diana of the Ephesians;" "Great is John Sherman." 
 If men in Congress could only look at this (juestion con- 
 stitutionally see that it was by the whole people, after a war 
 of eight years, and that this Congress is the people's agent 
 to do what it is ordered, just as a clerk or farm hand does 
 for his employer, and so when the people say "Congress shall 
 coin money," it does not empower Congress to destroy one- 
 half that money. The destruction of our silver coin is un- 
 just, wicked and ungodly. When my quotations frora- 
 Blackstone are properly weighed, this position is 
 demonstrated. As the power to coin or make money 
 is first in the king — the king losing this power by 
 war, the war won, then money-making power is 
 vested in the i^eople, and this money is gold and silver coin. 
 All other kinds of stuff as promises to i)ay must be redeemed j 
 some time in this money, not in gold alone, nor in. silver alone, 
 
142 
 
 but in money; that is, gold and silver coin. What is the use 
 of coining money unless it is as Blackstone says, "known by 
 inspection." Men in trading had better exchange their 
 things with each other, and do business without money, than 
 to be thus humiliated and robbed by their Congressional ser- 
 vants, who have become their evil masters. 
 
 You will notice that Blackstone even says the king's pre- 
 rogative does "not extend to debasing or enhancing the value 
 of the coin below or above the sterling value." That govern- 
 ment made the counterfeiting of their coin treason and death, 
 and here, it says: "But gold and silver money only are held 
 to be within the statute." This demonstrates that these two 
 metals were the nation's money, and all other kinds of circu- 
 lation as money, were to be redeemed, but not treason or 
 death for counterfeiting them. 
 
 When I see Blackstone on this question, and see how at 
 Athens counterfeiters, debasers, diminishers of this mouey 
 were subjected to capital punishment, and by the Emperor 
 Constantine were burned alive, I begin to think why indict 
 and convict a poor fellow for stealing a jackass and send him 
 to the penitentiary and at the same time worship John Sher- 
 man, who worked for the destruction of silver full twenty 
 years before it was accomplished — instead of having some 
 method to transport him lieyoud the boundaries of the United 
 States, whose mouey he has virtually destroyed. His act 
 should be tested by the Supreme Court, where it must be de- 
 •cided that the act of isl?, is wholly void. 
 
 The act is this: "That the gold coins of the United 
 
143 
 
 States shall be a one dollar piece, wlnob at the standard 
 weight of twenty-five and eight-tenth grains, shall be the 
 unit of value." Also, it deprived persons owning silver from 
 its being coined in the United States mint as was done be- 
 fore, and destroyed its legal tender value, except as to the 
 amount of five dollars. At the time this was done it was 
 known that the silver in one coined dollar was worth $1.02. 
 So there was no necessity for a revision of our money at all. 
 It is clear that where one had some silver bullion, and he 
 could have it coined into dollars at the rate of 371 1-4 grains, 
 no one would be fool enough to sell his silver in the lump 
 cheaper than this, or say fifty cents on the dollar, as I have 
 shown in my example of my house on fire and my silver 
 melted. To make the gold dollar the unit of value was simply 
 foolish, because gold was so made by England long since, 
 and that would cure any defect in that metal in this country. 
 I will show hereafter Englands law in that respect. Congress 
 virtually said: "Silver can go" on the market; those who 
 will may buffet the "bastard thing." It is only fit for the 
 "common trash, anyhow." "It must get out of the way." 
 The bankers and the grand class want gold alone to do busi- 
 ness with. "The people have no sense anyhow." 
 
 How could congress, or any of its members, who know 
 anything of human government the world over, dare to lay 
 hands on silver, the money of the people in all time? How, I 
 say, could they dare to destroy that money and yet live? 
 Why, one can look over The Antiquities of the Jews, a rec- 
 cord made and narrated by Josephus of five thousand years, 
 
144 
 
 ■when during all that time gold and silver were used as money 
 — sometimes in bulk, as is seen at the mines; sometimes coin- 
 ed. And so in this book may be seen where Herod left to his 
 kin and Caesar millions of coined silver at his death, about 
 the time of the Savior, being twelve centuries before history 
 begins with England's kings. "And now Herod altered his 
 testament upon the alteration of his mind, for he appointed 
 Antipas, to whom he had before left the kingdom, to be 
 tetrarch of Galilee and Greece, and granted the kingdom to 
 Archelaus. He also gave Gaulonites and Trachonites and 
 Caneas to Philip, who was his son, but own brother to Arche- 
 laus, by the name of , and bequeathed .Jamnia and 
 
 Ashtod and Phasaelis to Salome, his sister, with five hun- 
 dred thousand (drachmae) of silver that was coined. He also 
 made provision for all the rest of his kindred by giving them 
 sums 'of money and annual revenue, and so he left them all 
 in a wealthy condition. He bequeathed also to d'aesai- ten 
 millions (of drachmae) of coined money, besides both vessels 
 of gold and silver, and garments exceedingly costly. To 
 Julia, Caesar's wife, and to certain others, five millions." 
 
 This book I am quoting here shows that even Herod, the 
 wicked tyrant of the world, loved and respected silver, coined 
 silver, and left it to his kin, and to Caesar, and to Caesar's 
 wife, and through them Caesar ruled the whole world. He 
 did not lay impious hands upon silver, the money of Herod, 
 and of Moses, and of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, 
 and of Joseph, and of Phareoh, and of David, and of Solomon, 
 and the rest of the Patriarchs and kings. This blow of death 
 
145 
 
 to silver in the land of the American eagle, the only land on 
 earth to-day that is worth saving for human liberty. This 
 blow was struck by twenty years' work of John Sherman in 
 the hands of the lords of Great Britain. That chaste, beauti- 
 ful and wise English writer, Addison knew what he was 
 about when he said: "Gold is a wonderful clearer of the 
 understanding. It dissipates every doubt and scruple in an 
 instant, accommodates itself to the meanest capacities, si- 
 lences the loud and clamorous, and brings over the most 
 obstinate and inflexible. Phillip, of Macedon, refuted by it all 
 the wisdom of Athens, confounded their statesmen, struck 
 their orators dumb, and at length argued them out of their 
 liberty." 
 
 Here I venture a prediction: The time must yet come in 
 this country when the "Sherman law" must die, and then we 
 shall see our money, gold and silver, recognized, as was seen 
 before the year 1S73. Then we shall see the constitution as 
 to money respected, and set to rights once more before all 
 the people. I would again remind congress that she is not 
 omnipotent as parliament. She is a creature of the people; 
 parliament is not a creature of the people, but is on earth 
 there, omnipotent. She can depose and hang kings, as she 
 has done. I do not indorse it. I am writing history. Con- 
 gress can impeach, but it cannot hang the president, nor any- 
 body else. It might be said they have not enough power in 
 this line to hang a dog. 
 
 It is my opinion this work of evil will go on, while wealth 
 and power are worshiped instead of right and justice; 
 
146 
 
 while our servants ride with free passes, but we, their mas- 
 ters, must pay or walli. It is my opinion no man can long 
 work on earth half good and half evil, half truth and half 
 lies. The good forces in man must dominate sooner or later, 
 or the bad forces will do so. We cannot serve the people 
 and serve monopoly. We cannot be friends to the very rich 
 and friends to the poor at the same time. No man should 
 do evil, that good may follow. So the advocates of the Sher- 
 man measure argue in that way. The constitution is not 
 their text book. Smartness, impudence, foolish progress is 
 their watchword. The constitution is binding on all, or none. 
 In the old law of Moses "the wages of sin was death." I 
 would indorse death for any member of congress breaking 
 the constitution. Thinking, reading patriots have lost confi- 
 dence in their legislative servants in this country. For my 
 part I can truly and honestly make one exception — that 
 is, of one I never saw — Senator Vest, of Missouri. His polit- 
 ical record in the senate, so far as I know, is pure and with- 
 out a stain. 
 
 Shortly after the making of the Constitution, when the 
 patriots of the revolution yet lived, in 1792, the money act 
 was made by congress fixing the coining of gold and silver 
 at the mint by the owners of such metals, making 371 1-4 
 grains of pure silver, with some alloy, and this remained the 
 silver dollar law to the year 1873; that was a legal tender in 
 payment of debts, as well as that of gold, which was 23 2-10 
 grains to the dollar. 
 
 To show you farther; nay, to still demonstrate that gold 
 
147. 
 and silver money was the money of Great Britain and the 
 colonies before and through the Revolution, in 1816, her Par- 
 liament demonetized silver, leaving gold alone her legal ten- 
 der in payment of debts. So, you see, if silver by law was 
 not as good as gold, there would then be no occasion, or sense 
 in making an act to demonetize it. As this Parliament is 
 omnipotent, she can do any legislation she wishes, and the 
 courts must not rule them void, as ours may rule acts of Con- 
 gress void, as in the late income law. Parliament found that 
 this act of 1816 was not enough to down silver, and bolster 
 up that of gold. In the time of Peel, of whom O'Connell 
 quized as being a lineal descendant of the impenitent Jew, 
 a still further act was made to renew the charter of the Bank 
 of England, and compel the bank, its own agent, to pay ^3.17 
 9 pence for every ounce of pure gold, or standard offered at 
 its counter. So that any gold taken to that bank in the lump 
 or in bullion is paid for per pure ounce at the above sum of 
 money. This is her law- today. This is what gives gold its 
 stability, and not anything inherent in it over that of silver. 
 Xow, if gold were mined like coal, or quarried like rock, Eng- 
 land is bound by that law, till its repeal, or she becomes bank- 
 rupt. She must pay 3 pounds IT shillings and 9 pence each 
 pure ounce of gold. That being the law of Great Britain, 
 who rules India with 2.52,000,000 of people, so many of them 
 now starving, rules Canada, New Zealand and Australia, en- 
 circles the globe with her ships, guns, tyranny and power — 
 where, I say, was the sense, justice, or reason for the act of 
 1873 making gold the unit of measure, and only legal tender. 
 
148 
 
 The Peel act of 1844 fixed that. If Sherman had one spark 
 of the fathers of the Constitution— if he had one drop of 
 gratitude in his heart for these, our institutions — he would 
 not have been the father of that diabolism, that un-American 
 bastard, which must ere long die, without burial or a tear 
 shed for the unholy act of 1873. Any thinking man must see 
 the act was made to help England, because gold could not 
 down with this Peel act to perpetuate its price. The mon- 
 opoly is seen in all this action. It is that the rich class shall 
 become richer, and the world of poor poorer, and that the few 
 may own the country at large, as is done East of the At- 
 lantic. 
 
 Here you may ask, how can England, or her bank, buy 
 all the gold of the world? She does it in this way. Sup- 
 pose you take a ton of gold there at one time, you can not 
 break her. This bank pays you for it at once at the above 
 price. You may think this will break the concern. Not at 
 all. The act fixes it so that notes may be demanded for gold 
 bullion, at the above rates, and so the bank is empowered to 
 issue her bank notes for its purchase, which is redeemable 
 in gold coin, afterwards, when such paper money goes the 
 rounds of the world. Again, this bank supplies the royal 
 mint with the gold it may want to coin. So you can see the 
 concern cannot break. The bank, the Parliament, the crown, 
 or the government are all one piece to down anything, and 
 all things on earth in their way as obstructions. And so it is 
 with that piece of human government that the act of 1873 
 was made, so that the tyrant's grasp could be more crushing 
 
149 
 
 on our people than in the days of the Revolution. It is high 
 time for us to know England. See her in the days of the 
 late war — in those of Lincoln and Seward in the Mason and 
 Sidell affair, who were agents of the confederacy on the 
 way to Europe, England and France, in reference to the block- 
 ade as well as those of neutrals and belligerents, so as to 
 get England and France in their sympathy and faror, in that 
 war. These commissioners, with their secretaries, were on 
 board the British mail steamer Trent, between Havana and 
 St. Thomas, when they were seized by Captain Wilkes, of the 
 United States Xavy, commanding the San Jacinto, and were 
 carried to Fort Warren, Boston Harbor, where they were 
 confined as prisoners. As soon as England heard of this, 
 she creates a war excitement among her people. And her 
 troops and ships of war were instantly ordered to Canada. 
 In the meantime a demand was made for the surrender of 
 these men by the British government, including an apology 
 in ten days. The lion was mad. It thought it would take 
 ten days for its troops to reach Canada, and so President 
 Lincoln and Secretary Seward could have that brief time to 
 make up their minds to surrender these confederate commis- 
 sioners — or have war. Of course, the demand was complied 
 with, as it was not prudent then to fight the British lion. 
 How friendly then was her action? How meek and lovely 
 is this, our English cousin. It was then that her men of war 
 at Canada cast overboard tons of rotten cabbages, which 
 since has proved to cover the country over with the cabbage 
 fly or worms. This Trent affair and the cabbage worms T 
 
150 
 
 specially dedicate to John Sherman, and I hope he will read 
 this, my book, as I have read his, and will pledge my honor, 
 mine is wiser, deeper, safer, more American, and a better 
 friend to the people, than his. This being so, of necessity it 
 must live, when his is dead. This book can not die till the 
 Constitution is respected and loved, and silver restored to its 
 former power under the Constitution. 
 
 You have seen what Blackstone, the English author, says 
 on money. Xow I quote from an American author, Bonvier's 
 Law r»irtionary: "Gold, silver and some other less precious 
 metals, in the progress of civilization, and commerce, have 
 become the common standards of value, in order to avoid the 
 delay and inconveniences of regulating their weight aud 
 quality whenever passed, the governments of the civilized 
 world have caused them to be manufactured in certain por- 
 tions, and marked with a stamp, which attests their value — 
 this is called money." 
 
 "The Constitution of the United States has vested in 
 Congress the power to 'coin money, and regulate the value 
 thereof.' " 
 
 Act of April 2, 1792, for coining at the mint gold and 
 silver, then an act of June 21, 1S34, that all standard gold 
 and silver deposited for coinage, shall be paid for in coin, 
 under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, within 
 five days from the making of such deposit — deducting from 
 the amount of said deposit of gold and silver one-half of one 
 per centum; then the weight of both metals is given in grains. 
 Thus that the silver coins heretofore issued at the mints of 
 
151 
 
 the United States continue to be legal tenders of payment 
 and the gold coins issued since the 31st of July, 1834,, shall 
 for the nominal values cm the same terms. Then it provides 
 for counterfeiting the coin, making it felony and penitentiary. 
 You see this American author says the money is manu- 
 factured, and marked with a stamp which attests its value. 
 So the gold and silver each is marked with a stamp, and this 
 is called money. Can the advocates of the single gold tender 
 in payment of debts, down this author? How long is treach- 
 ery, corruption, and treason to the common people and the 
 Constitution going to last as against the arguments here 
 made on the side of the two metals — both working in union, 
 harmony and health, as is seen the joint action of husband 
 and wife — united they stand; divided, they fall. 
 
 I would ask the world to notice, for the world of taxa- 
 tion is more or less interested in money. I would ask them to 
 notice that in thf-se line passages from that great English 
 author, and also not less great this American author, for he 
 was th',' author of other law books than his dictionary. I 
 say, I ask them to mark and never forget it that these authors 
 in speaking of gold and silver call it by the short, simple 
 word or noun, "Money." You see no words or adjectives pre- 
 fixed to qualify or limit the word money. Blackstone uses 
 the word "false" to money when it is counterfeit, that is 
 where it is counterfeited he calls it "false money." Eight here 
 are the gold advocates challenged as false statesmen in of- 
 fice, or out of office, who resort to mean and untrue adjectives, 
 so as to create a prejudice in the minds of the people in 
 
152 
 
 favor of one metal and against the other. Even President 
 Cleveland had a hand in the business. "Sound money," 
 "Honest money," "Debased money," "Fifty-cent dollar," 
 "Honest dollar," "A dollar good the vs^orld over," "A dollar 
 that is. n dollar though its burned or melted or hammered," 
 "The dollar of our fathers," "Free Silver." This kind of talk 
 about money is simply trash. It is unworthy to be uttered 
 by any scholar or student of history. Xo citizen v?ho is not 
 prejudiced and uncultured can be found to have these foolish 
 adjectives and phrases in his mouth about money. Time will 
 set all things right. This question must at length be settled 
 on the constitutional side; on the side of the people and the 
 side of the revolutionary patriots. Xow it is on the side of 
 the kings of the earth. God yet reigns, and the just, wise 
 and bra'se, though often scouted and crushed, must in the 
 end win. 
 
 The history of the vvorld shows that silver has always 
 been the money of the common people, and gold of the rich 
 and few. It also shows that the act of 1816 and that of 1841 
 by parliameit did not succeed in drowning silver, or making 
 it of infei'ior value in legal tenders in this country. So that 
 from 1792 to the year 1873, a period of 81 years, silver was as 
 good as gold. No one could call it a "bastard" thing. I 
 would remind the advocates of the single standard that gold 
 and silver, as money, procured us Florida at |5,000,000. Gold 
 and si.ver as money, procured us the Louisiana purchase at 
 §15 000,000. Gold and silver as money procured us Alaska 
 at 112,000,000. Gold and silver as money fought the Mexican 
 
153 
 
 war and procured all that land west and north of the Louisi- 
 ana purchase. This was procured from Mexico; and then it 
 was that while Brigham Young had fled from persecution 
 from Illinois to that spot now Utah, it was then Mexican 
 territory. Gold and silver run Jackson in defeating the Brit- 
 ish forces at New Orleans. And yet, good God, why do men 
 pretending to be Americans, preach, "a flfty-cent dollar." I 
 am not ready to go to war with this kind of people. 1 am 
 not ready to agree that kings and lords must govern and own 
 all nations. I am not ready to agree that labor has no rights 
 that the rich are bound to respect. But I am ready to allege 
 and demonstrate that the act of 1873 is unconstitutional and 
 void — in demonetizing silver. I am ready to aver that any 
 man having now some silver bullion may take it to the United 
 States mint, demand its deposit, and its coining into dollars 
 under that old law shown from Bouvier. And, then, of 
 course, as the custodian of the mint would refuse to comply 
 with this demand, then this man may petition the proper 
 Court for redress, by asking a writ of mandamus to compel 
 the coinage of that silver. Then, under this constitutional 
 issue, it would soon be discovered whether yet there remained 
 to us any Marshall or Taney on that bench. It seems to me, 
 here is an opening for any patriot of means and constitutional 
 courage, to make an issue which could not be inferior to any 
 issue Webster ever tried. Why waste time with the press 
 and small men, bought men, on this question, talking fool- 
 ishly on such mighty questions, when the people in the Con- 
 stitution say: ''Congress shall coin money,"' that is gold and 
 
154 
 
 silver. To discriminate between tliem, making one lawful, 
 the other not, is the breach. To make gold alone instead of 
 both metals the legal tenders in payment of debts, is the 
 breach and crime of 1873. 
 
 When the Constitution says: "Congress shall coin 
 money, and it did coin both gold and silver as the money, not 
 the plural noun, monies. The patriots would have used the 
 plural noun monies in the Constitution, if they thought these 
 were two separate, distinct metals under all laws of the world 
 previous. They were not fools, nor rogues. They were men, 
 true and brave. If the patroits thought these two sejiarate, 
 distinct things — separate, distinct metals under the law — 
 then they would have said: "Congress shall coin monies." 
 They say it shall coin money, and it coined the two metals 
 as one. Then it is simply and truly and grammatically a 
 collective noun singular, as an army, containing many per- 
 sons — or a flock of sheep or birds, containing many sheep and 
 birds, yet singular in army or flock of sheep, or flocking birds. 
 Xot armies, flocks of sheep or flocks of birds, these latter be- 
 ing collective nouns plural. Nothing but the extremest cor- 
 ruption could go to work to break our Constitution, and 
 make one metal a legal tender, which already was nursed 
 and saved by the acts of the British Parliament of lsl6 and 
 1844, before shown. By this method of two metals in circu- 
 lation, one gold backed by law, the other silver to take care 
 of itself, contracts can be made, and riches got by monop- 
 olists to the ruin of the people or producers. The silver now 
 in a dollar is worth 50 cents. The Mexican dollar worth here 
 
155 
 
 50 cents. Suppose England takes a shipload of stuff, say 
 silk or other merchandise to Mexico. She says to Mexico, 
 I will sell you my stuff and buy your coffee. Agreed. The 
 stuff is sold then, for which the European must be paid in 
 gold. He buys the coffee at six or eight cents a pound, and 
 he pays the Mexican in his own silver dollars, which he had 
 bought on the market for 50 cents per dollar. So here is a 
 profit to the Englishman in every move, and a loss to the 
 Mexican. This is done because of our legal money by law — 
 the other outlawed by its friends. This is all honest in the 
 Englishman's eyes. This is all statesmanship in the eyes 
 of John Sherman. If both metals were standard, or debt pay- 
 ing, this wrong and injustice could not possibly be perpe- 
 trated, for as is done by the English-Mexican case, so it is 
 ■done in this country of seventy millions population. 
 
 It is sadly notorious that the constitution is not deemed 
 a necessary command to us to stand by. This heresy is be- 
 coming greater as days and years go by since the war. This 
 •covenant our fathers left us after eight years of war with 
 Great Britain we should forever guard and defend as Moses 
 did the ordinances, commands and judgments of God in the 
 igovernment of the Hebrews, who promised them the blessing 
 on their basket and their store, to obey the commands, while 
 to disobey them would be their destruction. The violation 
 of this constitution by members of Congress, in destroying 
 'our money, if not soon cured and restored, will prove our de- 
 struction as a people. By Jewish disobedience to the sacred 
 
156 
 
 word these old people were kept in the wilderness forty years, 
 dying there, but leaving after them a new generation, who 
 were, with Joshua and Caleb, permitted to enter the prom- 
 ised land "flowing with milk and honey." By the breaking 
 of this constitution in the act of 1873 it has resulted in de- 
 based currency, diminished wealth, brought forth swarms 
 of tramps, broken banks and bankruptcy, broken confidence 
 between the people and those who legislate, great and uni- 
 versal labor strikes, great riots, which the army is called forth 
 to suppress. 
 
 All these things, all these new scenes in this republic 
 have been born and bred since the act of 1873 got life. It is 
 the Pandora box of all our woes. 
 
 While all this trouble goes on, increasing more and more 
 with time since the void act of 1873 — strange it is that no one 
 is found to admit who fathered that act, that it was in viola- 
 tion of the constitution. They know there is yet an instinct 
 in the people to stand by that document, though at the same 
 time, the document is broken by all those who stand by the 
 single standard. 
 
 I have shown that it is the province of the sovereign 
 power to make or "coin money." It is in the people of this 
 country. They command Congress to "coin money." They 
 also command "that no State shall coin money, emit bills of 
 credit, nor make anything but gold and silver coin a tender in 
 payment of debts." This was done in the Federal Constitu- 
 tion. Here it is seen no state shall coin money, emit bills 
 of credit, nor make anything a tender to pay debts but gold 
 
157 
 
 and silver coin. This constitution being still in force in this 
 country, where is the power given Congress to say that the 
 legal tender of each state in the payment of debts shall be 
 ^'gold coin" alone? Congress draws its life, its only force or 
 power from what is granted it in that constitution. While it 
 acts within its provisions, its acts are law, when it acts out- 
 side its provisions, as it did in the act of 1ST.3, then their act 
 is void, and of no effect. No one bound to obey it, and so I 
 take it that gold and silver coin money, under the Constitu- 
 tion and the money law by Congress of 1792 and 1831 are still 
 in full force and effect, because these two acts are constitu- 
 tional, but the act of 1873 is unconstitutional and void — and 
 so it is of no more force in this country than the late Con- 
 gress income act, shown to be void by the Supreme Court. 
 
 The advocates of the single standard say: "Xo one is 
 hurt by the act of 1878, because there is more silver than we 
 ever had, and each dollar as good as a gold dollar." 
 
 I answer: Every one, the whole country, is hurt, when 
 Congress enacts a law which is unconstitutional and void, as 
 was seen in the income act, when swarms of United States 
 servants were thought to enter the states and make individual 
 assessment on the rich, and harrass them with impertinent 
 questions as regards their riches, when, if not answered sat- 
 isfactorily, then the terrors of the prison would be their end. 
 Xo one has informed us the many thousands and tens of 
 thousands of dollars that void act cost this country. I would 
 vote that for every void law enacted in State or Federal, those 
 who make such, shall forfeit their share of the cost, and that 
 
158 
 
 it be taken out of their separate salaries. 1 have already 
 shown where I am robbed when my silver is melted by fire. 
 I now will give another example where the single standard 
 hurts. Suppose I owe |1,000. It is secured by mortgage on 
 realty. It is now due. This single advocate says I can pay 
 it in these silver dollars. Yes, but suppose I have not the 
 money? Then I ask for an extension of time. The creditor 
 says yes, but I must have a note payable in gold coin. Then 
 what? My necessity compels me to submit. The mortgage 
 and note are so made payable in gold coin. Then what? 
 Where am I going to get the gold? God only knows, and the 
 oppressor cares not. The mortgaged home must go, and yet 
 no one is hurt by the single standard. Suppose I try to get 
 the gold to pay off the mortgage. This creditor, who may 
 be one of a ring monopoly corner gold, will then pretend 
 friendship, and tell me his friend over the way will let me 
 have the gold at a certaiu premium — when this friend over 
 the way is one of the ring, or his own agent, and vet no one 
 is hurt. This is a method where one reaps where he has not 
 sown, and eats whei'e he has not labored. "As the partridge 
 sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not, so he that getteth 
 riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his 
 days, and at his end shall be a fool." 
 
159 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 THE NEW COURT HOUSE. 
 
 In the county clerk's office of Macoupin county are the 
 dockets of the county judges, or county commissioners' court, 
 that built the Macoupin court house. In book "E" of the 
 March term, 1867, page 259, I find this: "Ordered that A. 
 McKim Dubois, Geo. H. HoUiday, be associated with T. L. 
 Loomis, county judge, and Isham J. Peebles, associate judge, 
 to erect a new court house in the city of Carlinville. The 
 foundation of said court house is to be erected this year, and 
 the building to be completed before the expiration of the term 
 of office of the present county court. Said court house is not 
 to be commenced until there is sufficient money in the county 
 treasury to pay the present indebtedness of the county. Or- 
 dered that the levy for the purpose of building the court house 
 be flTe mills on the dollar on all property in the county, both 
 real and personal, for the year 1SG7." "Yowell, Associate 
 Judge, dissenting.'' 
 
 Here is the first order of that court, from which has 
 sprung countless troubles, much ill-feeling, and dissatisfac- 
 tion generally in the county. As I now obtain my facts from 
 the records in this county, and as I have naturally traveled 
 towards the afi'airs of this court house, upon the tax question, 
 which, heretofore, was to me all in the dark, for it is dark- 
 
160 
 
 ness to attempt to know anything truly, by "hearsay." Yon 
 might as well teach a boy arithmetic, or the mathematics, 
 by lecturing him on them. His eyes, hands, slate, pencil, 
 book, time, labor, perseverance, or a will to do, are all neces- 
 sary to know and master it or them. In all of this time and 
 labor to obtain the facts, or truth, there was no feeling on 
 my part against that court. All of those gentlemen I knew 
 well. They were my friends. In this affair, I can say: "He 
 who uses his legal rights harms no one." So I am not one 
 of those of whom it may be said: ''My own familiar friend, in 
 whom I trusted, who did eat of my bread, has turned up his 
 heel against me." I realize I am upon a mighty subject — a 
 question which will trouble men and agitate them, when I, 
 like my father's, have gone, I hope, to that place which the 
 Lord told his followers of, "I go to prepare a place for you, 
 that where I am, you may be also." "In my father's house 
 are many mansions." K^ay, this question of taxation will 
 trouble men after this court house vanishes out of sight, and 
 is crumbled into dust. While officers or men do wrong, or 
 oppress their fellows, there will be clamoring over the ques- 
 tion of taxation. I look at this question deeper, broader, 
 healthier than most men. The end of government should be 
 competency, tranquillity, and the good of all its people. It 
 is admitted on all hands that we as u people are not as pros- 
 perous, comfortable and happy or peaceful now as we used 
 to be. There is something wrong in the body politic. To 
 see some millionaires strutting along skyward, away above 
 the common people, whose little ones may be in need of the 
 
161 
 
 necessaries of life, is not what I should consider the best 
 government. The best government is that which acts uponi 
 its people as a good parent would act toward his children.- 
 "Let justice be done, though the heavens should fall." Tlie 
 permitting of evil ways, or habits, to creep into one's sjstem, 
 or our system of goverument, is like permitting a spark of 
 fire to enter one's mansion, and suffer it to become a blaze, 
 when it soon eats and burns all it fastens on to destruction. 
 In both cases the evils might, in proper time, be easily ar- 
 rested, but in both cases, after these evils have taken a strong 
 headway, then they become master of the elements for final 
 destruction. 
 
 At the June term, 1807, page 284, of this court I find: 
 "Ordered by the court that commissioners appointed at the 
 last term of the court to build a court house, be instructed 
 to proceed immediately to procure a suitable jjlan, adopt the 
 same, and contract for the erection of the house. Ordered, 
 further, that said contract be made either for the whole house 
 or such part as the said commissioners may judge most ad- 
 vantageous to the county, and in case a part of said building 
 only be contracted for, the said commissioners shall proceed 
 from time to time, as they shall adjudge advisable, to let out 
 the remainder of the building, or any part thereof, until the 
 whole building is under contract. Ordered that Thaddeus 
 L. Loomis be appointed agent of the county to close and sign 
 all contracts made by the said commissioners as aforesaid 
 in behalf of the county, and that all contracts so executed 
 bv him, by and with the advice and consent of the commis 
 
1«2 
 
 sioners as aforesaid, shall be binding upon the county of Ma 
 coupin, and that he be authorized to use any funds of the 
 county, at his disposal in payment on contracts made by him. 
 Ordered that for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the 
 work so contracted, and paying for the lots purchased by the 
 county for court house purposes, county orders to the araouni 
 of twenty thousand dollars be issued in sums of one hun 
 dred dollars earh, bearing interest at the rate of ten per cent, 
 per annum, payable semi-annually at the banking house of 
 Chesnut & Dubois, on the first days of January and July in 
 each year, said orders not to run exceeding ten years. They 
 shall lie signed by the county judge, and numbered, attested, 
 and registered by the clerk. Ordered that Chesnut and Du- 
 bois be appointed agents of the county for the sale of said 
 county orders, and that they be instructed to pay out the 
 proceeds of said sale on the order of T. L. Loomis. Oountj 
 Judge."' 
 
 "Ordered that the county agent report to each term of 
 the court all his acts for the three months next preceding in 
 contracting for and paying for the work of construction." 
 
 "Ordered that so much of the order made at the last terra 
 of this ( ourt respecting the building of a court house, as is 
 conditional, and is otherwise inconsistent with this order, be 
 revoked." "Yowell, Associate Judge, dissenting." 
 
 At the February term, 18G0, of that rourt in its docket F. 
 page 22S, I find these orders: 
 
 "Allow Malcolm MrQuay in comity orders, bearing in 
 terest at the rate of ten per cent, from June i:'>, 18ti7, payable 
 
163 
 
 semi-annuallv. running not exceeding fifteen years, $5,200.'' 
 
 "Allow Edward Gill, digging foundation for court house 
 issue same as above, 
 
 "Allow ('. A. Andrews, for lot for new court house, pay- 
 able in county orders as above, |4,000." 
 
 "Allow Geo. H. Holliday for lithographing of stamps oi\ 
 bonds, payable as above, foOO." 
 
 "Allow R. M. Hastings for superintending work on foun 
 dation, as above, |1,500." 
 
 "Allow Andrews & Hamilton for lumber for court house, 
 issue June 1, 1868, $1,000." 
 
 "Allow Chesnut & Dubois, to pay interest on county 
 bonds, interest from July 1, ISGS, $7,000." 
 
 "Allow S. A. Buckmaster, for iron door for jail, interest 
 from Aug. 1, 1868, $600." 
 
 "Allow Geo. O. ^"ail & Co. for slate and tile for floors, 
 issue from Xov. 1, 1868, $10,000." 
 
 "Allow Chesnut & Bubois, commissions on sales of bonds, 
 issue Nov. 27, 1868, $2,000." 
 
 "Allow J. P. Stidham & Co. for roof and dome, issue Dec. 
 IS, 1868, 1125,000." 
 
 "Allow Chesnut & Dubois interest on bonds Jan. 1, 1869, 
 $25,000.'" 
 
 "Allow D. S. Schank & Sons, glass for court house, in 
 terest Jan. 1, 1869, $5,000." 
 
 "Allow H. "\A'atson, on court house, Jan. 30, 1869, inter- 
 'est, order, $10,000." 
 
164 
 
 "Allow Robert Wood & Co., iron fence, issue Jan. 1, 1869, 
 interest order, |8,000." 
 
 "Allow T. L. Loomis, traveling expenses, |1,000." 
 
 "Allow I. J. Peebles, traveling expenses, |1,000." 
 
 "Allow Geo. H. Holliday, traveling expenses, |1,000." 
 
 "Allow A. McKim Dubois, traveling expenses, |1,000." 
 
 Issue orders July 1, 1867."' 
 
 "Allow Robert Turnbull for superintending work and 
 paying carpenters, payable as above, |1,500." 
 
 "Allow E. E. Myers, services as architect, bearing inter- 
 est from August 5, 1867, as above, |15,000." 
 
 "Allow Henry Watson, stone work on foundation of 
 court house, issue bearing interest from Aug. 20, 1867, issue 
 as above, |7.oOU." 
 
 "Allow A. Johnson & Bro., for work on basement, bear- 
 ing interest as above from Sept. 10, 1867, |10,000." 
 
 "Allow Chicago & Alton R. R., order as above, Sept. 28, 
 1867, 11,000." 
 
 January Term, 1869, Page 28. 
 
 "Allow J. X. Grove, for purchase of court house lot, bear- 
 ing interest from Sept. 28, 1867, issue order, |15,000." 
 
 "Allow Thomas Howard & Co., for iron work on court 
 house, issue order, interest from Oct. 22, 1867, |30,500." 
 
 "Allow Phillips & Graham, for painting court house, issue 
 order, interest, Dec. 1, 1SG7, |.5,000." 
 
 "Allow Dickenson & Messinger, stone work on court 
 house, interest from March 1, 1868, |200,000." 
 
165 
 
 "Allow for brick work on court house, W. D. Richard- 
 son, interest March 1, 1868, order, |10,000." 
 
 "Allow H. Watson, for building jail, issue order from 
 April 20, 1868, interest, |14,000." 
 
 "At March Term, 1869." 
 "Allow John Yowell, for holding court, |60." 
 "Allow I. J. Peebles, for holding conrt, |60." 
 "Allow T. L. Loomis, for holding court, .|60." 
 "Allow Geo. H. Holliday, for holding conrt, $.36." 
 "Allow A. McKim Dubois, for services as commissions 
 
 in building new court house 15,000 
 
 Geo. H. Holliday .5,000 
 
 I. J. Peebles 5,000 
 
 T. L. Loomis 5,000 
 
 Docket F, page 28. 
 
 In the county Judge's docket F, pages 228-9, are these 
 orders : 
 
 "Ordered that the sum of | , be issued in bonds, 
 
 payable iive years after date, in amounts of (in pencil, 26,500) 
 dollars, numbered from 20." 
 
 "Ordered as above in ten-year bonds $26,000 (in pencil). 
 
 "Ordered as above in flfteen-year bonds, |75,000. 
 
 "Ordered as above in twenty-year bonds, |81,000. 
 
 "Said bonds payable at the banking house of Howe & 
 Macy in city of Xew York, bearing interest at the rate of ten 
 per cent, per annum, payable semi-annually on the first days 
 of April and October each year." 
 
166 
 
 "Ordered that said bonds be placed in hands of Chesnut 
 & Dubois for sale, and that the proceeds of said sale be placed 
 in hands of T. L. Loomis, agent for county.'' 
 
 "Ordered that county bonds to the amount of thirty-nine 
 thousand dollars be issued for the purpose of completing the 
 new court house, in sums of one thousand dollars each, bear- 
 ing interest payable semi-annually, at the rate of ten per cent, 
 per annum, payable twenty years after date, principal and 
 interest payable at the banking house of Howe & Macy in 
 New York City, to be numbered from 337 to 375, inclusive." 
 
 "Ordered that similar bonds in similar sums to the 
 amount of thirty-eight thousand dollars, payable, principal 
 and interest, the same as above, fifteen years after date, num- 
 bered from 376 to 413, inclusive." 
 
 "Ordered that similar bonds in similar sums to the 
 amount of one hundred thousand dollars, payable, principal 
 and interest, the same as above, ten years after date, num- 
 bered from 411 to 513, inclusive." 
 
 "Ordered that the interest on said bonds shall commence 
 on the first day of April, 1869, and be pa3'able on the first 
 days of April and October of each year. That they be placed 
 in the hands of Chesnut & Dubois for sale, and the proceeds 
 of the sale be held by them at their banking house, subject to 
 the order of T. L. Loomis, County Judge." 
 
 "Ordered that bonds No. 41G, 417, 41S, 41!). 420 and 421, 
 each for |1,000, payable to Thomas Howard & Co., at the 
 banking house of Chesnut & Dubois, Carlinville, 111., dated 
 August 1, 18GS, and due Jan. 1, 1883, be hereby ordered to be 
 
167 
 
 paid at the banking house of Howe & Macy, New York City." 
 
 In page 302 is found this: 
 
 "Ordered that county bonds to the amount of |1,000 be 
 issued for the purpose of completing the new court house, 
 bearing interest, payable semi-annually, at the rate of ten 
 per cent, per annum, payable ten years after date, principal 
 and interest payable at the banking house of Howe & Macy, 
 New York City, numbered 514. Ordei*ed that similar bonds 
 be issued to Charles P. Williams of similar sums to the 
 amount of ten thousand dollars, payable, principal and inter- 
 est, at the same place as aforesaid 18 years atfer date, num- 
 bered from 515 to 524, inclusive." 
 
 In page 303, Book F, I find these orders: 
 
 "Ordered that similar bonds, in similar amounts, be is- 
 sued to Chesnut & Dubois to the amount of one hundred and 
 fifty-four thousand dollars, jiayable, principal and interest, 
 same as above, 18 years after date, numbered from 525 to 669, 
 inclusive." 
 
 "Ordered that similar bonds in similar amounts be issued 
 to Chesnut & Dubois to the amount of one hundred and nine 
 thousand dollars, payable, principal and interest, same a^ 
 above, 16 years after date, numbered 669 to 772, inclusive." 
 
 "Ordered that similar bonds in similar amounts be issued 
 to Chesnut & Dubois to the amount of fifty-one thousand dol- 
 lars, payable,- principal and interest, same as above, nine 
 years after date, numbered from 772 to 823, inclusive." 
 
 "Ordered that .similar bonds, in similar amounts, be 
 issued to Chesnut & Dubois to the amount of forty-eight thou- 
 
168 
 
 sand doUais, payable, principal and interest, same as above, 
 eleven years after date, numbered from 823 to 871, inclusive." 
 
 ''Ordered that the interest on said bonds shall commence 
 on the first day of April, 1869, and be payable first days of 
 April and October each year, and that they be placed in the 
 hands of Chesnut & Dubois for sale, and the money from the 
 sale be held by them at their banking house subject to the 
 order of T. L. Loomis, County Agent." Sept. 27, 1869. 
 
 In Docket "G," page 1, September term, 1861), is found: 
 
 ■'Ordered that A. McKim Dubois, Geo. H. Holliday, I. J. 
 Peebles and T. L. Loomis be allowed a commission on cost of 
 the new court house and improvements connected therewith, 
 of five per cent., and that they be allowed |2,000 each in full 
 for all traveling expenses connected therewith." 
 
 "Ordered that the county agent pay same out of the pro- 
 ceeds of the sale of bonds for building new court house." 
 
 On page S is found : 
 
 "In the matter of authorizing Chesnut & Dubois to sell 
 bonds, ordered that county bonds in sums of one thousand 
 dollars each be issued for the purpose of completing the new 
 court house, ln-aring interest, payable semi-annually, at the 
 rate of 10 per cent, per annum, payable on the first day' of 
 October and April in each year, payable at banking house 
 of Howe & Macy in the City of Xew York. Seventy thousand 
 dollars of similar bonds, payable twelve years after date, and 
 seventy thousand payable thirteen years after date, and 
 sixty thousand payable fourteen years after date, bonds to be 
 numbered consecutively from 872 to 1071, Inclusive, and that 
 
169 
 
 they be placed in the hands of Chesnut & Dubois for sale, 
 and the proceeds of the sale be held by them at their banking 
 house subject to the order of T. L. Loomis, County Agent." 
 12 year bonds to be numbered from 872 to 941. 
 13-year bonds to be numbered from 942 to 1,011. 
 14-year bonds to be numbered from 1,012 to 1,071." 
 On page 12. Docket "G," same court, is: 
 "Allow A. Glesner, for one month's services on his con- 
 tract in taking charge of the heating apparatus of new court 
 
 house, |75." 
 
 Dec. 4, 1869. 
 
 "Allow T. L. Loomis, for holding court, .fl4.5." 
 "Allow John Yowell, for holding court, |145." 
 "Allow I. J. Peebles, for holding court. .fll5." 
 "Allow Geo. H. Holliday, for holding court, |120." 
 "Allow W. E. Welch, for legal service, flOO." 
 "Allow Geo. W. Hamilton, or legalf service, .flOO." 
 
 December Term, 1809. 
 "Allow P. C. Huggins, 12 days holding court, |60." 
 "Allow Martin Ormsted, 12 days holding court, |60." 
 "Allow A. A. Alkins, 12 days holding court, |60." 
 "Allow T. M. Metcalf, clerk 12 days, $.36." 
 The four last payments by the court are given to show 
 that the new court house commissioners' court, who built it, 
 are displaced, and in their stead are Huggins, Ormsted and 
 Alkins, with its clerk Metcalf, instead of Holliday. So now 
 I shall proceed to make some comments and arguments upon 
 the action of the new court house commissioners' court. Be- 
 
170 
 
 fore I do so, it might be said: ''What's the use of talking 
 about the court house now? It's built. The debt is com- 
 promised. The county has agreed to pay the compromise — 
 and it's ended." You hear remarks like these made by not 
 a few, especially by those who fatten at the public crib. I 
 mean by those who are hardly ever out of office, regardless 
 of their politics. The getting in the pocket of dollars, in of- 
 fice, make some think they are the oracles of their jjarty. 
 These dollars are tending to destroy honest patriotism in 
 men, not only in Macoupin county, but all over the state — 
 perhaps in all the states. When one's pocket is heavy, and 
 his wants full, this one never thinks of many, over the way, 
 whose needs are urgent. Some times they cannot help them- 
 selves. These sons of Mammon are not seen "casting their 
 bread on the waters, that such may return to them after 
 many days." But I must to my subject. After my horse is 
 stolen, then "shut your mouth." It will cost more to "hunt 
 it up" than the horse is worth. If you do hunt it up and find 
 it, after a long search, the horse will be run "down." Then 
 you must prosecute the thief if he is found. And then you 
 must go before the grand jury, and then before the petit one, 
 and then it will be continued over from term to term of the 
 court, upon frivolous affidavits, which you cannot contradict; 
 yon must admit them to be true, though you know they are 
 all lies, for the one who steals my horse will lie in court and 
 out of court, and as things go now, such persons are not un- 
 usually considered the smallest fry or people in their com- 
 munities — I mean before they are caught stealing. Some 
 
171 
 
 times they are at the top of the "heap" in society — may be in 
 the church. It would look as though this spot can never rid 
 itself of these worse than barnacles growing fat under the 
 seas— on the ship's bottom. Judas started the treason of a 
 bad man to the son of man. I hare seen horse thieves, after 
 their arrest, who were never tried. It was found they were 
 of kin to the owner of the stolen horses. I have even seen 
 where bonds were given for their appearance in court, to an- 
 swer for such iniquity, the bonds were never sued on, though 
 these never appeared for trial. The General Assembly con- 
 dones the offense, and releases the securities. Things go on 
 in this shape, till one begins to feel that wrong, instead of 
 right, depravity instead of rectitude, ignorance instead of 
 true philosophy, impudence for honest ability, hypocrisy for 
 true worth, and vulgar pretenses for culture and solid charac- 
 ter, are the things that make the "mare go,'' and yet, if one 
 complains he is answered, "What are you going to do about 
 it?'' Well, it takes one to be gray haired before he- is de- 
 veloped enough in wisdom to see it. Some never can see it. 
 The one who does see it, would be considered "smarter" if 
 he only put his wits to getting riches, by any method outside 
 the penitentiary. So as to have his belongings to ride in 
 state. 
 
 "The county has agreed to pay the compromise, and so 
 its ended." I am not aware I was one of those who did so. 
 That I at any time agreed to pay my share of that debt. If 
 that debt is right, and just, then it ought to be paid. If that 
 debt is legal, then it ought to be paid. If the debt is illegal, 
 
172 
 
 if it is void, then it ouglit not to be paid. I may be answered, 
 "How can I help myself?" "The courts have held the county 
 court were our agents, and so we are bound by them." I 
 do not understand that an agent can do as he pleases. That 
 the county court could do as it pleased. That was a creature 
 of the statute. There its powers are given. If that court 
 went beyond the powers given it, as I think it did, then no 
 one is bound by its acts — done outside its legal powers, un- 
 less agreeing to put up with the wrong, or pay the infamy. 
 If I empower my agent to go to the market-place 
 and buy me a race horse, he does not make me 
 his debtor by buying me a jackass. If he bought 
 me a race horse, though it were a poor one, yet 
 I am bound by his act, because it was the agent's misjudg- 
 ment. So it is of the county court. If they acted in good 
 faith in the building of the court house, if they acted within 
 the statute, though they might have honestly erred to the 
 disadvantage of the county, then the county would be liable. 
 I am of the solid belief that no court house could be legally 
 built in this county, outside the spot on which the old log 
 court house stood, under the statute of 1829, and the donation 
 then given the county forever of thirty acres for such purpose, 
 I am of the solid belief that the court went outside its legal 
 powers in its methods of contracting for, buying lots, pay- 
 ing hands, making bonds, and thus it will be found that the 
 court contracted with itself, which it could not do, because 
 it is a rule of law that "no one can be a judge in his OAvn case." 
 It will be found it made contracts as it pleased, paid the same, 
 
173 
 
 and all to the injury of the county, when all should be to its 
 advantage, so far as such could be carried out. Before I close 
 I shall show how the court went outside its legal powers in 
 the building of this court house. As yet I must keep to the 
 items on the dockets. 
 
 In adding the items contracted for as here taken from 
 these dockets, they make |514,.j10, while in adding the bonds 
 issued as stated, they make |903,000 — some less than a mil- 
 lion dollars in bonds — while the other items make only a little 
 over one-half million. It will be seen that these orders, or 
 bonds, drew interest at ten per cent, semi-annually. The 
 first order of the court as shown was at the March term, 1867. 
 June following was the next order made, and you will notice 
 the order of McQuay of f.5,200 to bear interest at the rate of 
 ten per cent, from June 13, 1867, semi-annual, running fifteen 
 years. Xow, it is easy to see that confusion is the end of 
 putting orders, or the credit of the county, on the market, 
 over the world, among "sharpers" in that way. It will be 
 seen that at no time is any one able to compute accurately, 
 or nearly so, the total principal and interest of such orders, 
 to circulate, no one could tell where, or how long, drawing 
 such- heavy interest, and that fixed to be paid twice yearly. 
 Some orders drawn with interest from June, 1867, some with 
 same interest "from June, 1869, and some more with interest 
 beginning at other times. Here is confusion in abundance. 
 It might be asked, "Are the laws made for the rich and power- 
 ful? Or, are they made for the benefit of the masses?" If 
 made for the first, then the court house bonds must be paid. 
 
174 
 
 If made for the masses, then the debt ought not to be paid. 
 I am now discussing this question, not dictating to the Ma- 
 coupin people what they must or ought to do in the payment 
 of this debt. I am discussing it in the light I have tried other 
 tax cases and succeeded. I am discussing these tax debts or 
 court house taxation for the world of taxpayers, who yet, no 
 doubt will, many of them have to bear the burdens of illegal 
 — indeed, corrupt and official robbing — taxation. Was it not 
 the business of these foreign lenders of money, who invari- 
 ably seek foreign markets for their money, so as to avoid 
 paying taxes on the money lent, was it not their business to 
 beware — to know the legal powers the court had in its 
 -methods of procuring that money with which to build that 
 court house? Now, that court had,' or had not the power to 
 build the court house. If it had the legal power in its hands, 
 then the county is liable. If it had not the legal power in its 
 hands, then the county is not liable, unless it agreed to make 
 itself liable to the agent that bought them the jackass instead 
 of a race horse. That the county people may fully under- 
 stand this — that the world may understand the question, 
 wherever yet they may wish to build a court house — I will 
 coi)y from the statutes for that purpose. Here, first, is the 
 heading of the statute of January 5, 1S29 — ''Court House and 
 Jails." 
 
 ''An act authorizing and requiring the county commis- 
 sioners' courts to cause court houses and jails to be erected 
 in each and every county in this state." In this act are four 
 sections. They are the same in the revision of that of 18.58, 
 
175 
 
 which I will coj)T here, i;ither than that of 1820, as it might 
 be said that the county couit could not be governed by that 
 ancient statute. Not at all, if it were repealed. But it was 
 not repealed. It was simply put in the revision of 18.58, the 
 one under which that court was supposing to act: 
 
 "It shall be the duty of the said county commissioners, in 
 each county, to cause to be erected, when, in the opinion of 
 said court, the means of the county are such as to justify it, a 
 suitable court house, in each of their respective counties, and 
 they shall have power to enter into contracts, from time to 
 time, with any person, or persons, in behalf of the county, for 
 the erection of such court house, or fininshing any court house 
 already begun, at any regular term of their court, or at any 
 special term, they may appoint." Again — 
 
 ''The county commissioners' coUrt in each county shall 
 have power to contract for and procure for the use of their 
 respective counties, whenever it shall become necessary, any 
 lot or lots of land, whereon to erect such county buildings, 
 and obtain deeds of conveyance to such counties, and to sell 
 and convey the same when it shall become necessary to any 
 purchaser, or purchasers, in the manner prescribed by law." 
 
 "It shall be the duty of the county commissioners' courts 
 in their respective counties to prepare or cause to be erected, 
 when, in the opinion of said cour-t, the means of the county 
 are such as to justify it, and where they have not heretofore 
 done so, strong and substantial jails, so that prisoners may 
 be confined therein with safety, and the said commissioners 
 are hereby expressly charged with the faithful execution of 
 
176 
 
 the law, and they shall make report thereof respectfully to 
 the Circuit Court, at the next term in the county, after the 
 same shall have been done, and said report shall be entered 
 upon the records of said Circuit Court. 
 
 In this revision of 1858 I find one section which is not in 
 the statute book of 1829, which I shall copy to you, and I 
 suppose the section under which that court thought it could 
 act as it did in building that house. Here they ought to have 
 known that that statute could not apply to Macoupin, which 
 was created in 1829, and the act settled forever her permanent 
 seat of justice, as well as her permanent spot of ground on 
 which that seat of justice should stand. So the act did not 
 fit Macoupin. Here it is: 
 
 "The county commissioners' court may appoint an agent, 
 or agents, to make any contract on behalf of such county for 
 erecting any county building or for any other purpose, author- 
 ized l)y law. The contracts of such agent or agents duly ex- 
 ecuted for and on behalf of such county, shall be valid and 
 effectual to bind such county, to all intents and purposes." 
 
 I take it that this is the section the new court house 
 builders went on, and it is as clear as day light it did not 
 ^PPly to our county in that respect. This section is three 
 pages before that of the court house and jail law in that stat- 
 ute book. It is connected with a long section about contracts 
 with the counties for other than court house purposes, and so 
 was never intended that the county court could act on it to 
 build a court house — certainly not to appoint itself agent — 
 iind draw pay as court and county agent at the same time. 
 
177 
 
 The county commissioners' court at the time of building 
 this court house were Loomis, Peebles and Yowell. It will 
 be seen that Judge Yowell dissented from the order or orders 
 to build it. Then there were two judges left, whose order as 
 a majority, would be good, provided it was legal. Under 
 these statutes when they say this "court shall have power 
 to enter into contracts, from time to time, with any person, or 
 persons, in behalf of the county for the erection of such court 
 house already begun, at any regular term of their court, or at 
 any special term they may appoint," you see this court is 
 supposed to be the county's agent — not one or two of them 
 alone, but all three, at the regular terms, or any special ones 
 they may appoint. Now, at such times, and not otherwise, 
 are they empowered to act in this business. They being agent, 
 it will need an outsider as a person to contract with them 
 for jail and court house. There must be at least two or more 
 parties to a contract. Xo party or person, or court or agent 
 can contract with himself. One cannot marry himself. It 
 takes two and a third one to do the ceremony. It is just ag 
 absurd for this court to appoint itself agent — agent of the 
 county to build a .fl,500,000 court house — may be three of 
 them before it is all paid for with interest. The commission- 
 ers' court did not do so in letting out the log court house and 
 jail. The commissioners' court did not do so in letting out 
 the brick court house in the square. The records of the 
 whole world may be searched in vain for another such a pre- 
 cedent, in and about a court house and jail. The only case 
 that would seem to come up with it is that of Warren Hast- 
 
178 
 
 ings, who governed provinces in India, by running things in 
 his own arbitrary methods, to the ruin of all India, as found 
 in the works of Edmund Burke. 
 
 There is no law — there can be no law — to adopt another 
 spot or rather block of land for a court house, and other lots 
 for a jail than that spot or that place originally selected and 
 adopted and accepted under the act of 1829, and the record 
 made in that behalf for the county seat as seen in that old 
 docket that is now resurrected. The log court house, as I 
 learned from 'Squire Howell, some months before he died, 
 and the only one who appeared to me, so far, to know the 
 truth, placed it near the southeast part of the square, or a 
 little that way from the chain there now for hitching teams 
 to. The jail was not on the square. Its place is better 
 known, as some persons yet live in the county who saw it. 
 Now the old spot, or the square, is the spot for that court 
 house yet, by law. The right of the county, as well as the 
 legal rights, to me, seem so wrongly out of place in making 
 a useless debt against it, to feed the rich with some three 
 millions of money; sinking the progress of the county, in- 
 stead of its grand development as a place for a happy people, 
 wiong, official treachery, ignorance, and the tricks of party 
 leaders, must at length sink the whole county. What has 
 statesmanship, like that of Edmund Burke, to do with small 
 human barkers, who can see nothing in human government 
 but the success of party — right or wrong — nearly always 
 wrong? Burke could take in the good of the human race 
 in his grasp. His mental horizon was the universe. Thes^ 
 
179 
 
 barking "tots" on the side of party alone, their horizon is that 
 of their earthly possessions. 
 
 Upon the completion of the new court house, the brick 
 one on the square was torn down. Why did not some one 
 then put a stop to that work by an injunction. That was the 
 time to act in the case; not too late, even then, had a bill of 
 injunction been brought in the circuit court to restrain that 
 court from tearing down the building, also from removing 
 the county records to the new court house; also, to enjoin the 
 then elected new county court from entering, or occupying 
 the new court house, thus leaving its locks and keys for those 
 who erected it, that they might make the "most of it." Then 
 the county was safe. Then they were saved from this moun- 
 tain of debt. Was there none in the county who could see 
 so far, or did they or any one see it, but feared to put his 
 pocket in the breach? I would not be so hard on the county 
 were it not that I have been for years in the breach, almost 
 alone, fighting ignorant, corrupt, unjust and crushing tax.'i- 
 tion — fighting it upon my own. responsibility, and during all 
 this time the illegal payment of taxes goes on, which to me 
 seems cowardly. I have no desire to see a man go to the 
 penitentiary for stealing bread or a horse while all this tax 
 ation stealing goes on in all the state — no doubt more or less 
 in all the states. The revenue law itself is a diseased thing 
 that never should have been put on the statute book. The 
 construction put on it by our Supreme Court is just as sickly, 
 and detrimental to honest labor — to honesty and equality in 
 the bearing of tax burdens. Lenders of money seek a foreign 
 
180 
 
 market to secure their money, and draw interest and pay 
 no taxes. Why not cure this cancer by its destruction, and 
 enact the problem or method I long since had copyrighted, 
 as you see in this book? In my criticism of those of wealth 
 and honors in the county for not having enjoined the tearing 
 down of the brick court house, etc., some may ask: "Why 
 did he not do so himself?" Naturally one would think so 
 who knows not the circumstances. Then I was young and in- 
 experienced in the county. I had not the age, wealth and 
 influence of some I knew, who talked and blustered against 
 the "monument of folly," but effected nothing. As I said in 
 another place I knew nothing of the legal rights of the parties 
 in the business; neither would I yet were it not my resist- 
 ing ruthless taxation, by which rich scalpers have a legal 
 method of morally stealing lands, all over the state of poor 
 persons, who are "hard ii])" in getting money to pay them. 
 The higher the taxes are, the more crushing the penalties — 
 the better for the scalpers. Down with such dirty method of 
 living on this earth a few years, by oppressing the poor. 
 Reasonable men do not wish to escape reasonable taxation, 
 but men of reason ought not to submit to unjust and illegal 
 taxation and penalties. Morally, the state had no better right 
 to enforce tax payments than other creditors have to enforce 
 payments of honest debts. Why, then, this arbitrary method 
 of selling all things taxed for non-payment, with heavy penal- 
 ties and cash? 
 
 While the statute of 1858 empowered that court to build 
 a court house and jail, when needed, "suitable to the inter- 
 
181 
 
 est of the county." and certainly was not suitable and to its 
 interest to vacate the county's property, oj give it away, and 
 pay for a new place for the court house — 119,000 — not includ- 
 ing; the jail place. 
 
 It will be seen that when the old commissioners' court 
 let contracts, they appointed agents or commissioners to 
 carry such into effect and report to the court. That court did 
 not at any time appoint itself to do the work. It did not 
 draw pay as court and pay as county agent at the same time. 
 Orders were made at term time by the court. Advertise- 
 ments were sent out to lowest and best bidders for the work, 
 and bond was taken for the performance of such work, or 
 contracts. But in this case all of these things were entirely 
 discarded. Here the docket shows Geo. H. Holliday, its own 
 clerk, "must be associated with T. L. Loomis, County Judge, 
 and Isham J. Peebles, Associate Judge, together with A. Mc- 
 Kim Dubois, the banker. They must proceed immediately 
 to erect a new court house in the city of Carlinville. The 
 foundation must be done that year, and the building to be 
 completed before their tei-m of office should expire."' Judge 
 Yowell dissenting. Poor Yowell has long since died. From 
 the docket and these entries it is seen he was not appointed 
 to do anything towards the building of that court house. 
 So the docket does not show him getting any commissions 
 or fees as agent, or commissions, as the others did, nor did 
 he get any "traveling expenses." Here is a building to cost 
 over 11,500,000 — nay, say three of them before the debt and 
 interest are all paid — yet strange it is that no one of these 
 
182 
 
 judges or self-appointed agents, or clerks, or the banker, gave 
 any bond for the performance of any duty in and about that 
 court house, nor is it seen where any contractor gave any bond 
 when such things should be of record. These things were 
 done under the action of the old court in the building of the 
 two former court houses. Dubois was to sell the bonds — no 
 bond given by him — nothing said as to what he was to get per 
 thousand dollars for selling them. It is done as before 
 shown— "Allow T. L. Loomis, traveling expenses, $1,000; 1. 
 J. Peebles. .|1,000; Geo. H. HoUiday, |1,000; A. McKim Du- 
 bois, |1,000; issue order and ten per cent, interest semi-an- 
 nually from July 1, ISGT." Nothing said here about poor 
 Yowell. This Yowell affair reminds me when I was a boy, 
 and I did wrong, or "behaved bad." I was reprimanded, or 
 "switched." I must say for mother, she did not switch. She 
 loved her child too much for that. But father was highly re- 
 ligious. He was a wonderful believer in the teaching of Sol- 
 omon, when he says "not to spare the rod." I used to wonder 
 when I was "good," why he would not caress me. I knew 
 nothing then of Solomon. The thought of caressing one for 
 his goodness did not enter his mind. With him was "the 
 wages of sin is death." I am reminded of this in thinking 
 over poor Yowell. The people did not abuse him nor curse 
 him, neither did they caress him, nor did they procure a mu- 
 sical band to his honor, to make joy over his faithfulness to 
 tlie county. I do not think the county went to the trouble of 
 building him a monument, nor was there a poet employed to 
 write a song to his memory, as was done in the case of the 
 
183 
 
 old warrior, John Brown, "when his soul went marching on." 
 It is said that republics are ungrateful. In this case the 
 saying would seem to fit the county. 
 
 I said there was nothing on the docket to show what 
 Dubois was to get for selling bonds. Yet, he was taken care 
 of. You will see the item where it says: ''Allow A. McKim 
 Dubois $5,000 as commission on building new court house, 
 Holliday |5,000, Peebles $5,000, and T. L. Loomis |o,000." 
 Here, again, poor Yowell is minus the fat things of court 
 house life, simply because he stood by his integrity, but he 
 gets .$60 for holding court, as also do the other two judges 
 $60 each. In another place you see Chesnut & Bubois were 
 allowed commissions on sale of bonds |2,000, issue order from 
 KoT. 27, 1868, ten per cent, semi-annually. Here again Yow- 
 ell is left out. 
 
 He might have promised great things to become County 
 Judge, and then break all such promises, fill his pockets, and 
 the world would say, "He was smart." Yowell was born be- 
 fore the war. He knew nothing of tricks and schemes b^ 
 which he might fill his pockets. Had he done so, would it 
 serve him now? We don't see or know all things. God 
 does. 
 
 It is also seen that "A. McKim Dubois, Geo. H. Holliday, 
 I. J. Peebles and T. L. Loomis were allowed a commission on 
 the cost of the new court house, and improvements connected 
 Ttierewith of five per cent., and that they be allowed $2,000 
 each in full for all 'traveling' expenses connected therewith, 
 and that the self-appointed county agent pay same out of the 
 
184 
 
 proceeds of the sale of bonds for building new court house.'' 
 Here, again, Yowell is left out. I doubt the county people 
 ever saw through this affair. There was no laurel wreath 
 placed on his brow by the people for holding fast for four 
 years in office to his integrity. 
 
 The last item to me seems peculiar and strange. The 
 docket, nor the order so made by the court in giving this five 
 per cent, on the cost of that court house and jail and im- 
 provements, does not show any order in that respect before 
 made, and drawing ten per cent, interest semi-annually from 
 June, 1867, nor does it show how much the court house, jail 
 and their improvements did cost, so that one might compute 
 the real amount the judge Avas to pay out in that respect to 
 Dubois, Holliday, Peebles and himself — say so much for jail 
 and improvements, then so much for court house and its im- 
 provements, while the court might know, as is doubtful, how 
 much these respective works cost, the dockets do not show 
 it. When a case is in court, and one wishes to get five pei 
 cent, on a number of things, say .|2,000,000, the court musi 
 know the total amount what the things or works cost, ther 
 he can figure and find a product, so each one would know 
 his share. Then the court would enter each one's share oe 
 the docket, so all of these faithful servants could be allowe<3 
 a definite sum. When that is paid, they receipt on the dockei 
 or record. The order allowing them five per cent., etc., on( 
 does not know whether it meant for all or for each. If the 
 five per cent, was for all, then they must have been in part 
 xiership, for in this case, payment to one would be paymeni 
 to all. 
 
185 
 
 I now again here repeat that in putting these things on 
 record for future generations, I have no wish, no desire, to 
 hurt any one's feelings. These things should go on the record 
 in some shape — where the truth can be reached — and who 
 ever wishes may know the same. These things are more 
 -surprising to me than to any one else — more surprising than 
 they can be to any one else — for I imagine I deal with this rec- 
 ord in a light no other person has heretofore thought of — 
 in the light of the tax question — nor has any other one man, 
 nor all men, given the light on the wopkings of that jail, court 
 house and improvements that I have here given. I speak to 
 the world of men — out of their own mouth, from the court's 
 dockets. How strange it is that such trouble, such moun- 
 tain of taxation, could have arisen from the acts of that court, 
 as a court, while as citizens, not a stain was heard against 
 them previous to the beginning of that new court house so far 
 as I know. 
 
 And now let me say a parting word about Holliday. He 
 left, no one knows where. I knew him and I liked him. A 
 great, generous soul, full of knowledge, full of books, grand 
 memory, full of dash and spirit, enterprising, and was cer- 
 tainly helpful to those he liked. I remember going to his 
 office one day — it was then over the "Crit Anderson building." 
 He was blacking his boots as I entered. He said, "John, I 
 am going out to canvas a little; can't you come along." 
 ''Where are you going?" "We take the freight train down to 
 Plain "\'iew." "All right, I'll go. We went to Plainview — 
 then went to the Anderson farm near there, where they were 
 
186 
 
 threshing wheat. Towards night we again arrived at Plain- 
 view, and, as the train was coming down for St. Louis, he 
 insisted I go to St. Louis with him. I went. They were then 
 building the Eads bridge. We were some distance north of 
 that when we crossed the liver in a boat to the city. The 
 next morning, when we were on our way home, on the east 
 side of the river, he introduced me to some persons as "Gen- 
 eral Meagher," and left, saying he had to take the other road, 
 going east, and that was the last I saw, knew or heard of Geo. 
 H. Holliday ever since. • 
 
 These men built the court house, handled the money. 
 Where is it gone to ? Where, oh where? Who became rich 
 from its fatness? No one now appears to be richer by hav- 
 ing his hands in the concern. No one bettered by its con- 
 struction. Are we men wise? Do we ever take thought of 
 death while in health, and the days are joyous? We are here 
 today — where will we be tomorrow? Who can swear to his 
 lease of life beyond the present? Who can tell what his end 
 shall be, happy or miserable? "What shadows we are! 
 ^Vhat shadows we pursue?" Are one's own efforts alone going 
 to do the work, or are we to place some confidence and reli- 
 ance in an ovcriuling Trovidence who will guard us for our 
 good, if we aie only wise and resigned to His will, or perhaps 
 the inevitable? ''Behold, the birds of the air, they neither 
 sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into the barns, but your 
 heavenly Father feeds them." 'AVhich of you, by taking 
 thought, can add to his stature one cubit?'' 
 
 You will notice in one of the court's orders that Judge 
 
187 
 
 W. R. Welch and Geo. W. Hamilton were allowed each for 
 legal services flOO. The, orders do not say what was done by 
 them. So here I am left to imagine that if these gentlemen, 
 I know well, were consulted with by that court, or by Judge 
 Loomis as to his powers in building the court house, or upon 
 the construction of that section of the statute quoted before 
 of 1858 as building agent, and they should take it as it reads, 
 or literally, rather than in the spirit of the law, then they 
 might have misled that court in its future action. I say this 
 is my imaginary way over it now. It looks somewhat plaus- 
 ible. I will again copy the section. Of course I hold that no 
 statute is good in the case, but that of 1829, which gave gov- 
 ernment life to the county, and then it was that certain 
 grounds became vested rights, which can not be upset or re- 
 pealed, or changed. 
 
 "The county commissioners' court may appoint an agent 
 or agents to make any contract on behalf of such county for 
 erecting any county building, or for any other purpose, au- 
 thorized by law, the contracts of such agent or agents, duly 
 executed for and on behalf of the county, shall be valid and 
 effectual to bind such county to all intents and purposes," 
 I am somewhat particular in this kffair, for I well know that 
 sometimes there are lawyers of big and wide reputation and 
 successful practitioners, who are poor indeed in their con- 
 struction of statutes. They follow the words, rather than 
 the spirit of the law. In this case the statute says the court 
 may appoint the agent. It does not say it shall not appoint 
 itself. But the rules of law and maxims fix that under which 
 
188 
 
 such statute must be construed. . "Power is not conferred 
 but for the public good." "Power should be strictly inter- 
 preted." "Xo one ought to enrich himself at the expense of 
 others." The power of this section of the statute was to ap- 
 point disinterested persons to do the work, who should be one 
 party — the court the other. Such parties to go on bonds 
 for their action, and parties to be employed or contracted with 
 on the best terms for the interest of the county; also upon 
 notice for such purpose, which was not done. From the be- 
 ginning to the end of these two dockets, on this new court 
 house, and the orders, there is only one party. The court is 
 paid as court, then pays itself as agent of the county. Sup- 
 pose a case in the Circuit. Court, say, bill for partition, or to 
 sell lands. There is an order, or decree, entered by the judge 
 to sell the land. Suppose there is one to be appointed to 
 sell the land, and get pay for so doing. Did any one ever hear 
 of a case where the judge appointed himself to sell the land 
 and then draw pay as judge, and pay as agent to sell the land, 
 and then report his action and doings to himself, and then 
 keep up that for four long years? This thing is as confused 
 and wonderful as the .lews roaming in the wilderness for 
 forty years. Thirty years have gone by since that first order 
 was madp by that court, on that docket, for that new court 
 house, and the millions of debts are levied, and yet no Joshua 
 nor Caleb has come forth to march the taxpayers of the coun- 
 ty out of that mountain of debt. The court claimed they 
 were within the law. The rasrally Legislature helped them 
 to it, as you will remember the Legislature was not referred 
 
189 
 
 to the statute of 1829, when the tounty was created, and when 
 it got certain vested rights that could not be destroyed, ex- 
 cept by revolution. In the acts of that court, in the act of 
 that Legislature legalizing the bonds or debt, all were revolu- 
 tionary. The old house ought to stand. It should not have 
 been torn down. The records should have been kept away 
 from the new court house — then the court and legislature and 
 bondholders could take care of this brat for themselves — then 
 when the order for assessment came from the Federal Court, 
 the order to levy taxes also for payment of the debt, let them 
 make the orders. Let them make the levies. Let them get 
 judgments in the county court to sell all the land of the 
 county for court house debt. Let them do all these things 
 and sell the land, too. Then no one would buy. If no one 
 bought, then the land is forfeited to the state, but if the bond- 
 holders bought at such sales, in either case they got no money. 
 Then and here is the time for Joshua and Caleb to appear, 
 leading the tax payers on and into the proper forum — filing 
 bill or bills in chancery, and then consolidating them by an or- 
 der of the court — bills to remove clouds on title to lands. 
 Then the law and acts of that court house business could be 
 all gone into. Then was the tax payer not in Federal court, 
 but at his own court, his own "castle," from which he could 
 not be driven. They appealed to the law. Let them be beaten 
 by the law. This is the getting out of the wilderness. For 
 myself, I am sure I have had no day in court yet on this court 
 house tax, and I know I have a right to that day, under the 
 constitution, regardless of all the uproar, and confusion, and 
 
190 
 
 legislation, and county orders, and such revolutionary acts of 
 our agents who bought us a jackass for a race horse. By 
 this method I here point out in this book, for all men, all tax 
 pavers in any county, in any state, or all states, this is the 
 law of the land that yet, thank God, remains to us, and by 
 which I myself have been suc((^ssful in for years in downing 
 corrupt and oppressive taxation. In these cases those who 
 are after lands by law, for bonds that did not cost them in the 
 market, sometimes, ten cents on the dollar, I say in these 
 cases, when it is shown there is any illegal taxes included in 
 the judgments for sale, even to ten cents in the flOO, the as- 
 sessments, levies, judgments, sales, certificates of purchase, 
 each and all set aside, and here I proclaim from my heart, 
 "Glory to God. Glory to our Constitution. Glory to the 
 Judiciary, and glory to him, through the providence of God, 
 who has brought forth light from darkness, equity from in- 
 justice, liberty from being choked and strangled with a moun- 
 tain of debt tlipy had no hand in making. Crooked things 
 will right themselves some time. 
 
 Xow, in all of these records, in all these facts, in all of 
 this debt, in all these thirty years of untold clamors of the 
 county, under this mighty burden of taxation, useless at that, 
 and contrary to law, as is shown, the county never thought 
 any one was to blame but the county court that built the 
 house. They never thought that any one was to blame but it. 
 They never could see a beam in their own eye as well as see- 
 ing it in the eye of that court. I have said before, I knew 
 nothing about the legal rights of these parties in the building 
 
191 
 
 of that house, at that time, because I did not Ijnow the facts. 
 Who did linow the facts as I have here shown from the rec- 
 ords? Xo one. There was enough hearsay all over the 
 county, nay over all the state, perhaps over all the states, 
 more or less. All had the "great Macoupin swindle" on their 
 lips. Well, hearsay is a dangerous thing to base a true judg- 
 ment on in relation to anything. The thing began in 1867. 
 I never knew the truth before my examination of the records, 
 and the statute of 1829. I would not know the truth yet 
 were it not that circumstances beyond my wish and control 
 moved me on and into those questions of unholy, M'icked, cor- 
 rupt, unjust, oppressive and illegal taxation — some times 
 done bj' officers of no conscience, no ability; some times done 
 by '"boodlers," and some times done purposely to make a 
 portion of the community fat, by enhancing the value of their 
 surroundings, at the expense of all the other taxpayers, at 
 the expense of families, who need for necessaries of life, taxes 
 uselessly extorted from them. "The poor will never cease 
 from off the land." Have mercy on them. The rich and 
 powerful can take care of themselves. Let no one be ill- 
 treated. Let no' one be oppressed. Let us try and have 
 enough for all. All would have enough were it not sin and 
 wrong. 
 
 I now would say this truth : I have been for years of the 
 opinion that where there was a legal wrong — nay, a moral 
 wrong, or both — this could be downed in the proper court — 
 fought in the proper way. I never did think the question of 
 stopping the building of the court house was half tried. I 
 
192 
 
 know now that facts and arguments were not sought for 
 from the proper source, from the proper origin. This stat- 
 ute of 1829 was not thought of nor mentioned. I linow 1 
 heard Judge Thornton malie a speech in the old court house 
 on the question, but he did not mention this statute. He in- 
 sisted that the court house limit was |50,000. So he was 
 beaten. That old docket and that old statute are the tools 
 by which I work out this case, to a demonstrative result. It 
 is impossible tO' demonstrate the question outside these. 
 While that court house was going skyward, I was told by a 
 fine lawyer, since dead, that he was offered $10 to get up a 
 bill to enjoin the construction of that house. The man was 
 full of wealth and full of honors, and yet he wanted a three 
 million house enjoined for ten dollars. Chivalry like that 
 never won a great cause. Having this in my mind all these 
 years of strife about this debt, you cannot wonder that I am 
 a little harsh when I say men are cowardly to pay unjust, 
 illegal robbing taxation. In all my labors on the question, I 
 never got that much as n fee. I do say here I put it on rec- 
 ord as truth, were it not my action in these tax cases in the 
 courts and my success, by fearless and just rulings of Judge 
 Creighton, your city now would be one-half million dollars 
 in debt for future generations to pay with interest. There 
 are not a few in every lity who think the way to make a city 
 prosperous, populous and "booming'' is to make ordinances 
 for big debts, issue bonds for large amounts, make big im- 
 provements upon borrowed capital — have all at work, all 
 carousing, in the eyes of many — this is city life. By this 
 
193 
 
 system of booming cities, issuing bonds, borrowing money tcT 
 erect works of various sorts in such places, then tlie authori- 
 ties are elected to the end, not of justice and fair play for all, 
 but to carry out the wishes of the few "boomers," or "bood- 
 lers" to collect taxes for foreign sj'ndicates, who never pay 
 a cent of our tax burdens. It is simply scandalous, corrupt 
 and mean to work the machinery of government, so as to 
 have the assessors, collectors, treasurers, judges and the city 
 authorities, each and all forever equipped, year after year, 
 in the assessing, collecting or selling of lands to pay such 
 foreign lenders of money who never pay any of our taxation 
 burdens. Good government was first made for the good of 
 man. Xom', man must not act for his own good, but against 
 it, and for the government. He must not act for his own 
 good, but for the good of those in authority, and so have the 
 lords of creation rule, as Herod ruled, and let the masses go 
 uncared for and without a reasonable share of the neces- 
 saries of life. So it is coming rapidly to pass in this country. 
 Wealth is centralized, lands are owned by a small number 
 compared with all, rents are high, so the laborer cannot make 
 ends meet. 
 
 At one time when the supervisors refused to levy a court 
 house tax, they were fined for contempt of court |1,000 each — 
 eighteen of them. They did not go to jail. They concluded 
 to pay it, not out of their own pockets, but out of that of the 
 taxpayers, and the lawyers at Springfield got this money in 
 favor of the shylocks— got it to themselves to be applied in 
 
194 
 
 l>ayment of bonds. Among these men was one who offered 
 |!10 to down the court house by a bill of injunction. 
 
 How strange it is that at no time since 1867, whei^ the 
 first order was made by the court to build that court house, 
 no one came forward with any legal or equitable method to 
 relieve the people of the county of this wild, unjust, illlegal 
 debt. It was thought they must stand it. Now, my solution 
 of the problem may again be stated, for the solution is solid 
 and true. It is the law of the land. The county court orders 
 the court house to be built. They order the issuing of bonds 
 for the purpose of raising money to pay for its construction. 
 It is built. The bond owners sue in the Federal Court. 
 They get judgments against the county. The county refuse 
 to pay the bonds. That court orders the officers of the county 
 to make a levy to pay the bonds or judgments. Let them 
 make their levy — no one pays — the lands are returned to the 
 County Clerk's office as delinquents. Then advertise to get 
 judgments and sell. In county court let them get judgments 
 and let them sell the lands — no one buys — by law they are 
 then forfeited to the state, or if the sales are bought by the 
 bondholders, or judgment creditors — they get certificates of 
 purchase lo the lands so sold. What then! So far they have 
 received no money. This is one place — one point from which 
 to start the woik of the land owner — whose land is so sold, 
 These bondsmen all claim to be law-abiding, and the Federal 
 f'ourts in this country believe it, for they have at all times 
 given judgments for them and against the people. This is 
 the history — this, the record. No time here to cite cases 
 
195 
 
 Now, let tlie people also be law-abiding and let them resort 
 to the proper forum for redress. Here it is. Am a citizen 
 of the county and land owner. My land is sold for this debt. 
 I don't owe it. T file a bill in the circuit court on its chancery 
 side. I make defendant the one who bought it. I set up 
 everything and all things as illegal; all things as void. I 
 have no time here to give the particulars. I pray for special 
 and general relief. I pray the encumbrance and such cloud 
 on title be removed by the court. Now, on defendant coming 
 in to answer. He demurs to my bill, which is argued for 
 and against before the court. If the court rules my bill good, 
 his demurrer is overruled, and here I have my standing in 
 court. After tlie court has so ruled, if my bill is properly and 
 sliillfully written, the defendant is beaten, and there is a de- 
 cree in my favor, setting aside the claims and judgments and 
 certificates of purchase, and my land is clear of that encum- 
 brance and that debt. Of course the defendant may appeal, 
 but it will do him no good. There is no equity in his case. 
 He got fraudulent bonds, issued unlawfully. Let him malie 
 the most of them. I fight him in my own court, not in his 
 appointive Federal Court. The fight as to this tax and this 
 land is local. This method would cleave them to earth. 
 This method would make foreign lenders of money for public 
 buildings beware before they would advance money on bonds, 
 till they were sure of the honesty of the bonds, the honesty 
 and legality of the records under which the debt was in- 
 curred. The best way is not to go in debt. Officers or author- 
 ities ought not to run the people in debt against their will. 
 
196 
 
 All had better be fair, true and honest— then all will be well. 
 This method of legal fighting would cure the world of frauds 
 and fraudulent schemes to cover innocent, honest people with 
 tons of debt. 
 
 I am now about at the close of my book. I entitled it 
 
 "Searching the Records." This book is condensed from a 
 
 great mass of them in this county. If the book provesi as 
 
 new, as strange, as healthy, as interesting by five per cent. 
 
 to the reader as these records have proved to me — if the book 
 
 be read with five per cent, the attention I have given it, or 
 
 rather the attention and thought I have, for some years past, 
 
 given the subjects discussed, especially the tax question, then 
 
 I am sure the reader must be interested. He will find many 
 
 things in this book that will prove healthy for him. He will 
 
 search in vain for any other work that has explored the seas, 
 
 and storms, and turmoil, and the system of taxation four 
 
 times over, on the same thing, the same year, which is here 
 
 pointed out. I began this work with the General Assembly 
 
 of 1828-9 at Vandalia. This body made the law that gave 
 
 this county government life. I have copied such parts of thai 
 
 statute as gave existence to the first court house and jail, and 
 
 left us land for the county forever for court house purposes 
 
 and other public buildings. The county has now the flrsi 
 
 true light cast upon the public rights on this court house ii 
 
 this book, from these records, from the year 1867, when th( 
 
 house was begun to this present time. If you figure thii 
 
 time, you will see it lacks nine years of being as many as thi 
 
 children of Israel spent in the wilderness. There is now ligh 
 
197 
 
 enough in this book for the county to "get out of the wilder- 
 ness." From the creation of the county to the year 1869, 
 when the new commissioners' court took their seats, when the 
 new court house ones were displaced, during this time of 
 these records, which is one year more than the Hebrew time 
 in the wilderness, my search was for that time ending at the 
 year 1869. Your work in this reading will not prove so hard, 
 difficult, laborious as mine. I can now frankly say. if I did 
 not begin this book when I did and reduced my thoughts to 
 writing, and searched those records when I was somehow 
 naturally moved thereto, the book could not be born. 
 
 My thoughts on success ought to be in every young man's 
 hands,' who desires to live a clean, self-supporting life, in col- 
 lege or out of it — on the farm or in the store — in any business. 
 The boy who has the man in him will find it to his advantage. 
 My friends, you taxpayers — I am inclined to think that if 
 you know your rights, and want your belongings justified — 
 my arguments on taxation will do you good. If I have told 
 the story as well as the light which has appeared to me from 
 time to time on taxes — then you will love the 
 book. The argument on "Money" will challenge the 
 world of men. . I stand by the constitution. Money 
 is the creature of it, of sovereignty. This sovereign 
 power was won from King George the Third by rev- 
 olution. The power was in him then to make money. He 
 made it — both metals, gold and silver. They were coined 
 legal tenders. The heroes of the Revolution know this. They 
 made us a constitution — a written one: "No state shall coin 
 
198 
 
 money, emit bills of credit, nor make anything but gold and 
 silver coin a tender in payment of debts." The heroes did 
 not think of giving, nay stealing, this power from the people — 
 from the constitution. They made congress agent; they said 
 she must "coin money — regulate its value." For her to de- 
 stroy the legal tender right of either metal or both metals is 
 not in her power. For her to do so, as was done by her in 
 the money act of 1873, is simply revolutionary. She is as 
 much justified in doing this as was Cromwell in his kicking 
 Parliament members from their seats by his soldiery — or 
 Napoleon's scattering and suppressing of the French Direc- 
 ,tory. All is revolutionary. When these law bodies that 
 are sworn and paid as our agents to can*y out our will, re- 
 ject us, — "Do evil instead of good; act contrary to orders for 
 their pocket; then it is time for us, the people, to say: "Ye 
 congress were not told to make your void act of 1873. Ye 
 shall not be recognized. Ye did not create money. Ye shall 
 not destroy it. It is not in your power. This money lived be- 
 fore you were born. It will live after you are dead — and dis- 
 graced by your ignorance of the laws of the land. Your im- 
 pudence and presumption to make yourself 'sovereignty,' you 
 must not become too proud in your agency — for 'pride must 
 get a fall.' Your work must be for the people's good — not 
 for their destruction. Your act of 1S73 has destroyed con- 
 fidence, destroyed trade, destroyed progress, destroyed states' 
 development, destroyed the working of silver mines, 
 made tramps, made poverty, made 'free passes,' made 
 rogues and scamps of men. Yes, your act has done 
 
199 
 
 more damage to oui- country than could any pestil- 
 ence, any famine, any earthquake, any or all cyclones which 
 are some times sent over the world of men by the providence 
 of the ( 'reator of the T'niverse itself. Congress says it is the 
 law — 1 say no. Then what shall be done? They appeal to 
 the law; so do I, but I will not appeal to Congress, nor the 
 press, nor to party. I appeal to sovereignty, to the people, 
 to the constitution. By these measures, right shall be done 
 — restored right — we must, we the people of the United States 
 must take our gold and silver bullion to our own mints — 
 made for us, not for Congress, not for England, not for Ger- 
 many, not for India, not for France — but for us — the people 
 of the United States. We must take these lumps of metal, 
 gold and silver, to the mints, ask these metals to be coined 
 ' into dollars. Then if refused, then we apply to the proper 
 forum for mandamus to compel the coining. If in this case 
 we lose before the Supreme Court, then comes the time for 
 us for universal work, by creating a court that knows how 
 to revere the old constitution. The supreme power 
 is in the people themselves to the end that the 
 money of the constitution and our previous history 
 and the history of the world shall live, and perpetuate 
 itself. When this question is settled, when it is determined, 
 when it is decreed by the court that gold is as good as silver, 
 and silver is as good as gold, each a legal tender in payment 
 of debts, we, the people of the United States, having the right 
 to have our lumps of these two metals coined and stamped 
 at our own mints, thp>^e mints instead of being over- 
 
200 
 
 burdened and overcrowded with work, will have little to do, 
 because, when it is decreed that these are legal tenders, then 
 the owners of such can hypothecate, mortgage or pass silver 
 certificates from man to man in trade, these metal lumps be- 
 ing security for such trade, or paper or silver certificates in 
 redemption. This will lighten the burden, the load of these 
 clearing houses we read of. We are for helping them in 
 this business. It will also lighten the labor of Congress in 
 "getting" up acts for the use of these great money houses in 
 the east. In the old time they had a flag with a snake pic- 
 tured on it, and inscribed on it, "Don't tread on me." Let 
 not gold tread on silver, nor silver on gold. Let them em- 
 brace each other as husband and wife, tender and true for- 
 ever. Let not the poor crowd the rich, nor the rich the 
 poor. Let not the north crowd the south, nor the south 
 the north. Let not the west crowd the east, nor the 
 east the west. Let us be all patriots and Americans 
 under and for the constitution and its money. 
 Let bickerings, animosity, prejudice forever cease among the 
 American patriots of the constitution. Why tread on one 
 another in this c-ountrj' whose constitution was wrested from 
 the British crow n not much longer since than a century. Why 
 tread on each other about these metals here — whose institu- 
 tions have not a counterpart in the whole world of men. 
 ■N^'liY tread on these grand, God-given institutions, which were 
 made for the persecuted of the Eastern hemisphere. Why 
 wrangle to uj) set our customs, so that idlers and fools may 
 worship millionaires. A few years more and they are dead. 
 
201 
 
 Then who will possess their riches. How often they take to 
 themselves wings, and fly away, no one knows where. Are 
 not all these things, at last, vanity? We want enough. We 
 ought to have enough. We want no more. We want our 
 rights. We take no less. Let there be no respect of these 
 metals. Let there be no respect of persons, so tjiey stand 
 by our institutions left us by the fathers. 
 
 For the people to have issue, or issues, on money, in the 
 hustings, by parties, is both foolish and useless; it is outside 
 the constitution. It is not for any political party in this 
 country, however strong, to have its way in this affair, be- 
 cause, if it is left to a party's success — then, what the success- 
 ful party now does in this line may be reversed by the next 
 party in power. But while we have two or more parties in 
 this country, divided, fighting for power — then, it is wise, 
 and constitutional, that neither can lay impious hands on the 
 measures or values of money, gold and silver, both equal, and 
 supreme — each a legal tender in payment of debts, under the 
 constitution, and that by each citizen, each state, and all the 
 states united. 
 
 "Then woe to the robbers who gather 
 In fields where they never have sown, 
 
 Who have stolen the jewels from labor. 
 And builded to Mammon a throne— 
 
 For the throne of their god shall be humbled. 
 And a servant be chief in the land." , 
 
202 
 
 "For the Lord of the harvest hath said it, 
 
 Whose lips never uttered a lie, ■ 
 And his prophets and poets have read it 
 
 In symbals of earth and of sky — 
 That to him who has reveled in plunder, 
 
 Till the angel of conscience is dumb — 
 The shock of the earthquake and thunder 
 
 And tempest and torrent shall come." 
 
 ^