Preacher's Piece

Sometimes, someone unexpected comes into your life out of nowhere, makes your heart race, and changes you forever. We call those people cops.

There’s a story out there that says the following letter was sent to President Andrew Jackson from New York State Governor Martin Van Buren.

January 31, 1829

Dear President Jackson:

The canal system of this country is being threatened by the spread of a new form of transportation known as ‘railroads.’ The federal government must preserve the canals for the following reasons:

One. If canal boats are supplanted by ‘railroads,’ serious unemployment will res...