The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1841-01-16
IN SENATE.


CHESAPEAKE s. OHIO CANAL STOCK.
Mr. MERRIcK moved to take up the joint res
olation for the transfer of the stock OF the Unit
ed States in the Chesapeake and Ohio canal to
the Stats OF Maryland.
Mr. MANGUM said this was a SUBJECT of great
interest to the citizens Of tiiis District. 1t
would be recollected that he had presented, some
time since a memorial n relation to this very
matter. appended to which were ssme volu-
minous documents ', hich had not yet been print
ed and laid on the table. He therefore hoped
that the subject would not be pressed until he
could have tint to look into it. 1t could he pass
ed over informally for the present.
Mr. MERncK said he was willing to grant
any reasonable delay for the purpose OF allow
ing he Senator to look into 1t, and SO asst was
NOT thrown out of its place, he would consent
that it should lay over until tomorrow. There
was a particular reason why there should be as
prompt action on it as possible. The commit
tee for the District Of Columbia had the memoir
ial and documents alluded to by the Senator re.
fore them, and had reported The joint resolution,
which had passed the Senate at the last session
without discussion, but had been lost IN the
other House for want OF time
Mr. GRAHAM said a book had Just been put
into his possession this morning (holding up a
volume of at least 200 pagcs) which would re-
quire examination before he should be prepared
TO vote on it. Whether he could be ready by to-
morrow or not, would depend, therefore on cir
eunIstances. ,
Mr. MrRRIcK said, if the Senator had to read
that volume before arriving at knowledge oi
the subject, the resolution must be defeated BY
the DELAY, and therefore he could not consent te
the postponement The cities of this Distric
hal memorialized Congress not to transfer ;
stock belonging to the United States, and o
which the Government was the entire owner
What was it to them, any more than TO othel
cities of the Union, what Congress pleased to do
with the stock? He could see no reason for thel
particular interference! What were the facts IL
the case? WHY that this stock was hanging Gk
an incubus over the State OF Maryland, and wa
not worth farthing to the Government. In
limited States refused to come forward and con
tribute its aid IN carrying the canal to sue
point as would make it beneficial to any body
MARYLAND asks that the stock OF the Government
may be transferred on certain conditions spec
fed in the resolution, and for which the Govern
ment has an equivalent, and she would then g
ON to complete the canal. VIII you hold o.
(said Mr. MI to the stock, to speculate on tn
public spirit of Baltimore? If so, the State vii
not go on with the work. 1t was. kind aog-in
the-lnanger policy, neither doing it yourselves
nor suffering the State to do it.
MIR. WALLER said several years since he haC
introduced bill somewhat similar 10 that now
pending, for the REIMBURSEMENT of our stock
in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal to the State
of MARYLAND. He had done this, after confer.
ence with distinguished patriot, Governor
KENT,) then Sen ator frsm Maryland, bu'
now called to higher and better world. Al
that time he (Mr. W. had called upon the
Secretary of the Treasury to report what divi'
dends the Government of the United States
had received from its stock in all these canals
namely, this canal, the Delaware and Chesa.
peake Canal, the Dismal Swamp Canal, and
the Ohio Canal at Louisville. The report then
made showed that these stocks, with the ex-
ception of the last, had never yielded any divi.
dend, that they had no market price and in all
probability never wonld yield any dividend, es.
pecially the stock in the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal. Under these circumstances, Mr.. w
said he was in favor of dissolving this unpro-
htab partnership between this Governrnen
and this company, by the surrender of this
stock to the State Of Maryland. MIR. w. sait
that whoever would read the early debates and
reports on this subject in both Houses of Con
gFess could not fail to observe that this Govern
ment nad originally intended to proceed par
passu with The State of Maryland in subscrip
tons to this canal, considering it as gTea
national work terminating in this District.
ans desigh was now abandoned, most hap
PLY, by this Government, together with To
whole internal improvement system by Con
gress, but in the meantime the State of Mary
land, relying on the continued co operation Z
fhi. Government in the construction of this ca
nal, had proceeded and expended enormou
ans towards the completion of this great worl
aud whilst he (Mr. W. could not, even undo
these circumstances, vote to appropriate moi