The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-11-15
The Railroad monopoIies.
EIdiLor of The Ren,lhLic.


TO he Editor Of the Republic:
SIR: That Congress has the power 10 lay
out and construct roads will not, think, admit of
doubt, nor can it, think, be more doubtful
that when a State opposes obstacles TO the
transport OF the men and merchandise of other
States, and does so for the purpose of levying
taxes for its own support, or that of individuals
or corporations, it becomes the duty of the
General Government to exercise that power.
If 4 State can for such purposes levy tax of
one dollar per head, it can as well make it two,
four, or five, and it can go further, by prohibit
ing the passage Of either men or merchandise
across its territory, or taxing both 50 heavily
to stop all direct intercourse between the States
north and SOUTH east OF west of IT. The
effect of this would be TO compel both men and
merchandise TO pass by circuitous routes such
as the people of Philadelphia and New York
are now compelled to use by sending their mer
chandise and going themselves round by sea,
when they would gladly use the canal but for
the enormous amount of custom duties claimed
| by the monopoly from all those who find them
selves compelled to use the shorter route. Were
the tax ten dollars per head instead of, as now,
about two dollars, doubt would exist as to the
absolute necessity of Congressional interference;
but the principle is the same whether the tax be
|
gress ia IN duty bound, it appears to me, to
ercise it, and thus relieve the internal trade from
the odious oppression under which it now labors.
An examination of the history of the connexion
of this monopoly with the Post Office Depart
ment would however alone afford abundant rea-
! son for the exercise OF the power conferred upon
| the General Government. For many years, aud
until application was made ~ Congress for a road
the monopolists refused to sign any contract with
the Department. They were willing to carry the
mail and to receive a large price for doing
but they refused 10 be bound TO deliver it at any
| specified time; the consequence of which was thai
it frequently failed to connect; and sometimes for
| weeks together there loss of half day with
out forfeiture on their part. Not only was this the
case, but they refused to carry the mail by more
than one OF their routes, unless the Depar tmen
would pay nearly twice as much for carrying two
mails by two routes, they paid for carrying the
two by route; the consequence of which was
that considerable portion of this State was, in o
great measure, deprived of the facilities of inter
course by correspondence. To remove, in part,
this difficulty, it proposed TO make up small
way mail for this place, and the country depend
ent upon it; but the managers, determined TO CO.
cree the Department into the payment of an ad-
ditional twenty thousand dollars more, refused
even to allow it place in the train; and thus
would matters have remained to the present hour
but for the application to Congress of which have
spoken.
II may be said, in the words of Captain Stockton,
| that thirty years but small portion Of "the
| lifetime of empire and that the monopoly has
limit beyond which it cannot exist. This, how
| ever, is a sad mistake. The company is daily
strengthening the chain by which the State is
bound and, as travel and traffic increase, it finds it
| IN, bnu he ticia hy
whoae aid it carries out its schemes; and it ia UNI
derstood to have been the boast of Captain Stock
ton that before the expiration of the thirty years
they would be able TO send to the Legislature such
men they pleased, and thus compel the State to
forfeit its right Of purchase after which they claim
that their monopoly becomes perpetual. Elsewhere
such boast might appear ridiculous, but in this
monopoly ridden State it is not 80; and, unless
| Congress interfere, there ia danger that they
may establish in Perpctuity their right to collect
taxes upon all the men and merchandise of the
Union requiring to pass from North to South, or
| from South to North Arc the people Of the Union
| prepared to pay millions Of dollars annually for
tho maintenance Of the people who manage this
rnonopoly? trust not II not, it behooves them to
exert themselves procure the action of Congress,
by the aid Of which they themselves may be cheaply
carried, while the mail would be transported three
/
cost 10 the Department
1t is in the Of the people of this State how
ever that call upon you to urge this question upon
the consideration of Congress. We are in the
hands of the Philisines, and without the help that
ongress alone can give the oppression under which
suIler is likely to be increased and perpetuated.
BY granting that help they will be setting cx-
ample that will forever deter other States from
ton 80 totally in opposition to the spirit OF the Con-
stitution is the effort to maintain its government
by means of transit duties. That this thing is in
violation Of the spirit of the Constitution no one can
doubt who will reflect upon it even for q moment.
That which man cannot do by himself he cannot
do by another. Were the State to declare that
every man who passed across its territory should
pay into its treasury tax of half dollar, and that
every ton of COAL barrel of flour, should pay ten
cents, there would be universal determination to
resist the payment. The State does not do this, but
il authorizes third party to claim, and above
the proper charge of transportation, twice, thrice,
and often four, five, and times as much; and be-
cause thus does by another that which could not
do by itself the tax has been thus far paid and there
ia great danger that its payment will continue to
be enforced until Congress shall determine to eman-
cipate the great internal trade of the country from
the control Of grasping monopolists, who pick
our pockets of the means by which to control our
elections. -
BURL1NdToN November s, 1851.
PETITION TO THE QUEEN OF SPAIN.-Some
weeks since petition to the Queen of Spain,
nunerously signed, in behalf of the Lopez vic
| tirnc ,vae fnrwa rded from This citv fhrouUh the