The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1851-06-05


his observation.
REPEAL OF CHARTERs.--The COnse.
qUences.-lfa any one thing. On Saturday
last. warmed up the present Attorney
General. Col, Mccormick If Adams, it
was that clause in the new Constitution
which authorizes the repeal of charters;
but there are two sides To every question.
He gave one and w will pursue it a lii.
tie further. To defend the "mes" who
framed this peculiar Instrument and nav
ask the people Of Ohio to adopt it,, he
attempted to show how easy it would be-
to repeal charters aud yet mol disturb the
rights If men who had invested their
money in plank roads. railroads, &c.
He imagined a plank road constructed
from this city 10 Columbus the right of.
way purchased, the grading flushed, the
Planks placed upon it. the bridges built,
the toll gates erected, aud all the neces.
sary work performed to make a good
highway at oil seasons between tho two
cities. He then imagined that the Lee.
gislature would repeal The charter; aud
guarded the rights of men who had thus
invested their means, by that clause which
prevents the State from taking private
property without compensation. He
said the company, which would in this
case form a partnership. could sue and be-
sued. plead aud be implicated, Just as
members of any other partnership. The
right of way, planks, bridges. &c, we're
all theirs aud no person could take them
and no one travel over the road without
paying them what they demanded.
One Of two things would assuredIy fol.
low. Either the Attorney General is
right, or he is not. For the sake of the
argument we will suppose his conclusions
to be correct, aud what follows.
All persons who wish tn travel over
this road are at the mercy Of this part
nership. They can charge what rates Of
Tolls they please, or they can prevent
certain persons from travelling over their
road. Now who will DO the suferersl If
the community along the route become
exnsperaled, they will demolish the road.
and we defy justice to be done in this
case It they are a law.abiding people,
they either submit to she unrestricted cn
actions OF the company. or will be com.
PEELED to open and build another road
Now. who will be- the sufferers in ,his
easel Most Ossurodly the public. I
How much better is the legal way of H.,
managing these things, A charter il |
granted to these men with alt necessary \
aud proper restrictions the condition ~ =
the road. the rates of tolls, the free n.r. .
mission 10 oil persons to travel over il. .
are liked in that chatter. Under This !
charter, the company invest their muuev |
and build tho road. 81 hong as they car u
ry out the provisions Of the charter. M q
man. no company. 10 State has a ,i,h, ,
10 take away the benefits of the charter y,
lit exists always, IN It's restrictions and
its privileges, and both the c immunity
and the Stockholders are benefited.
So with Banks so long Us their char.
ter runs and all other corporations IN all
instances, lot the charter guard well and
justly the rights of the company aud the
rights OF the citizen; but il these corpo.
rations exist and,the company is permit.
tod to do as they please, as the Attorney
General would have il by repeating their
charters. instead ofO blessing, they would ,
prove a curse To any community. They
cannot from the nature uf things. no re-. =
gn'ated like ordinary partnerships by
competition. But uue road would De
constructed Ia Columbus aud but one 10 .
any other place. aud the consequence ,
would be monopolies upon all sides. =.
but Two classes of men would orouo l
this way-those ignoran, Of the ea,cts IF q
such an Unrestricted system Of nublic 4
improvements, aud those who hovs ,o, y,
the welfare of the great mass Of IN. cnm i
munlty at heart. Give US cornnr.,i"" |
properly guarded IN all respects. h.,
don't grant Us such boon as The Att.
ney General would wish.