Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-01-04
IN. cn,.nde.,. Herald ana n. Board Of pusl. Werl,

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The Gnyaudotts Herald aud the Board Of Public Works.
Having noticed days Hincc rumor, published in
the Guyandoe Herald, making charges Of bargain and
corruption against member OF the Board OF Pub
lie Works, respecting alleged purchases of land very
favorable individual account because OF the selection Of
particular site for the location OF the western Depot
OF the Coyngton and Ohio Railroad cheeruly mako
matter in its true light and entirely relieves from censurc
suspicion the particular member whom ausion has
been made. The following, understand them,
the facts In the
The Board Of Public Works. through one of its men,
bers has been all the summer and fall negotiating oh
tain, on the best terms, site for western Depot They
length succeeded in securing written proposition from
each farmer upon whose land there prospect OF FIX
ing the Depot for MY acres mot tcn for tie bcn,ff Of
The State eithom paying cr, Notonly has this been
done, but they have obtained the REIMBURSEMENT of the
land for all Of the smaller Depots along the line OF the
western end Of the road and also the REIMBURSEMENT of
nearly all the land damages.
After this accomplished and the States interest
fully secured and protected proposition to buy
more Of ground, at uniform price, made by one
member Of the Board to the agent Of the gentlemen pro-
posing TO give land to the State for depot purposes That
agent directed to make the proposition openly to
each Of those gentlemenhc price be the with
each.
This represented to to be plain statement OF facts
and coming from the from which have received
H. IL is entitled unqualified belief Ii shows that
the members Of the Board besides being wholly guess
IN the premises, are entitled 70 public commentator for
the successful manner in which they have negotiated for
the depos and disposed OF the veHaous question of land
damages. And, further, the stands, are
prepared to saw that there would be greater impo
piety in purchase Of "en thousand OF land in
that country by member of the Board than by any other
citizen of the commonwealth who had the means and the
disposition TO make such All inveStmeni.-RichmoHd
Maid
We find the foregoing in the columns of the Mail
We know nothing of the original charge or the cir
cumstances relied upon to sustain it-nor OF anything
relating to it, This paragraph embraces all our inior
nation on the subject. From this il appears tha
there was proposition by member Of the Board for
ne purchase of ten acres-but not until after the
land for the Depot was obtained. There may hav,
been nothing improper in this We do not mean &c
question the perfect integrity OF all the parties con
cerncd. But the precedent is one which, by it'll,
stretching, might let in flood of corruption Sup
pose there had been aprevous and understand
ng between the Board and the owners of tn,
iand-that the first would establish the depot OF
their land, If they in turn would give or sell at
low figure adjoining lands To the indivdua
members of the Board. Suppose the Depot Sc
lected was not the best for the public-but wa
chosen because of this private consideration to thu
members of the Board Suppose the same rule wer
to hold with respect 10 all other Depols and to al
| other improvements. Might not the public be sacri
feed at every point to the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of tn
Board?
We dlerfro the concluding remark of our respect
ed cotemporary ofthe Mai-ari think that he upon ,
review of the opinion advanced, will discard it
There is more improperly in member of the Boart
OF Public Works specializing in lands upon compe-
ting railroad routes than there would be in private
citizens. "When self the wavering balance shakes
/ ~ fs. 4, IL
| lands by 4 member of the Board might and would
very probably incline him favor the route upon
which the lands lie. That route might not be Il g
best for the publc-and yet the public interests
would be sacrificed t, subserye the private interests
of the members Of the Board.
The public cannot too Soan or too sternly set its
face against any doctrine, which might be construed
into an excuse or Justification Of such practice One
ofthc leading objections with many to the Board OF
Public Works. established by the Constitution was
he facilities and temptations which the position al
iJrded for speculation aud corruption The effect Of
That objection will be tocauSe people to watch closely
the conduct Of The members of the Board They will
not and should not he permitted 10 embark in specu.
la'i0Hs which may give them private interests that
will override the public, and induce them 10 prostitute
their official positions to the qualification of their in
diSidna! eupdi'y The present members may be pos
sessed ofsnch inpregnsc virtue as to he capable OF
resisting all assaults, and their affection or the public
remain undminised in the face Of thousands lost TO
their private pockets; but the example is dangerous
Their successors may not be men of the same I'M
bending integrity-a"d the wicket, which they have
only raised an eighth Of inch. may be seized as =
precedent for letting in whole flood OF corruption
The Board of Pnblic Works should he, like C,esar's
wife, free from suspicon-and, to that end they must
be free from private interest