Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1856-04-02

sire to perform your duty with single eve
to the best interests of the Company.
! If not inconsistent with your feelings, We
should be pleased to have an exposition of the
manner IN which the result was accomplished
and the causes which led to it. Awaiting
your early reply, we subscribe ourselves,
Tour friends, very truly,
John T. Smith, John b. Myers,
William Amer, Morris L. HalloweIf,
Geo. Boldin, D. b. Hinman,
Edmund Deacon, Robert r. Levick.
John Thompson, Nathan r. Potts,
William Spooner,
ESTEEMED FRIENDs:-I have received YOUR
letter of the Sth inst, asking, if not incon-
sistent with my feelings, exposition of the
manner In which the result of the late election
for Directors of the Pennsylvania Railroad
was accomplished, and the causes -aich led
to it. feel that when question is asked
by so highly respectable portion of my fell
low citizens and stockholders in the road that
ought to respond with such exposition as I
am able to give. 1t is an ungracious task for
defeated candidate to complain, because he
is subjected to the remark that it proceeds
from disappointment or spite On the other
hand, / am aware that the result of the cleo
ton subjects me to unjust criticisms affecting
personal character. Stockholders will say
truly, that there must have been some cause
for this unexpected and mysterious result
But before proceed to the modus operandi,
permit me to say, that during the two years
sat at the Board, the most friendly relations
were maintained between my colleagues and
myself We frequently differed in opinion,
particularly on all those matters wherein the
road was to be made Gas thought) subservi-
ent to private interests, instead of the general
interests of the stockholders but we conduct
ed our differences with becoming propriety, so
as to leave no acerbity of feeling had no
personal interests to subserve, and constantly
resisted the offers because was aware of the
great difficulty of giving an impartial judg-
ment in questions affecting our own interests.
Suspicion will always rest upon US, whether
We are guilty or not The ticket was formed
as is usual. upon such occasions, by the mem
bers Of the Board, without any dissatisfaction
on the part of any. 1t consisted of old mem
bers, adding the name of Josiah Bacon, in
the place Of John Yarrow, deceased. / had
been requested to procure q candidate from
amongst the merchants, and after some hes-
tation on his part, and persuasion of mine. j.
+. consented to serve. The ticket was print
ed and distributed as usual ON the day of the
election, and stockholders were told there was
no opposition. But the unexpected result
was accomplished by a secret combination of
certain parties, who had control Of the Eng
ish prOrieS. How many votes these proxies
command | am not able to say. There is a
large number of shares held in England, aud
every share commands one vote One for
eigner, think, has 2400 shares, and others
a thousand each, so that they count fast They
had also their agents on the line of the road
from Philadelphia to Pittsburg. gathering up
the proxies of contractors and others BY
keeping up in the mean time an unusually
friendly intercourse with me, and announcing
to our stockholders that there was no opposi-
ton to the regular ticket, their victory was
easy. Perhaps three-fourths of the vote poll
ed for the secret ticket consisted of English
proxies, powerful engine to punish refracto-
ry members. The stock consisting of S12,-
500, 600 after deducting So, 900. coo owned
by the city, and SI,UOU,UU0 by Allegheny
not entitled to vote, there would be left Sc, 500
900, giving more than 125, 900 shares enti-
tied to vote. So secret was the management
of this enterprise, that even the gentlemen
elected in my place, although voting the tick
ct containing his OWL name, did not know it.
[ am not aware to whom the laurels belong of
planning and executing this secret movement,
but 1t seems to me that the achievement was
not very brilliant. When men make up their
minds to work IN the dark, whilst reople are
asleep, they can accomplish wonderful things.
The deception practised upon me and the stock
holders not in the secret, was complete Per
haps my colleagues, who were very friendly
with me on the day of the election, can ex-
plain better than [ can. 1t Is rather remark
able that no one of them has ever called upon
me, or written to me, exculpating himself from
participation in the plot, since / left them on
the day of the election. As long essays are
seldom read, / must leave an exposition of
the causes for future letter.
Very respectfully, your friend
VIM. NEAL.
LETTER NO. III.
John B. Myers, d. b. Hinman, Morris L.
HalloweIl Robert r. Kevick, and others.
| ESTEEMED FRIENDS In my last letter,
explained to you the manner in which my
election was defeated. / must now answer
your question as to the causes of the unexpec-
| ted result those causes which we're consider
ed of so much magnitude as to justify resort
| by honorable men to so extraordinary
scheme. The result of the election set the
inquiry On foot, what has this man been guilty
Of that he should have received this rebukc7
| What peculations, or speculations, or defalca-
tons can be laid to his charge? Has he been
neglectful of his duty? Has he had SO much
other business to attend to, that he has failed
to attend half the meetings of the Board p
Methinks hear the reponse, no. The diff
cutv with him hos haap fbof he does foo much,