Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1856-03-01
Metropolitan Railroad.

the success OF the Dill, - AmendatOry OF
the charter of the Metropolitan Railroad
Company" will have been known to most
of your readers, and itonly remains now,
to satisfy the curiosity of the inquisitive,
to relate how this was effected. Having
been spectator during the whole time
from the presentation of the Company's
Memorial to the passage Of the bill, and
somewhat an outside participator in the
efforts to procure an object of more real
Importance in advancing the prosperity
of our beloved county, than any other
measure, in my humble opinion, that
ever before passed the Legislature of our
State, therefore feel authorized briefly
to state how the thing was accomplished
1t cannot, however, be expected that, in
communication like the present, half Of
the incidents that occurred can be told
| will, therefore, endeavor to confne
myself to such as | think the public have
right 10 know
In the first place, tho memorial of the
company was presented to the Senate by
our accomplished Senator, General Gar
THEIR, and referred to the committee on
Internal Improvements, Of that body,
Immediately after which he was called
home, and remained absent for two weeks.
The friends of the road were extremely
anxious to obtain progress, and at the
same time desired to obtain his aid and
in order to effect both objects, it was
thought advisable to have a bill drawn
conformable to the memorial, and to have
it forwarded, as far as possible, SO that
on his return it would DC Z" cut and dry
for him to pass the bill to its third and
last reading. This was effected through
the instrumentality Of that noble speci-
men of Gods great works, an upright,
straight forward, intelligent and indie
pendent representative, in the person of
the Senator from Alleghany, Mr.. SEM,IEs.
In this / am humbly giving vent to the
dictates of grateful heart, and close
observer of his course generally-ho it
was who drew up the Bill, amendatory
of the charter; and when Gen. Gather
returned, he had only to approve of the
bill during its consideration by the COM
mittee, to whom it had been referred,
and to advocate its passage before the
Senate on its final passage; which he did
in his usual mastery manner.
From the Senate it went to the House
of Delegates, Gas a matter of course, J
aud was there referred to the committee
Of Internal improvements of that House,
when twas duly considered, and received
majority report, favorable; and like
wise minority report, adverse to its
passage. The bill had been read the
first time by its title, on its reception
from the Senate, and was entitled to a
second reading, when it was reported by
the committee. This was done on the
22d of February; that glorious day for
these United States, that gave birth to
the temporal Saviour of his country
But just at the moment that the bill
came up before the EIouse-pop, went a
great gun, seconded by many others, ac-
companied by the celebrating sounds Of
martial music, which raised such spirit
Of enthusiastic and patriotic feeling in the
bosoms of many members of the House,
that it was impossible to proceed with
business, and they adjourned over to
meet next day.
l need scarcely say how much the
friends of the bill were disappointed by
this unexpected delay. They, however
determined among themselves to try il
again on the next day, should the House
be pretty full. But Mr.. HALL, oul
representative, preferred that it should
lay over until the following Tuesday, Sc
as to allow him time to 90 home to his
family and return in time to advocate the
bill He said he had made arrangements
for conveyance on the 23d to meet him
at the Laurel, and his family would be
uneasy, if he did not go, as they would
be ignorant of the cause of his detention
and here permit me to remark that Mr..
Hall exerted himself in preparing for the
contest, and assured me that all was safe
on the Eastern Shore, which prevented
me from boring in that direction tc tho
extent that otherwise should have done
in order that those gentlemen might have
voted understandngly on the question
was therefore astonished to find, jus
as the question was about to be taken
one or moro of those gents slid,
from the House, and one positively voted
in the negative | mention this in or.
der to release him from obligations he
may feel himself under TO those gents on
any future occasion. And now l beg
leave to turn from this 10 the more
pleasant, as well as the darker shades Of
the picture.
The friends of the bill were deter
mined to test it on the Odd; for from my
own knowledge and the assurance of Mr..
Hall, that all was safe in certain quar-
ter, that, should there be a sufficient
number of members present, to give us a
constitutional majority, over and above
seven, (six of whom were bound to their
constituents to oppose us, and one other,
who in his conversation took ground
against US, ! felt pretty confident of
success. The Bill was taken up little
before . o'clock, and quito an exciting
debate ensued
Mr. FIERY, from Washington county
offered his amendments, and made of il
quito constitutional question, violativc
of the Constitution of the United States
ms well as that Of our own State, and
breach Of contract between the eompan,
and the individual subscribers, an,
atthe same time demanded that the none,
paid by his constituents should be return