Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1857-05-08
Riots on the %. & O. Railroad.


Riots on the 70. & o. Railroad.
We cut the following comments on the
lawless proceedings on the line of the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad from the
Baltimore Republican of Tuesday last
The riots on the line of this road
have truly assumed an alarming aspect.
1t Is not our purpose to enter into dis
cusslon as to the causes which, it is as
sumed, have produced this lamentable
condition of affairs. Suffice it to say,
that the Railroad Company has not at
tempted to do anything but what it had
an unqualified right to do, and what has
been successfully practised on other great
roads. The freight conductors had also
the undoubted right to quit the service
OF the Company, either with or without
cause. But no man is base enough,
unless he is sunk far below the grade of
humanity, to justify the taking possess
ion of the road by force of arms, the
destroying of life or limb of other en-
ployces in working the road, the shoot
ing of those who are guarding the prop
erty of the Company, or of adopting
means to throw the cars from the track,
as was done on Saturday night, to the
destruction of the property of the Com
pany, and to the hazard of the lives of
all who were in the train.
"Where shall this matter end, is
question which every sober and order
loving citizen should ask himself. We
predicted, when, during the fall of 1856,
armed blackguards, organized into politi-
cal secret oath-bound clubs, paraded
the most public streets in Baltimore, as
saulting peaceable citizens and shooting
men down on the streets from the win
dows of omnibuses, that the next step
would be stately march into the bank
ing houses and demand for the monies
therein contained. The end has almost
come. These same gangs are now seek
ing to STAY all who pass up and down the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. This fact
cannot be denied, and the worst has not
yet been told. These violators of the
laws have been seen to depart from the
western end of the city with swivels for
the purpose of accomplishing their hell
ish design, and to return again without
hindrance or arrest, and that too under
the very eyes of the three hundred and
twenty beautifully dressed and most nor
hy police officers of this city. We say
that there is fearful responsibility in
all this matter resting upon the chief ex-
ecutive officer of this city. What has
he done to arrest this fearful march of
lawlessness Nothing, nothing, we say
What have his officers done: Nothing,
we answer; but, on the contrary, it is
known, that numbers of them have open
ly expressed sympathy with the rulhans,
to whom they are allied in sworn bonds
of political brotherhood. These gentle
men can be spared to 60 as far as Phila-
delphia to arrest fugitive from justice,
and yet they will permit gangs of ruff
fans to depart from the city, and within
the very sight of those who stand upon
its western margin perpetrate acts I'M
measurably more heinous than highway
robbery, with IMMUNITY.
''In the face of such facts, what re-
spectacle citizen is secure in his person
or his property? The city of Baltimore
owns three and half millions in stock
of this railroad. The very existence Of
Baltimore as commercial mart depends
upon the successful working of that
road More than both of these things,
our being as community depends upon
the preservation of the laws. Are those
interests being protected ? Arc those
laws being preserved by the men who
are commissioned and paid for these pur-
poses? Let our citizens ponder well
upon these things. Let them reflect up
on the end, and before it is too late, ap-
ply the remedy, let the struggle cost
what it may.
eff the Mayor of the city will not
assist the Governor Of Maryland to pro-
tect persons and property, let the aid Of
the General Government be invited; LET
the citizens assemble in town meeting to
adopt measures commensurate with the
crisis; let everything be done which the
human ingenuity can devise, rather than
submit to a rule which, if not arrested,
will make our city desolation, and it,
citizens subjects of reproach, wherever
civilization is known"
TnE RAILROAD STRIKB--END OF TIL
DIFFIcuLTY. The action of the commit
tee on transportation of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company at thei
meeting on Tuesday, and the adoption o