Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1857-05-23
Sale of the Main Line.

The deeds done the outrageis consum.
mated; the climax of corruption is reached;
and the Legislature of Pennsylvania is
covered with lasting iniamy. Hereafter
he shall shrink with shame at whom the
finger ofscorn shall point, as he passes along
the public thorougbfare, intimating, there
there goes member of the Legislature of
1857.
The alterations of public men, though
natural, are always humiliating but when
a deed of glaring injustice is deliberately
done, the head of every patriot is bowed
in sickening sorrow.
Still moro is this the case when the State
is the victim and the dagger has been plan
ted in the bosom Of mother Commonwealth.
Works of intercommunication that were
constructed with the money of the Com
monwealth, and whose revenues were
applied to the interest Of the public debt
are to be abandoned in favor of a gigantic
corporation, which, by voluntary act, was
erected into rival-but upon a distinct
understanding.
As railroad upon the banks of a canal
would necessarily injure its trade, and di
minish the revenue ofthe State, the Original
condition in the law between the State and
Pennsylvania Railway was, that tax
should be levied upon every ton Of fi'eight
passing over its road. In succeeding
years they besought, in pitoous tones, and
received the exemption of coal and lumber.
but finally from the Legislature of 1857
they obtain a release of tho whole, nearly
$500, 600 yearly, which should 60 into the
Golfers of the State, toward defrayme mt of
the interest of the debt.
After injuring that highway constr ucted
by the citizens Of the whole Commonwealth
alter obtaining release from the COM
pensaton which they volutarily offered in
lieu of said injury, the Directors of the
Pennsylvania Road send their hirelings to
demand, of a plable Legislature, the Main
Line in effect as gift and with right Of
abandoning a portion. The enormity of
enormlties is contained in the abandonment
of the western division of the canal. and
these men are the Actqon dogs that pyeu
upon the POseer a0hich nude them a0l.at utty
are.
But so unpleasant is the theme that we
shall conclude by advorting to the fact that
amendment after amendment was voted
down 10 the Senate by the friends of the
bill. Even that of Mr.. BROWNE, which
made the purchasers liable for damages
brought by the owners of farms, who were
compelled to divide their fields and give
land for a public highaoay, and, also, for
damages done to lessees Of water power
and all other parties injured, was defeated
by the following vote
The seventh section being under consi.
deration.
Mr.. BROWNE moved to attach a
proviso, that the purchasers shall guarantee
the Commonwealth against, and pay all
claims or damages for water power or other
water rights. that may be injured by mana.
cement or abandonment of any pant thereof,
or in any way arising from said sale.
Negatiyed yeas l3, nays ls, as follows;
YEAS Messrs. Brewer, Browne, Cress.
well, Ely, Fetter, GAzzAM, Knox, Lau-
bach, Steele, Walton, Welsh, Wilkins and
NAYs-Messrs. Coffoy, EVANS, Finney,
Flenniken, Frazer, Gregg, Harris, IN
GRAM, Jordan, Killingor, Lewis, Nj ser,
scofeld Sellers, Shuman, ,Southcr ,STRAUB
and Toggar Sgcqkcr--ls, ,