Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-11-19
DEBATE ON THE VERMONT AND
CANADA n. r. BILL

We cannot give in full the debate in the
Senate Nov. l3, on tho bill to extend the
Charter of the VT and Canada R. R. Go.
rs reported in Walton's Journal.
An abstract of the chief points made in the
debate must suffice. The substitute bill, re.
pnted ny tho Committee on Roads had been
adopted Us such. An amendment offered by
Senator Gleed, of Lamoille, for striking oat
tho words "to some point ives: Of tho Town
House, in Colchester" was pending. The
debate which arose thereon involved the
merits Of the bill MS a whole, as reported by
the Committee.
Mr.. Chittenden reviewed tho history of
matters pertaining to the chartering of the
R. R. Corporations directly concerned in
this case;
In ls43, the legislature chartered the Rutland
and Central roads, both terminating at Burling.
ton each invested, as it then understood, with
equal privileges. In e45, the Central, throu Oh
an ambiguity in Of the sections of its charter
claimed that it had the right to to Canada line
IL urged this apparent advantage over the Rut.
land road upon the people of western Vermont as
reason why they should subscribe to the stock of
the Central instead Of the Rutland. The consc
quence was that in the fall of ls45, the Rutland
applied TO the Legislature for amendment of its
charter which would permit it also TO build to
Canada hne. While this application was pending
and while IT was being opposed by the Central the
people OF franklin county came forward and claim
ed that an Independent road should be chartered
SUBJECT TO the control of neither, but aaorlng
equal facilities to both the others; the Justice Of
TINS was acceded to by all parties and the charter
OF the Vermont and Canada road was drawn; pro-
visions were inserted in it which all parties sup
posed would insure this equality and it was sub
united to the Legislature and all opposition to il
being withdrawn it became law Thus the Can
ada road was brought into existence-the yery
purpose OF Its creation was that it should form one
link in the important chain of inter com nunica
tion from the north and the west to the south and
the east Upon no other condition could its char
ter have been obtained.
The leasing of the Vermont and Canada
to tho Vermont Central--tho change of route
fer the Vermont Central Railroad, after
crossing tho river north of the village Of Bur-
.ington, and after large expense had been
made on more direct line to tho bank of
the lake the a,..cc,mpt of the Rutland and
Burlington R. R. Co., To extend their line
northward from Burlington towards Canada;
and the means whereby their efforts were
foiled, were briefly dwelt upon-and the de-
lays and inconvenience which the public
had been subject to for many years from the
sole connexion Of the Vermont and Canada
with the Vermont Central R. r., Mt Essex
Junction, were spoken of. Tho Vermont
and Canada had failed to fulfill one of it's
most essential obligations as specified in it.
charter. Mr.. c. continued
The day Of reckoning has como. These unfaith-
ful stewards Of public trust were now on their
the very life of their corporation. Convicted
traitors to the public interest, they were here
asking reprievs OF the sentence Of their own OK
ecution. lie would DO merciful 10 them. Ito
would grant them -eprieve; but since they
had shown, by long life OF deception, that their
honesty could not DO trusted, he vould do it only
upon terms that would ensure their honesty for
the future.
But, FIRST, was this application made to the Leg
stature n7w in good faithy bid this eorpo-
ration n1W propose u build this road required
by their Chatter If 1t was extended! The evidence
was all the other "sy The President, MIR. Par
tended to build it. His reply was, that the ID.
ysefgs had not considered thai question. His person
al intentions as a member ofthe board, were asked
for His reply was. tina, he had persona intention
abomh. This was just equivalent to saying they
did not intend to build it, and the Legislature
must act accordingly. 1t should impose conditions
upon the company which would make its lie de-
pend upon its keeping faith with the Legislature
and the people, Its contumaey for thirteen years