New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-18

,s-Hvjcry jgf.resfs Of multitude of persons VINO ls
for long period enjoyed the benefit OF less'horoNs"
system.
Out Of this state OF things arose vast amount u
criticism upon and denunciauon OF, his ac's son'e
times dictated by error ard sometimes by uaAce.
Perhaps 10 person not occupying puohc poA''c",
Office las been more rourdy abused. Hitherto ana
while in Office he has always suffered IN Silence maA-
irg no public deferse against injurious cauinhy; oe-
cause in the first place, it was incident 10 me Vgo
Gus reforming policy he pursued and further, because
While en- employee of the Com oany his own ieleise
would involve criticism upon the attitude ana So ~
the Board of Directors. lie was TOO good supo1j::
nate 70 allow himself 10 be drawn Into persopal VIM
cation at the expense OF his employers-knowing thaI
such vudcaton would be destructive to al suoordl'
nation and discipline.
His relations with the officers of the Company are
changed, and he feels al liberty TO defend himself
against all attacks if he shal think proper, ana
especially against assaults the Directors ana ON 'ers
If The Company. 80 VI,
and Erie Railroad Company TO me Stockhoders 10,
tie year ending September 1857. has lately been aid
before the public in the form OF pamphet. l ~
signed Charles Moran, President. From the usual
method Of making up these reports II safe 10 hler
that this one was laid before the Board OF Directors
ard approved by them before publication. Inc "
rectors therefore responsible r the VI
.he report Is well as the Presden Indeed, 1t pur-
ports 10 have been published by their authority
This report contains allegation or charge against
the subscriber to which he not willing to submit III
silence. The following extracts from the report con-
tain the gist of the charge:
Tie fiscal wear terminating On the 5th Of September last
has the unfortunate through which this Company has
most inalspcous commencement In my oInio1 tes
S ai Whom then dmen to de- Fue a that
had the representations Of the engineers been properly ed
b. The General Superintendent they would have submitted 70
any rule really necessary protect life and property and Sc
the performance OF duty.
But the representations Of the engineers were not prop
ry treated they their part resoed 70 most UNIV
nd ri q. the snfonna,e .tockh6lders who were
way parties 20 the existing difficulties and ne ,iE once
then to any Of the Of the engineers would forever
after hsv placed power in their hands most aa TO the Inter-
ests of this Company"
Here il a charge based upon the opinion of Mr.
Moran who was in Europe at the tmeD that the
General Superintendent treated the representa-,
ons of the engineers improperly and that II ne had
treated them properly there would have been no
strike. The refuiation OF this injurious allegation Is
found in the fact that the engineers never made any
representations To the General Superintendent and
he had occasion opportunity TO treat them either
properly or improperly. This, MIR. Moran would have
learned if he had inquired into the subject WIN the
degree of and candor which ought to attend the
formation and publication of an opinion or charge I'M
favorable 10 another person.
The facts relating to the strike and it, incidents, so
far the General superintendent was connected
Herewith, are follows:
On the 18th of September 1856, the General Superin-
ende1t left the Citv of for the West on ou@i
His journey extended 70 is h raceived
telegraphic dispatches informing him that strike
was imminent. Whereupon he returned tortnWnh
TO New-York arriving here on the night OF the 18th OF
September On the Both he met a Committee OF the
Board of Directors, appointed while he was absent,
with full power TO confer and treat with the engineers
II appeared that this Committee and Committee on
the part of the engineers during the six eight days
previous, had had several interviews during when
the Committee of engineers had made their represent;
atoms to the Committee OF the Directors, and had
made demand in writing, peremptory and uncondi-
tOna in terms for the abrogation of the Sixth Rule
IA rule of safety. Thus when the General Supern-
tendent was first consulted by the Committee of the
Board, they and the engineers were at - dead lock,
and an answer was To be made to this demand and
policy TO be adopted suitable to such state of things.
As before stated, representations had ever been
made to the General Superintendent by the engineers,
any interview had between them.
The claim of the engineers was in effect to dictate
rules for running the road. The Committee of Dl-
recors and the General Superintendent were of opinion
that this demand of the engineers could not be com
piled with. Accordingly, the written response was
made to the demands OF the engineers by the Com
mittee Of Directors, temperate and firm but mild in
its tone, as published in the papers at the time
The General Superintendent, in his action during
that struggle, carried out with vgOr and fidelity the
programme of the Directors The course of the Com
pany was highly approved by the public in general
and by railroad in particular. To have taken
any other course matters stood when tile General
Superintendent arrived home would have surrendered
the running OF the road into the hands of the en-
gineers. Whether in the preliminary interviews be-
tween the engineers and the Committee OF Directors,
which occurred before the final written to'her
demand, the representations of the engineers were
well i'll treated, the subscriber has no knowledge
but the Board of Directors which, with one or two
exceptions IL now composed of the persons IA
then do know. That knowledge ought to have saved
them from the ndecency Of charging upon the Cen
eral superintendent misconduct of which they know
he was not guilty.
The report of 1r Moran says that the strike once
'made, could only be met it by this Com
"pany.' Submission them to any demands of the
Engineers would forever after have placed power
" in their hands fatal 10 the interests Ot tfls Com
"pany" This is precious confession fully ,stfying
the acton OF the General Superintendent which nc
commences by censurlng 30 thought, at the time,
the Committee Of Directors and the General Super
inenGent," and they accordingly concerted proper
for resisting the strike. How Mr. Moran or
the Directors, after making this admission, can mud
grounds of against the General Supernten-
dent passes comprehension, for certainly the strike
was made before II was met, and, beng mace, cOud
not with propriety be submitted TO.
Will any contend that the ST Ike could have been
prevented by proper treatment on the part OF the
General Superintendent" of the representations
# the Engineers when he not here, and had |
heard none Of the representations |
The subscriber does not mean to be understood as
censurng the action OF the Committee OF the board III
regard to the representations Of the Engineers.
He will be lust toward the Directors than they
have been him. and bear witness that according to
his best Judgment that action could not have been
different the part OF the Directors, without an en-
tire abdcaon of their power, and surrender OF the
trust repOsed IN them.
1t is true that when the Engineers came to make |
their strike, they took ground upon the alleged |
grievance of the &" 9TH Rule; but every al all |
familiar with the state of feeling among the employees
will bear witness that the 9th Rule not the only
nor chief cause of the feeling which ed 10 the strike
In the yexatous enforcement OF the rule IN rela
10 passes by which an engineer wife or child was
not allowed to ride from yillagetO village without pay
inpf a