Evening star., 1859-02-07

L.
This bill having been taken up in the Senate on
Saturday, the question was first on the amend
msnt submitted BY Mr.. Johnson, of Tennessee
prohibiting the proposed company frcm carrying
on any banking operations under penalty OF for.
.eiture OF charter, and making each stockholder
fuliy liable Tor all the debts and obligations Of
the company, which amendment, as we stated
Saturday, was agreed to-yeas "a, nays 10.
The question REQUIRED on AZ amendment offer
cd by M. Douglas placing the whole subject in
and Georgetown.
Mr.. Hunter argued that nothing could be more
Just and fair than this proposition III this fran
chise was so valuable il ought to be given to
those cities to dispose Of; they needed IL for
their public schools and no doubt could realize
handsome sum- Why should they give this
great privilege to private individuals, strangers
to The city aud having no interest inf.?
Nj. Fessenden said that, IL the CORPORATIONS
should undertake to manage this thing, Il would
be badly managed; while If they should sell out
the privilege, II would lead to bribery and cor
ruptiCn. The railroad would become political
engine as in other cities. Ii had been said that
Il was the desire of the City Councils to have
THIS matter placed in their hands; but he did not
mink they were entitled to much consideration
from the fact that they had granted authority TO
lay down railroad track across the avenue
during Z. e recess, after Congress had refused 10
grant If,hey disregarded the wishes Of Con-
greSS, Congress was not bound to acced- TO
theirs But he had heard no such demand on
tne part OF t0e Corporations The GRANTING If
the rlghtto lay railroad track across the avenue
showed what might be cot out OF the CITY treas
ury, anG should satisfy th. M that Conoress
ought to keep the control of the whole matter.
Mr Hunter replied that resolutions had been
passed by the City Councils Of Washington and
laid upon the Senators tables, expressing Their
wishes. They could sell out this franchise FOR
something like hundred thousand dollars he
presumed, or at any rate a large sum Tbev
asked Tor law giving the Corporation full
power and authority TO establish and control citv
Iall.oads lie believed the city government was
worthy OF being entrusted with the manauement
OF the ans1rS of the city, and il very natural
that they should desire il They were no more
liable to corruption than Congress. AS to per-
mIning the laying OF a railroad track across the
avenue, he thought it was very proper He couId
not see how il was more dangerous to run rail-
read cars across the avenue than to run them the
whole length of IL, privilege which the Sena-
tor from Maine was willing TO give his fsyoriIe
company.
Mr.. Brown thought that The reason assigned
by the Senator from Virginia was the very ono
why this amend ment should be rejected ifthe
Corporation sells out the right TO put down
~rahrn6d upon the avenue, the company who
shonld purchase might convert the whole thing
into nuisance, so that Congress would be obIip.
eh TO repeal the law. Then the consCsuences
NouId DE tnet Inc company To whom the fran
Chlse was sold would ask to have the money
rdld Tor The privilege returned to them and
would he knocking at the door Of Congress until
they obtained 1t. To grant privilege of this
sort to the Corporation of Washington YouI5 re
suit only ia mischief
MI Bayard was willing that Senator's should
do what they would with the bill, but be was
H"t willing 10 grant power Of this sort to the
corporation OF washington. The PROPOSED rail-
road was not for the benefit of the people of
washington alone; il was a great public npces
hy, Tor the convenience OF people from all parts
OF tue United states. Congress had ALWAYS re-
tanned jurisdiction over the avenues and ongbt
TO insist upon retaining 1t. He was willing The
People OF Washington should derive all the in.
.IuentdI dement's iiom the road, but they ought
2fa fhoir
would be liable to gross abuse Ifthe bin sbonId
pass unencumbered by amendments the road
would be built before December next; but If the
naHer should be referred to the Corporatfon
there would be long siege of corruption before
grant OF any kind could be made He boned
the bill would be passed, untouched by amend
ments, al an early day. He was satisfied with
the provisions OF the bill Conpres couId con-
troll the rate Of fare, and il the road sbonId be
Improperly managed could repeal the bill en-
'i,'iy 10y, ne ne nad Some doubt about the provision
SlVIhS the city Of Washington power 10 take the
Iotd oY purchase, upon the valuation of arbitTa
to!S, bat would not object to it, Railroads were
Idreiy as profitable as was anticipated by their
pr"Jrctors, but If this should prove an exception
The city could reap the benef; a; any time Inv
taxing the road. IL would be carrying popular
sovereignty entirely too far to give the city gov
eminent the power to graat franc hiSex
Mr.. Pugh understood that they had as rnncb
power TO amend bills as reject them IL this
road was so very desirable these parties could
obtain their grant from a corporation AZ well .s
iIom Congress, aud go on at once with the work
IheY wouid make their fortunes by this hill
Ihere was no law for giving Congress exclusive
Sohtr0l over the avenues II was only preteat
Ior making Congress pave and light them If
thls amendment should pass the companv must
take their rights from the city, subject 10 the
provisions Of the bill, and the reserved rio ht Of
Congress to repeal IL. The grant would he in
consideration Of good behavior as well as Inoney
and The company could raise No claim In case
Congress should repeal the act
MI Mallory said that this was a propositio,
CRY OF w dshlngton, to establish a railroad here
ior their own interest Their proposition was TO
81 me road al the west gate Of the Capt.
t"l, ana II was Cnly by the opposition that The
north gate Of the Navy Yard was substituted
Ihe only argument a. ainst giving the Corpora
.I"n control OF the matter was that 1t would cor
Inpt the Corporation. Was il not more sensible
10 entrust the franchise in the hands of the Cor
PoIdton than In the bands of three frrespoasIble
individuaiS who have no interest In the city Of
" ashiDgton! III the Corporation should abuse
ihe franchise they were amenable and could he
tuTaed out at the next election ConurPSs couId
a. any time revoke the grant. The franchise
cOuid only be let with the restrictions placed
upon il in the act, and there would BE- no Gronpd
for claim for damages as IL the act should he
repealed The assertion bsd been made tia; the
franchise was worth nothing, and il was ~,
tempted TO persuade the Seosts that these stran
gers were coming to invest their money in this
enterprise simply from spirit OF benevolence
He hsd heard a railroad contractor saw he yyouId
give sJ,'tO FOR 1t. lie wanted TO see the matter
Placed IN the hands OF the Corporation, for the
bsReht ef public schools
MI. Brown urged that IL this bill passed thew
would know what kind OF contract they weIe
making, but IL the Corporation took charge OF
the matter they could not tell what il wouId he
The amendment was rejected by the following
vote:
Yeas-MessIs- Bates, Bright, Davis. FI,zpat.
Ilck, Houston, Hunter, Johnson of Tenn Jones
Mason, Polk, Push, Reid, SlidelI, Toombs, and
Nulec-l5.
Nays-Messrs. Allen, Bayard, Bell, BENJAMIN.
higler, Frederick, Brown, Cameron Chandler
CiaIk, Clingman, CollaTner, Crittenden, Dixon,
Do'hittle, Duikee, fe'senden, Fitch, Foot, Hale,
H1mlin, Harlan, lyersOn, Kennedy, King Rice
S.ward, shields, Simmons, Thomson Of ~ j,
Wade, and WilsOn-32
MI Davis said be had Just received note from
the Mayor Of Georgetown suggesting an amend
'n"nt to extend the road TO the western limit Of
Grorgetown, which he would ask to have passed
upon.
by general consent the amendment proposed
by Mr- Davis was then considered
Mr Brown said this COMPANY ONLY asked N
construct the road In Pennsylvania avenue n
u was desirable to extend the road tbrouoh
Georgetown that could be arranged afterwards
Congress had nothing 10 do with tn. streets ~
Gecr2 2etown, and he doubted their authorttv 20