The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-08-24
[Correspondenee Of the DAILY E.ecAan
ICVTIVs1OHUt"t1 y NC IUUy EItNuNye.I
THE AFFAIRS OF THE CHEAPEAKE AND ONO CANAL
A COMMISSIONER on BURST, &C., &c.
GEoRGE's CREEK, ALLEGANY Co., I
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THE AFFAIRS OF THE CHEAPEAKE AND ONO CANAL
A COMMISSIONER ON A BURST, &C., &c.
GEORGES CREEK, ALLEGANY Co..
18th August, 1860.
MEssEs. EDIToRs was present at Berkely dur.
ing the meeting of Directors of the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal Company, and l cannot refrain from
expressing my and Indignation that the in
erests of this State should be in such hands as they
are at present. l allude particularly to one of the
Commissioners of Public Works
Sir, under the form of an extreme democracy
the people of this State are ruled by despotism
as abominable as that of Austria or Naples and by
men who little for the interests and welfare
of the people as the sbrri of the fatherly Bomba.
There were assembled at Berkey men of all
classes, and representing many interests and an
immense amount of property-coal miners, canal
boatmen, storekeepers farmers and representatives
of towns-drawn together by the knowledge that
an action was proposed, and would be decided on
there, which, if carried into effect, would be ruin
Gus to them, destroy three-fourhs of the value of
their property, and drive thousands to seek another
iivehhood-men who, trusting in this unfortunate
Canal, had hitherto encountered nothing but dis
appointment and loss, but have been struggling
on, hoping against hope, and now this hope was
about to be crushed out, and their ruin completed
by the raising of the tolls on the Canal, which the
Commissioners of Public Works called upon their
uOmlHeeS, t1e Cdndi directors, instantly TO elect
in order to benefit wealthy and prosperous cor
pora ton, which desired to see feeble rival ut
terly extinguished, in order that it might rule
supreme The Canal Directors could not resist the
overwhelming amount of evidence that was brought
before them to the impocy and injustice of the
measure, and Notwithstanding they knew that their
own removal would probably be the consequence,
they acted like honest men and refused to accede
to the requisition of the Commissioners, One
would have supposed that the men upon whose fiat
depended much, would have been 'potent
grave and reverend signiors'' who would give the
subject their patient and pains taking at
tention, and in their decision be above party or
personal motives.
But no such thing. When the coach arrived, by
which some of the Commissioners were expected |
a man tumbled out of it with demijobn of whis
Key In one hand and part of loaf of bread in the
other. The place was instantly converted into a
pandemonium, and for some days, as long he re.
manned, there was the of the lowest conduct.
His oaths and foumouthed language were heard
ene's e~s.. H. i"S.iIea aimvsS Ia sa-.e
in contact with, and many were tempted to present
a remonstrance to him, the force of which he
would feel. 1t was no approaching such
man; he not in a condition, if he had the will
to listen to reason, and he was swayed by other
motives and had other objects than the welfare of
this great work, and said as much. The other
Commissioners present proved themselves more
worthy of their position, listened to a statement OF
the case, and showed a willingness to Judge &C.
cordng to its merits, and by their action prevented
the preparation of great wrong.
Hoping that the day will come when all our gov
ernors will be men we can look up to and respect
| remain,
nod,