The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-02-07
OPPOSITION To THE BROCK CHARTER
MASS MEETING AT THF MARYLAND INSTITuI
SPEECHES, RESOLUTIONS, dc.

/
morning papers. thousands of citizens met in tn
Maryland Institute Hall, last night, to enter tbei
protest against the confirmation of the charter O
Brock Co., for City Passenger Railway. Tn
immense hall was jammed from end to end. TIL
meeting was organized by Lawrence Sangston, ESQ.
nominating Adam Denmead, ESQ.,, President. VIII,
was unanimously elected. Mr.. Sangston thel
placed the following gentlemen in nomination a
Vice-Presidents: John G. Bruno, j. Parkburst
Jr., j. Hanson Thomas, Frederick Hickey, Thoma
f. Hambeton, Israel NJ. Parr, VIM. G. Harrison
Charles Webb, VIM. F. Murdock, Peter NOVEL;
VIM. }. Rieman, Jas Hodges, Albert Schumacher
VIM. d. Miller, John R. Conway, John B. Seiden
sticker, John c. Bridges John S. Williams. Huot
Bolton and S. X. George, who were also mani
mously elected. The following gentlemen were an
pointed Secretaries: Philip p. Pendleton and 4
ii. Jenkins. N
Peter G. Sauerwein moved that a committee of
hVe be appointed to present a series of resolutions
expressive OF the sense of the meeting on the sub
Ject which they had convened to consider Adopted
The Chair nominated the following gentlemen as
the committee; +: e. Sauerwein, Lawrence
Sangston, VIM. Ii. Bruno, Jos. R. Spencer, and
Hon. Joshua Yansant.
The committee retired, and during their absence
a number of the ePresdents took their seats
upon the stand.
In few minutes the committee returned and
u
tions.:
WHEREAS, Jonathan Brock John Ety. Laurence John.
son, Conrad s. Grove and Robert F. Taylor non.resi-
dents OF this city and wholly unknown in this
ty have applied to the General Assembly of MARYLAND for
charter entitled SAN act to incorporate the Baltimore
City Passenger Railway COMPANY the object of vbnb
TO conhrm and make valid ordinance of the Mayor
and City Council of Baltimore approved on the 2sh day
OF March, 1885, all the rights, powers and authorities
conferred or intended to be conferred by which ordinance
were Immediately assigned by the parties named therein
the said Jonathan Brock and his associates and fur
ther to create corporation with capital stock of two
millions OF dollars divided into forty thousand shares of
fifty dollars EACH with further power to borrow on
pom certificates of not less than five hundred dollars each
one million or dollars more, thus providing capital
substantially, of three millions of dollars to accomplish
work which need not cost than one fifth of that
amount, clearly indicating sinister and improner mr.
on the part of said Brock and his associates since no
legitimate use for such amount of capital for such an
enterprise can be pretended;
And l0eredS the charter asked by said Brock and
his associates makes no provision for bona subscrp
lions, on the part of the citizens of the State of
Maryland, to the capital stock of said company, in
whose operations they deeply interested and in whose
profits drawn they must be from themselves they are
entitled to share but confines all the benefits of said
charter to said Brock Co. and such persons as thew
may choose subsequently to associate with them;
And aOheredS the ordinance now proposed 10 he con
frmed by the sovereign power of the State was and ia
extremely repugnant to vast majority of the peope OF
Baltimore account of its provisions the way in which
1t was obtained and the in which was carried
out; its provisions exacting fare of five cents in favor
Of parties notorousy without the means or credit neces
say to accomplish the work. when other parties of known
"ediIl were Wiling 10 into the
'ury a bonus of ten thousand dollars year for the
privilege of performing better service for fare of three
cents the said ordinance having been obtained way
believed to be the most improper and cor
rupt and with the full knowledge and consent if not by
The direct projecting and nstgation of the said Brock and
his associates and the manner in which II ha, hnen
;arred out being in direct violation of the letter and
spirit of the ordinance ITSELF and of general law the
ordinance requiring books he opeRed for subscription
on the part of citizens to the capital stock which the
said Brock Co. not only refused to do but allying
themselves with the most notorious desperadoes and evil
ioers overcome opposition proceeded seize upon our
public highways and convert them into uses never con
empated by he grant, and without any sufficient local
authority;
And 'ohereas even if it cannot be shown that the said
Brock Co were parties in advance the fraud and
corruption practised in obtaining the ordinance subse
luenty assigned to them they became accomnces after
the fact, with full notice in the public press and other
wise and proceeded to act in virtue of the said assign
nent in manner entirely in accordance with that in
which said ordinance procured disreputably con-
'ummating what was dsgracefully begun;
ana .ohered$, If the said Brock x Co have any rights
or equities under the assignment to them as afore
they have no need to apply to the General Assembly of
but may enforce them in the Courts of Law
ana as foreigners and strangers, have claim have
these rights and interests reconsdered in preference to
those Of the entire people of the city even it can be
shown that they are in ignorant and in posses
sion instead of corrupt and wfu usurpation the fran
chise they seeking to have confirmed which at the
most could only entite them to recompense for what
they have donewhereas as corrupt trespassers thev
may and should be adjudged to have forfeited only
their franchise but all they have spent in attempting to
avail themselves of it
is hereby earnestly invoked to reject the app
cation of Jonathan Brock and his for the act of
incorporation now pending for confirmation of the
ordinance under which they claim in any other way
whatever.
Resolced, That we have with qualification that an
investigation is proposed by the Committee on Corpora
tions in the House of Delegates into the circumstances
connected with the of the ordinance afore
sad and respectfully invite them to nouire into be
whole conduct of said Brock and his associates since
they have intruded themselves upon this community
with ascertain the precise value of their claim
mi nf tba Stota
ReSotued That the people of Baltimore having under
taken to build the Baltimore and Ohio and other railroads
at time when the whole assessed value of the property
of this city less than those have cost have no
doubt of their y to construct and operate rail
ways without Northern aid and receive with the
nsnuation that there is sufficient enterprise and
capital in this community for such purpose
ReSotred That the people of Baltimore welcome the in
PRODUCTION OF foreign capital for fair and honorable enter
prses but reject with detestaon scheme the real object
of which to rob the classes of this city
benefit of spectators haiing from Philadelphia
Resolced, That the General Assembly of MARYLAND is
hereDy requested to pass no act to incorporate city pas
'enger railroad which shall not embrace the following
pncpes capital not larger than is necessary build
and equip the road; three cent fare Limitation of the
annual dividend to Is per cent. per annum provision
requiring the Directors to be citizens property hold
ers of the State of Maryand providing sinking fund for
The restoration of property providing for full and accu
rate reports OF the affairs of the Company annually de-
nnlng the routes and the exact character
Inc service to be perfomedthe latter enforced with
proper penalties by the Commissioners of Police and the
appointment of at least twelve of the best and most rea
Die property holders in the city of Baltimore TO omen
books at early day for subscriptions to the capital
stock and making proper provision for the eouabIe d
vision of the stock among subscribers in case more than
he capital is bona fde subscription limitation of
he number of shares to be subscribed for by any
person.
Resolved, That committee, of three be appointed by
The Chair to proceed to Annapolis and present copy Of
ne preamble and resolutions to the President of the Sen
ite and the Speaker of the House of Delegates with
quest that they be read in each House.
Frequently during the reading of the resolutions
shouts OF applause came from every part of the
hall.
J. Douglass Hambleton, ESQ.,, was then intro
iuced to the audience by the President, and sec
Onded the resolutions He said that whatever
doubts might exist as to the expediency of attempt
ing to influence legislation, there was no doubt in
regard to the right of the people to meet en- nasse
TO express their disapprObatiOn of an infamous pub
nc wrong, which was about to be inflicted This
was the intent of the meeting he was ADDRESSING
Certain parties have by corrupt means foisted an
infamous outrage on this community, and by the
same means have almost succeeded in winning the
great seal OF the State to confirm their act If
they succeed, they will impose most onerous tv-
ranny on the people OF this city, the less oner-
ous because it will be imposed BIZ foreigners He
was on that stand to speak of the means which had
been employed to secure the grant and of the
more infamous means by which they had proceed
ed to carry out its provisions
lie was not there to make the charge of fraud
ilrect In the case of any member of the CITY Coun-
Ill. 1t was matter which would be difficult 10
who had bestowed the brides to bear witness to
acts which had already covered him with shame
or to place those who had received the bribe on
he stand with the expectation that they would be
truthful, when they had already been guilty of
perjury in the betrayal of their trust. They can
De and must be judged by their acts The case
stands thus. Chauncey Brooks, Genus Barnum &
90, offered to build City Passenger Railway
They were men of wealth, and capable of com
handing sufficient money to build the road. They
offered to build the road-give the CITY bonus of
$40, 900 annually-pay Sl0per car annually-charge
put three cents fare and deposit $50 900 of the CITY
stock in the hands of the City Comptroller as a
guarantee for the faithful fufment of their con-
tract. This all that could have been desired,
Now, what did the City Council do?
They cast this proposition aside, and granted a
charter to a company of men who were not worth
The interest on the amount of money they proposed
to expend the work They raised the fare to
i've cents and received no bonds for the grant.
They sacrificed the interests of the people and sCld
his great franchise to SPECTATORS 1t is for YOU
it is for the Legislature to say, what influences
were operating on the men who committed this
great public wrong. A voce.-They were bought
money did it.l We can surmise the charac-
Ter OF the influence to which has been sacrificed the
interests of all classes, rich and poor, to fill the
pockets of these Northern SPECTATORS "a voice
Money did it. This was the record of the City
Council. Now, what was the record of Travers &
20. This company secured the grant, and within
our days thereafter, disposed of their interest in it
% Brock l. Co., of Philadelphia, for the sum of
5O0, 900. They bartered the rights and interests
,f the people to specializing concern, and filled
heir own pockets. 1t will be proven before the
investigating Committee at Annapolis, that the
head of this company acknowledged that he had
10 interest in the charter but loaned his name for
! consideration. This is the record of Travers &
Company.
What is the record of Brock & Co? After secu-
ing this grant, they started out violating it in let
IFaVprS IN fnraa