New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-10-08
CITY RAILROAD GRANTS AND
GRANTORS.

GHANTObS'
To N. Edtto, Of The NJ T. Tytbme
SIR: In TIE TRIBUNE of the Goth ult. ind the
following:
correspondent earnestly inquiries opinion concerning
the nomination for neubes Of the Legislature Of D. Little.
john Oswego and Austin Myers at Syracuse On this subject
doubt Both these prominent in the corrupt eg
on Of last Winter Accordingly both Of them ought nov to
rec s Albany should be the work Of Republican voters
Az this article and others which have appeared in your col
umns ssss my official integrity, cannot longer allow them to
pass unnotced.
If the time which ntervenes before the Election at which my
constitute will pass judgment upon my public acts uf
hcept insure decision would gladly afford my assaians
opportunity prove their charges Of corruption before e
gal tribunal compel them TO abide the OF an
IN va,raned and lbelous attack upon my character.
Ashi content myself for the present BY denial Of the
charges have made against me.
DuriDe the six years In which have represented district
In the Assembly have received nor do expect to re-
ceye any pecunry other consideration, directly indl
recty my support Of bin measure whatever not en-
cepng the bills which you aes passed over the Governor
by corrupt appliances
Ists proper time give to the public the reasons which
Influenced my votes on these bills confident that they viii
far commend themselves that all fair minded persons viii con-
cede there honest difference Of opinion between
the Governor ard myself az to their merits and the general In
terests to be promoted by their passage
BY giving communication the publicity already given
in your the article quoted above win obhse
Yours &C. d. c. LlTTlEJ0HN.
OsvegO, Oct. l, 1860
Remarks.
la bill had passed the last Legislature giving to
Mr.. George Law and certain named and unnamed
associates for and in consideration of their eminent
piety patriotism and philanthropy, the sum of One
Million Of Dollars, to be paid out of the treasury
of our City or State, and if Mr.. LittleOhn had
descended from the Speakers chair Of the Assembly
hal nVar or
veto, we should probably not be able to show by
what consideration, given or promised, he was IN
duced 80 to speak and vote. But if we could show
that the said George Law spe.t the Winter
mainly at Albany, in close and intimate relation
ship with members of the Legislature and Others
who urged and passed said bill, and that the said
Law has for years been remarkably successful in
obtaining from our rather notorious Common
Council grants of Railroad, Ferry, Wharf, and
other privileges worth hundreds of thousands OF
dollars, without paying therefor (to he Cuy)
1.-THE of the value of these concessions or privileges
the public could and would strongly infer that the
new grant from the Legislature rested upon the
same basis and was obtained by like appliances
with his older grants from the Common Council.
Let us look little more closely into the particular
case in hand:
Gov. Morgan, in his Annual Message to our late
Legislature, saw fit TO recommend that /" the num-
Z" Der of Railroads in the upper part of the this
/" city be increased" adding, /" In doing this,
f" however, care should be taken, while limiting
" and equalziDg the rates of fare on all railroads
% in that city, to render the valuable franchise
" source of income to that city"
Was not tbs perfectly reasonable requirement
The City has paid millions of dollars for opening,
grading, paving, and Strengthening her streets,
solely with a view to their public use. 1t is pro-
posed to concede and secure to certain parties
qualified monopoly Of certain Of the most import.
ant of those streets for certain purposes, which,
| while they accommodate the public, are source
of personal, pecuniary emOlument to the corporate
grantees. There is no experiment, no risk, in the
case; abundant experience has established the
great pecuDary value of the franchises thus sought
and conceded. Gov. Morgan at the outset urged
that the City should be secured share of the profit
thus to be acquired to certain persons from the ex
elusive use and enjoyment of her streets. IL not
| this clearly, manifestly just And has not Gov
| Morgan, as an honOred citizen of this empori lm,
identified with her business and prosperity, long
and use'ully connected with her municipal
| Government, a right to considerate hearing from
our rural fliends a question of purely municipal
concern? Private interests apart, is it not prob
| able that Edwin ID. Morgan should better under
| stand the conditions on which Railroads in our
| City should be chartered than Dewitt c. Little
john
Mr. Littejohn and his associates of both political
psrties-cOmpnsing rather more than half the
Republicans with seyen-eghths of the Democrats in
both Houses -disregarded the Governors sugges-
tions and passed five City Railroad bills in osten-
tatiOus defiance thereof. The Governor vetoed
the bills-be could not do otherwise. His
reasons were 30 briefly and forcbly set forth that
we cannot cOIdense them. Here they are:
STATE or NEw.YoRK, Executive DyplEr,nSr,
ALBAsY April &c. 1850 !
To The AReAaNy;
the Assembly in which they originated the o
lowing bills authorizing the construction Of Railroads In the
streets Of the City OF New York;
An authorize the sucton Railroad in Avenue
D. Fest Broadway and other streets aud Of the City Of
NewioIk"
IAN act to authorize the construction Of Railroad track on
South West and other streets IN the City Of Newly orb"
avnfaR Rail Gava