Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1865-03-16
Corporations are said to be Soul
less.

The following issue between the Government
and the Central Illinois Railroad, we believe
fully justiGes the truth of this trite saying, at
least in this case in regard to the heartessness
of corporations. 1t is fresh in the recollection
of most PERSONS that Congress some time since
made princcly donation of land to the lii
nois Railroad Company laying contiguous to
their road, In consideration of services there
after to be rendered to the government, which
probably the company hoped, and the Gov
ernment it may be believed, would not soon
if ever, be required Great changes, howev-
er, since then have supervened. A great rebel
lion renders the use of the road Indispensable
to the Government, whereupon the Company
demurrs against the use of the road by the
Government, unless she shall in addition pay
the usual charges for the use of her stock on
her road. Under such circumstances the Sec
retary of War contracted with the Company
to pay for all Government uses, at the rate of
twothirds the usual charges for transportation,
subject to any decision in law made thereafter,
and the money which has since been paid un-
der such arrangement, has been paid mnder
protest.
The condition of the grant of this vast do
main by the Government to this Company is
as follows:
"Said railroad and branches shall be and
k,fyhu for tba pf 10
Government ofthe United States, for the trans
portation of any property or troops ofthe Uni
ted States
Which we consider clearly defines the du-
ties of the Company towards the Government
as a matter Of contract purely, irrespective
of its patriotism, to whom it looks for the pro-
tertion Of its corporate interest But size
quibbles and refuses to execute her part of
the contract after receiving payment to
an exorbitaut extent, which has largely
increased her dividends, aud given credit to
her stock in European markets, greatly sur
passing that of any other corporation in the
Union. In her resistance to the reasonable
Clal1no vi tHe OUNeTImeut) olle CUIlleHuS tldl
the uses by the Government to her road, only
extends to The road, exclusive Of her 1ocomo-
tues, cars and servants operating thereon; in
other words, that the Government under her
contract, for which she has paid so literally,
shall barely have the privilege to the use of
the track, furnish her own motive power cars
and servants A drover who contracts for the
transportation of his cattle from Dayton to
Baltimore, might, after paying his money, be
Just as well told to furnish the facilities for
transportation as the Government. The con-
duct of the Secretary, in his tampering with
the Company may very properly be considered
highly reprehensible. He should rather have
asserted the military power pertaining to his
Office to accomplish justice, OF have turned
over the case to the Attorney General, to whom
perhaps it properly belongs, for redress, The
question raised by the Company is one by no
means calculated to intarrass Court i'll CIV
ing the contract d proper Interpretation, and
causing restitution and future cxaction of the
contract by the Company.