Maryland free press., 1866-12-06
The Presidents . nIessa re.

E1-To the exclusion of much other
matter prepared for this issue we pre-
sent our readers with the Annual Mes
sage of President johnson, knowing the
3, deep interest that will on all hands be
felt in this document. We bespeak for it
a'careful perusal From the casual read
ding which,'want of time has compelled us
to give it we are of the opinion that he
maintains fully the position he assumed
during the last scssion of Coz ngress on the
Reconst ruction policy. He exhibits no
disposition to concur in the policy of
Congress but to fight it out on the line he
originally adopted.
He announces the important fact that
the finances ofthe country have so improv-
ed and the expenditures have been so di-
minished as to enable him to recomme nd
a reduction in the amount of internal rev.
enue taxes collected, whick he thinks can
safely be done and yet pay the entire debt
of the Nat ion within the next quarter Sf.a
century. %1.; 80 IA 500 ava
The Army, the Navy, Postal affairs
and our, Foreign relations sVe all !, properly
disposed of and will be better understood
by reading thesdocumsnt itself than from
any comments We may make.
AALA--.-ss. = ---l
The Western Maryland Railroad,
GD-Up to the, tune when the intrigucs
of.Mayor Chapman placed him at the head
Of this road, the confidence Of our people
in its being at no di tant day completed to
eur town was mistaken. Now. however,
most of its warm est and most active friends
are dssponding and in doubt as to its
fate. ..,a...... .,.... ...... IT, Il
Already $4,000 of the funds relied
upon for its completo ion to this place have
been diverted from that purpose, and5ap-
propriated to the building Of branch road
from Bolton to Canton, and it is uncertain
what other, or how many other similsr
schemes the fertile brain If Mr.. Jno. Lee
Chapman may conjure up and have sane
toned by liispl'ant Board Of Directors, 4
This appropriating the money subscribed
by the people for specific purpose to one
of which they know nothing and to which
they never gave their consent, immedi-
stclyon his accession to the Presidency of
the road, has had the affect of causing the
people to hesitate aud think. tn ey sec q
man without ability or experience, mere
political triclsstcr, placed in position to
control their hard earnings and no. enly
controlling but sqpnndcripg them upon
projects they never dreamed Of encouraging
or sustaining. Is it any wonder then that
they should hesitate, that they should des-
pond? We think not, and further We pro-
diet shat unless therabs % speedy chang 9
in the management Of officers the Western
Maryland Rail Road will become a bys-
word and rcproach to all those now con-
nectcd with it, as has been the case with
the tape worm" road of Thad'Stsvtns -
The man whose cupidity could induce him
to demand of the, company thousands Of
dollars for his official influence in procuf-
ing .frsm the city.of Baltimore suLscrip-
tion Of stock and bonds, would not hesitate
to make his pile out of thom in any other
way. ...........-.r o..
P.S. Since writing the above We un-
derstand that the County, Commissioners
have refused to 'pony up" the cost aud
bonds subscribed by this county, This
was done on the place that the compa1 !
nies have net complied with the conditions
upon which the subscription was made
That the Commissioners found this action
necessary will be regretted by all the
friends of the road in this county, but un-
der all tile circumstances it will be re /,
garded as but a judioious exercise of thoir
power and . dispositions on their part Ito
preserve the public funds from being
squandered and appropriated to private
purposes. Their action also, affords, aa-
ditional evidence of the decline of public
confidence in the enterprise since the 40
ccssion of the willy Chapman to the Pres
idency.
Handsome Dividend.
81 Tho Board of Directors Of the
o ~.