Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-07-10
CAMDEN AND ANNOY.

A railroad company is commonly sup
posed to be an association of capitalists
and others for the purpose Of building
aud operating a railroad. The people
Of the United States, believing in the
locomotive with the ardent faith Of cru
sading materialists, are generally dis
posed to support and cheer those who
project such enterprises, and seldom
vince when taxed to extend Govern
mental aid to them, ever when the So
called aid amounts to a virtual gift Of a
most profitable work to be run for the
enrichment Of a few individuals. State
debts, county debts and city debts are
increased, so that railroads may be
built; and if the men who undertake the
construction be faithful and energetic
in fastening the arrival Of the iron.
horse where trade awaits its coming,
there will be little grumbliug, though
the same hour that gives swift and cheap
transportation to the people secures the
buildersin possession ola mine OF wealth.
For the enlarged idea Of the purposes
Of q railroad corporation which o pre-
walls among the managers Of such in
situations, the country is mainly indebt-
ed to the State Of New Jersey and the
Camden and Amboy Railroad Company.
From that quarter we learned that the
first object Of such an association was to
build aud run a railroad, and the second
to run a State. And the Camden and
Amboy managers, the Stocktons, Thomp-
sons and ~Steyenses, illustrated their
idea on a rather extensive scale. Hav-
ing obtained q monopoly Of railroad
privileges for a long term Of years, on
one Of the most travelled routes in the
Union, they proceeded to NEEDLE in
elections, to the purchase of politicians,
to the corruption Of the Legislature and
to the division Of political honors among
themselves and their retainers. It was
not enough for them that those who
aspired to public station should be sim
ply not hostile to their interests as q
railroad corporation; the aspirant
should be so identified with the CON-
pauy as to render independent ac-
ton on his part impossible. The
partisan affiliations Of prominent meu
we're regarded as of little consequence.
The Camden and Amboy clique would
kindly undertake to run a Wing, Dem.
ocrat, Know Nothing or Republican
Convention, and sometimes would own
both the opposing candidates for Gov
ernor. At Trenton, nothing could be
done without consulting Stockton,
Thompson, or some of the many paid
agents Of the Railroad Company. From
ouying up Senators or procuring the
election Of their retainers, the managers
Of the corporation advanced to the ar
rogaut practice Of sharing the highest
offices among themselves. John R.
Thompson elected himself to the United
States Senate. Commodore Stockton
did the same, and subsequently, John
P. Stockton, the son and heir, followed
| suit. Thus the State of New Jersey be-
| came known as the State Of Camden and
Amboy. The State Government seemed
10 be owned aud run by u railroad
company. Even the local Courts were
controlled by the corporation. The
newspapers were subsidized. No citi-
zen who was injured or oppressed in
any way BY the ~domineering monopoly
had a ghost of a chance to obtain re-
dress. And from this tyrannical aud
vexatious condition Of things New Jer-
sey could obtain no deliverance until
the Congress Of the United States inter-
fered, broke down the monopoly and
opened the railroad business TO the
competition Of other companies.
Why this excursion into the domain
Of New Jersey affairs? Because Cali
fornia seems to be threatened by the
same evil-the active and arrogant in
termeddling Of q corporation, made
powerful by bountiful gifts Of public
money and public lands, with politics.
And enterprises Of great pith and moment,
With this regard, their currents turn away.
Better strong words in season than loud
lament when the wrong is complete
| Sac. Union.