The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-02-18

MONDAY MORNING. FEB. Is.
Meeting az the Court House Saturday |.
Night Last In regard to the BHIfi-
more Road BILL
Pursuant to the call published Sstur-
day morning, a meeting of citizens con-
yened at the Court House at Z o'clock |
in the evening, to take action in regard |
to the pending Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road bill. Capt. John Mcclure was
called to the chair and John Bishop
appointed secretary. A committee of
three, consisting of Messrs. A. w.
Campbell, c. Oglebay and VIM. Paxton, |
was appointed to prepare resolutions
expressive of the sense of the meeting.
L. NJ. Norton, Esq, being called for,
addressed the meeting at considerable
length in regard to the status of the bill
and the merits of the whole question.
Hon. Mr.. Stevenson, of the Senate, also
addressed the house by invitation. At
the close of his speech the committee
submitted the following resolutions as
their report:
ResotUed, AS the sense of this meet
ing that no bill should be entertained
by our l4eSlSlAIATS IN regard 10 the
pending Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
bill that does not essentially recognize
and embody that exp licit declaration of
Sec. LIST of Art. Sth of our State Cons'i-
tutiOn-viZ: that "taXatiOn shall be
''euuaI and uniform throughout the
State, and all property, both real and
"personal, shall be taxed in proportion
=. 10 its value, to be ascertained as di-
I" rected by law" And Ehat "no one
species of property from which tax
may be collected, shall be taxed higher
than any other species of property of
equal value" And that the only prop
critics that can be exempted or relieved
from the plain declarations thus made,
are those specifically named in the Con-
stitution-YiZ: "Propertyuscd for educa-
tional, literary, scientific, religious or
charitable purposes, and public proper
ty."
ResOEred, That we view with "A great
deal of apprehension the proposition to
release for all future time from the con-
troll OF our legislation any great and
growing corporation, believing that the
policy is not only demoralizing but alb
solutely dangerous to the vital inter
eSts of the commonwealth. Corpora
lions are always grasping and uggres-
sive. They keep all they get and con-
stautly seek to enlarge their privileges
and immunilies. The history of all
such institutions Is fraught with the
warning that unless they are controlled
in the interest of the public, they them
selves become the controllers against
that interest Especially is this the case
where grants IN perpetuity are made to
them, and therefore it is the part of a
wise and jealous craftsmanship to
guard well against this chief danger.
ReSotUed, That we cordially endorse
the memorials that have already been
sent into the Legislature against the
pending bill, and that, in addition
-..N. H.
estly pray the Legislature to uncondi-
tionally reject the proposition as it
stands.
ResotUsd, That we are actuated by no
narrow spirit or feeling of hostility
against the Baltimore road. We desire
10 accord to it every proper facility for
the transaction of its business, and we
take both pleasure and pride in its
prosperity as one of our State institu-
tons, and that all we seek is n perfect
equality in respect to the burdens of
taxation, to the end that they may in
the spirit and language OF the constitu-
ton rest upon every interest of the
State alike.
Tee foregoing report of the Commit
tee was unanimously endorsed as the
sense of the meeting. Aftcrits reading
was finished, Mr.. Norton begged leave
To suggest that Hon. Benjamin Stanton,
recently become n citizen of West Vir-
ginia, and still later OF this city, was
present, and no doubt could say some
thing that all would like to hear. In
response 10 this invitation, Mr.. Stanton
came forward and addressed the meet
ing for upwards OF haitian hour in some
telling comments upon tho railroad
bill. He first alluded to its unconsti-
tionnlity as set forth in the first resolu-
tions reported by the Committee. He
was not Rblet to see how the bill could be
entertained under that provision of our
constitution He had never seen an at
tempt to reconcile it. He next alluded to
the great danger to the public interests
by giving perpetual grant OF exemp-
ton to the railroad company, and stated
that the Supreme Court of Ohio had de-
cided that the right of taxation was an
inaliennble act of sovereignty, and
never could be closed by one legisla-
ture AS against its successors. All the
railroads in that State paid taxes Just
the same AS individuals, to the State,
county, and townships. AS had been
stated by Mr.. Norton, the Cleveland
and Pittsburgh road, not one half the
length of the Baltimore road, and not
in receipt of 1.-THE ofits revenues, paid
three or four times as much tax to the
people of Ohio rs the Baltimore road
proposed in the bill before the
Legislature. The exemption asked for
was radically wrong every way. 1t was
unfair towards all competing interests
represented in our machine shops
throughout the State, the products of
which were taxed, while the products
of the Baltimore and Ohio shops were
TO be exempted. 1t had been said TINT
the Company would raise their charges
if the tax was collected from them
Such an argument was in the uature of
threat to the members of the I.erisIn-
ture, which they should not entertain
for moment. The Company only
limitedits charges now because point
beyond the rates would reduce their
revenues. They charged every last
cent the people could afford to
pay and carry on their bust
ness, and would continue to do
so, the proposed exemption to the cou-
trary Notwithstanding. Mr.. Stanton
was of the opinion that n sharp LAWYER
could soon lind that the company had
forfeited their charter by frequent vio-
lations of its provisions. He cited the
fact that he himself had been CHARGED
10 cents to Benwood, miles, nearly
double the amount allowed under the
charter The instances were numerous
under which local freights had been
held back in Ordar To Give, -, 60, 4. =.