The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-10-19
Special Meeting Of tiie p. y. IL n. Rail-
road Company g,.,.a,l

f0au company EIAaH5li
"a A srecial meeting of the stockholders of the
Portland, Saco & Portsmouth Railroad Com
paoy was held at the new and fine hall belong
IN to the Company, near Kittery station, yes
tetday. ExGoy. Goodwin President of the
road, being confined at home by illness, Hon.
q gorge NJ Browne, of Boston, Director, oc-
cupied the chair. The report of the Directors
WAS presented on the subject matter for viii CHI
tie meeting was ealled-that of inquiring into
the rights of this road relative to ENFORCING the
lie Ter of the contract between them and the
Elstern and the Boston So Maine Railroads as
t. the payment of the rent by the latter to the
f rmer Sin gold and silver coin of the currency
o the United States" The report concluded
v It'll resolution declaring it inc xpedient to
pass the preamble and resolution.
The Chair also read the legal opinion on this
matter OF Hon. b. r. Curtis, of Boston, and
J'dn. w. III. Y Hackett, of Portsmouth. two
ry able lawyers, in which they say that, as
SHINING the constitutionality of the legal ten
der act, which, however, has not been settled
by the Supreme Court of the United States.
trey think that a Court of law or equity must
decide that, as long as the law which Congress
has passed stands upon tile statute book
hereby paper dollar is made equal to a gold
o ne, there is no remedy. -sfiia4sfA '''
The technical question, whether rent is a
d ebt or not is not a tenable one. RENTS a
d sbt, as much SO as any other one If the con-
tact specified SO many ounces of gold instead
o. so many dollars, then those terms would he
Unavoidable. The whole opinion proceeds un-
the assumption that the legal tender act is
CONSTITUTIONAL ~ H.'7 Hssi u
MI Cogswcll, of Andover President of the
boston ~ Maine Railroad, offered a few re-
marks, which he said that however this
matter might turn, 1t would only be taking the
money out of one pocket and putting it into
the other, as most of the stockholders of the
j. 81 x (. Railroad reside west of Portsmouth.
Peter. L. Homer, Esq, of Boston, remarked
that the assumption that the act is constitu-
t'onal is unwarrantable A great reaction is
going on in our country, and the legal sertser
p q 4 win be pronounced unconstitutional and
VII be repealed, and we shall get our rights
II promise to pay u dollar never can be a lepal
tender for a dollar itself in reason or sound
p Ew. a g af faHas ssad f7saigal 80
A vote was then taken, and the resolution
submitted by the Directors at the end of tbe;,
report was passed, leaving the matter where it
now stands rsitfe3 % {
MIR. George r, Davis, of Portland, presented
petition from about one hundred of the lead.
ing merchants of Portland, stating that on the
liking of OF the evening express train from
Portland to Boston that the interests Of the
road would be greatly enhanced by the run
.a ning Of an early morning train from Portland,
"a leaving about7 o'clock, SO as to connect with
H TIC o'clock train from Portsmouth to Boston
sod ana like one over the Boston & Maine road,
~ tsgether with resolution to the Directors to
: c''rry out the wish of the petitioners
a "a Mr.. Chase, of Salem, offered a substitute
u'at the matter be referred to to the Directors
and that such arrangement for the trains be
made as will accommodate the interests of the
Portland people. $50. f.. ~
This matter was fully discussed by Charles
H. Barrett, ESQ.,, of Portland, a Director Of the
ia road strongly favoring the putting on of the
eafly train, and by several other gentlemen.
aat lnone opposing it.. however,) Mr.. Davis, Of
Portland, Mr.. Henry Williams, of Salem, Pet
OF I. Homer, of Boston, w. H. T. Hackett of
portsmouth. The resolution of Mr.. Davis
was unanimously. adopted as the expression OF
inc stockholders, and then presented to the
4 Directors. 5fii Z
On motion of Mr., Barrett the meeting then
dissolved. -'As
177'9~' l-LLlffH sra.t .Lf.s.a