Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-03-27

When she shall come here In her right
mind ,on the conditions prescribed by Coo.
gress. restored once more 10 her coDstitu-
tional orbit as u State, and when the 10y
al element down there shall ask us, under
proper restrictions, to renew the grant or
nuke another, we shall probably consider
iavornbly their application. But we can
not do so now In 6ve or six weeks, u
may be, the opportunity will come for 10y
al people Of Louisianato to bc heard.
Mr.. Speaker, spoke the other day Of
a threefold Opposition to this bill in It's
present form; and pass now to the other
branches Of the opposition.
Mr.. TRIMDLE, Of Kontucky. viii the
gentleman from Indiana [Mr. JuHan]
yield to mo for question:? 'ea - = p
Mn. JULIAN. | cannot yield now. |
refer 70 tho Decatur aud Nashville Rail-
| road coa,papv y end. flsc Midland aud Ten
uessee River Railroad Company, aud |
take occasion now TO answer the question
which my colleague Mr.. Washburn, Of
Indianhl put TO me the other day respect
ing the FIRST Of these companies. aud to
which | promised to refer again. / ac-
knowledge that | was not strictly accurate
in the sweeping statement which | made
the other day as to all Of these corpora
tons In the South. Ii Is true, however,
that when the rebellion broke out this
company acquicsced IN II and was on the
side OF the rebellion during the war, as is
shown by the testimony taken by the
Committee on Southern Railroads II Is
likewise true that the company has set up
claim OF sG25, 900 for the use and occu
patton Of its foud during tho war, and
that il also claims that General Buell.,
early In the war, madea contract by which
tile Government was TO pay rent for the
use Of this road In our hands. These ure
facts which do not indicate very decided
loyalty on tho part Of the Decatur and
Nashville Railroad Company. But with
these a Qualifications that company has be-
haved we'll, and It's case stands out in ad.
mirabe relief whom considered In con.
neciion with the character aud conduct Of
other railroad corporations in the South.
AS TO the Alabama aud Tennessee Riy.
er Railroad ompany, | wish the Clerk
to read an extract from the official docu.
ment from which he read the other day.
The Clerk read as follows:
"'The affairs OF the Alabama aud Ten,
nessee River railroad were terribly mis-
managed by the directory, headed 10y
Thomas j. Walker. Not only were is
interests permitted TO suffer from neglect,
but their violation of solemn obligations,
aud ihoir readiness TO make new promises
without a shadow of a hope of being able
70 comply -A-ili.-li.saa, -eharaotorizsd their
control us reign OF ruin. tl
-" hey had leased the property sold
them by the Government in violation Of
the specifically expressed terms Of pur--
chase, to contractor, who was permitted
to use the property without complying
with n single clause of bis contract except
50 Far as might benefit him. Neither was
the road being extended nor was the slip.
ulated rent being paid. The successors
of this management found themselves
embarrassed on every hand by its unwisc
action
Mn JULIAN. Mr.. Speaker, such was
the character Of that railroad corporation
during the war. 1t was as bad as il could
be. But agree that the stock Of this
company has been bought to a large ex-
tent by northern capitalists, by whom it
is now controlled, aud several prominent
gentlemen of the city of New York. men
we'll known to the country, and of un-
questionable loyalty, have been here urg-
log that the lands granted to this road
should be excepted from the operation
of the general forfeiture declared in this
bill.
The same class of men are asking us to
except from forfeiture the lands granted
to the Nashville and Decatur Railroad
Company, upon the ground that it is now
controlled by loyal men. which is true;
aud on the further groand, which con-
cede, that the road is of great commercial
advantage to the country. This is doubt
less true TO both the roads now under
notice. do not believe myself that We
ought at present to except other OF these
|. roads from the operation of this bill; aud
as the text for the reasons desire TO give
| usk the Clerk to read letter | have
recently received from a gentleman of
nigh character in Alabama, aud well
known to many members of this House
personally. mean Mr.. Bingham, of
Athens, Alabama, who died recently.
The Clerk read rs follows: W f
81 am glad to see that you have report
cd bill declaring the lands granted in
\ 1886 to southern railroads forfeited.
These grants were the result Of very in
liudic,aus legislation, because they gave
away a very ,,ss.ge part Of the public do
main to corporations, to be used as a mo-
nopoly, entirely adisproporncsed to the
cost OF the works these lands were to ioster
and encourage; and the events Of the re-
bellion have demonstrated tho wisdom Of
Withholding them from these corporations,
since they have not complied with the
conditions OF the grants, as all these COR
porations. are under control of men who
have been thoroughly identified with the
rebellion, aud would use ther roadsuto
promote the interests of the party with
which they sympathizod aud affiliated
during the war. A strong effort was
made by the rebel officials ofetheso roads
in Alabama to obtain the endorsements of
the constitutional convention Of this State
to memorial praying Congress to renew
the grants bat IL was defeated by vote
OF some 80 TO 90. TO illustrate the i'm
policy of giving these lands away to rail.
roads will cite a single case in this State.
The north aud south road connecting De.
catur with Montgomery, which may be
built at m average cost of $40 900 per