The national Republican., 1869-02-08
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nnd that what took occasion 70 write In
my letter Published IN ths RkrunraoAs Of
Saturday last, concerring The importance of
due care In cedins the right 70 bridge the
Potomac for railroad purposes, meets very
general appreciation amsng business men Of
Washington. Ten, twenty or thirty years
hence 1t may be most important that two,
three or four railroads should pass from
Washington city to different parts Of the
sonth, aud as but single railroad bridge
can cross the Potomac below Georgetown,
without obstructing the rivers navigation
too much, I, Is manlfestly Important that
Congress, In granting the right to build the
bridge, should provide that any other CON-
pany may use 1t In common with the COM
pany constructing or owning II on payment
Of fair compensation for the privilege.
NECESSITY ron CAUTION.
To cede TO the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road Company any such rights under pre-
tence Of eeding 1t to individual corporations,
will surely prove disastrous to the business
interests Of this District unless this point be
carefully guarded In the charter. do not
allcge that the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company are at the back Of this would-be
corporation. Such, however, is public i'm
preston here, and should be carefully looked
into by Congress before passing the bill In
question. l repeat what wrote you day
or two since; that this community cares not
who own Washington railroads provided
they are managed in perfect good faith
towards the District public. Few, however,
In Washington bcllcy, tiqt Mr.. Garrett or
his company will do anytniny of the kind,
basing this unfavorable opinion upon expe-
rience Of quarter Of a century with the
policy OF his road towards the federal me-
tropolis.
GRAND ATTACK on THE TREASURY.
A tremendous effort ls about to be made
TO secure the enactment Of heavier railroad
subsidies bill than has 90 far been passed by
Congress. The railroads ring are marshallng
their forces hero to that end, and will move
heaven and earth to "put Ii through" 1t
proposes to ''bcat Grant out Of his boots;''
that Is, to defeat his policy of economical
use Of the means Of the Government at this
time, ere he gets the reins In his hands.
The ring calculates, doubtless, that Presl-
dent johnson will sign any bill likely to en-.
barrass the policy Of his successor. The
time was, within the memory Of the writer
Of this letter, when Andrew johnson would
have been the last man In public life to
sanction appropriations, directly or indi-
rectly, from the national treasury which the
condition OF the Governments finances did
not Justify. trust there may be enough Of
his former self left to lead him to refuse his
sanction TO any such scheme.
THBI WILL OWN THE oousTRI.
II successful the railroads combination will
virtually own the country. II they can con.
troll Congress TO the extent Of inducing the
80 large majority Of Grants political friends
to ignore his urgent rcmonstrances against
| voting railroads subsidies at this time, no
power or influence will hereafter prove SUM-
cient to defeat any purpose on the national
treasury they may entertain. If thus get
| ting Congress under their thumb, Il will be
but waste Of time to oppose their will here
after before any State Legislature. The
country, involving ali the interests, public
and private, Of everybody, will be theirs, and
theirs only.
The contest must come OF ere Grants In
auguratiou. The ring realize that In the
Presidency his influence with Congress will
be immensely increased-will surely prove
1 To- ..
anxiety to elinch their naIl before he can bt
sworn In.
ALL THE PLUSDRR-xosoERs PREPARING rC
rIoHr GRANT.
| His administration will be Intensely an
tagonlzed by all the rings. II Congress de
liberately sacrifices his policy of greater
economy at the behest Of the railroad ring,
they may rely on 1t that coalition will bt
consummated, embracing all the several ring;
wanting special favors from the Government
(lncluding the whisky ring) to the end oi
| controlling the legislation Of the next Con
gress and brow-beating Grants admiuistra
| ton. There Is more danger TO the future o
the country In the possibility Of the success
Of the omnibus railroad bill-expected to b,
shortly reported-than In aught else to b.
legislated on this winter.
RECONSTRUCTION.
Many believe that the Senate's Judiciary
Committee will report on the Virginia re
construction question Immediately after thci
session Of Wednesday next. /, however, i'm
agine that as they have not yet had singl
consultation on the subject, their report " II
be longer delayed. From all I can learn,
draw the conclusion that General Grant
anxious to get this subject out Of the wa,
before he enters the Presidency; that Is
by congressional action, authorizing tn
people Of Virginia to vote on REASONABLY
State constitutions; on one under which tn
people Of that State may be expected to iv,
quietly, harmoniously and prosperously.
CONGRESS ON VIRGINIA RECONSTRUCTION.
The features Of what Is known as th
Underwood Constitution" against which
Senator Wilson and General schoaeld 8,
earnestly and eloquently advised and pro
tested ere they were injected into It, ant
quently protests against, do not find favo
with one fourth the Republican members O
either House. A large majority Of ther
very naturally fail to see how any State gov
ernment can be carried on with 95 per centur
OF the white population prohibited from eve
sitting on a Jury. Such Is the monstrou
folly Of that instrument, as II stands.
IT ooNrRAvssRs THE RRcossTRUcTIos LAwt
No man favors the policy Of the recon
structlon laws Of Congress more than th
writer of these letters none other has give
that policy more earnest and persistent,
not effective, support, from the moment Q
Its inception until this hour. The idea Of s
abusing the policy Of those Wise and patr
otic laws, as the Objectionable clause Of II
Underwood constitution propose, Is moi
strous, and, If triumphant, will strike 1t
blow from which II may never recover.
THE CONDITION OF VIRGINIA.
virglnia has been free from outrages upo
Unlonists, white and colored, ever sine
Lees surrender. Her courts, Of all degrees
administer justice, pure and simple. Ever
l man x.I,i,in ho. Ilr.It. aninva all hla ri0hI