Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1869-07-15
History OF Governor Wells Attempt
TO Sell the Interest in the Virginia
and Tennessee acknowledgements
Stonema0's Accusations-Ihe Baiti-
more and Ohio Railroad iu the Can

RICHMOND, July 2-Fhe disaffection
in the Republican or their Radical party
in this State which finally eliminated in a
split at the Petersburg nominating con-
vention in March last had been of long
duration, though the primary causes of it
were comparatively unknown to the ma
jority Men of character influence
wealth and standing in the State, such as
Franklin SteaJns, the lifelong friend and
admirer Of John Minor Bolts; Judge
Rye, the present Treasurer; Dir. G. K
Gilmer, then chairman of the Republican
State Executive Committee, and others
who were original Union men, had long
been dissatisfied with the proscriptive
measures advocated by Governor Wells
and his carpet bag adherents. Wells
testimony before the Reconstruction Com
mittee at Washington. in which the peo-
pie Of Virginia were so foully calumnia-
ted, was dose too hard for any natives
to swallow, be they Republicans or other,
wise, and with an actual disgust for the
company in which they found themselves
they tamely submitted to circumstances
over which they had no control. At
length, however, matter transpired that
not only opened the eyes of the above
named gentlemen to the enormities intend !
ed to be practised upon the people by
Governor Wells and his party, but they
were shocked at the boldness and effront-
cry with which vile proposition was
made to sell to foreign corporation the
States interest in one of her main rail
roads-in fact, the road which is the key
to the trade Of the great West. This was
without question the real cause which pro
duced the bolt Of the native Republicans
at Petersburg, and which subsequently,
resulted in the formation of a new Re
publican party on an ADM nistration basis
and the nomination of Gilbert G. Walker
and his ticket in opposition to Wells and
the ultras
Railroads and their interests and in
fuences have entered largely into the
present canvass in Virginia, and the his
tory of the proposition alluded to on the
part of Goveror Wells now opened up by
General Stonemau's letter from San Fran
cisco, published in the Hdald, the best
explains the nature Of the contest. Prior
to his appointment as Governor, Wells, Of
his own voition, pledg d himself to secure
the consolidation of the railroad lines ter
minating at Norfolk and Bristol, of which
General Malone is the president. Safe
ly installed in the mansion on the square.
the Governor, with a strange incensistcn-
cy, forgot his pledges. and few months
afterwards found him appointing men who
were Republicans directors and State prox-
les but who did not own dollars worth
of property in the State. In October
last, however, the event occurred referred
to by General Stoncman which caused
such widespread establishment among the
leaders and members Of the Republican
party when it became known. On the
25th of that month Mr.. r. l. vii
son, of New York, arrived in this city
for the purpose, as he himself disclosed,
of defeating, if possible, the re election
of Malone as president of the consoldat-
ed line Of railroads, particularly the Fir-
ginia and Tennessee road. It was then
understood that the Board of Public
Works was in 4 few days to make the APP
pointrnents of State proxies for chat road
aud that the Governor did not accord with
the other members of the Board as to
these appointments, his object being to put
in nlen who would be inmical to the re-
election Of Malone, AID consequently the
defeat Of consolidation With this effected
the Virginia and Tennessee road would
then, like the Orange and Alexandria
road, at once become tributary of Bal
timore Norfolk would be irretrievaby
ruined. and New York would be deprived
ofthe large and increasing trade chat reach
es it by the Old Dominion line Of steam
ships. At this opportune time, also, there
appeared number of written complaints
from Mr.. John S. Barbour. of the Or
ange aud Alexandria road Mr. Thomas
IL. Galloway, Of the Georgia and Ten
lessee road, a partner of the Mr.. Wilson.
above mentioned; Governor Brownow OF
Tennessee, and others, and Governor
Wells stated that Mr.. Peter Cooper and
Senator Morgan, of New York, had also
written complaints Of the management Of
the Virginia and Tennessee road. Malone
was at once arraigned as a culprit before
his EZcellency and the Board Of Public
Works to answer the trumped up charges
against him, which he then proved to be
wantonly frivolous; but he clearly intima-
ted to the gentlemen present the real OBJ
jet for which the written complaints were
intended. About the same day, or that
previous, Mr.. Wilson, of New York, had
visited Governor Wells, and made him a
proposition to purchase the States inter-
est in the Virginia and Tennessee railroad
for SIS, 600 600, to pay $4,000, 900 cash,
and the remainder by instalments at stated
intervals. Whatever private understand
ing there existed between Mr.. Wilson and
Governor Wells is unknown, except that
the Baltimore and Ohio road, whose
agent Wilson is supposed to have been,
were to build a railroad along the George
town canal, partially owned by Wells,
which would connect the Orange and AL
exandria road with the Baltimore and Ohio
road. All the freight and travel coming
over the Virginia and Tennessee road
would then be forced over the Orange
and Alazendria road into Baltimore,
Wells receiving heavy percentage on
every passenger and pound of freight
transported over his line of canal, if the
proposition of Wilson could be consum-
mated He visited the treasurer, George
Rye, and endeavored to induce him, as
a member of the Board of Public Works,
to sanction the proposed sale; but that
gentlemen replied that he would suffer his
right arm to be pulled from its socket be-