Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-01-23
CONVERSATIONAL.
oenel.sisa q Yesterdays Proceeding.

SEsArR.-Afser our report closed yesterday
Mr.. VI t<on Introduced JOINT resolution to
drop from the rolls of the army. officers absent
wiibont leave. Referred TO the Com uIttse on
Mr.. Wilson offered a Joint resolution reap.
rointing Prof. Agassiz a regent of the Smith
sonian Institute; winch was passed
The unfinished business OF yesterday-being
the bill to promote commerce among tue states
and to cheaper the transportation OF the mails
and the naval and military stores, aud COM
monlv known as Sherman's railroad bill
was taken up, the question being on the
amendment Of Mr.. Dooiittle, that the consent OF
the Legislatures Of the States through which
the railroads are projected shall be first %.
tanned. = 80 = ~ - -
MI. Doolittle he did not see how any Senator
could vote for this bill without his amendmen
was added. He was no believe in any of the
pleas that had, OF late years, been set up for
He recognized no higher law, NO law OF secu-
rity, no stern logic OF events which could IN
duce him to violate the oath which he had taken
at that time IN the presence OF God and man to
support that Cons titutiOn. He hSd never
Acknowledged, during any period OF the war,
that there " as any justification in a violation
OF the Constitution. He had not much longer
10 stay here, and desired to say now that he
regretted not one word he had spoken or one
vote he had given on laws which he believed
10 be unconstitutional, and If 1t was all to go
over he would oppose them, II possible; with
what has happened would happen that the
people Of his own State would not sustain him.
After referring to the remarks of the different
Senators Mr.. Doolittle said the necessity for
these new roads did not exist. The route be-
tween here and New York was much better
managed than ten years ago, and much chea per.
1t may be that there were just grounds Of
complaint against the State Of Maryland in
the past for It's restrictive policy
In reference to railroads, but that pol
icy had now been overcome, and according
to the Governor of Maryland q new road-the
tmOre Potomac. between mr.
Baltimore-will be completed by January 1,
1870, and we will thus have competing roads
to Baltimore. The Northern Central railway
now stands ready TO connect with the Balti-
more and Potomac. and at Harrisburg there
will be another route TO New York. The same
necessity for the interference of Congress did
not exist now as much as il did twenty wears
ago or ten years ago, and under these circum.
stances Congress should not enter upon the ex-
else OF such dangerous power, and which he
believed was expressly withheld by the con.
vention which framed the Con >titution The
people OF Washington would do n UGH better
II they wanted more railroads to 60 TO the Leg.
lslatures OF Pennsylvania, Maryland and West
virginia to get their charters, than to come to
Congress. He believed, from the advantages Of
Washington. that it ought to become a great
place. In regard to the failure to check bag.
gage that was within the remedy of Congress
from its control over this District. 1t could
compel this convenience to the travelling public
Mr.. Morton asked as to the tax of thirty cents
per passenger on the Washington branch of the
could exact thirty cents per head she could
exact $50.
Mr.. Mary land had IN vested great
deal Of money in her railroads, and she had Of
course endeayored TO realize something from
them. and she put a tax on them. Indiana
was forced to tax her railroads, only sht did il
In different way from Maryland. Mr.. ID.
then argued as TO the constitutional power of
Congress in the premises, quoting from the
debates OF the conve ntion and the Madison
papers, to prove that no such power as was
claimed was contemplated. These great rail-
road corporations are the most valuable
properly in some of the States, and should
Congress assume to take the Jurisdiction of
them from the Statesl If Congress can charter
railroad alongside of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad, it can take the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad completely out of the power Of
the State and exempt il from State taxation
he (Mr. d. believed with Justice Mclean
tered upon by Congress 1t would reyolutionize
the notion. II would take the whole control OF
great railway corporations. Corporations, as
has been SAID, have no bodies to be kicked aud
souls TO be damned. In the hand of these great
corporations Congress and the President will
but be as playthings. If such man as Alex
ander Hamilton feared to enter on such DOW
er as this, how is il that men OF this day can
undertake IL p. When he left the Senate he
would probably leave public life forever, and
could have no hope but for the glory and pros
perity OF his country, and he lmplored his
brother Senators not to commit this act under
the specious plea OF commercial security or Of
building up great capital at Washington.
The Senate, at 3:25 p. m, adjourned.
HoUsR.-After our report closed yesterday
The Denver Pacific Railroad bill was dis
cussed at some length, when
Mr.. Elliott (Ark.) announced the decease of
his predecessor. the late James Kinds, Of Ar
kansas. AT the conclusion OF his speech he OF.
fered the customary resolutions OF respect. and
eulogles We're pronounced by Messrs. Arnell
and Roots. of Arkansas and others; after which
the House adjourned.