The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-03-16

equivalent to cash. On the one hand, we
have the offer of gentlemen whose financial
responsibility is unquestioned, and against
whose moral character and ability to per.
form what they promise not even partisan
zeal has been able to make any reflections.
They offer 10 purchase this stock for cash,
and to purchase it Internationally. On the
other hand, the proposition to sell to the
Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio railroad,
UNAcCoMPAN1ED BY ANY GUARANTEE THAT
THEY WILL PURCHASE.
We are asked simply to offer to sell the
stock to them, and they are left at perfect
liberty to accept or reject. They could well
afford to say in this bill that the Atlantic,
Mississippi, and Ohio can buy at $3.50, to
prevent sale to other parties. They might
as we'll have said in the majority report
S1,00O,0O0 per share, since they well know
the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Com
pany is not bound to buy. The whole
thing is left open, SO far as General Malone
is concerned, he and his company having
prevented us from making good bargain,
can do as they please about buying them.
selves. They are not bound by our offer,
and we are. The act, if passed with the
amendment proposed by the majority,
might be
A DEAD LETTER, .
and in all probabilities would be, as its de.
sign is solely to keep the road from falling
into other hands. The authorities of the
Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Company
have shown no disposition whatever to buy,
and there is not the scrape of pen to bind
them. One party subjects himself to an
offer that the other has perfect right to
refuse. Adopt the majority report and
that may be the last of Gen. Mahone's pro-
position. But adopt the other and nine re-
.sponsible gentlemen are bound to buy the
stock, it becomes their property, S51S, 400
goes into the Treasury of the Common
wealth, and the people are relieved of a
large amount of their present burden OF
debt.
AN EASY WAY TO SETTLE 1T.
Col. GUY, continuing, said he only asked
gentlemen in this matter to pursue the
same course they. would in their business
affairs. Would any man refuse to sell a
piece of property for cash, and then turn
around and sell it to another for the same
amount on credit, six years being allowed
for the liquidation of the debt? There was
sltion. Let us do with the property Of QUIZ
State as we would do with our own.
MAHoNE's vIRGINIANIsM.
But General Mahone's friends claim that
Notwithstanding the manifest disparity of
the price and terms, the sale should be
made to their lavorite on account Of his in
tense and prominent Virginanism. Now,
no one will doubt that the General is a true
son of the Old Dominion /; but it could not
be denied that there were thousands who
were equally devoted to Virginia and Vir-
ginia interests, although their views and
his might not in all respects coincide.
These protestations of Virginianism were,
indeed, to close observer, somewhat in
consistent with the facts brought to light
in the speech of the speakers colleague
Mr.. Frayser), and in the letters which that
gentleman had had read for the information
of the House. It had been shown that
General Malone had accorded
PRIVILEGES TO M'CREADY's OLD DOMINION
STEAMSHIP COMPANY,
il New York concern, which had been alb.
solutely denied the Virginia Steamship
Company, the stock Of which was owned
in Richmond, Petersburg, Danville, and
Norfolk, whose officers were Richmond
men, and whose principal office is in this
city. 1t was unbccoming, to say the least.
in General Malone, with this record against
him, to stand up here and proclaim himself
the sole surviving guardian of the interests
of Virginia. Neither has he any right to
come before the General Assembly with an
attempt to
sUPPLANT THE PROSPEROUS BUSINESS MEN OF
RICHMOND
in the management Of the commerce OF
Richmond, and when reflections are made
upon those men, he could point with pride
to their past career as successful business
men, and to their position in the communi.
ty as sufficient refutation of every charge
that places these men in any unenviable
position. They come forward of their
own original suggestion, and offer to
assume the responsibility of this pur.
chase, for the interests of Richmond
and of Virginia at large, and with nc
Interior object. Such men surely could
much better manage the road than the At
lantic, Mississippi and Ohio Company. II
is proposed to put this little road absolute.
" under the control of powerful railroad
corporation managed by one who, despite
his railroad ability, stands no higher as 8
Virginian than thousands of others. His
talk of being cut off from Richmond is ut
terly without foundation the baseless
fabric of q vision.
There the hammer fell
PRovIDENT AMENDMENT.
MIR. BELL, of Augusta, said that the con
sideration Of this subject had led him tc
fappreciate the value Of the Richmond and
Petersburg railroad as never before, and
whichever proposition before the House be
adopted, he was solicitous that every pre-.
caution be taken to guard fully the interests
of every section of the State. While,
therefore, the proposition of the gentlemen
from Richmond was perfectly satisfactory
to him, he had an amendment to propose
to the minority report, which he thought
would meet with the approval OF all,
though he had not consulted with the
friends Of either the majority or minority
reports before offering it. The amendment
is as follows, and it is intended to come In
as an independent section of the bill:
"Prouided, That before this sale shall BIZ
| made the Board of Public Works shall