The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-13

/ the whole concern collapsed. There were
no more meetings until 10 1860, when re-
solution was passed that Stewart, who was
treated on all hands as owner Of the whole
| concern (the stock given to others being
merely to qualify them as directors), should
raise money to build the road ; but he
ended by selling every thing through one
Lincoln, as his agent, to Roberts, who
stipulated in the contract Of purchase that
Lincoln should procure from the Legisla-
ture such legislation as ,oould legalsze all
that had been done.
WHAT ROBERTS REALLY WANTED.
The act of 4th June, 1870, is the first OF
Lincoln's efforts but it does not legalize
all that has been done. It stipulates for
| what it grants-the honest, legal organiza-
| ton of company. That is not what Rob-
erts wanted. Hence the present bill, sane
| tioning his proc eedings. The phrase is:
"as now organized" Now, you have seen
this organization, and how, on oath, can the
committee respond to any of these inqui-
ries favorably to this so-called company !?
| This all appears in our evidence. Why has
| this other side produced none? They are
silent. "Qui facet lille clanat" Under
these circumstances, silence speaks.
| The committee must ask, Have you paid
up the right amount of money on your
shares? No, we have not. Have you not
withdrawn what money was paid? Yes.
we have. Have you negotiated the befds
for the use of the company according to
law? No, we have not. The committee,
with these answers, must decide unfayora-
bly, to them. Now, what is the evidence on
these points? They all tell you that they
didn't pay the money on their stock. 1t was
a thimble-rig game" Now you see the mo-
ney, and now you don't see it." Finally
all came into Roberts's hands for his own
purposes.
NOT BONDS AND STOCKS, But LEGISLATION
| WANTED.
| On the 10Th of February, 1870, Lincoln
made his bargain with Roberts. It is re-
markable one; such as I hope will never
occur again on our soil, and the Legislature
| IL
contract for your legislation, such as would
legaliZe all the enormities / have exposed.
! For $4,000 Lincoln was to procure it but
he failed; he got only the honest charter of
June 4th, 1870. This bill seeks to procure
it. Will the committee reflect on the char
acter of this contract? 1t is a bargain for a
contingent compensation to use such agen-
cieS as will influence the Legislature to pro-
mote private interests. This is against
public morals. 1t poisons the foundations
Of legislation, and poisons them in their
source. 1t is void, and will not bear an
action in a court of law.
| The money was paid and these people fell
out. Suits followed, and l hear this evening
that Mr.. Stewart has commenced a fresh
suit, in which he expects to cast everybody.
But we have nothing to do with these suits
except to look in their records for Roberts s
conduct. Stewart says when Lincoln sold
the road Roberts knew Lincoln was his
(stewart's) agent, and Lincoln says so, too.
Roberts denies knowing it. Now, this sale
by Lincoln to Roberts (RobertS purchasing
in ignorance of Stewards claims) is among
the most improbable of all things. Does
anybody believe that Roberts bought these
stocks without any inquiry? All is envel-
oped in mystery. Eighty thousand dollars
for road, and he didn't know to whom it
belonged! Did he never ask who had the
bonds, who the stocks? But he admits no.
tice before he paid the money. Look at Lin
coins letters: Wasn't he Incoln), in his
correspondence, accounting to Stewart day
by day as the owner of the road: But with
that we have nothing to do. What did Ro-
berts buy? is the question. What were these
bonds and stocks worth after he got them
Nothing on earth. Could he get anything
out of Stewart? Could he get anything
out Of the company? Could he get more
than Stewart owned? No, Mr.. Chair
man, he bought your legislation. Lin
coin has testified to that. In the case
before Judge Lowe, Lincoln testified that
Roberts said to him, "What you offer to
sell me is of no use to me. don't want to
buy your company unless I can get some
thing more along with it. If you will get
from the Legislature revival of your char
ter, right to bridge the Potomac, &C.. /
will give you SS0,O0O." The contract was
to be void unless this legislation was pro-
cured. Will any member of this committee,
honest as know you all are, sanction this
illegal. this immoral, contract? What did
Roberts want with this contract? Sir, he
wants to subordinate this Virginia com.
Il l.: t,t -, tho
list of the thirty-three pauper companies
so subordinated. | can't give verse and
chapter, but / only say-what everybody
believes-that this Pennsylvania Central
Company has gotten a foothold down
among the southern roads, and it wants to
get through by such means as you see here
sometimes Offering to buy or lease the Fir.
ginia road, sometimes threatening road in
lower Maryland, then with bill by which
this Alexandria and Fredericksburg road
was to consolidate with all the roads North
land South, then by attempting to tie ur
the Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Poto
mac railroad to connect exclusively with
their road at Washington, and to surrender
their boat line on the Potomac, and finally
by threatening to get charter for a road
from Washington to Richmond. 1t is boast
ed now that this line, carried down to AT
lanta and Chattanooga, will take the cot
ton which now goes to Norfolk anL
carry it North. Does any one be-
lieve that that road is going to be built
1t would cost 100000 to build that road
and only 81, 800, 900 to build road to CON