The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-13
The Railroad Investigation.
,p:yNrNrS OF N9. r. l.. SMITH
AND MIR. II. z DANlEf"
Thorough Gong Over of the Case


...lria and Fredericksburg railroad case.
y vas stated that a communication haa
....,, received from 1tr. HooH, of AleXan-
lr;, C,r;n.r cashier Of The Merchants Ma
,,,,,.I HIuk N Washington. stating that
Nr. G. W. C.. Ramsey was not cashier NJ
l.n time Reuben johnson deposited the
money. but that the $1,000 WAS deposited
p, him in that bank. The argument then
.ruyrcirG:
Sr-u1ncnt of Mr. Francis i. smith.
souu.ct for tho Alexandria md
fredericksburg Railroad.
Vr. Chairman and GeMicmcn Of the
committee: II is subject Of congrd u'a-
r,u lhlt We are at last beginning to see Il
,.r,,ucct Of the conclusion Of this lengthy,
..vJ 70 ynu, doubtless tedious. matter. The
Whole proceeding has been remarkable. 1t
.rnvarrd that. without specific charges, Il
distinguished member OF the Legislature,
easing his action on mere rumor and bar
.o.in conversation, though | believe per-
f.,,t}v honest in his convictions, introduced
,n, resolution OF inquiry. TO contlne my
.,..f strictly to The terms Of the resolution.
fyr the wide range the investigation has
..kru. would y" impossible.
Nr. uuld.-Thlt i the resolution of the
committee.
Mr.. ~mith.-No, sir. 1t was suggested
~ Your side, but not adopted. 1t appears
that Al the commencement no one coulo be
found to father this inquiry, but we
han; not proceeded far before the President
81 the Richmond. Fredericksburg, and Po-
.,,ruac railroad came forward and declared
himself the iustigator Of the investigation
aut admitted that he had prepared and
furnished the resolution. The object OF
This resolution is first to prevent the pass
age Of this bill, and, second, to lay the
foundation Tor proceedings in court TO re-
peal tn" charter of the company. In both
thr charters Of this company 1t Is prescribed
;htt under the general railroad law the
LEGISLATURE reserves to itself the right 10
change. modify, or repeal it. | would state
that this power is Limited where vested
ri.ht> have been exercised under char
ter. and no act Of the Legislature can dis.
tult thrs. vested rights. Thus much fol
The right Of the Legislature to change this
charter.
again. / contend that charter is in the
nature Of n contract, and no Legislature
can declare any contract null, especially
one where rights have accrued under It,
In the case OF Fletcher Is. Peck, in Geor-
gia, where The Legislature had actually been
hrihcd 10 give land, and subsequent Leg
stature hAd rtpeaicu the aet' the lh'le"
HiHIc> supreme court dtcidco that II coulu
not b" done, even though fraud Dad been
p!actccd. aud that the persons who had
purchased The land We're entitled to i. These
d@r The general principles oi this matter.
TIE PAYMENTS oH SHARES.
In 1861 the Alexandria and Frcdericks-
burg COMPANY was chartered, books were
ogruo,. 2.0oD shares subscribed, and - per
sfa,rr jLjd ou these shares. 1t is inmate
.iHI who paid tor those shares. The money,
5i.ml0, was paid into bank in October 60
"f VII. Johnson, on account OF the
c"iht'h>>'oAcr>' IL Is poi'lI lnloc pI
'A' o'hti Sue 'h"l flo ii>teau oi -
per >har" Sho'Iio nave been paio. Now
~ lar aS lhis payment "n1 - snare
Is concerned. mat Is clearly established
oa' sun 'nc'' i Pi"o'-pcihaps no' e'h'
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n.y. NJ 0''!'''''' ''''n's '''"' io ~" VIZ
,'"Ss Do'Ns Ia :. ,''A'1 C'.,ti''u ~ 'u'
N''>''''''' ''' ''ii'. ."'' ''''' o,,''
- H''! W 'ii'' ''''s was no' l'"'u o'l tlc
>'i'''S' "u' !. l. =! i' iiio"hH I'o'e" 'll"' IL
"'" .o, 'ii'i""c 'iio ~ pei 'on'' ncse
"On' o.. ~ '''o ~ s'V', '''..
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- lu' '''''' ''" ''"",' .., - ,,,:', ,,:n. y,
"o'N "a> '"''i""r'' "'i''' nooiisn' -u'''> ..
''oN'' "''" 'i'.n ~ "'' ",'>''i''.''''' -
"''''' w, "'if i,'', "iien 'ne '''''i '' I
vas A'''oo "''"co" i''"'l' - anu A1'ii'o'''
KoBERTs'S FIRST APPEARANCE.
ms was MI. RobeItS'S first connection
with the company-the first he knew OF It,.
''it'N'''>N' ''' -'4''>eS' i-4A t'A.NN VA
tered 10 sell the franchise, DC, of the road.
Roberts agreed that II Lincoln would OBJ
IAN at the stock ana bonds, secure the
franchise ana secure the passage OF law
hy The Legislature relieving the company
rom 'iIc forfeiture OF lis charlef, he Wollld
pay hln $4,000. Lincoln did all this. No
one claims that there was any fraud IN the
passage "i tha' law on June 4th, 1870. IL IL
l. GAINED aGails, any member OF that Lc-