The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-03-02
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
FoRD's HOTEL,
RIcukoND, February 25th 49,

RICHMOND, February 25th, 1871.
This devoted city is at this time especially
blessed with the presence of swan of lob
byists, of all ages and conditions Of life, and,
if we are to judge by the galleries of the
House of Delegates, of all colors and both sex.
The great struggle over the Washington and
Richmond Railroad chartcr-or the contest,
as it has been not very elegantly expressed
between the "Buck tails" and the "Bobtai!s.'
is the cause Of this unusual gathering. That
contest was decided to-day by the agreement
of the House to the Senate's amendments, by
which the bill granting the charter becomes
law, so far as Legislative action can accom-
plish that end, and now only awaits the sig
nature of the Governor to complete it.. The
delegates from Augusta county stood on the
question, Judge Cochran in the Affirmative
and Messrs. Bell and Hanger in the negative.
Senator WaddeIl, ALSO would have voted
against its final passage had he been in his
seat, but we do not think his opposition was
of very active character. Like many 9TH
ers, he felt an aversion to the presence of a
large number Of strangers, who evidently
came here to control the Legislature in the
interest of the friends of the charter. This
fact we are inclined to think diverted the
minds Of some from an impartial weighing
of the merits Of the bill, and unwittingly,
almost, led them under the control Of preju-
dice rather than of reason.
1t is claimed by the opponents Of the bill,
that it is in conflict with the Constitution Of
the State. This view was maintained By
Maj. H. NJ. Bell in voting against an amend
ment offered by Mr.. Woodson, Of Craig, to
the effect, that the Pennsylvania Central Com
pany be required to guarantee to the Shcn-
andoah Valley Road SIS 900 for each mile
of the road. lie said that it had not been
his purpose to say anything on the passage
of this bill, and it was not his purpose now
to participate in the general discussion, but
the proposition made by the member from
Craig to add the Shenandoah r. r. Co, to
the lis, Of the companies to participate in the
benefits of this bill, and as he had been cos.i<
PEELED to vote against that proposition, be
| felt that it was due to himself as a friend OF
the Shenandoah railroad, the building Of
which would greatly benefit his people, to
explain his vote upon that proposition, and at
the same time to give his reasons for voting
against the pending Senate amendment. The
| fifteenth section Of the fifth article Of the
Constitution of Virginia provided that "no
law shall embrace more than one object
which shall be expressed in its title" In
his opinion, the proposition Of the member
from. Craig aud the amendment adopted by
the Senate are clear infractions Of the pro-
vision of the constitution quoted by him, as
they both require that the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company shall enter into and de-
posit with the Board of Public Works its
obligation to endorse and guarantee the bonds
Of the Norfolk and Great Western Railroad
Company for an amount sufficient to con-
struct that road from Danville to Bristol, be-
fore this act shall have validity, and also that
the Pennsylvania Central Railroad Company
shall endorse the bonds Of the Piedmont and
Potomac Railroad Company for an amount
sufficient to complete that road and the mem
Der from Craig proposes to add the Shenan-
doah railroad as one whose bonds shall be
endorsed by the Pennsylvania Central Com
ly desirable that all these railroads shall be
built, yet under his representative RESPONSE
biity he could not vote for provision which
he regarded as clearly infracting the consti-
tuition.
This view of the bill, however, did not
seem to dampen the ardor Of its friends, or
abate the exuberance of their qualification
CD the occasion Of its passage.
The next question calculated to excite
feeling and interest will be the bill of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Company, asking the
privilege of building certain branches to
their main STEM with view to the accommo-
datiou of the expected trade which is to be
carried over their road when the main stem
is completed through to the Ohio river
In its present shape, the bill will receive very
decided opposition. In fact, it is generally
understood, that the Senate committee, which
now has it under consideration. and are ex-
pected to report on it next Tuesday, will very
materially amend some of the main features
Of the bill, before they report it. In what
particulars these amendments will consist, we
are rot able to say. But we are very sure, if
they SO mutlate the original bill as to make
it unacceptable to the Company it will be a
great harm to the State. The people Of Au-
gusta and the entire country to the Kama
wha Valley, know. with what vast energy
this great work has been prosecuted since the
present company took hold of it, and the
immense amount Of money they have scat
tered among our people. It is stated that
there are ninety odd niles now of the road
on the western division. ready for the track,
and that the steel rails have beer ordered