The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-03-13

I said no, and asked me what it was about.aI
told him its contents. He expressed great
qualification with the result of the meeting
of the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad
Company, and said in substance that he was
gratifed to find when he arrived in Rich
mond TINT public opinion had been brought
to that state which would justify him in ap-
plying to the Legislature for direct con-.
nection of the Atlantic, Mississippi and
Ohio railroad with Richmond, and that
he had reason to believe that he could get
the Senators and Delegates from the city Of
Richmond to introduce and patronize his
bill, 80 that his road would come to
Richmond gracefully upon the invitation
Of Richmond herself. as 4...s
/ --.i A CHANGE OF FRONT.
He then showed me bill which he
had prepared for the purpose of build
ing branch Of his road to Richmond,
| substantially the same as subsequently
passed the General Assembly. l sug-
gested to General Malone that this pro-
position of his would disappoint some of the
friends who had co0perated with us in the
meeting Of the stockholders, and who, hold
ing as they did the balance of power in that
meeting, could at any time have defeated
us by going over to the other side. I think
mentioned several persons, but remem-
Der particularly only one, and that was
DR.. Daniel W. Lassiter, Of Petersburg, who
always cast vote larger than any
majority we ever had, and said that he had
been persuaded to unite with us solely in
the hope that the Richmond and Peters
burg Railroad Company would increase its
income by leasing to General Mahone'sroad
the privilege Of constructing and enjoying
tive-loot track upon the so feet of land al
ready owned by our company. Gen. Malone
said, in substance, that he was not willing
to pay over to our company q royalty for
the use Of its franchise, and that he would
get franchise of his own. He put his
bill in his pocket, and [ think the
conversation on that subject ended
there. On my return to Petersburg / told
DR.. Lassiter what had passed between Gen.
Malone and myself, and, as I expected, he
seemed to be disappointed in his eXpecta-
ton that General Malone and his company
would pay our company reasonable COM
pensation for the use Of its roadway and
bridges. A few days afterwards received
from Mr.. T. Fl. Wynne, president of the
Richmond and Petersburg Railroad Com
pany, about s O'Clock at night, telegram
requesting me to come to Richmond by the
| early train to consult about Gen. Mahone's
proposition for branch of his road to
Richmond. Having been standing counsel
for the Richmond and Petersburg Company
for many years, came to Richmond, ac-
| companied by DR.. Lassiter, who was
Il State director. l found that Mr..
Ellis, the former president, and
then q director of the company, and
Mr.. P. V. Daniel, president of the Rich
mond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Rail-
road Company, had, in consultation with
Judge Robert Ould, who had been en-
ployed as counsel, prepared sundry amend
ments to General Mahonc's bill, to all of
which objected, and 1 prepared IN amend
ment which granted to tho Atlantic, Mis-
sssippi and Ohio Company the franchise or
right to carry and contract to carry into
and out of Richmond, but which in it's
terms confined the Atlantic, Mississippi
and Ohio Company to the use by contract
or lease of the roadway Of some existing
company. OF course the Richmond and
Petersburg and Richmond and Danville
companies were the only two companies
in my mind at the time, and it was so
framed that General Malone could take his
choice, and contract with either or both of
said companies. But it was so framed as TO
make HIM master OF his own business in
and out of Richmond, without the inter-
vention Of any intermediary, except
for the Use of roadway. 1 endeavored to
persuade Senator Greene, of Peters.
burg, to offer my amendment to the con-
sideration of the Senate. He declined to do
so. l was told that another Senator would
offer it, but declined to let him do so, as
DR.. Lassiter and l were both unwilling to
| introduce the proposition, except through
| the Senator from our own community, and
| the amendment was never offered. LasSiter
and l went home that day, and my opposi-
ton to Mahone's bill, if it may be called OPP
position, ended. 1t is due to Mr.. Bridgers
TO shy that he did not know, either before
or at the time, or for some long time after
| wards, of any ofmy doings in this behalf. L
did not make the opposition us his attorney
or by his authority, but simply at the in
| stance of officers OF the Richmond and Pc
tersburg Railroad Company.
Mr.. MARSHALL Were you his attorney
at that time
| WHOSE ATTORNEY?
| Witness was for other purposes, but
| it being then true, rs stated by General Ma
| hone, that "no majority of the stock of the
private shares had then been secured, 'slnd
knowing that it was very doubtful whether
such majority should be secured because Of
| the influence of what has been called the
Robinson dynasty, came to the conclu-
sion that General Malone, after having act
| ed with us efficiently up to that point, had
determined to look out for the interests of
his company in his own way, and, as he ex-
pressed it lin substance as stated before),
had determined not to pay us royalty for
| the use OF our franchise, but to get q
franchise of his own, leaving US, of course,
to get the stock at our own expense and
risk, and get the control of the road as best
we might. l do not remember that any
communication has taken place between
General Malone and myself on that subject
since. 1t is within my knowledge that Mr..
Bridgers, Mr.. Walters, and Mr.. Newcomer,
have always declared, even since l reported
| the forenninr transaction that il WIS heir