The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-02-17
4 BOnB IN THE CAMP OF THE
BUCKTA TAILS.
The Colored Troops Fight Nobly, bu'
Fire and Fall Back.
she Bill still Hangs fn the House

vhe Bill still Hangs fn the House,
In ihc House OF Delegates yesterday, af
ter the morning hour,
Mr.. SouTHALI. Of Albemarle, submitted
the following amendment, TO come in at the
cnd of the 9th section as amended:
And the Washington and Richmond
Railway Company shall be required, on
completion Of its road, or whenever the
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac
Railroad Company shall, under the provis
ions ot this section, become subject to tax
alton, 10 purchase, at the option of the pri.
yatc stockholders. the capital stock now
held br them in the Richmond, Fredericks.
l.urg and Potomac Railroad Company on
the same terms to be granted the State 1t.
self for its stock under the provisions OF
This section: Provided. however, that no
private >tockhoder shall be entitled to the
benefit Of this provision unless such claim
l. made within one year next after the
Washington and Richmond Railway Com
IanN's obligation to purchase rs aforesaid
arises
A JUST PROVISION.
Mr.. SOUTHALL SAID The amendment
offer is so just and proper that regret
that il has not been accepted by the friends
Of the bill. 1t is conceded that the new
company prefers the acquisition of the
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac
Railroad Company to the building ofa ne"
road. All il desires is to obtain control OF
The existing road by purchase of the ma.
ioriy of its stock. To do this it must pur.
chase private stock TO an amount sufficient
to constitute such controlling interest, fol
neither this bill or any other bill authorizes
:! sale Of the State stock until such controll
Ing gintcrcst is first acquired. The citizens
OF Virginia own in the existing road about
$500 shares Of stock. Non-rcSidents of the
Safe own about 5000 shares, the whole
number of shares being between 1000 and
1900. 1t is plain, then, that the new road
must acquire control Of the old one by
the purchase of stock held by outside par
ties. Most Of this foreign stock is held
either by the Robinsons or those for whom
they act. They are large stockholders. The
This new company has neither time nor
taste for any peddling business. They
WILL NOT RUN AROUND TO BUY THE STOCK
HELD IN THE STATE
in small quantities, such as five, ten. fifteen,
or twenty shares. The result will he that
they will buy out the large outside stock
hollers-the Rohnsons and their asso-
cialcs. They who have managed the Rich
mond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Rail
road Company to the injury of the State
and the detrimcnt Of the other stockhold-
crS. will thus escape all loss. Tue State
will escape loss because the bill, as 1t now
stands, indemni1ies and protects it. The
only parties left to suffer will be
THE VIRGINIA STOCKHOLDERS
and a few nonresident stockholders. They
have already suffered at the hands of the
Robnsons and their associates. No divi-
dcpd has been declared for FIVE orsix years,
because it is said those who controlled the
road could dispense with dividends in this
road in order to secure larger dividends in
another enterprise in which they were also
and the Robinsons are protected. Shall the
s:1ictims' of the latter he the only suffer-
ers? Win the State, under these circum-
stances, protect itself and leave its own
citizens unprotected! l was glad, Mr..
Speaker, to hear members on all sides
during this discussion express their devo-
tion TO Virginia. We are her children, and
this is proper.
But THERE SHOULD BE RECIPROCITY.
Let the State show the same devotion to
her children which they show to her. We
owe allegiance to the State, and the State
owes protection to us. The State by this
bill indemnties itself against loss, because
the charter, when granted, will make ship
wreck of the Richmond, Fredericksburg
ana Potomac Railroad Company. To grant
the charter is The act of the State. viii
the State scuttlc the ship and escape in its
own lite-boat. and allow the Robinsons to
escape III theirs, and at the same time see
her own children 90 10 the bottom? /
trust that no such unhandsome conduct on
the part Of Virginia will ever be recorded
on the page of her history.
This is one view Of the question, and, in
my judgment, is enough to show the pro-
pricty Of the adoption Of my amendment.
But there is still
ANOTHER VIEW,
and 10 it | invoke the special attention of
this House. We are told by the friends of
this bill that this charter should be granted
because it will result in the introduction
into this State OF large amount Of foreign
capital. And is it SO desirable to get for.
cign capital through
THE CORRUPT AND CoRRrPTISG PENNSYLVANIA
CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
that we shall secure it by destroying the
home capital which our own people have
invested in the Richmond, Fredericksburg
and Potomac Railroad Company? They
own in that road nearly 5000 shares Of
stock. Are you going to confess itl
The misiortunes Of our people have again |
and again been pictured to you in feeling
and eloquent language. You have been
told how they have suffered by fire, by
hood, and by war. "Disaster has followed |
upon disaster fast and faster;" and shall
you wiring from these poor and impover-
lshed people the little home capital still |
ielt them in order to secure foreign capital |
from the Pennsylvania Central Railroad |
Company 81
IL