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

Dclng bogus cOTpeTaeioH' At "A~AA W "
still contend that there was g instead ol
$40 paid. Who loses by that? Not the
State. No stockholder has complained.
The amount is merely put in to give secu.
rty that the company was organizing means
to build the work.
THE NEW CHARTER MAKES ALL RIGHT.
But apart from oil this, contend that
the act of June 4th, 1870. entitled Gan act
to amend the charter of the Alexandria and
Fredericksburg Railroad Company heals
and cures all that. How could the charter
of company be amended unless the com.
pany was already organized? The act fur
ther says the work on the road shall be re-
sumcd. Doesn't that concede and assume
that the work had already been commenced
Ny position. which ] maintain is law, Is
that wherever a Legislature recognizes by
law the existence Of company, it is
a waiver of any objection to formalities
that existed In the original organization,
and dispenscs with and c,lreSIthem. This
principle is set forth in New York, cases
II. Ill. Court of Appcals-People Us. Man
haitian Company "a case precisely similar tC
this). If the act Of 1870 cures these de.
frcts, why 90 back to 1890 for little flaws in
the organization 1t certainly is not within
the province Of the President Of the Rich.
mond, Fredericksburg and Potomac rail.
road to object to it, who himself had recog.
nizcd the company, and made contract
with Jos. B. Stewart. Having done this,
he is now stopped from coming forward to
assail it, Mr.. Daniel says that after he found
that there was something illegal about it,
he withdrew from the contract. But he
must rccolect that it takes two parties tc
break contract as we'll as to make one.
Mr.. Daniel had made contract to build
his road to Quantico Creek, and meet the
Alexandria and Fredericksburg road al
that point. The contract was good with
him when he agreed to that, hut it is not
80 now. 1t is too late. now that the Rich
mond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Rail
road Company have recognized this com
pany as legal organization, to deny it now
TIE EFFECT OF RErEALrNG THE CHARTER
1t is too late for the State, too, since the
Legislature has passed an act recognizing
the formation of the company, to forfeit the
charter now on the ground of technical in
formalitics. 1t would be bad faith for it now
to say that they ought to have sent a Phila
dclphia lawyer down to Virginia to inYcsti
gate the title to find technical flaws. Nc
.,+, r
ever be sold in Wall street. The capitalist
would say that he could not put his money
into any concern in Il State where the Lc
cislature. years after, might forfeit ii or
grounds of legal tcchnirality.
\ step farther. The contract between
Lincoln and Roberts became an executed
contract. A board of directors was elected
and the work proceeded with. Then, fol
the first time. Mr.. Robinson appears. Ne
gotiatonS were entered into between Mr.
Robinson, who owns a large amount o
stock in the Richmond Fredericksburg
Potomac railroad and the Alexandria ant
fredericksburg Railroad Company fo
Il connection; the former compan!
Stafford. The negotiations fell through
Mr. Daniel ohiccting that his road WA
thrown open to all the southern roads.
Mr.. Z. V. Dauicl.-You are mistaken
sir. We arc open to all the southern road
now. objected because they wanted t
tie lis up to connect with only one northern
road both in Washington and Baltimore.
Mr.. Smith, continuing.-Eery well, sir
did not mean to mi>reprcsent you. Al
ter this contract fell through, the Al
exandria and Fredericksburg Compan.
made every effort to make connection OF
equitable terms. They even offered to bu,
the stock of the road. 1t was after this tha
the war was commenced on the Alexandra
and Fredericksburg Company. 1t was Joal
and Amasa-" Art thou in health, m,
brother" and thrust his sword into hi
bowels. They had waged the war contin,l
ouSly. They had sent for an old gentleman
to come down here and testify TO the condi
ton of the Pennsylvania Central road wht
had been a director oft, but who neglected
10 tell rs that he had been turned out o
that Board.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORK.
Now, we look to the importance of thi
work. Is it not Of consequence to the pub
lie to 90 to Washington by route LOG mile
long for S3.25, Instead of travelling lI2 miles
rs we do now that the Potomac is ice
bound? invite the attention of this com
mittee to the history Of the Richmond
Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad
Chartered thirty-siX years ago, it has no
built Il foot Of road since. If the policy 0
this company had been successful, wher.
been il the war which WAS waged upol
it by the Richmond, Fredericksburg an(
Potomac railroad had been success
full? 1t would have been road from
Louisa Courthouse to Hanover Court
house. One would think that the grount
between here and Washington belongs tt
the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Poto
mae railroad. Mir. Daniel, indeed, said tha
he would feel it his duty to oppose any roat
that would injure his road. Thus the cas-,
has stood for thirty-six years. Because
for>ooth, another company may carry pas
sengers to Washington for 1926, and thi
company charges s..
LAND-LoCKED COUNTIES.
There is il portion of this State-th
Northern Neck, embracing Lancaster
Wcstmoreland, King George, and Rich
mond counties, land-locked. Are not these
people entitled to accommodation! Ont
section of this bill provides for branci
road to Mathias's Point. Shall the people il
that country, where your Washington anC