The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-02-13
distance, with the certainty of one being
crushed out.


There is little honesty left in old Vir-
ginia; there is honesty on our statute
books. There is principle that when q
franchise is granted and the grantees are in
possession thereof, and have invested
their money in it, we shall not so legislate
as to make their property worthless. The
route 7 propose will not necessitate their
laying twenty miles of track. and the bene-
fits that will result to the people of Fairfax,
Prince William, and Stafford cannot be
easily estimated. 1t is little remarkable
that the applicants for the charter are so
soon
Debating TERMS,
and are unwillingto give us any guarantees
that they will not abuse their franchise.
THIS company are not going to build this
road 10 benefit as! 1t is not going to pay
them merely to build 4 railroad from
Washington to Richmond. There is some
ching back Of that. There must have been
some other idea upon the minds of these
close-fieted moneyed men to come down
here and work so hard. and spend their
means so freely. They see i'll this wealth
and power, and are sowing that they may
reap most rcmunerative harvest. hon
estly believe that they would
PAY LARGE BONUS
to Virginia to get bare charter. believe
that. knowing what they have in store if
this road is built, they will be glad to accept
my bill, with It's cautious checks and re-
straints, and if they are unwilling to do
this much for our dear old State
THEY DON'T DESERVE TO HAVE THE CHARTER.
Mr.. TAYLOR, of Norfolk, said that, while
cordially appreciating the motives OF the
gentleman from Spotsylyania Mr.. Hern-
donl, he felt constrained to oppose his
bill. He was
OPPOSED TO THIS COMPANY COMING SOUTH
OF WASHINGTON AT ALL.
So deeply impressed was he with the I'M
portance of keeping them out Of Virginia
that he was prepared to oppose any bill
that allowed them to get by any route to
Richmond, and through Richmond to the
whole South. The gentleman from Rock
ingham [Mr. Roller] had said that so far as
the part of the road the other side of Alex
andra is concerned, they ask us no odds.
Ask us no odds? Why, then, does ne seek in
the 4th section of his bill to legalize the
charter under which that part OF
the road is built? Why is this done
if there is no doubt on his own mind
of its legality: 1t must be legalized,
and the gap between Washington and
Richmond must be filled, that this foreign
corporation may accomplish its purpose in
reaping the rich harvest of the South, that
has attracted the eye of its leaders in this
direction. And this is just what we pro-
pose to prevent, believing that Philadelphia
has no right to deprive us of this southern
trade.
MR.. COURTNEY SURPRISED.
Mr.. COURTNEY, of Richmond. confessed
surprise to find his frind from Norfolk oc-
cupyinea position so different from that
which he held few months ago on railroad
matters. He (Mr. c. was opposed to the
Herndon substitute, because its adoption
would entirely defeat the purpose of the
original bill. He wished to see the new
road-a direct road--bult, and believed
that the interests of Richmond demanded it.
SOMEBODY ELSE SURPRISED.
Mr.. TAYLOR rejoined that his own sur
prise was great to find his old associate in
the consolidation war Mr.. Courtney had
changed his base. AS for himself, he stood
where he had always stood. This bill is
inimcal to the interests Of Virginia, while
the bill which he and his friend from Rich
mond had together supported had for its
prime object the building up Of those cities.
He did net oppose this mammoth corpora
ton in the interest of Norfolk, but in the
interest of Virginia for he was not sent to
this body to represent Norfolk alone.
Mr.. SMITH, of Henrico, asked whether
the Senator had not frequently declared
himself in favor of granting charters to
ANYBODY that was able to build roadI
PROMPT RESPONSE.
Mr.. TAYLOR replied Yes, sir; l hare
so declared, and | say now that on general
principles l am in favor OF multiplication
of railroads in order that our resources may
be developed and our cities built up; but
am not in favor Of building roads where
they already exist, and l shall always op.
pose allowing 4 foreign corporation to come
down here and buy up existing railroads
that are owned by Firginians that they
may he run without regard TO the interests
of Virginia.
Mr.. CAMpBELL's IDEAS.
Mr.. CAMPBELL said that all his sympa-
thies were naturally with the Richmond,
Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad, but
he was also strongly in favor of cheap
line of railway between Washington and
Richmond. He wished to know why it
was that that company Qhe Richmond,
Fredericksburg and Potomac) did not come
forward and ask for charter to construct
such road
Mr.. SNowDEN promptly replied that Sem
ate bill 199, introduced by himself, did pro3
pose that very thing. He desired to caiA
the attention of the Senator to its proviA-
ions, and hoped that he would support At
at the proper time.
This bill is as follows:
THE BILL THAT OUGHT TO BE ADoPTEDJ
"Be 1T enacted by the General ASSenS 6ly
of Virginia, That the Richmond, Frfde-
and Potomac Railroad. Yom-
pany be and they are hereby authorized to
construct a railroad from the TERMINUS of
their branch railroad, near Quantj&1 creek,
to the city of Alexandria, to Ne worked
and used in connection with III road now
running from Richmond to A4uia creek,
and the extension thereof, now i'm process
of construction from Brooke'H station to
Quantico, and in connection W 3th any rail-
road entering the clty OF AieX&ndria