The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-07-25
VOL. XVII.---NO. 80.

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most, al unfounded or unjust demands upon
the public treasury and to expose and onnose.
WIN Vlgor the attempted encroachments of
glgantic corporations, and theoretically resist
grants to aggregated capital of special nriyi-
leges which might be used to hamper the
efforts OF individual enterprise in The va
rious fields of labor.
we urge his nomination because his pub
nc career Is proof to us that his influence in
the iuture, as well as in the past, will be used
10 ward OIL the evils of special legislation
and assist in destroying The possibility If
procuring the passage ofany law by the use
OF money or other corrupt means.
we urge his nomination, because of his eff
iofts III The Senate to equalize taxation, by
bringing every corporation that applied for
addltlonal legislation under the general law
OF taxation to which the people themselves
are subject. We notice that the Colonel was
careful to offer the following amendment TO
every bill proposed by the friends of any
hailroau Company, which was exempt from
taxation, and not merely offered it, but made
q determined fight for its adoption' and was
successful in two instances, and nearly sue
| ceeded IN check mating the Baltimore and
ONO Railroad Company after fight of more
than month:
On page 1923 Senate Journal, the following
entry appears "Thebil to change the name
OF the Pittsburg and Connelsville Railroad
company, branch ofthe Baltimore g. Ohio
railroad Company to the name of the Pitts
burg, Washington and Baltimore Railroad
company, being under consideration, Mr.
stephenson submitted the following amend
ment: "P0oideG, the rights, privileges and
franchises herein granted to the said Pittsburg
washington and Baltimore Railroad Com.
pany, are granted on the express condition
VIZ: That Its property real and personal, in
ciuolng It's rolling machinery lying within
The State OF Maryland and covered or embra-
ced under the name of the Pittsburg, Wash
mgton and Baltimore Railroad Company.
snail be liable to taxation for State and coun-
W purposes, In the same manner and at the
same rates that all other real and personal
property is or may be taxed and if said Pitts
burg, Washington and Baltimore Railroad
Company shall appropriate to its use or uses.
or exercise OF enjoy any ofthe rights, privi-
leges, or franchises, granted by this act, such
appropriation use or uses exercise OF enioy-
ment, shall be deemed and taken as the assent
OF said Pittsburg, Washington and Baltimore
hallroad company, to the right of the State
OF Maryland, to tax as aforesaid the said
property of the said Pittsburg, Washington
and Baltimore Railroad Company, any
provision in its charter or charters to the
contrary Notwithstanding"
When the bill was put on its passage, it
was defeated for want of constitutional ma
jority; there being nine for and nine against
1T it requiring not less than thirteen to pass.
The vote was afterwards reconsidered, and
under the pressure of Railroad influence pas
sed without the amendment
Tax payers of Hartford county, you have q
vital interest in the adoption of such an
amendment, for its efforts would be, to bring
under taxation untold millions of property,
which at present pays not one cent, but is
permitted to accumulate, free of burdens, for
the benefit of stock and bond holders, whilst
your taxes are doubled. Remain supinely at
home, whilst thepaid agents of these monopo-
lies are 11tng things for those who are already
the servants, if not the slaves of these mon
ster corporations, and next winter the pub
lie treasury will be bled as that of Pennsylva-
mia was; and you will learn, too late, that these
modern Judases have received their price.
10 give those among US who may not be
the hdii,' ali IDEA 81 his more thai K6malft
probty, we annex portion of his correspOn-
dence with certain r. r. officials, who were
plying him with the usual bride (msnamcd
courtesy ola pass;
ANNAPOLIS, January Sth, 1870.
Mr-Vice President--Railroad
SIR: Your free pass over the - Rail
road is received, and | herewith return the
same. l have uniformly refused to accept
such favors, and yours is not the only one l
have received and returned at this and other
sessions of the Legislature.
| must at all times, but more particularly
while inpubic office, preserve my selfrcspect
and independence, and | would think and
feel that l had preserved neither, if permit.
ted myself to be placed under obligations to
parties who in all probability would become
seekers of tavors from the Legislature of
which am n member.
Yours, &C.,
w. b. STEPHENSON.
We will now furnish part of correspon-
dence passing between the Colonel and an
intimate friend, from whom, if from any one,
he might have been expected to accept IA
vor The reply does honor to his head as well
as his heart:
ANNAPOLIS, January 9th, 1870
Mr.
DEAR SIR: Your favor of 31st ult, COW
erng complimentary pass over j. R.,
was duly received, and herewith return the
same
In coming into public office, laid it down
as a law of my conduct, while l continued in
it, to accept no present or favor of any pecu-
mary value,
The kindness of the motives which prompt
ed this manifestation ofyour esteem assures
me that you will approve of my desire, by
perseverance in that rule, to retain the con-
scientousness of disinterestedness in the per-
formance of the public trusts confided to me
by my constituents.
Yours, truly, w. B. STEPHENSON.
DEMOCRAT