The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-02-17

Tec.ed tariffs from the superintendent Of the
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac
road ,Ciihin that ten days, and had not
afterwards received corrected tariff. Din
Ragland had not known that within few
days after Sprigg received the tariff it had
been corrected. and he came to Mr.. Robin,
son and asked him If he would carry cotton
according to the advertised rates. Why
should not Mr.. Robinson say "No, will
not carry cotton at those rates not that
have no rates on cotton because his own tariff
rates were before him, almost within his
rcach}, but have no such tariff on
cotton as you refer TO. And doubt
less he said further, for the rea'
sons already given. that his road was not the
proper channel. Mr. RagIand repeats this
statement again and again in his testimony.
He says, upon page 10: When asked him,
"Were you aware Of the fact that the pro-
about oSE-foURTH THE RATE you ,cere charg-
ing on your road" Mr.. Ragland says, 81
don't recollect; spoke to him Of The printed
SCHEDULED" He was then asked, Ibid not
MIR. Robinson tell you the printed schedule
was erroncous?" Dir. Raglasd replied, I
don't recoAect about that; but / recollect he
said 1t was not proper channel" He does
not say that Mr.. Robinson did not tell him
the printed schedule was erroneous, as Mr..
Robinson said he did. While this seems to be
very small matter, and undaserying the
notice It has received, it constitutes the FouT-
DATIoE OF THE APPLICATION FOR TEIs BILL.
Mr. Ragland never would have been here
but for this conversation with Mr. Ro.
binson. See what mighty fire q lit
tie spark kindleth? It Is requisite, there.
fore, to stop the conlagration. From
what has been shown, there can be no posi-
ble doubt that Mr.. Ragland's request made
TO Mr. Robinson was to carry cotton at the
erroneous rate ne7hsd in The schedule, which
had Lceu Abandoned three months before
rate of charge only one e:fourth Of that Rag
land was charging upon his own road to
carry it to q point near Baltimore, where
new TRANSPORTATION had to lie made to the
deIat in the business portion Of the town,
some three or four miles distant.
To this Nr. Robinson could only have
sud, "Sir, do not carry cotton at those
advertised rates, and, besides, this is not yet
the proper channel"; and he would have
gone or to say. Ms he has testified before this
committee, that if Mr.. Raglaud had asked
whether he would make with him q rate
for cotton he would have answered, Ger.
tainly; or, will carry cotton at my printed
rates, as corrected, as you may prefer. This
last Mr., Robinson was bound to do by law.
# Mr.. Ragland had brought his cotton to
Richmond, aud delivered it to the Frede-
rieksburg road, Mr.. Robinson was compelled
to carry il at bis corrected advertised rates.
go that to say lie refused to carry cotton at
am rate was mistake upon Mr. RaElaH;?$
part. Dir. 4a2iand'5 statement. made again
and again, is here before nc; but ! lave
suited the SUBSTANCE of it, and do not care to
trouble the committee with reading 1t. ]
will read it if the committee desires it.
Now, cir, that is the groundwork upon
vl,i..h this bill rests. We earnestly stroye
10 confine the examination before the cou'
mttee to this subject exclusively. Mr.. Rag
land having asserted and rcaSScrted. in print
and orally, that The oNhY OBSTACLE he met
in tie cfo:t TO obtain through freights, and
the
ONLY NECESSITY
which drove him to ask aid from legislation
was MIR. Robinson's conduct OH that occa.
sion. COUPLED With still more casual con.
yel'saticn which took place between Mr
Robinson aud Mr.. Sprigg on the Fail
Grounds at We'llcn-a conversation so ca
slal That Mr. Robinson has almost forgotten
it cnthely. Vas ever such fiusmcntary and
insufficient matter made the predicate OF le
gtsiatuu: One conversation under the Cir
cumstsuces just Detailed, and another upon
the Fair Grounds at Weldon. Not line ad
dressed to him or formal application made
upon subject of great compleXity, which
had never been considered by anybody-tht
subject OF through trcightS. Mr. Robinson
came before the comlnittcc as soon Is ht
had the opportunity. He tried to do so the
very first dag the committee met, in order tc
explain what had occurred between him.
sell and Mr.. RagEnd. to satisiy
him of bis error, and to say that al
that time if he had understood Mr.. Ragland
TO have proposed through freight upon cot
ton or ANYTHING else he would have united
with him. although be thought it premature
in making such an arrangement; that he
was ready now, as he had always been, tc
arrange through tariff with Mr.. Ras!and's
road-u tariff based upon MI. Ragland'S o"r
rates, either local OF through or upon hi:
(Mr. R0binson't) own rates, local or through
or that this committee Glay prescribe wha
shall be the through rate between them
And because he said that, sir, as just ant
honorable and candid gentleman ought tt
have said 1t, the counsel for Mr. Ragiand Sc
little understands Or appreciates the motive:
which prompt them that be has made that tht
subject OF rcproach to him, and has spoker
Of Sir. Robinson as having "ubjcctly" made
the proposition now for fear this bill INA.
pass. 1t is the duty Of Il gentleman to d(
what is right and just at all times, anywhere
AID everywhere. When mistake o
this sort has arisen, it is his duty t;
explain the moment it is called to hi
attention. When a misrepresentation occur
he should remove it st the earliest opportu
nifty. And he can afford to pity OF to disdail
those who taunt because they cannot under
! stand him. The counsel has said that "use
of adversely" had wrought Il change, all,
made Mr.. Robinson ccmpaisant, and hut
brought him to his senses. Well. sir, if tli.
had been true, why did not Mr. Raglan,
avail himself OF the opportunity and accep
through freigtlts at cne-hGJ Of what he him
self is charging, ii through trcights were al
he wanted, and so let the matter before yol
drop! But in spite Of explanation, in spit
of readiness to do what was right and just
this c,,se has been kept before this commit
tee. and it demonstrates that throngh freight
is not the Object of this bill, but that there
some
CLTERIOR PURPOSE.
No lust man can refuse to say tia
Mr.. Robinson'S propositions are pei
fectly and entirely satisfactory, and III
would be unwilling to accept them un
less hc WAS determined not to be satisfied
upon any terms; and this would demon
s!rate that the osten:ibe ground Of qualre
was hot the real one. We desired TO con
fine this investigation to the only alleset
cause Of complaint; and if it had sicppe!
there, instead OF having been nearly moutl
upon the su jcct, consuming your time AM
ours day after day in this Investigation,