, 1874-05-05
Text Of the Opinions Of Messra
Evarts and Curtis.
Both Gentlemen Declare tho Now Law
to De Unconstitutional.
Mainly Because It Takes the Property ot
the Roads Without Compen"
sation.
Miscellaneous Comments on tho
Situation.


OPINION OF MIR. EVARTs.
Tho grcat 1ongth OF Mr. Evarts' opinion constfa'ns
us TO omit portions Of tho document. AL that Is caaon@
ta to understanding Of tho caae however, wo have
audeayorod to make ptacc for Aftor rcmarking thst
has considered tho facts ind tic papers laid before
him by tho ohicago Milwaukee It, Paul Railway
Company, exhibiting tic couditiou OF the
Company I'm respect to the franchises 1t holds
In connection with iss property IN several
Rtates, and that ho hau examined tho roeont Wis
consn legislation railways, Mr. Evarts proceeds 70
say that tho principal inquiry relates to tho VALID
tty Of that legislation. Tho meaning, legal effect,
otc Of particular provisions Of that legislation he 70
for future Inquiry and confines himself to thu
main subject Ho aAya that tho charters held by the
Company purport to DO perpetual: that there IL IN
them no limit to tho exiaoncoo Of the corporation Or to
tho corporate rights granted TINT tho charters ah au-
thorfze the Company to receive auch compensation Tor
freight and passage ~ the company snaA oosin fo'
liz rscitcs the prov.ion ftho wisconsin Constitution
ft pssiea; tSss xaish ssys th.t 10 gssS-
se1 %s raes tho provisions Of
acts of arch II and IL 1874 with thoao our readers
sums up: The practical operation Of these leglsl-
two prescribed by the act upon tue railroad se1
With fts present efficiency and public accommodation
will b 70 deprive tue Company of any 70
10 appropriate to tho public tho profits which, in
tbo naa lave beon aud in tho future would be, the
carltnga Of tho corporate property and Administration
rhis rsin conclusion is to b avoided, L avoided ss
all ng IL s so1rses 20 as th se Il. naaaa
tho contract In general With this particular aiplla.
tospssag hs t;Sgs, and =. nS ~
part Of the corporation 10 submit to tho altered tons
imposed upon IT, in reducing o. DESTROYING its smo9
1su eopensaon tor such service had nut been With
;A. ,s ssssrzs'on 5ss sSss b tssss s
msat q tlo courts, @gst' = ~ t,@s 4 Tss
AID the corporation this fesorvei power Of Tho State
other words, tAis subsequent legislation to Thch lie
corporation has g!von 70 anbseqnons assont iais e
againat tbs corporate dlssont ony beeauao tho law
anis In tho original contract such assent ths
iaIan pursuanco Of tho contract. and zepea ths in.
p& ton That It iapars iss o6lipatson.
parted fro% the paramount suhority - neecea,sr,
or,n Of the contract Of tho clause Of tho oonAttsu
NAV ysa 81 oF ns s.
lime nftos their pasage mr. ETar. ne1t ;tos ns'
III. ns .as rssens e a's
orty by no meals Of the same NATURE nor Of ~
tenure Is It's hold Of Its franchises that sors
ct security individual proprletors Ae quotes sha
late case Of Tho Peoplo VI BatcAeor, e3 NJ 11 ID
aunport Of thin view, aud concudas II IL plain, t4en,
tut, Is the protection Of this railroad corporation,
III rssp.:t Of s titlo possession md beneaela a. n
ned u1an he continuance Of the contract grant ct tue
public or active franchise, but resta qua property
er't eyer ts granto1 ianchises whatevs eise i ay
mean or may reach does not mean nor doos not reach
either conaacatlon appropriation Of tho ue. Pos
session. Of tic conpanys property BY tho state
ao aat 9Ss charters Or s.neai,ss o
pora,ious may DO altered repealed by the Leg4a-
Is aaitc manifest tIat this can mean more, al
utmost than TINT the granted trancnlso to DO
No.al franchises, not Of common right but aaverin
Il Of public seryles may b aesenv mtg q nss
tse srtSsx : psr:tsa y q ss'Ps;ats" r.
certainly cannot mean aa. Eepsa oa ne Iis1s
q1s o s IL ho aAd aad
possession II certainly cannot mean that tao stats
only hs M NJ"
q tho prvats c9fporaon for eSnnuea paas
natiug modifying tho exercise Of the granted ftan
erantee s9n .e sna ;9rry -; ga tbs ao
ery Of tho corporation, thu. suo4uoa y Gon4uoas
The pur1 qs esfan a ss
orunteo Corporation of tho privilege granted aud thois
rhor enjoyment the ssns can compe sm Dy psns n
or lie eraneo not according TO the Inducements profits
and Of the contract unde. which M tns coz.
| service
oe Ia s proposition may otherwise stated
IN tic grantor tho stas subtract from tns g1nnss
lat the further enjoyment Of he granted ffaaeaso,
" tie SnS1oEen S1 t.anehse nowh
nd standing the rescsaion Of the c1ntrac IN ~ ~ eea
da ss the s..ent y tic r
X SUITE, this clauso Of tho Constitution OF WE
he aAbaoluety to terminate tho franchise, thu,
uberatiua tle grantee from further nho
RESTORING to tns sats 5 S 1 tho
10 wound up under tho protection Of ths oopstitn
ss sait tsfea wna IT,
borders of Wisconsin, the duty Of proyang@ @ for anGt
public espenss sptss or sso"'0a 'A' gran
sasaro modify A. granted M t1.ns,ni1s '
nh either By sa a' ts stas sou Sa
for scn IT. 10 impose. In this casc the grantee Wolu
5se sccspt Or reject tho modified Or paEdenea pfv
;iegs s st he PLEASURE 1t tho Btae,
iint II to lnvountary and uncompensated sorstau
in ts s rc1iced Or hurdened service new contract
n,sSs. sud new obligations assumed. Il tho gsane
ole rdsn.d tho State nay retire from the how e1acou
ort or Wholly terminate the franchise. -,
o nmt to considor Whebor even this exercise o. ~
arc tority By tic Slate might not carry ~ obligation
aos ay al certainly would tn general jus.cs 70 a,
ug for tho nasy Sne nsr he net
Of me,t Of tho franchise, uasmuci % tho
cg Witch put ny condemnation of sh's legislation
nd nGu eoai fael any doubt that this
bs tho constitutional reservation care to T. shs 11st f9ss ute
,ca Which III language rsqu!zes resarrent9 ts 70 ne ne
tessrvaon ss aaa wss o our lsxis!aso
Of would remove such doubt BY showing wy ~ IT,, na"s
RlGsti1n s s.aae ssa,snsT Ths ~ misehe .ayoe6s a
ss; 1,ney 81 1sa a
0U1 1omedv nnl t9 clause Was aaop'e" WIZ Ill
U00 rno Interpretation hare gwen u ~ ~ n w.
0oo tne ;a m1Stn.s4i ~ IN part, Is 1t the option
@ sss; ssyss s. sS!s'sx ss3 =: ssp!
be interest," ne e!a9se uto Of oppression. sso
ge to the extent Of .n ,nta unon the mower
he u% ane4o nsIo of tic reserved auosity to 10
mo- inato or nudity the franchises % pIsao eosfo
ged ons nd n s'9 sesepyatton ssoi have no dicSl
sra ~ n."nu 10 tho recent lawn Of wisconsin tnyaads
Tor rrp,gnanee to thy oonsMta%on M % o. Mascoas'n, al