New-York tribune., 1874-04-13
A MAN HITH A HISTORY,

The California Legislature lately passed
bill to remove legal disabilities OF Mr. Henry Meggs,
the " Railway King" of Peru. Meiggs went away from
California under peculiar circumstances. The history of
the thus related by Assemblyman j. +. swift
during a debate on the bill:
Mr Speaker. the gentleman whose name is IN this b
Henry MeIggs, was IA resident aad merchant OF San
Francisco from about the year lS49 to 1854 He
this State, most OF us did. to seek his fortune HIS
opportunities were good those Of OF Us. He
was man OF intelligence and education man Of
more than ordinary ability a man who should have
been capable of making his way in the world per-
haps in the State. then or since. From 1si9
until 1854 he engaged IN mercantile pursuits, his
business each year branching ont and becoming more
extended, until. in the year ls5l-62-' 49, he was
this State. His establishments extended thrOuy yhOut
the Stale, and he was engaged in many and diverse
kinds OF business. Some time in 1854 1t suddenly be-
known 20 the public that Henry Meiggs had fitted
out vessel had freighted II, had placed his family
and, II recOect rightly, his brothers famiyon board
that ship, and had quietly and secretly weighed
fact that a had tied, chiefly,
believe in the nature OF forgery that bonds II recol
ect right, or perhaps warrants or some such thing to
very large extent, had been forged. OF the truth OF
those charges know nothing The ship that contained
TINS precious cargo iound ls way hrst TO Australia, and
there tey remained for time; but not finding
place TO their satisfaction, again they mad remove,
and next heard Of in tine Republic Chilli Very
after that il became nosed about through
try ln his old home here Ia California that Melggs
becoming very prominent that he was "A man who
had contracts with tue GOvernnenIa great de Veoper
of the resources Of the State builder of railroads. aud
engaged III transactions OF that class aDd short that
he was accuInuatlDg vast and colossal fortune. SO
matters moved until rs as 4
Two three agents of Meiggs's arrived m California
and began secretly aud quietly To gather in the indebt
edness and Liabilities Of Meggs. They were admitted
10 have passed into hundreds OF thousands OF dollars
aud perhaps millions. Almost every business man in
the community had claims against hun. He had been
man IN whom the people had SO much confidence that
known " honest Harry Meiggs;" and AZ "A
consequence there were many poor people, widows
people III the humblest position in fe-whO5e property
WAS IN his hands and be had either IL away or
had d1sslpated IL III agents
rived in California, ana IL became about
Meiggss liabilities could be sold. rememDer the fact
that they were generally gathered up at from one IN
SIX and seven cents on the dpllar-many Of them for
nOsed about that Harry Meiggs had paid of us debts
IN California. III not much mistaken there al-
peared IN the newspapers advertisements the effect
that any body who had any against Henry Melggs
Dy applying at some place, could payment IN ub
dollar Tor dollar. From Chill having Ouilt all the rail
rodds ihdt the community could stand that their
resources would permit lac went 20 Peru bit railroads
there ubtl tuat STATE was substantially rrduc bau
ruptcy While u possessed railroads, IL was brought To
very low condition financially Now come, ths meas
ure Henry MelgRs wants 10 come back TO California
aud have no objection 10 his coming back III the err
cuatiOD OF peulOns, which circulated and signed
BY some Oi tht most prominent men III the State, has
any influence they might we'll say that he could come
back most perfect safety without this law: but
object TO this law object to IL q Californian proud
OF such. IL Is an apotheOss OF crime innklng
q hero OF man WHO Is under an infamous charge. /
only know that you asked ana you u.s. 10 put on
the statute books graCefu al which VIII 90
down to pOsteIly covered with iniamy. don't eeye
n IA posslDc- viii believe IL unt The vote re-
gistered-tlat California Assembly, representing the
people, aud not alone lts capital, but ITS wealth aud
calf protest against tins bill. do not believe
e passed IL il is passed you have written ON the page
OF The history Of California that which you
cease 10 DC ashamed VI.