The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-05-01

-.-A< rySuYE
, .,a,narr.s or Judge Crftefaer' o.
.,,oro,ous,. fa the senate, on "euHas-
&c. on the Bill to AntfsDrfze % J.
r,sot,u,ond ard Danvfile Raiifo'S .
Cnu,nnnx 90 Change nnd reg H 'alsa'
its Gauge. - .-- 40 rrv
TIE pAsvILLE COMPANY ESTITLEp
BENEFITS OF LEGISLATION. .-.-
ar President. this company, ike eve,y
-. ,,av of right demand Of us the Dene.
e GU - laeislotion, Every interest witnin tne
T w., " may appea! OF rignt 70 .ne
s.ra nrotectiop, and assistance OF the dene,
c ai 4 paembly: and whenever this demand
:. "t founded on tho public coed, the GeneIa'
. suson,hJv has no right to refuse It. Wneh-
- n company proposes what IS adYah-
toopous to the public, it IS our auty TO az
on 30 r. Nor is it becoming the character OF
! Virrinio 10 legislate for company only
| mon condition that it surrender one Oh It's
,'pGoubted rights. The Danyille road IS sx-
amnt Inv law from taxation. 1t acquired
this exemption honorably, and paid yalu-
able consideration. It Is as much entitled to
,his exemption Us to its road-bed. The one can
he taken from it as fairly as the other. This
ia admitted by all. It Is affirmed by the
courts. It is contract between the State
and the company, and, like other contracts,
unaffected by the lapse of time, assignment,
or even the associations Of war. Some sena-
tors have supposed that the State, being
sovereign within its sphere, could annul this
contract if her necessities required It. Self
preservation is the first lazy of nature but it
must be case of selfpreseryation. l deny
that the State can annul this contract. There
is no sovereign power so unlimited that it
may violate its contracts. Indeed, there is
no earthly power that is Unlimited or abso-
lutte. There is no sovereign power to do
wrong. Sovereign power itself Is limited by
laws that are universal, irrepeaable, and i'm
mortal. The judge of these laws, appointed
by Almighty Power, sits in every bosom.
Having an undoubtsd title to this e1cmp-
ton, when the Danyille company pro-
poses what is advantageous to the public,
how can the General Assembly refuse il !?
Are we so poor or so low as to de-
iInand a price for our legislation? Have
we no respect for our own engage
mcnts2 Can we refuse what is OF pub
lie advantage, unless the company pay
so much money yearly into the treasury !?
Can we sell legislation to great corporations?
Gan we cxtort from them indirectly what the
Law forbids us to do directly! Have we
favors to sell them? l deny it. We have
not favors to grant but duties to discharge.
We of the General Assembly can no more
refuse them the benefits OF legislation than
the judges can refuse them justice in the
courts Of law. We can no more extort from
them the price Of legislation than the judges
the price Of justice. These roads contribute
to the comfort and convenience OF the peo-
pie; to the development OF the resources;
to the population; the wealth and power OF
the Commonwealth. Without them we
should sink into insignifcance. This ex-
emption was triie when given for so great
and Indispensable Improvements. II not to
generosity, I maintain they are entitled to
justice.
Allusions have been made to the interests
OF this or that company, OF this or that Sec
ton, of this or that ling. / know not to
what ring I am assigned. But / frankly.
ayoW that am the friend of the DanVille
company; that | am the friend Of the At
lantic, Mississippi and Ohio; that ] am the
friend of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and
Potomac; Of the Chesapeake and Ohio of
every railroad, of every company in Fir-
ginia Of every citizen, whether Of native
or foreign birth, whether rich or poor, white
or colored, ignorant or enlightened; of all
wherever they be who have any interest 10
the Commonwealth and am willing to the
utmost Of my capacity, SO long as member
Of this body, to render one and all such as
sistance as I may be able TO give them.
Hostility to any section or company or indi-
viGual in my native State, struggling amid
uuexamp'ed difficulties! This to Inc is in
comprehensive. thank God, Mr.. Presi-
dent, there moves not on this earth living
thing that would wantonly hurt, nor one
that l would not gladly serve. This, sir, is
the ring to which belong.