Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-03-11
(Correspondence Of the BeaecaL)
wAsH1soros, d. c..
March 10th, 1873 J

March 10th, 1879
. DEAR BExcos The failure 70 get
the approprntion for Leonardtown bar
Dor through was owning to two causes
first to the fact of its being IN bad
company, to wit: 1.-THE grant Of $780,
900 to make . movable dam on the
Ohio river) and secondly to Mr.. Thur
mans witty remark made in opposition
to the latter grant, shat it would prove
not only to be Q nsorntle dam, but Almost
damssable move"
s'Cervanies smiled SPANS chivalry away"
at least sosings Byron certainly Thur
man laughed down all the amendments
made to River and Harbor bills in the
Senate. ! have no doubt that Leon
ardtown harbcr or wharf will get all
necessary aid next Congress, prorided
due attention is given to it when the
bill goes into Committee of the Whole.
Now, you will be anxious to know
something about our railroads and their
present look out. The Southern Mary
land has made strenuous attempts to
obtain aid from any and all quarters,
but" Invita- Minerva" The Virginia
delegation defeated the attempt to make
Southern Maryland heir to the Pied
mont contingent grant of $500, 900 from
city of Washington, and the PROPOSE
ton that the Federal Government shca1d
guarantee bonds to the amount of
81 800, 900, or $780, 900 per mile on 60
miles of her completed road, merer scas
seriously entertained by the COMMITTEE
of Railroads" Of either House of Con-
gress. The failure Of Thomas Scott to
obtain asimilar guarantee to the amount
of $4,000, 900 for his ''Texas and Pacific
road" sealed the fate of all applications
of ike kind. Had Mr.. Scott been able
to push his leviathan bill through, pos
sibIy Mr.. Smoot might have followed in
his wake, but he made q capital error in
asking for $50, 1000 per mile, when it is
notorious that the friends of Southern
Nd road have aiuays proclaimed that
half that sum would suffice to grade and
iron IL. There has been an attempt ut
land the Southern Nd. has been credi-
ted with it, perhaps uajustiy,) to repeal
the act giving City of Washington and
Point Lookout Railroad the right of
way into the District. The Southern
Md. has failed to obtain any such Leave
or right Of ,cay hereof, and it would be
her true policy to let others alone, or
else amalgamate with them ON some
fair basis of mutual concession and COM
promise. Now, it may be asked, When
do YOU think the railroad will be COM
pleted! or viii it ever? and by whom?
Well, l will answer all three questions
at once. A railroad viii be completed
within two years or less, provided the
parties having present control of its af-
fairs elect, or are forced to stand aside
and let others and more capable men
assume management thereof. / do not
say this out OF any unkind feeling to
Col. Smcot. He has. I think, exhaust
ed all and great efforts tocffect his pur-
pose. But n want of confidence on the
part of capitalists shadows him, and an
onerous Indebtedness (railrodd inde5i-
edness) presses him to the wall. This
opinion is not mine alone. The friends
and creditors Of tie company are strong
ly impressed with it, and are most anx-
ious that an arrangement should be
made looking to transfer of the "pow-
ers," now conferred IN Col. Smoot alone,
to other and stronger men.
You have heard, no doubt, Of the dia-
monds sent to Mrs Fitch by the Pacha
of Egypt. Well, the ladies will be de-
lighted to hear that they have been es-
timated at Custom House" to be worth
$500, 900, but-"Surgit aliquid amar-
i"-the duty thereon is $4,000, and
if the fair bride should determine
to pay same, she will be liable to a
further tax of $4,000 per year, as the
State ia. in Missouri.
Some of the Republican papers, in
view of General Sherman's possible can
didacy for the Presidency in 1877, are
striving to locate him in some Christian
church or other of the many hundred
that bless this country and century
They have found out (and it is true)
that he was baptised and married by
the. venerable DIR. Young of the Order
of St. Dominic, a native of Prince
Georges county, and that his wife and
children are most amiable and charita-
bic ladies and exem plary members Of the
Catholic church. But here they lose
sight of the General, ard cannot de-
termine whether he owes allegiance to
Rome, Canterbury or Geneva. l have
no personal acquaintance with General
Sherman, and therefore cannot help
"our brethren OF. the press" out of their
difficulties as regards Gen. SIS religion,
but wether he be Catholic or Protestant,
he has the reputation of being a kind
and good husband and father, totally
free from all cauts, religious or other.
wise, and most anxious that the South,
being freed from military pressure,
should be let alone to work out her 6es.
tiny in peace under the protection Of
/ the Constitution lend home rule.
1 cannot close this brief letter with
out saying a word or two IN relation to
the "forty-third Congress" that has so
| recently passed into history. The pub
lie press irrespective Of parity has put
its seal of condemnation on il, and has
pronounced it TO lave been the most in
efficient and corrupt body that has ever
| met in Washington. 1t IS just sub
ject of pride and boast TO Maryland,
that all Acrrepresentatives proved them
selves to be men of honor and ability
Corruption and diskonor have left nc
stain upon any one of their names, and
Mr. Albert, who lately represented our
district, has proved himself to be pa
tent, industrious and most honorable
man, and ever willing and anxious to