The Portland daily press., 1876-04-28

time. The managers of this road wrongly
interpreting the act of Congress, went to
Washington in 1869, and asked that the time
within which they must complete the first
twenty miles might be extended for few
months There was no opposition to the meas
ure, and it was passed unanimously in the SEN
ate, and without call of yeas and nays in the
house by vote of 70 %. 1t was after this
act had been passed that Mr.. Blaine first be-
came interested in the bonds of the road. An
other act relating to the company was passed
the following year. 1t may be worth while to
tell the story of this as it appears in the Con-
gressional Globe. 1t is said that the s'sting"
OF the act of 1869 was taken out by later en-
actment. An amendment was inserted in that
former act in these words:
Provided, That the lands granted by the act here
py revived snail be sold to actual settlers only, in
quantltles not greater than quarter section to
one purchaser, and for price not exceeding $25o
The next year it was discovered that prop
ef construction of the act originally grant
ing the lands would have given the company all
It had asked for in 1869, and accordingly 1t had
tied itself up to particular method OF dispos-
ing of the lands which 1t had already obtained
right to, without any corresponding benefit.
The company asked to be relieved from the pro.
viso of the act of 1862 The amendment had
been introduced by MIR Julian of Indiana, and
the same member managed the bill for repeal.
ing the restriction in 1870. The question was
ASPoLeCu upou Wy LILO COhiniotCo W P"DiiS
lands, and the report was read in full to the
house. 1t was therein asserted that the power
to attach the condition did not exist, and, as
the act might affect the credit OF the company,
the repeal was asked as matter of justice and
to correct blunder. The manager of the bill,
Mr. Julian, had done more than any other
member to protect the rights of settlers, and
always voted for amendments to secure them
when Congress had the right to enforce the
restriction. When Mr.. Farnsworth sneered
at the bill as being in the interest of the COM
pany and not of the public Mr.. Julian silenced
him by saying, "The gentleman knows l am
not the champion of railroad corporations"
After brief debate the bill was passed by the
house by vote OF 100 to 80. The negative
vote was chilly made up of Democrats. 1t thus
appears that the only legislation asked for by
the road since Mr.. Blaine had any interest in it
was bill to repeal clause which Congress
in this case the speaker allowed the opponents
Of the bill to critcise it after the previous quss
tion had been called, until the point of order
was raised from the floor The committee
which reported on the bill had been appointed
before Mr., Blaine bought any of the bonds, and
Yet il was forced to acknowledge the justice of
the demand made upon it, and when the house
came to vote on the question the bill was passed
by nearly three to one If these facts do not
dispose of the charge of undue influence ever
legislation in favor Of the road, it would be in
teresting to know what would satisfy the crit.
les.
We cannot see, then, that there is the shad
ow of a charge left. If there is, let it be stat
ed. Let somebody be called who can show
that the ground has not been entirely covered
and let us have the name of some one person
who, if he suspects something wrong, has al
least pretence of evidence to support his sus
pcions Until that is done Mr.. Blaine will
stand before the country as completely without
stain as he did before the now disproved &C.
cusati0ns were made, and with the additional
credit of having repealed and fully answered a
Islander of the most malicious and unjustiiable
character