The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-04-09
WEDNESDAY MORNING, APR, ., 1879.

We to-day publish q letter from
Hon. N. p. Wheeler, giving his views
and reasons for opposing the Alleghe-
NY Riot Bill. We have talked to diff
ferent parties heretofore on this subject,
and since receiving Mr.. Wheeler's let
ter we have consulted some Of his
prominent constituents, and all with
whom we have talked seem to favor a
bill granting relief to Allegheny coun-
ty, provided it can be done without
taxing oil, directly or indirectly. We
give a few Of the views and arguments
which they set forth, which are about
as follows
The Riot of 1877 was pretty general all
over the State of Pennsylvania, and in
fact United States and no property was
DESTROYED in Pittsburgh until after the
Governor and State authorities had as
sumed control, and sent troops there. The
destruction of property was not the act of
citizens of Allegheny county, but of an
bled there, in accordanced with their pre-
vious arrangements from other parts of
of the State, and United States, as well;
many of which, it cannot be denied, came
from Chicago and other large cities.
The Penn'a r. r. Co. alone pays into
the State Treasury about one million and
a half dollars annually for its corPorated
60 o,,I &C. Ia1 70 Of
property SC, by the State that guarantees
its rights granted under the old and new
Constitution, and no matter how much
we may desire that it accept the provisions
of the new Constitution, we cannot legally
interfere with vested rights; and it is
wrong to- take advantage of the misfor-
tunes of Allegheny county to try to COM
pei the Penn'a r. r. CO. to accept that
which it will not accept and which we cam
not legally compel it to-
The Commonwealth rs bound to pro-
tect her citizens in the peaceful enjoyment
of all their rights under the Constitution
and laws. Not only their lives, liberty
and pursuits of happiness, but the protec-
tion of property and all legitimate busi-
ness, and we cannot establish bad pre-
cedent by doing that which is simply an
oct OF justice. Two wrongs never make
one right
Judge Agnew has given his opinion
that the State is legally liable, and we have
now, as we had during the war, great re-
spect for his legal opinion and decisions
and if he is not correct we arc not in favor
of our Great Commonwealth refusing re-
lief to its citizens, who suffered losses by
the riot, on legal technacality or different
constructions of the law.
AS we understand, the bill, as proposed
to be amended by Speaker Long, removes
all constitutional bjectiOns-reduces the
amount to three millions of dollars, and
provides that no tax shall be levied on
real estate or petroleum. With these pro-
posed amendments it should be acceptable
to the people of the oil regions.
Without said amendment we could not
favor it. with it, anI considering the JUS
tice of the measure, our commercial rela-
tions with Pittsburgh as one ofoRr lumber
markets etc, and the intimate business
relations of this section of the State with
Pittsburgh, and Allegheny county, we
believe it for the best interest of our
county and the whole Commonwealth.
AS to the sympathy given the rioters by
citizens of Allegheny county, there was a
certain class all over the State that sympa-
thiZed with them to greater or less ex-
tent, and in doing justice to the good citi-
zens ofAllegheny county, who are inno-
cent of giving any encouragement to the
insurection, that should not be taken
into consideration.