Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-07-22
'1E1AS PACIFIC.
..s ..soo211H%1%.Dsso1A1 y.

SaAos6 OAESS6 = Hfa16 In USaAS6sssa
VIA shs PaaleGo of tAo Texas and
Facanc Land Grant Bill.
Some days ago . report was current
about tho capital that . statement bad
sbeeD Forwarded to the House committee
on tho judiciary containing charges Of .
seriou naturo aespec&in9 the passage of
tho Texas Pacific land grant bill.
Members Of the committee, however,
wero pledged to secrecy, and nothing Of
IN Official character could be obtained.
At the meeting Of the committee tho rail-
foed Aand grant lueSt3o0 was futthars dis
Subsea, and tho ecnmunieafieu shove 10
ferred to was read. It il - follows:
/" "AeU0gfal and Pr0eeoe A0nln01 sh0 Passage
oEHo1so l3all No 0.304.
srTb the Honorable the Cb1mfttee On Judiciary
cfthe House Of Representatives:
Tho memorial Of the underSigned 70.
spectfhlly repkesentinG that the hndRfaAts
heretofore made in aid of the construction
Of tho Texas Pacific railroad, shoaA not
bo retained by them, or Transferred to any
other company on tho ground that they
were originally obtained through Congress
from the government of tho United States
by bribery and fraud and that in recOg-
nition of the broad and fRndanental prin-
ciples of law that fraud vitiates all
contracts, there is then no direct or i'm
piled obligation resting upon the govern-
ment upon which any extension OF time
for utilizing any such grant of lands to
said o0ppapy, or q transfer to any other
company, can be claimed or justified as
tho following history Of the legislation BY
which their grants were obtained will
clearly indicate. The act of Congress
making land grants in, aid Of the cQn-
structiOn OF the Texas and Pacific railroad
passed the senate on the 29th day of June
1870, and as the House on tho third. day
Of March, 1879, becoming law at the Hat
tor date. 1t became evident to the
friends Of the bill up2u it's introduction
early in the session 0f 1869 and 1870 that
it would meet with strong opposition, and
it was feared successful opposition.
In order to successfully combat with such
and secure the passage Of the bill, . NUM-
Der of the persons named AZ corporat0rs in
the bill raised the sum of 800, 600 in cash
and made . written agreement on tho 7th
day of June, 1860, to issue two hundred
thousand dollars Of first mortgage land
grant bonds of the company, which, with
the money named were to be used in
buying votes to secure the passage
of the bill by the Senate. The money
and the agreement were deposited in
the hands Of two gentlemen. Of the $780,
600 80 deposited the sum of $62, 900 was
paid to senator to be divided by him
with three other members Of athat body.
The agreement above reforred to provided
that the whole amount of said S20O, 900 of
said bonds should be delivered to the
senators referred to who were to distribute
them to other members of that body who
voted for and assisted IN passing said bill
and were so to be received.
In the month of December, 1870, a bond
was executed by one of said incorporators
in the sum of ono million of dollars,
guaranteeing the issue Of the first mort.
gage land grant bonds of tho Texas
Pacific railway company to that amount
and which were to be used in buying the
bill through the House, aud one Of said
corborators contracted to distribute the
said amount to members in the House,
and for such services he was to receive ten
Der cent. on the amount distributed by
him, and he now holds the said contract,
q portion of which has been paid ~ him
| by the Texas Pacific company. i have
his letter to that effect.
Arrangements were made with owe +
thirty members of Congress to vote for the
bill, in consideration of the future pay
ment to each of them of said bonds in
specified amounts, and the books Of said
Texas Pacific railroad will show the
names of the parties and the amount re-
ceived by them. 1t is we'll known that the
Texas Pacific railroad bill was passed and
became law at this session of Congress.
standing on record the third of March,
1871. Your memoralist AYERS that the pas
sage of said Texas Pacific bill wat
procured and obtained by these means sni
insrrumentalities, documentary proof oi
which, with names Of witnesses, l am now
! ready to lay before a fully authorized
committee, who may be empowered to
send for persons, books and papers.
P.S.-The Senate bill CAT was the bill
known under various names, but on itf
passage came out as tie Texas Pacific.
{ ~ % Respectfully, .EF''t +
J.J. P. Newell.
Washington July Sd, 1882, No. iii F
| street.