Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1886-03-26

hurried the w hlgs from power and triumph
antly took their place under the banner Of
retrenchment and reform. "1'o the victors
belong the spoils," was the watchword, and
sweeping change of State officials fol-
lowed Although in legal sense private
corporation, the magic name Of w ashing-
ton had lost its influence, and the Hon.
Francis Thomas, young, bold, adventur-
GUS and brilliant politician, was elected
President of the Chesapeake and Ohio Ca
nal Company.
Like his two predecessors, Gen. Mercer
and Mr. Washington, he was member of
Congress, and although originally FEEDER
alist, he had followed the lead of his distin-
guished father, and the late ChiefJustice
Roger b. fancy, in the ranks Of the De-
mocracy, under the leadership of General
Andrew Jackson. ITO The victors belong
the spols' was the watchword, and soon
the Secretary, Treasurer and Chief Engi
neer, with many subordinates, received no.
tice that their services were no longer need
ed, and their places were quickly filled by
new incumbents, many of whom were
charged and thought to be wholly deficient
in skill and experience.
The cry of retrenchment and reform failed
to replenish the empty Golfers of the State
treasury or to improve the credit of Mary
land, and Mr.. Thomas was unable to add
another dollar to the rapidly wearing ap.
preparations obtained by his predecessor
To sell the remaining bonds Of the State at
par, as the law required, was impossible,
and the hazardous expedient Of hypothe-
cation, with disastrous results was resorted
TO-, Thus the condition of the canal. with
more than fifty miles tofinish, including the
great tunnel. two inportapss n ( s
dams, with mabyf verts, Vac Vac
becoming desperate, The Legislature had
refused, iHdeed WAS unable, to give further
aid, and we think declined to sanction Mr..
Thomas plan OF relief.
Under these circumstances, and with many
contractors and large force of men I'M
willing to quit the work, and doubtless with
the hope and expectation that the Legisla-
ture would assume and give validity to the
act, it was resolved to continue the work by
the issue of scrip (promises TO pay in
amounts which gave the issue the form and
appearance of currency. Contractors re-
ceived payment in this currency and paid
off their hands in the same, but they had to
submit 10 very heavy discounts in obtaining
necessary supplies of food and clothing
Under this ruinous system work was con-
tinued until nearly 100000 of this kind of
currency was issued, with no other basis
than the promises to pay" of heavily
mortgaged, bankrupt and unfinished canal.
This scrip sunk lower and lower in value
until it was finally bought by spectators at
a very reduced price, and is yet unprovided
for, as the State refused TO recognize it or
become in any way responsible for the same
1t was not, however, lost sight of by Mr..
Thomas, as will be seen further on
The canal becoming more and more in.
volved, and the State both unwilling and
unable to extend to it further aid, it was
forced 10 yield to the memorable, and work
for its further prosecution was suspended as
usual under such circumstances, although
causes could be traced further back, the re.
sponsibility to the Democratic party, and
upon this issue, aided by the national cam.
paign Of "Tippecanoe and Tyler too" the
Wings came into power.
They changed the mode of State repre-
sentation in works of internal improvement
In which the State was interested from an
agent or proxy, appointed annually by the
Treasurer OF the State, to a Board Of State
Agents, elected by the concurrent vote Of
the General Assembly. This gave more
permanency to the board, as it was held
that after the first election il would be almost
impossible to get the two houses TO agree to
a change, the board first elected holding
over until their SUCCESSORS were elected and
qualified
We stop at this point to consider the bill
which is now pending before the present
Legislature. We will resume the further
consideration of the subject in our next
issue.