National Republican., 1888-01-06


ALBAUGH's-"Allan Dare"
EERSAS's--Hiallen Il Hart.
BijoU-Joseph J. Bowling.
IRE MANASSAS PASoRAMA-l5th st. * Ohio av
SPECIAL meeting OF tho Republican Ma.
tiorai League will be held on Saturday. the
5'h instant at $50 p. NJ. Business OF im-
por'ancc will be transacted
L. f. BEALE, President.
ErwAEp B. FoN, Recording Secretary.
---------
a Review of the Pacific Railway Conn
missions Report
The commissioners to investigate the
Pacific railroads have made their reports.
Two Of the commissioners, Messrs. Ellery
Anderson, OF New ork, aud d. T, Littler
of Illinois, united in report, and recon-
mended that the debts Of the rail ways, in
cluding interest, be ascertained by the
Secretary Of the Treasury, funded in fifty
year bonds, based upon a mortgage on the
roads, bearing 3 per cent. per aunum inter-
est, payable semi.annually, which the rail-
roads shall issue and deliver to the secre-
tary Of the Treasury, and provide for
sinking fund to extinguish the debt. They
also recommend that all unsold lands be
reconveyed to the United States at $1.a5 an
acre. This is the Substance Of the recon-
mendation by the majority Of the commits
sioners.
Mr.. Robert l.. Pattison, whom accident
made governor of Pennsylvania, and Presl-
dent Cleveland, knowing precisely the char
M tha lat.
Pacific railroad commission, made a MI
nority report, which resembles more the
outpourings Of narrow minded bigot than
the conclusions Of a sensible, honest man
discharging quasi judicial duties.
Mr.. Pattison, after giving what he calls
history or statement Of the condition OF the
roads, asks "What should the government
do" and then answers his question. The
statement is a miserable distortion Of the
facts known to every one at all familiar
YitbtheisBRasSifae faeatJb JbefeGs the commission was
1t would be useless to follow MIR. Patti.
son through his pages Of mlsrepresenta alton
and refute one by one his false statements
ana wrong deductions. That has already
been done in previous answers to similar
statements. Instead of doing that we pro-
pose to give concise history of the build
ing OF the roads, though before doing so It
is not out OF place to say a word as to
some or Mr.. Pattison's recommendations.
Inc distinguished commissioner NAV be
q lawyer but his opinion would hardly be
considered valuable, II he knows no more
of the principles Of law than is contained
In the following sentence in which he says [:
The government ocoupis.s.ss'rsSs ,o.,la,ion to
the bondaided rallroadsa3 sovereign and as -
creditor. In this agct the question of settle.
ment unioSromplicatlon that would rot
hFesehtlemselves in the ordinary relation o
90 tor and debtor. A mere creditor might
ssent to compromises which. in a sovereign
ealing with a dishonest creditor who had
iolated all laws and covenants. would be r.
ugnant to public policy.
1t has been so long settled as principle
i law as to become elementary, that when
he sovereign enters into contract with
he citizen sovereignty is abdIcated so far
e that contract Is concerned. Even as far
'aek as the time OF Justinian, when the
lave owner had an absolute ownership,
Including the power of life and death, that
distinguished Roman jurist held that when
lie owner treated with a slave the bonds
ell from his limbs and he became free
nan. The English courts and our own
ave decided this question against Mr..
'attison's opinion until his statement can |
My excite ridicule.
Mr. Pattison dissents from the majority
recommendation that the time for the pay !
ent OF the sums due by the bonded roads
attended; and In lieu OF that propos!-
suggests forfeiture of the charters,
lie csatns possession of the roads, and !
'iminal proceedings against the managers.
Ir. Pattison's knowledge OF law seems to !
III him again when he suggests indictments
'r acts committed years ago aud now
AIRED by the statute Of limitations.
But little matters OF law were not al- =
owed to interfere with the desire of Mr.. d
allison to make the political capital n
hich he was selected to manufacture {
behalf OF the Democratic party and
e gentleman who displayed consum-
ate knowledge OF men in choosing him as c
e head OF the Pacific railway clmmlsslon. Q
But for the present we shall dismiss Mr. b
'ttison and his report, which Is really not u
titled to even so much notice, ami give
c facts as to the construction o! the
lcitic railways. r.
Even previous to the acquisition of Cali v
rnia, when the possessions OF the United Il
ates upon the Pacific coast were confined
ly to Oregon, II was considered Necessary ~
some OF the greatest OF American states ~.
an that transcOntnental railway should n,
constructed. Thomas II Benton, Stephen i
Douglas, and men Qf that class. were n
riy advocates Of such measure: snd ra
en- so strict states rights Democrat az
hn {. Calhoun had expressed himself SC
'orably tow, rd 1t. n
IN lSi5 Senator Douglas proposed the as
ildIng Uf road from the lakes Of the fr
ith to the Pacific ocean, This prol, ct o.
s advocated time ana again, nud In lS5s RI
was reported In the Senate OF the 'niled m
tics loaning TO any contractor whoshould In
iertake TO build 1t $4,000 per mile. vi
rVeys were made by so good Democrat, IN
en- Secretary OF War, as Jefferson Davis, lin
ese surveys extended over five distinct 90
as, or each of which there is to day a rail. no
J built. In 1856 both Democratic and de
publican conventions passed resolutions to
orsiDg the project, and all three Of the In
dldates for President in that year, 70,
,hanan, Fremont, and Fillmore, wrote ipl
ers IN favor Of IT, Presilep. Pierce, du