The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-11-02
Legislative Road.

Capt. E. M. Friend in the Demo-
crdt of last week says'the Legislative
road was located many years ago by
virtue of law passed for the purpose,
part of 1t through his farm, and some
portions of it have been constructed,
and the reason why the legal pro-
ceedings against the County Com
missiOners to emf rec the levy of $500,
authorized and directed to be made
by his Act of Assembly, were stop
ped because Col. Joseph U. Crawford
went to him and asked permission to
build a railroad on his legislative
road location, and the railroad has
been built on it.
1t is a little difficult to understand
this, but from it we may gather:
First, that this legislative road
was duly, legally and properly 10.
Gated and thereby became public
highway. and he. therefore, was JUS
titled in having his act passed to re-
quire the County Commissioners to
make the appropriation for it. and
Second. if the two can be reconcil-
ed. that, although thus located. ii
was his Legislative road location"
and as such he had the right, power
and authority over it to do, dispose
of and give away at his will and
pleasure. and in fact did give it away
to the railroad company.
One of two things, however. is ap'
parent from his own statements, and
that is. that he either had law pas.
sed for the appropriation of $500 Of
the county funds for his own private
purposes. the building and improve
ment of a private road way through
his own land aud premises. or that
he took and gave away as his own
property that which he knew to be
the property of the State, q public
highway dedicated to the public use
to private corporation to serve his
own purposes.
With this statement we now ask
Capt. Friend:
First, if it be true that this road
was located as stated by him, there
by becoming a public highway and
State property. under and by virtue
Of what right or authority did he as
sumo to give said road location to the
railroad company and permit 1t tC
construct a railroad thereon
Second. If. however. we accept his
other statement that, the road was
his legislative road location, "there.
fore not public highway and public
property, and he had the power tC
give it away as his own property, we
then demand to know by what right
he would and did presume to have a
law passed directing and requiring
the County Commissioners to appro.
pirate out of the county funds. the
hard earnings of the suffering tax.
payers of the county. the sum of $780,
to be expended on his "legisIative
road" his own private property, by
his specially named and chosen ag.
ents, which property he could and
did give away to the railroad.
Will Capt. Friend please explain
this to the people and tax, payers.
This is Democratic legislation, and
if the people do not want any more
of it, let them vote the Republican
ticket.
In reference to the coarse and yul.
gar expressions In the Captains let
ter. we have only to say, that while
'our mule may have been kicking at
some noise he had heard" 1t was q
noise we'll understood and correctly
located, and it now having found its
way into print, is known to the peo-
pie, as it was before to US, as "the
braylng of an ass" near Friendsyille,
and if our Democratic friends know
when they are well off it will be
"stabled" and "muzzled" without
delay.