The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1892-06-24
From Little Rock, Ark, to Bel Air, Md.
THINGS PAST AND PRESENT.
Letter from Paul Bagley.

The writer in expressing thanks for u kindly
mention of IL brief visit 10 your greatly improv.
ed and beautiful city, would say that it is an
error, probably borrowed from Prof. Pumped.
ly's book, lis To the writer ever being Il sailor
The pardon matters referred To were exactly
these. a petition to President Johnson, dated
Dec. 18th, 1865. signed by all the Democratic
U. 5. Senators and members Of Congress, was
presented by the writer, requesting II procla-
nation of amnesty to all the leaders of the
Confcderacy then under presentment or i'll
dictment, which proclamation was made eight
days after, on Dec 25th.
The matter for the Fenians was paper sign
ed by 22o L. ). Senators and members of Con-
gresS, dated February 18th, 1869, requesting
President johnson TO give the writer such
moral support or letter to our Minister at the
Court of 81. james as may enable him favor
ably to present to the British Government such
petition as he may desire for the release of our
fellow-citiZcns, then held us Fenians," to which
was added, i'll London, II petition to the Queen,
signed by 30 members of the British Parliu-
ment, and Il personal presentation of both pa
pers to Lord Clarendon. whose first inquiry
was why do you want those men released
They came here with arms i'll their hands to
overturn our government in Ireland and carry
fire and sword TO the people"
the answer was: IA order to remove !;
cause of bitterness b, iNs,-u two great nations.
They are our citizens ia your prisons and our
country does not approve OF it, rs evidenced
by the signatures of these 225 members of
Congress. think we did you rs much wrong
by those men as you did us by the Alabama,
and il you will release them | will do what l
baIna claims"
The matter WIS considered by the govern
ment and presented to the Queen, and year
later about 20 prisoners We're released and the
Alabama claims arbitratcd and the causes of
bitterness removed.
The Improvement that has been made in
Hartford county and all over the United States
since those days is more than those who have
not seen can realize. The writer was in %,
States and territories last year. Every valley
in sight OF railroads is occupied all across the
plains to the Rocky Mountains, and through
the mountains and in the plains to Utah and
New Mexico.
place was over the Iron Mountain, Bald Knob
route to Memphis, leading across the great
bridge there, three miles long, including the
approach, $50 feet feet high from bottom of
piers, costing S300O,OUO, just opened, and the
grandest structure the writer has seen in tray
els around the world. Thence to Birmingham,
Ala, and thence over the Richmond and Dan
vile system through Atlanta, Ga, Greeuville,
). c., Charlotte, n. c., and Lynchburg, Va,
to Washington, ID. c., which is appropriately
the foot Of the Blue Ridge all the way from
Atlanta to Washington, often i'll sight of the
mountains and through the rich rolling regions
of our country. This is the greatest railroad
system of the South, leading from Washington
to New Orleans and to Grecnville on the Missis-
sippi, and has mostly steel rails, is stone bal
lasted and magnihcently equipped. Ran from
Washington to Baltimore in tifty-five minutes
without stop over the Baltimore and Ohio.
Thence to Bel Air over your Baltimore and
Lehigh Railroad. The country and scenery is
too well known and too beautiful to be de-
scribed. On all the line from Atlanta none can
equal the country between Baltimore and Bel
Air in fertile fields, running streams, diversif-
ed landscapes and magnificent mansions.
This Improvement is largely due to your
Baltimore and Lchigh Railroad, which is now
being rapidly improved in its rOadbed and roll
ing stock and appears to be doing prosperous
business.
Hartford county is now like the garden of
Eden. but the forbidden fruits of sin may he
found here as well as there. Let us not eat of
them. PAUL BAGLEY,
OF Mabelvalc, Pulaski Co.. Arks.