The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-29
Journal Of the House Of Delegates, p.
1i5)
MAINLAND AccEDEs

MARYLAND ACCEDES
At the November session. 1890. The Cen
eral Assembly OF Maryland passed the
following resolution:
Whereas by a resolution OF the Gene
raj Assembly Of Virginia. passed on the
10th day of December. 1850, It was pro-
posed 10 the General Assembly Of Mary
land that the General Assembly Of Viz
ginia Will pass an act for advancing A
sum of money. not less than NN,c0, 10
ihe uee OF the general Government and
90 be applied ln SUCH manner as Congress
shall direct. towards erecting public
buildings. the Assembly of Maryland OF
their part advancing "a sum NOT Jess imam
,uroe-lfths Of the sum advanced by IN.
said General Assembly of Virginia Whlch
resolution came so late 10 the last Cen
cral Assembly OF Maryland that It could
not be acted upon. and was, therefore,
referred TO this present session; ana
Whereas this General Assembly doth
highly approve Of the object or sald
res0lutign and is DESTROYS of doing every
thing required on the part of Maryland
for carrying the same into effect, on
second reading ~ s7il resolution,
Received That this House doth ac
cede 90 The proposition contained in said
resolution of the Assembly Of Virginia
and VIII advance to the President of the
United States. for the purposes mem
Toned in said resolution. the sum on
$1,000 payable 10 his order IN three
equal yearly payments
FINAL ACTION.
On the 2fth OF December 1890 the Cen
eral Assembly of Virginia passed the
following
act concerning an advance Of money
to the Government OF the United States
for public buildings.
whereas the General Assembly of
Maryland have accedeI 90 a PROPOSE
ton OF the General Assembly OF this
Commonwealth. contained in their reso-
luton 0f the 10th day of December, llSs,
concerning aa advance of money 10 the
general Government 20 be applied to-
wards erecting public buidies 40 the
permanent seat of Government of thu
United States should the Congress deem
30 cXpodient 90 fix It on the bank OF the
Potomac: and
Whereas Congress has passed an ac'
for establishing tho said seat of govern
ment on the Potomac;
"He il enacted by the General Assem-
b.y. That $4,000 shall Dee advanced by
this Commonwealth 90 The general Gov
eminent payable iu three equal yearly
payments. and TO DE applied towaris
erecting public buildings at the perma-
uent scat of government of the United
States ON the hank If the Potomac ana
tho Auditor OF Public Accounts is hereby
directed to issue his warrants on the
Treasurer TO- the amount OF $4,000. pay
able. ln the manner here.ubcfore direct
ca. to the order of the President of the
United States (see Henning p. l5)
The records snow that the frsb pay
ment by Virginia To The United states
government was made April ID, 1921, ana
tho last on January S. 1875. and also that
Maryland paid her proportion OF the
loan. The fact that payment was made
90 the government has never been called
in question. nor has "a claim ever been
made that repayment was made Dy the
government Further ON viii Doe explain
cd with more detail tine grounds ON which
various Congresses have refused TO pay
the claim. In passing. however, 80 may
be said that the issue. silted down, mas
been whether the moneys were gifts OF
loans on the part VI the Two States.
EFFORTS TO COLLECT.
No effort was made 90 collect the money
bv Virginia. as far as can Dee ascertained,
until tine FIRST session of the Thirty-fist
Cougre-s Qsi9-5 500. 10 is OF more than
passing interest that I'm the several at-
tempts made by Virginia 10 recover the
advance the state have never been TOT
the promotion of selfish ends, but the
claim had been donated TO AID IN the
prosecution of some public works OF
value not alone 10 the Old Dominion, Dut
TO other sections of the country.
by an act of the General Assembly,
approved March 18th. 1850, the claim was
transferred TO- to the Orange and Alex
andria railroad, now portion OF the
Southern system. That corporation was
.t af ID
road To- connect GordOnsvile and Alex
audra. Va when completed it was in
direct line of communication from BOs-
ton and Ncw Orleans That IT would be
so was duly set forth On the petition
of the then president George ii. Smoot
to Congress in 1850. He said the line
would connect the seat Of the Federal
Government with an western and south
orn Virginia. and thence, in its coniunc-
ton with other railroads. supply the
line of rapid communication with the
States of Tennessee and Georgia and
other Southern States in one direction
and with Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, IL
linois and the other northwestern states
IN another"
IMPORTANCE OF ROAD.
The importance of such railroad
to the Eastern states was self-evident.
and the State of Virginia realized 81
so fully that the Commonwealth SUBJ
scribed 20 three-hfths of the stock from
its own funds. The finances Of the COM
pany later reached a low ebb. After
careful deliberalon as 90 the rights Of
the state 20 demand repayment of the
loan to the government the Legislature
again came 10 the aid Of the railroad
company and assigned to 1T the claim
Of the state against the government for
moneys advanced to aid IN erecting pub
lie buildings
The claim was presented On the 3lst.
32d. 18th. 18th. and several subsequent
Congresses. and although as q rule COM
mittee reports were favorable Cor one
reason and another the c. aim was never
paid. The orange and Alexandria Rail-
road Company held It for nearly twenty
eight years Becoming ins0lvent the re-
solution of 1870 was repealed by tho Vir-
einia Legislature. il was then held until
March 8. 1s>S. on which date a ros0iu-
ton was approved. assigning the claim
to the Mount Vernon Avenue Memorial
Association.
This association was Incorporated by
the LEGISLATURE I'm am act approved Feb
ruary Is lsSS 10 was not money max
ing scheme. and the law vas so strictly
drawn that no room was eft for sus-
piciOn that any one would take part in
It's work save through patriotic motives
A NEW "APPIAN WAY"
The object 81 the association was 20
build a. MAGNIFICENT boulevard from the
western entrance of the capitol grounds
through the Mall % the rear of The
White House grounds thence across the