Year: 1869

! The Times has an able article on the dis
position of the Charles County fund, but we
regret to find that the Editor favors non
Intervention on The part of his County Com
missioners between the Point Lookout and
Potomac roads for the present. We would
have thought that the argument for action,
one way or the other, was too clear for con-
test. The present is certainly vital period
in the life Of the Point Lookout road. We
can't build the road without the moral and


material aid of Charles-with this aid the
road at once becomes fixed fact. This rests
on demonstration. To withhold this, there
fore, is to let slip a golden opportunity that
may never return. "Strike while the irons
hot" is the maxim of progress At a critical
moment like the present, the countenance of
Charles would be thrice as valuable to us as
at any time hereafter. The public mind Of
this whole section is railroad inHamed and
"blast from out the buge horn" of Charles at
this moment would rally furce to the sup
port of our road that would make its success
a certainty. The point made by the Times
that the fund, if now appropriated, might
not be expended on Charles county soil, is
sufficiently answered, we think, by the state
ment, that the road will commence in Wash
ington and be built by Washington and other
outside means at least to the Charles county
! line, thus ensuring the expenditure on her
soil Of every dollar that Charles may contri-
butte. The letter of DR.. Morgan, which we
give below, proposes, it will be seen, that the
road shall commence at Washington and not
at Point Lookout, and we have yet to hear
the first whisper of objection to it. If this
| objection of the Times shall be removed
by positive stipulation, will the Editor then
advocate the appropriation of the Charles
county fund to the Point Lookout road ?-&.
Mdry's Beacon.


Then follows the letter of Dr.. Morgan,
which we have already published H. Times.
Our esteemed cotemporary cannot, We
are sure, blame US for advocating 'non-
intervention" between the two roads re-
ferred to, at this particular time. Ac-
cording to his own showing, bis road is
not in that condition in which it could re-
ceive our county appropriation under the
provisions of the act of the General As
sembly In other words, were we dis
posed to advocate the giving of this fund
to the Point Lookout road, and were our
people unanimous upon the subject. it
could not be done lawfully, for we have.
as yet, nowhere seen it stated that any a.
mount Of stock equal to that proposed to
be donated has been subscribed by citi-
zens or others. Again, we would GER
tainly run counter to the prevailing senti-
ment of our people were We to advocate
the donation of the whole of this fund to
any one particular road. But our friend,
seems, mistakes our position. We have
not nor do we propose to favor one road
|atthe skptnse Of tha othel. Iffiis ii not
our province In fine, We have ignored
roads and routes, and have endeavored
simply to point out the course which it is
best for our people to pursue under the
present circumstances. Our interests de-
mand that our money should not be given
away unless we receive full equivalent,
or satisfactory guarantee therefore. At
present neither road has offered, or, for
aught we know, is in condition to give US
the guarantee we demand. Therefore
non-intervention. non-action is our only
proper course. We are gratifed to learn
that ''blast from out the bugle horn" of
Charles is worth so much to great un-
dertaking like that which our friend so
|eloquently champions. We assure him
his road has many well-wishers here, and
whether aided or not, by the county ap-
preparation, we can, with equal truth, as
sure him it has not single enemy in our
midst.


The Beacon says that the 'road will
be built, by Washington and other out
side means, at least to the Charles county
line," and in this manner our objection is
met as to the necessity OF. rather proprie-
ty Of expending county funds upon coun-
ty soil. But we suggest to our esteemed
friend that if this is to be done, would it
not be better for US to wait until 1t Is
done, before we proceed to part with our
money? We again ask, would not this
be the better course, even if our county
were to determine to appropriate this mo-
ney to the St. Mary's road, to the total
exclusion Of the other? We think so,
and for this reason We have advised against
any immediate appropriation of the fund.
without reference to either of the two con-
aicting roads. Under these circumstances,
we are sure, our cotemporary will admit
that the necessity for immediate action on
the part of our County Commissioners is
not so urgent and pressing as he seems to
suppose. a-4


EWe will publish in our next issue
the address OF President johnson, at the
close of his official term, to the people of
the United States, in which he reviews
the history of his administration and the