L ]JLL AR PER ANNUM INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE.
frOWA IST DA :
I Thursday Homing, March 21. 1361.
fcmarks of Hon. H. 1.1 racy
■ ~ j o f Ho:• r^^c:i* • ti vew. on the Bill entitled i
I '• ' V-V'-'r t> commutation of ths Tonnage liuties," ;
I -V'.; n'died "An Act to change the name of |
I and Erie Ba xad. and to facilitate the
I: a tetion of a Railroad from Sunbury to hnc."
I• Vu for the commutation of the Tan- ;
I * t.' Vs •' being under consideration, on i
| 3ge fluji., b
IMr 111 AOV said. 1 move that this bill be
lojt'ioned for the present. That motion is !
|A;aUe. I believe . . • j
I" V . <rr\RHR To a very limited extent.
IM- TRACY. It was to a very limited
■Ant that 1 intended to make any remarks.
I T J SPEAKER. The gentleman can give j
I. reasons why the bill should be postpoued ;
K • en this motion he cannot discuss the gen- ■
I-. 1 ra> rits of the bill.
I M- TRACY. Instead of moving to post- j
I ie for the present, I would move that it be ,
tstponed forever, if I supposed it would have
■'v i'r tiuence, or meet with any favor from.
I'mlemea or. this floor, lint sir. as a reason |
I favor of this motion, 1 will stale that we
Iv, voted to (lav to take all that is vital out j
| three millions and ft halt ol bonds. \V e ;
lv Mned a bill of that character to a second •
Kid, - to-day, and it seem to me that ;
E, is work enough in that direction tor one
■ ' j desire t > ask g( ntlemi n here whether
|; v cannot afford to pause ir-vnile alter huv-
I'nassed a bill of that character. We have
W r nnsylv. .... is to
K. e for public works, except for the Main
tlie return for umcli it ispiopo.-ed to give
IP • ir 3 rd this tonnage tax the most impor-'
L, ma tter hole concern. If this t
■
■ -
1 ; in 1 h indr< Is of thoa
■. i -
toflbU li j.i-', after hav g * d away all
f: w;s vi.iuabie lathe sale of • ir canals,thai
Idiaii hesitate and sleep one night-, at least,
l.:o svo pass this bill entirely tJ a second :
Is.ing. ])o gentlemen think that these two
I < are such biiis of aboin.u iii : . tnat they
lout necessarily he pushed through tins Houso
■ the <ime day, and at the - i:ne time ? \\ liy
Ir, I should not be surprised it these measures
Ir.ild get a mine and a lame u tne w >rld, as
It. twin brothers of ah mun ition —a scandal
la peculation upon the public treasury. loan
lavd the id in no other light. I wonder how
tpvcift receive the support of gentlemen who
■imvself, are from the rural districts How
1,, v thus vote away millions of dollars,
iiit necessary cousequeuce is thai they
in increase, to a corresponding degree
- illation upon their own citizens. I do
:M-r<tand how they can be so hasty, to
liy f.-ieod from Eric ( Mr. Rail) tells this
c*that he lias always been an internal
:.ue:it man; let me say that I also have
its been an internal improvement man.
■Ol the motion of Mr TRACY topos pone
Be further con<ideratio.i of the question, the
*- were bl, nays C'J.
rivFAA- ; Session*.—The House re assembled
I" o'clock, p. a . and r -nine 1 the considera
of the II bill No. 245, entitled an.
• ■' Cm coiumu'.a* oil of the-1. ■c.iiiigc d'l'.n-s
i . ie question was on the adoption of the
r *di m ction.
A'/. TRACY moved to amend by adding
t following proviso :
Prov.dtd. That the s.iid Pcnnsy'.vanl i T'.ailroad Com
l übsi.Tibc t
'
p ' four hundred and rifty th vi-. - I <bl! irs : •! i>n
.s.;chi<e the bonds of s.i J S i-q.ir!. •.:• u It.. .1 (.' r.-
I ' -
I ih!v tnthe teims of their charter, and It shall be
i'chon ol the said r)ai twenty mil. -<; "the •• im>
p -irr contract on or b-.-n.r.- the tirst da/ o: July
a ...giided within on.- year thereafter.
I TRACY. I do not propose, sir, at this
I'■ . i into any discussion of the general
r ■ the bilL I only desire, sir to intco
r!'.- amendment to this section. The Mib
r-v.'.er of the section relates in part to tfie
N 'paiciit of the resources of the State.—
1 -r as that is concerned, Mr. Speaker, 1
Itir-.-stly* in favor of it; and inasmuch as
- .oi through which this railroad passes
: -' :-t y d'.'M-rring of development at this
fc! ', it ■■eems to be entirely proper to iut-ro
■ - proviso, which I have offered as an
c odment.
U -''rnnsylvania Railroad company has
,' to assist railroads in various portions
"'ate, thus developing its resources.—
1 j; Igmeiit, there is no portion of
. ■■ n'ii more eminently deserving
ipment than the section of country •
1 a passes the railroad which I
' 4 named in my amendment. There are
1 9fc!< constructed, Mr. Speaker, from the
K
? biaiUiis -ingle link is wanting, for the con- .
on of which n v amendment proposes to
r ' litis is a link in the continuous chain
L'„": r ; ! " s I'nosing ill a central position ;
' ' ie entire State from the southern :
IfV'i l ° ColJ " fct l ' lc railroads of
l. 1 1 Add this link, and you have a
[ • r, i route from the seaboard i Niagara
lv . ' '' le counties of Wyoming and I 1
[ y I 'ii the valley of the Susquehanna are i
••: un that connection. At that point <
-ii i;t railroads is broken. Rut in that i
~T l ' ,u -'-ate there are resources to be 1 >
to those of any portion of the i 1
t - o part of our Commonwealth has i i
j —')urcc3 or more strongly demands I
: fl'-i.t than that to which I am now i
R, ~r. a 'Rmtion of this House. It would i
t v'i '' V I>os '. ll<le t0 Snd a situation where '
I'int - con 'd be extended with more j i
ic.. 4 "' :ie laudable objects, with regard ; i
li-1, .; u . , lfc '°l'®ent, which are proposed in
I, a-Mr to extend to my coustitueots i
those gentlemen who are
: iu faror of developing the resour-
THE BRADFORD REPORTER.
ces of the State, will see the necessity of corn- |
iug to our aid and giving to this section the j
development which it so much demands.
As an agricultural distirct, that portion of |
' the State is unsurpassed by any other section |
!of our Commonwealth. It has also mineral :
wealth that needs development. Now, this
corporation, said to be so opulent, proposes to
develop the resources of the State in other
i sections; and I merely desire that this develop
ment shall be extended to the much neglected
i portion of cur State.
1 hope that every member upon this floor
who supports this measure with a view to the
improvement of the State will see the proprie-
I ly of coming to the assistance of Bradford and
j Wyoming counties. On this question, living in \
that district, 1 feel most earnestly. I hope j
gentlemen will not desert nic now, but that !
they will come to my nid arid engraft this pro
vision upon this bill. Sir, if I fail in this I
1 cannot be answerable for my action in the fu
ture in regard to this measure, which by the '
; action of this body hitherto, I apprehend the j
lionse is determined to pass. Ido not intend •
' as I have said, to go into a general discussion 1
upon the merits of the bill. 1 only rise for the
purpose of urging upon the attention of this 1
House this road as an important one to be
considered in developing the resources of the i
i State. It is important that this assistance !
shall be extended to the district I represent. '
On the question, shall the Bill pass?
Air. TRACY, moved that the House go into |
Committee of the Whole fur the purpose of |
special amendment, viz, to add the following 1
proviso at the end of the last section :
'• Provided, Tills Act shall not go into ef
fect until after the next general election, at
which time it shall be submitted to the people
for their approval or rejection."
Air, TRACY. Gentlemen argue upon this ,
floor that this is a measure that is desired by ,
the people—that it relieves the people from
burdens which have been resting upon them— ;
that this measure is to be a popular measure, j
Now, Mr. Speaker, it is certainly a bill fraught '<
with important consequences. This bill, win til
er it be popular with the people or not, pro- i
poses abstraction from the State Treasury of,
at least six millions of dollars. Sir, it propo- j
ses to abolish a source of revenue of the best ;
character in the world, which is reliable, in- ;
creasing and certain. Now, sir, before we
proceed thus summarily to dispose of interests ■
. of vast importance to this Commonwealth I
would it not be wise to consult the people, and 1
to know what they think about it? It does !
seem to me, Mr. Speaker, that it would be ;
wise, at least for the gentlemen on this floor
from the rural districts, to know a little about
what their constituents think of this monster, i
With regard to gentlemen from the city of
Philadelphia, which owns nine-tenths of this
railroad, * they may be sustained iu supporting
this measure. Rut 1 would appeal to gentle- ,
men from the rural districts, whose constitu
ents own notliing here, but who have to pay ,
the taxes to support this government. What
will those people think of un abstraction of
this character ?
1 im not accustomed to make political ap- j
peals to the members of this body ; but I
would a.-k the friends of the State adininistra- j
tiuu what they think will be the sentiment and -
the voice of the people upon this question at j
the coming election. The dominant party ■
here cannot concea' from themselves the fact j
(hat they control the Executive branch of this I
Commonwealth, as well as both branches of
this Legislature, and tiie responsibility for any i
' provident legislation like this, must, sir, of ne- j
' i,'e<s.iy, r.-st upon the dominant party now iu j
tins Commonwealth. It can be placed no- I
where else. I tell gentlemen not to deceive j
themselves upon this subject. Though here
the " previous question"' maybe called and j
members be cut off from debate, I tell the !
izeutienien that there is no "previousquestion" i
to siiut tlie mouths of tax payers and voters !
of Pennsylvania. The "previous question"
can not be called upon them. And I say to j
the Republicans in this llonse, that with the j
Republican party rests the responsibility of this j
monstrous bill, which is now before the House ; |
and though they may not adopt my proposi- i
tion to submit the question to the people, they j
must of necessity submit themselves to the )
people ; their positions upon this floor must
be submitted to the people. You cannot 1
avoid that, gentlemen. Whether you decide '
to leave this momentous matter to the people, 1
or not, they will decide upon it ; and they will >
decide upon you—the members of the Ilepub- !
licau party. That party have the power, if j '
they have the will, to scotch this infamous 1
serpent —this large, fat serpent. The lean j
serpent has already wound his coils around
the majority of this House ; the Sunbury and I :
Erie bill has passed beyond recovery, so far as '
this body is concerned. It has not dragged j '
its slow length along, but its infamous coils, I
its immense proportions, have shown them- 1 <
selves all around this Hall. 1 have no doubt (
what is to be the result of allowing this fat j <
serpent to go successfully through this House, j 1
The two, sir, are very properly yoked—the j i
lean one and the fat one. Gentlemen who j I
force this measure through, if they be not an- , I
svverable in this hall, must lie answerable at :
the great ordeal of the baliot box. The Re- ! I
publican party cannot avoid that ordeal. I
We talk about the repeal of some little
nicety-fith section or something of the sort. I 1
tell gentlemen that such matters are but chaff i
in comparison with the vast question erubrac- i
ed in this bill—which involves an amount of I
more than six millions of dollars to this Com- s
monwealth. The bill that lias already passed !
this morning, involves a loss to the people of i
three millions and a half of dollars. These t
funds were as sacredly and solemnly pledged i
as constitutional enactments eould pledge i
them, to the sinking fund of this Common- i
wealth. This the people have regarded as a l
sacred fund—a fund that was reliable ; but if '
by this legislation the Republican majority i
here shall blot out the vitality of these sour- i
ces of reliance—if they shall have ruthlessly 1
thrust their hands into the public treasury, in
ord.-r with the proceeds to curieb these mam
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY AT TOWANDA, BRADFORD COUxNTY, PA., BY R. W. STURROCK.
| moth corporations, then, sir, the responsibility
! is with us, and we never can escape it.
Tell me not that this majority can be main
i tained on this floor another year if you reject
{ the amendment which I have offered—if you
refuse to let the people speak upon this mo
mentous question—a question ot more conse
quence to them, as I have said, than six mil
lions of dollars iu cash. Recause it is a vast
increasing annuity, in perpetuity as long as
this railroad shall last. You may disregard
the will of the people ; yon may smother the
voices of their honest representatives here ;
but, sir, you cannot smother their voices at
the ballot box There they will be heard
speaking in thunder tones to the gentlemen
j who represent the rural districts of this Corn
j monwealth. There can be uo other result.—
j It would be monstrous to expect any other.
Gentlemen on the other side, so far as po
j litical consequences are concerned, can look
; carelessly on, as 1 see they do, and allow us to
perpetrate this moustrous act of iniquity—
i They are willing to let us plunge headlong
over this precipice and into this abyss which
yawns before us. 1 hope, sir, as I have said,
that the House will pause this morning. Now
I that the lean snake has gone through, is not
i that sufficient for one day ? The gag has been
: placed upon ns.
Mr. LEISENRING. I would like to ask
the gentleman a question. Does he profess or
i desire to make this a political question ?
Mr. TRACY. I desire to warn the Repub
, licau party from the abyss which is before
j them.
Mr. LEI NE USING. 1 merely wish to say
that if such is the desire of the gentleinau from
Rradford.it is not the desire of the Democrats
on this floor. We do uot regard this as a po
litical question at all.
Mr. TRACY. Certainly not; they do not
care how soon we destroy ourselves;"the soon
-1 er the better," say they; ''go on in this road of
I corruption; go on in this iniquity."
We have viewed with ustoaishmeut the ab
; stractions made from the National Treasury.
Those depredations were done covertly and iu
secrecy; but will not the world be more amaz
ed w hen they see this bold corruption,this sup
erlative iufamy stalking around these halls in -
open day.
If, sir, that fraud was an outrage, this is an
abomination. The bill professes to be a "com
mutation of the tonnage tax." Why sir, it is a
fraud and a villainy upon its face. There is
no commutation in it; it is the absolute wiping
out of that tax. The bill does not commute,
but extinguishes that income altogether. To
whom does it give it ? To the most opulent
corporation in this Commonwealth—a corpor
tion powerlul enough to control this Legisla
ture. It is said of the Camden and Araboy
Railroad that it has New Jersey in its breech
es pocket. But, what is the situation of Penn
sylvania with these mammoth corporations
around us ? Do not gentlemen know that the
Stale of Pennsylvania is some thirty-seven or
thirty-eight millions in debt for the construc
tion of the-e works which are now to be sw al
lowed up and given to the stomachs of these
serpents? I)o they not know it ? If they do
not, Mr. Speaker, the people know it ; and
whether the proposition to submit this measure
to the people be adopted or not, nt the com
ing election, the people will pass upon this
measure; and although my friend from the
city dots not approve of it, I say again to the
Republican party, beware, here ! The respon
sibility is with you. You have a large majori
ty in this House; you are accountable for its
conduct.
Mr. LEISENRING. The question which
I the gentleman a few moments ago he
did not answer. Now, he has again appeal
ed to his Republican friends, and 1 desire to
know whether he and the Republican party
want to make this a political question. I would
like a direct answer !
Air. TRACY. That is my answer to the
question. It is perfectly immaterial what may
tie my feelings on this subject ; but, sir, I do
again appeal, although 1 know, sir, that this
appeal will not prevail, because 1 suppose tfiat
no argument can have weight here. It is im
possible for argument to prevail against votes.
J know, sir, that votes ore to settle this ques
tion; and I have not even a hope that anything
which I may say here, will change a vote. 1
apprehend that every member is already de
termined and every vote settled: but I again
urge iny amendment. If members here do re
gard the people; if they do hold now that the
people of this Commonwealth have a just right ,
to be consulted in a matter involving s('>,ooo,- i
000—they will stay tiieir hands at this time
and consult the people at the October election.
Then, sir, we shall come buck here, able to
act understandingly, as representatives should
act ready and willing to carry out the voice of ,
the people as expressed at the election.
I do not intend, sir, to detain the House be
cause I know the House does net want to be
detained. I know that the majority are anxi
ous to press through these two serpents direct
ly and together. Therefore/sir, I feel that I,
in holding them, am meeting with no fuvor
here ; that nothing which I may say upon this
floor in behalf of my constituents, will have
any weight. But my most respected friend
(Mr. BALL) last evening took occasion to refer
to me most kindly, and 1 thank him for it.—
He said he was au improvement man—that he
had known the gentleman from Bradford of old
and had known him to be an improvement man
and that we had acted in concert with regard
to public improvements. lam happy, sir, to
say that was the case, lint sir, when we acted
thus in concert, in favor of public improve
ments, we were not acting, as I think the
gentleman is now acting, to plunder the public
treasury : for that will be the effect of this ac
tion. Ido not say that it is the gentleman's
intention ; I forbear to say anything against
that highly respected and talented gentleman
who represents so ably the county of Erie,up
on this floor. But sir, the time to which he
refers, was a time in the history of our coun
try, when the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
had a large number of her works that were in
a state of suspension, with which she was not
" EESARDLESS OF DENUNCIATION FROM ANY QUARTER."
able to go on for want of money.—Among
them was the North Branch. In the unfortu
nate times that overtook this State, she sus
pended her works there, although they were
near completion. I acknowledge that, at that
time, under the administration of Governor
Johnson, the representative from Erie,was here
the able and eloqueut advocate of our mea
sure—uot to give away with wasteful hand.the
moneys belonging to this Commonwealth, but
in the strictest economy to come forward in
support of a measure to complete the works
belonging to tbe Commonwealth—not works
belongiug to corporations. These works were
near completion, almost ready to have the wat
er put into them. I asked the State then to
come forward to a measure which did not even
increase the State debt,for so economically and
judiciously was the thing done,that it was pro
vided for out of the ordinary revenue of the
Commonwealth. By these means, was the im
provement to which he referred, brought into
active use.
In regard to that measure, I acknowledge
now as I did then, the able services of tho in
telligent representative from Erie. But, sir,
when he becomes the advocate, as he does to
day, of measures fraught with such fearful con
sequences, so disastrous to the farming inter
ests of this country, so calamitous to tho poli
tical interests of the party to which he and I
belong,— I ask the representative from Erie
I ask even him to reconsider his course—to
let this thing lie over at least a few days, so
that we may hear frein those counties which
have not the same interest as the city of Phil
adelphia, which holds nine-tenths of the stock
of this mammoth company.
Mr. BLISS asked for and obtained leave
to record his vote on putting tbe main question
and on the final passage of the bill to change
the name of the Sunbury and Erie Railroad.
He voted "no" on both propositions.
Speech of lion. Geo. Landon
In the Senate,' U the Bill entitled "An Act to change
the name of the Sunbury and Erie Railroad, and to fa
cilitate the coKipletioa of a Railroad front Sunbury to
Erie.
I had it in my mind, Mr. Speaker, to say a
word on this matter ; but I did not intend to
do so at this time. Inasmuch, however, as
the discussion has taken not. only the range of
a single section, but the range of the whole
bill, if I say that word now, it will be said,
and I shall be out of the way.
It will I e remembered, sir, that a year ago,
there was a biil before this body with regard
to this same Sunbury and Erie Railroad com
pany. It will be remembered, perhaps, by
some upon this floor, that I voted against that
bill. 1 said nothing about it, but I simply
voted against it ; and I feel, sir, that to be
consistent, iu view of the vote which L iutend
to give upon this bill, 1 ought to say some
thing ; for, of course, if I can vote for this
bill, being on the record against the Sunbury
and Erie bill of last winter, I shall be inquir
ed of by some persons to explain this seeming
contradiction. I will say now that my expla
nation is this :
The bill against which 1 voted last winter
was one thing ; the bill for which I expect to
vote this winter is another aud very different
thing ; and the points of difference are two.
The bill of last winter gave the company en
tire control of the money that was to be rais
ed upon the bonds that were to be created,
which I considered a fatal objection to the
whole thing ; and I have said time and again
that I would vote for no bill touching this
road that gave the company entire control of
the finances to be raised upon the bonds issu
ed. The other point of difference is this :
The condition of the State securities twelve
months ago was different from the conditiou
of those securities now. For when we were
agitating that bill, there was one million as a
prior mortgage. Rut, contrary to my vote,
another lien, amounting, as you know, to
$OOO,OOO, was authorized, thus changing the
position of the State securities, and rendering
them less valuable. This bill, ou the contra
ry, guards the funds to be raised. It does not
give the company the unqualified control of
them, but deposits the bouds iu the hands of
the Secretary of State, those bonds to be
drawn out and converted into money, that
money applied to the completion of the road,
the bonds drawn and the money applied pari
passu, as the road progresses towards comple
tion. And now, at this poiut, I will answer
the Senator who has just spoken (Mr. CLY
MER.)
He claims to have made an estimate and
declares that five millions of bonds is too
much, is unwarranted extravagance, and that
no more than two millions are needed. It is
to be presumed that the engineers and agents
concerned in the construction of this road have
estimated its necessary cost. If I supposed
them so void of all financial capacity as to
apply to this Legislature for an Act author
izing them to raise funds, without first calcu
lated the amount positively needed, I certain
ly would vote against their application. If
they issue five millions of bonds, they cannot
on these realize more than four millions in
ready, solid cash with which to pay their
floating debt and complete the road. While
the Senator was announcing his estimate in
figures, it reminded me of a gedtleman who
proposed to build a large house. He cstimat
td the cost of each item with great care aud
then submitted it to a master mechanic for his
opinion.
After looking over it thoughtfully he said,
"well, sir, your estimate is carefully made,
and 1 will now tell you as I do all others in
in such cases, add one-fourth to your estimate
for things as you have forgotten and you will
have it quite correct." *
The Senator has estimated everything at
the minimum cost undoubtedly, and now if he
will add oue fourth for things he has forgotten
his figure will approximate the company's own
estimate. But I do not intend this ns my
answer. Ou the contrary the bill itself fur
nishes my reply. I have it here in the last
section, a section that gives character to the
whole thing, aud withont which I would vote
against the bill. What does this section pro
vide ? Why, sir, that these bonds shall be
lodged with the Secretary of State, a man of
intelligence and integrity, and drawn thence
by the company nnder the supervision and su
perscription of the Governor. They are al
lowed to draw one million of bonds, convert
them into money, apply that money to the
work; a suitable agent appointed by the Ex
ecutive to estimate that work and that appli
cation of funds reports back, if that report
be satisfactory they are allowed to draw anoth
er million and so on until the road be com
pleted. Under this arrangement where is the
opportunity for wholesale profligacy ? If the
bonds are not all needed they are in the safe
keeping of the Treasurer.
This is purely a business question, a matter
of dollars and cents, aud I wish to examine it
and advise the same course of action that I
would if sustaining personally to this company
the sane relations that are sustained by the
Commonwealth.
But at this point allow me to say a few
things of a general character. There seems
to exist, in the minds of many, a prejudice
against corporations. I have heard on this
floor in the other branch of the Legislature
and out among the people, keen, biting, sar
castic remarks about corporations. They are
denominated " anacondas," " overshadowing
monopolies," " agglomerations of power and
meanness," robbing the State and ruining the
poor man. Now, sir, what is a corporation ?
Simply this ; an association of mind and
money, a combination of taleut anff capital
for the conducting of great business enterpri
ses ; and such associations are an absolute ne
cessity, arising from the ycry nature of things.
Here is a railroad to be constructed through
the heart of the State, coupling cities and seas
together. The work is too vast for the ca
pacity of any one individual ; an association
is necessary. We ueed a currency, constitut
ing our circulating medium. This requires
banks and banks require associations. We havo
immense mining fields, immense ore interests,
but can individuals, single-banded and abne,
carry forward those vast money using and
money making enterprises ? Any man that
affirms it is a poor philosopher and worse fi
nacier. If we have railroads aud hanks,
mining operations and manufactories, steam
boats and insurance offices, then must we
have associations of taleut and capital, call
such associations by what name you please.—
Do you ask me why I make these remarks ?
I make them, sir, that my words may ring out
upon the ear of the country, that honest-mind
ed men may look at this subject in its true
light, aud uo longer cultivate a prejudice
against associations which are absolutely ne
cessary to the development of the Common
wealth aud the carryiug forward of its almost
immeasureable business enterprises.
These corporations have added vastly to
the greatness, wealth, and progress of the
State. Instead of warring with the poor man,
they furnish him with work for his hands, a
market for his produce, and money for his
pocket, aud by their internal improvements
give an increased value to every acre of laud
he may possess. But the ether day, at your
command I went from this place to the smoky
city on the other side of the Alleghenies, and
a man that has never traversed that road has
never seen grandeur. Why, sir, as I looked
upon that iron track following the windings of
the Juniata, to the base of the mountains,then
pursuing its serpentine course through the ra
vines, dashing through wild gorges, leaping
from cliff to cliff, tunneling huge hills, and
emerging at last on the western slope of the
Alleghenies, coupling the head waters of the
Ohio with the wavy pulsations of the Atlan
tic, and forming an artery of life between
I'ittsburg and Philadelphia—when I saw all
this, I was constrained to exclaim, aside from
all questions about tonnage tax, surely the
State should think well of the men who have
constructed this immense, this monumental
work. When I obsorve those vast enterpris
es originated and carried forward by corpora
tions, iny prejudice ngaiust them is essentially
mitigated.
I know of no company that has shared so
largely in public obloquy as the Sunbury and
Erie. Their reputation is more dilapidated
than their road—and whether this is more
their fault than misfortune, their future con
duct will enable us to determine. The com
pletion of the road according to the provisions
of the bill before us, will be at least a partial
vindication of their good character. Anoth
er general remark that I wish to make is,
touching the duty of a representative to obey
the wishes of his constituents.
I have heard it said by individuals about
these halls, when speaking of some general
Act, " it is right, it should be passed, would
like to vote for it, but wc dare not, it would
kill us at home, we never could be re-elected
in all coming time." Now sir, whether
here or elsewhere, this is my position ; in mat
ttrs purely local, affecting my constituents
only, it is my duty and my pleasure to obey
them to the letter—to consummate their wish
es as far as those wishes are made known to
me,even though I should differ from them in my
opinion. But when we come to general Jaws,
laws that affect other constituencies more
than mine, and reach from the centre to the
circumference of the State, I am not so close
ly bound. In local mutters we are the indi
vidual districts ; in general matters wc are the
individual representatives of the whole State.
Resides, standing upon this hill-top, hearing
what I hear and seeing what I see, I can un
derstand questions of wide State policy quite
as well as men who are far removed from the
scene of action and have not these favorable
oopo, tunities to understand and rightly judge
of any given subject. I respect the intelli
gence of my constituents; in schools, in read
ing, in general information, tbey will compare
favorably with the constituency of any man
on this floor ; yet, there are some matters that
I can understand here better than the masses
can at home, and my constituents would be
ashamed of me if I were too cowardly to
think and speak and act with that independ-
VOL. XXI. —NO. 4=2
ence becoming the high position in which
they have placed inc.
All great progressive measures, whether
moral, political or commercial, are necessarily
somewhat in advance of the multitude, and
men who act up to the exigencies af the times
must be in advance of the many. While hold
ing my present legislative postion, when ques
tions of geucrnl State interest are before us,my
Grst inquiry shall be are they right, ju3t, equit
able ? If satisfied tlicy are I shall sustain them
and then if in turn I am sustained by those who
sent me here, it will be a matter of satisfac
tion; if I am not I shall fall back upon an iu
ward eonsciousuess of having done right, and
patiently wait the growth of more expanded
ideas in the public uiind.
Legislators should have the forecaste of
Bacon. During his life lie was charged with
may misdeeds and l'ope wrote of him with a
pen dipped in the gal! of bitterness, "Wisest,
greatest, meanest ot mankind."
Yet, sir, when the great philosopher laid
down to die, and looked for the last time upou
the sun in the heavens, he put this clause in
his will: "My estate I leave to my friends, my
reputatiou to postperity, after some time shall
be over and past." It is our duty to act not
only with reference to the prejudices of the
present, but with equal regard for the secoud
sober thought of the future. But this is suffi
cient upou this topic. Allow me a word upon
another general idea. The development of each
individual section of the State conduces to the
prosperity of each other section, and to the
greatuess of the Commonwealth at large.—
And hence we should help each other by our
votes and influence in all laudable efforts to se
cure develqpuient and improvements. But a
few years since, the people of my district awoke
to the fact that though possessing as good a
country as God ever bathed in the sunshine of
noon day, yet they were blockaded, hemmed
iu, shut hack from the maritime world, hav
ing no outlet, no commercial thoroughfare by
which they could reach a general market
The consequences of this they felt to be crip
pling and injurious. They appealed to the Leg
islative time and again for appropriations to
the North Branch canal, these appeals were
resisted by some but favored by more, aud we
thought those who resisted them narrow mind
ed and illiberal. This is the poiut I wish to
be observed; the very mcu who listeued to our
appeals and voted us appropriations, are the
men who are now here iu the Legislature and
out of it, from Erie and all along the line of
this prospected toad, praying and imploring us
to treat them with like kindness audcousider
ation. I say to these men as I see them crowd
ing these halls with anxious countenances, I
say to them now and publicly, gentlemen, we
thank you for your assistance in the hour of our
extremity, and in the name of the ninth Sen
atorial district, I take the responsibility of re
ciprocating jour friendship aud public spirit.
He that would have friends must show himself
friendly—you have showed yourselves friendly
and you shall uot lack a helping hand. You
ash not for appropriations, but for the leg
islative permit to raise your own funds aud
construct your own road—securing to your
selves all its multiplied facilities and advant
ages at home and abroad; and so far as my
vote is concerned, your prayer shall bo answ
ered. I have heard some allusions made to
the lobby. While I hold no intercourse with
a certain portion of the lobby, I still claim it
to be the right of the people to come to their
own Legislature aud fully and freely declare
their wishes and wants, and it is my duty ever
to make them welcome, listen to their state
ments and aid them in securing their desired
objects.
I new pass from these general remarks, Mr,
Speaker, and come to the bill itself. The phy
sical condition of the road is this : 148 miles
113 miles graded and ready for the superstruc
ture, and miles ungraded. Financially it
stands as follows : Upon that part of theioad
lying between Sunburyand Williamsport there
is an original mortgage of one million of dol
lars. By the act of 'ast session there is an
other lien of six hundred thousand dollars
which takes precedence of the State in ca9
of a judicial sale of the road by the Common
wealth. Here, then, are $1,600,001 ahead of
the State, saying nothing about the claims of
involved contractors, amounting to several
hundred thousand dollars more. Behind these
is the claim of the State for three and a half
millions. The road is unfinished, and a large
portion of it entirely inoperative. The com
pany cannot raise funds to complete it, they
cannot pay the State either the principal or in
terest of their indebtedness, while their road
remains in its present condition ; they cannot
do it, sir, while grass grows or steam is gene
rated from water. You know it, sir, and ev
ery man on this floor must know it, for the cir
cumstances of the case demonstrate the fact.
If the State tuke no steps to force payment
she will get nothing, for the company havo
nothing to pav ; if she crowds the road to a
public sale she cannot bid it in, for she has
not the prior liens—the Constitution forbids
her running in debt, and furthermore, no ono
would advise that the State should again he
entangled in the management of the public
works, for her past experience is both bitter
and satisfactory. In case of a sale, then some
other party must bid on the road, and we are
all satisfied that it could not possibly cell for
more than the prior lien of $1,600,000, and
that leaves the claim of the State effectually
and cleanly iri]x-/l out. The argument then is
this : do nothing and vou get nothing—sell the
road and you get nothing.
The road lies in the meantime nnfinished, and
that section of the State utterly undeveloped,
and the people groaning and sighing and pray
ing for access to the world around them by
the pompletion of the road. This is our situ
ation. Now, will you do anything or not?—
It is proposed to pass this bill to meet tha
emergency of the case. What are the condi
tions of the bill ? Simply three. First, they
extend the time for payment of the amount
due by this company to the Commonwealth.
Secondly, they allow the company to issue five
(CONCLUDED ON FOUKTH PAGE )