' s ▁beh alf , ▁and ▁ultimately ▁secured ▁passage ▁of ▁the ▁" E ight ▁Mill ion ▁D ollar ▁Bill " ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 6 , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁his ▁becoming ▁a ▁B & O ▁board ▁member ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁( and ▁remained ▁such ▁for ▁many ▁years ). ▁When ▁the ▁B & O ▁chose ▁a ▁route ▁west ward ▁through ▁Virginia ▁rather ▁than ▁the ▁mountains ▁near ▁H ager st own , ▁Maryland ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 8 , ▁Kennedy ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁B & O ' s ▁deleg ation ▁to ▁lo bb y ▁Virginia ' s ▁legisl ature ▁( t ogether ▁with ▁B & O ▁President ▁Louis ▁Mc L ane ▁and ▁well - connected ▁Maryland ▁delegate ▁John ▁Spe ar ▁Nicholas , ▁son ▁of ▁Judge ▁Philip ▁Nor bor ne ▁Nicholas , ▁a ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Richmond ▁Jun to ) ▁that ▁secured ▁passage ▁of ▁a ▁law ▁author izing ▁a ▁$ 1 , 0 5 8 , 0 0 0 ▁subscription ▁( 4 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁estimated ▁cost ▁for ▁building ▁the ▁B & O ▁through ▁the ▁state ). ▁However , ▁the ▁B & O ' s ▁share hold ers ▁would ▁reject ▁the ▁necessary ▁W heel ing ▁subscription ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁on er ous ▁terms , ▁and ▁Kennedy ▁would ▁again ▁take ▁up ▁his ▁pen ▁in ▁the ▁B & O ' s ▁defense ▁against ▁criticism ▁by ▁Maryland ▁Governor ▁William ▁Gr ason . ▁ ▁Kennedy ▁won ▁re - e lection ▁to ▁Congress ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 0 ▁and ▁ 1 8 4 2 ; ▁but ,