The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-09-12
TIE foi!oSviag is petition Sviie6 Kill re >,s;e1t
cd TO the nest General ADcm5ly.

ca 70 roe HeSf General IDeH5Iy.
TO THE HoNoRaBLE THE SPEAKER AND MEa-
BERs HOUSE OF pELEG.Trs
Tbr petition Of Endy ubs5iiauss ertts eoas,;es of
bHnb!y ,rerecnss--
HAT the law Incorporating company Eos the
PurPoie OF clearing and improving the rasyaii-
on OF James River to which your petitioners leg leave
tore!er, founded upon principles advantageous TO
the individual ihare-holders and benec,a that rrt
OF the community afe9ed by its operation, in re
manner expressly declared BY the 1t and l9;h reeli-
ons OF the laid law but the method which has been
puriucd by the Directors Of that Company, contrary 10
the original Object Of the law tends acrGse the IT,
teret OF the community, and promote that ory CT
the individual ihare-hoders and the inhabitants Of RE
city OF Richmond In bringing this fubject Before the
Legislature your petitioners declare that hey have
not the mott dtant view inclination TO innre the
lanes Kiver Company or the City of Rickmond;
but believing that they not exchifveiy The oh
eets OF public patronage, and that the great aud PR
mary object Of the Legislature to extend equal
advantages to all by facilitating the traniporstion of
produce into tde-water from the upper parts of tLe
country they cannot be contented in feeng It top
ped Richmond, turned into an obeci OF fpeeula
ton, TO the great opprelon of a comfortable part Of
the community. The FRI fiction of the law OF moor
poration, contenpates the clearing and extending be
navigation Of James River from Underwater uovar.!s
to the higheit parts practicable on the main branch
thereof; and the nineteenth fe6sion expressly proydp:,
that the navigation f,a be opened from Wefthan. to
Underwater before tie Company fhorld BE entitled to
demand the tolls; but the audable exertions or the
Directors of that Company induced the Legislature to
indulge them with exteniion of the tine in which
under their charter they bound to connlee thu
navigation, and 10 permit them receive full toll ais
though they had not complied with the provifons i:
the ac OF incorporation. Your petitioners were uot
diiated with this benevolent act Of the Legislature
in giving the Company refpte from expences and IN
opportunity accumulate their funds, becaufe they
would be better enabled to proecute the work TO the
full extent of the original obea and cxpres conditions
OF the act OF Incorporation but your petitioners and
they believe the community generally begin to view
with foe concern, sndto entertain ferrous doubts as
to the further prolecuton OF this important obe and
are appreenive that this indulgence will foon be COM
ftrued into matter of right.
1t is TO be prefuned tina. there are fone few who
preterring individual ACKNOWLEDGEMENT to the general
good, are willing that the work ihould progrefs fur
ther; but this is by means the public opinion and
iby no means to the public ntere that it fhould be
10; under this irnprefion your petitioners beg leave
to repreent your honorable body fome of the feri.
Gus and oppreiive consequences which relnr TO the
community, aswell individuals, from the want cf
a communication OF the canal with tide-watcr--.tt
Is rnaneit that almo every article Of produce tranf
ported by the Canal, is ubeed an additional ex-
penie OF itorage and drayaee and it undenable that
every expenie attached 10 the produce ultimately
paid by the cutvator of the foil coniequently there
IS an actual lois upon the real value of produce iuaiu-
ed by the cutivator of the FOIL equal the FUN nccef
fairy to carry it from the preent place of depot into
Underwater and to avoid the expenfe of forage fire.
quently conpels the fe of produce upon terms adj
vantageous only to the purchafer The delay in COM
pleting the navigation, only injurious to the a.
gricultural part of the community but is equally 70 to
the Coal trade for the portage of fuc.l low priced
heavy article mineral Coal, and the lois fufi;ined
by the neceity of depoGt upon the banks of the ca
nal, added the labour and Inconvenience of remoy-
ing it again to be hipped for ranfportaton, when it
might be accomplished by operation, materially
Injuries the commercial part of the eonmnnity.--Your
petitioners mutt alto with great Difference reprefent
to your Honorable Body, that Popping the nav CATION
in Richmond, is giving to that City undue mono
poly of every fPeces ofproperty tranported market
by the Canal ; it operates extremely inuroufly and
may be iaid to be an ACT of opprefIion TO the Mer-
Chants and inhabitants of other towns Whole local ~
tnton entities them every advantage to be derived
from the accomplishment of this deiirable obieQ-
Your petitioners conceive that it is unneceHarY to men,
ton particularly every injury and oppreion reGtng
from the want OF communication of the Canal with
tide-water or the advantages refuting the com,-
nifty generally, from an eafy intercourse and mutual
exchange OF produce between the upper and lower
country-Your petitioners pray that law may pafs
compelling the Directors of the James River Gonna
ny within given time, communicate their Canal
with Underwater in the manner expressly declared in
the act of incorporation
Augult 90 GeWst
TUNSTAII's