The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-11-30
given. without distinction. to al persons who feel


consideration will be diges,ed, s. characters will
be selected, best calculated to carry what may be
most approved into effect.
II from some unforeseen cause, such as the
/ extreme wet weather, any other fatality, q
sufficient number shall fail TO attend at the afore
said appointed meeting, then in that case, it is
10 be hoped, that tllpse who do meet, vii! make
IA proper adjournment TO such other time and
place, US they shall consider most expedient, and
give notice hereofin the Virginia Herald and
that the said meeting will m like manner be adj
Journed from time TO time, occasion may re-
qaire, until the outlines of regular, well con
! STUFFED compact, or system. be laid down as
rules for the government of company associa
| ted to carry into effect whatever may he conclu
ded On; and shall moreover prepare petition
to be laid before the next House Of Delegates
praying that such Company or Society may be in
corporated by law, for the various purposes
| TOR which they may be thus associated; and for
the further purpose of taking into consideration
any other matter which the said meeting may, IN
its deliberation, conclude to be advantageous.
1t is also to be wished that the same patriotic
meeting would take into consideration the state
of highways, leading to and from the towns of
Fredericksburg snd Falmouth in general, but
more especially to promote the establishment of
| proper laid out road on the principles of a
turnpike, IN manner best calculated to accom-
| modate both of those places and IN IS direct a
line, and over as good ground, as the nature of
the ease, (evcry thing considered) VIII admit,
to the town of Fairfax at Culpeper court. house
III this road should succeed, of which indeed
there can be no doubt the same principles and
plan may be extended to such other towns aud
parts OF the country as may appear most neces-
sary and most inviting Such roads, besides the
advantage to be drawn from them by the inha.
bitants of the country through which they would
pass, will most intellectually benefit the interest
Of the towns on the Rappahannock by the great
increase OF commerce, drawn from beyond the
mountaineering inhabitants ofthat country would
soon discover the great advantage ofhaving bet
ter roads TO Fredericksburg and Falmouth and
shorter, by more than half the round about way
they At present use to Alexandria, sc. This is
matter that has been often mentioned and has
been strongly urged, by the Farmers and miers
OF that part of the country
Before the same meeting, will be exhibited,
true plot OF the river and all its mproveabe
branches, from the Chesapeake Bay to the noun
| tains, laid down chiefly by accurate survey, no.
| ticing every rapid, and the manner and expense
| OF rendering each of them navigable, together
with many useful and necessary no.es-aiso il
is expected that there will be prepared for The
inspection of the members of that meeting,
plot OF the survey of the contemplated turnpike
| road from Fredericksburg 10 CuipePer court
house all OF which it is most saneuinely hoped
will be aided by the countenance and patronage
| of those Interested, aud most capable of giving
| the best information.
The inland navigation of Potomac, lanes Ri
yer, Appomaiox, Pianketank the Dismal Swamp
| lanai and several other undertakings of SINH
| lar nature on the south side of the noun
| tains under the auspices and aid of our Lerisla-
ture, are IN high and most prosperous state of
beneficial Improvement. why then, the Ranpa-
hammock with all It's natural advantages thus re.
man unlmproved, with its towns and commerce
declining, is matter of deep regret, and de-
serves the most serious enquiry lis it because
expense q fro
portion TO the utility to be derived therefrom is
likely to be more than other rivers have cost a.
Is It because the head ofits tide does not from
ITS natural geographical position command the
trade OF a country as extensive in proportion to
the expense OF improving 1T, as the rest of the
rivers } Is it because the inhabitants, propor
| uonabiy are not so numerous, industrious and
Virtuous, as the other parts of the state Or is
1t because, that during the revolutionary contest
| they sent neither wise nor virtuous, men into
council, nor those who were brave and active in
| to the field To those important queries, indi
viduay, they will, with all the pride of consci.
Gus recttude, most positively answer in the ne
gative!
! But if they should be asked, are not your COM
mercisi towns declining Is not tho market of
produce IN these towns lower than in the towns
| on tine ncighboring rivers Are not the neces-
sary articles Of trade for inland consumption as
dear, or more so, in the towns of Rappahannock
than others /? Is not their trade, notwithstand-
ing, on the decline Are not these causes chief
! y to be attributed TO the want ofgood roads and
inland navigation of the river and its branches p
Has not the Legislature aided the inland navi
CATION of POtowmac, James River, Appomattox
| and the dismal Swamp Canal Do not these
advantages draw to these favored places, mer.
chants Of capital Do they not give to the neigh.
boring inhabitants better and cheaper SUPPLIES of
the necessary articles of consumption Do not
| these combined causes promote the market for
| the surplus produce of the country, and cause it
TO be brought from greater distances to these IA
| vCTed towns, 20 the manifest detriment of the
! commercial towns on the Rappahannock Do
not these evils daily proceed from themselves
| and reproduce others of the aame description -
All these queries viii be by suffering section
Of citizens, otherwise inferior TO none in the
state) most teelngiy, and most solemnly, an
s~ercd IA the affirmative
! 1tthese things be true, if every eve perceives
! them, and every voice procIaims their existence
| can we, or ought we, to fear that spirit NAV
not DC easily excited to com mence, at least the
necessary reformation 1t is believed, that when
once thC public attention shall be dra yn TO these
! considerations, That there will be neither want
OF talekts, resources or public spirit TO carry in
to execution all that is necessary 10 give TO the
inhabitants Ofthe Rappahannock and It's waters
| the full enjoyment Of the many blessings which
have been beautifully conferred upon Them by an
/ all wise and bcnecent Providence.
! II is to promote, in some degree, those great
and eviden; advantages, long dormant, that the
writer Of these psges, agreeable to a former pro
mise, has devoted his feeble pen. II he shall
contribute by lis humble efforts, either 20 effect
advantageous innovations, or rouse some more