Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-11-27

aAhA >As al Sulp-pcT courthouse. III
this road should succeed. of which in. |
deed there can be no doubt the same |
principles andiplan may be extended !
TO such other towns and parts of the
country as may appear most necessary
and most inviting. Such roads, be-.
sides the advantage to'besdrawn from
them by the inhabitants of the couu-
try through which they would pass,
will most intellectually benefit the In.
terest OF the towns on the Rappahan-
mock, by the great increase Of COM
merce, drawn from hey ond the moun-
tains--the inhabitants of that country
would soon discover the great advan-
tage of having better roads to Fred
ericksburg and Falmouth, and shorter,
by more than halfthe round about way
they at'present use to Alexandra, &c.
This Is matter that has been often
mentioned, and has been strongly ur-
.ged, by th-i Farmers and .NIillers of
that part of the country.
Before the same meeting, will he ex-
hibited true plot of the river and all
its improvesble branches, from the
chesapeake Bay to the mountains, laid
down chiefly by accurate survey, noti-
cling every rapid, and the manner and
expen,e of rendering each ofthe m ma
vigable, together with many useful and
necessary notes-also, it is expected
that there will be prepared for the in
'spection ofthe members of that meet
ing, a plot of the survey of the con-
templated turnpike road, from Freder-
icksburg to Culpeper courthouse all
or which it is most sanguinely hoped,
will be aided by the countenance and
patronage of those interested, and
most capable ofgiving the best infor-
nation.
The inland navigation of Potowmac.
J amcs River, Appomatox, Pianketank,
the Dismal Swamp Canal and several
other undertakings of a similar nature
on the south east side of the noun
tains under the auspices and aid of our
Legislature, are in high and most
prosperous state of bene fetal improve
men'.-Why then, the Rappahannock
with all Its natural advantages, should
thus remain unimproved, with its
towns and commerce declining. is
matter of deep regret and deserves the
most serious enquiry lis it because
the expense ofimproving its navigation
IN proportion to the utility to be deri-
we'd therefrom, is likely to be more
than other rivers have cost? Is itbe-
cause the head of its tide does NOT
rom its natural geographical position
command the trade of country as -ex-
tensive in proportion to the expense of
improving it, as the rest Of the rivers ;
Is 1t because the inhabitants, proper
tionabiy are not SO numerous, indus
trious and virtuous, as the other parts
of.the state? Or is it because. that
during the revolutionary contest, thew
sent ither wise nor virtuous men
into council, nor those who were brave
and active into the field? To these
important queries, individually, thew
will, with all the pride of conscious
rectltude, most positively answer in
the negative! 1
But if they should be asked are not
your commercial loves declining Isl
not the market of produce in these |
towns lower thfn In the towns on the !
neigbbouring rivers Are not the
necessary articles of trade for inland
as dear, or more so in the
towns of Rappahannock than Others?
Is not their trade, notwithstanding. on
the decline? Are not these causes
chiefly to be attributed to the want of
good roads aud inland navigation of !
he river and its branches Has not
he Legislature aided the inland ma
,Igation OF Potowmac, James River.
a .Pomattcx, and the Dismal Swamp
lanai Do not these advanta GEES
lraw to these favored places, mer.
.hahts'of capital {? Do they not give
o ne neigh5ouring inhabitants better
ard cheaper supplies of the necessary
riicles Of consumption Do not these
:ombined Causes promote the market
or the surplus produce Of the coun.
ry, and cause it TO be brought from
'reater distances to these favored
owns, to the manifest detrimept ofthe
omms' cial towns on the Rappahan-
lock ! Do not these evils daily pro.
eed.fiom themselves and reproduce
'thers of the same description All,