Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-02-06

Tlis situation Of the Commonwealth high
ways calls alond for the attention of the Legs
I l.ture: they are In the most disgrareiui sit,a-
| ton; the finger OF scOrn, is continually pointed
| from the hand of the stranger 10 the roads. IL
Is hun,iliatng IN Virginian 10 hear the STRIFE
tnreS by stran:e rs IN passing through TIE Com
monwcalti-Often, when they have been cN-
| tolling the climate, situation, soil, hospitality,
and urhlnity OF the COOL people of Virginia,
they are stopped in their eulogy by violent cos
cussion OF the wheel against stump, sc. Ssc
Often are the stages flied with passengers,
| capsiled. aud ladies and gentlemen thrown
INTO the most delicate and critical situations
that can well be imagined but WHAT'S sincere
~ to be lamented, life = limb are-oitea enddn-
| gercd.
Ii is believed that this is among the most
| lighteIed Legislatures that have been couveu-
| ed since the Revolntiou-itis certainly the most
| interesting. 1t therefore calls to the Capitol
tie people OF Virginia from all quarters OF the
state pleased ard delighted they will be, to
hear the interesting debates of their repreScn-
taiives in the General Assembly bat as they
advance along the roads, they are compelled
to Keep as sharp look out the different
passes OF the road. as iftiey were recommending
the enemy, WHO might be la wing in wait for
them ihis Is no exaggerated account OF two
OF the most public roads leading from the Ne
tropol!s IL Lyncliburg and Charlottes Vile,
running through the very heart OF the Com
monwealth-one on tiie south, the other on the
north side of James River: those roads. too,
That unite the great western with the eastern
throw "a mantle over the Commonwealth high
ways. but this is mpoSSi5le-foreigner and
strangers may pass and rc-pass through the
state OF Virginia, and may never discover any
ueiect IN our government, laws, and policy
bur having eyes to see, they have ocular de-
nnonStrdtion OF the miserable situation of our
ways, l mean the Commemorative highways)
a Nirgin,,n rot long since was ayellin~ with
very enlightened European, who was making
great many enquiries of the Nirgiuian about
our tree representative republican government
ana laws, to al which enquiries favorable an
swerS were made by the Virginiau who is de-
voted to the old domiIion The European then
asked, how arc YOUR laws executed: The answer
was, most eXcelientiy. Have YOU no laws con.
corning your highways, o yes. Howarc they
executed ! (poiniing 10 a very bad part of the
road, and then turning and looking fun in the
! face OF the Nirsinian. waiting for replv) bur
! before any could be made, the stranger was
turned topsy turvy ont othis gil. into IA gully,
| witf hiS Si@ on him, which would have been
his grave perhaps, ii il had not been for the
favorable interppstion of his fellow traveller.
| who assisted 10 re seat the stranger, who had
| sustained no real injury To his person; hut his
| CLONES mat had been blue were now yellow or
| rather, they were party -coloured The mis-
| hap was iamenied, but it stopped all further
commentaries on our roads on that OCCASION
| 1herea are two petitions to the Legislature to
establish sem-turnpikes trem Richmond to
| Lynchburg and Charlottesville Those great
western roads are almost impossible al certain
| seasons OF the year, iusomuch that il takes the
united mail stages three days to go from Rich
mond 10 Charlottesville which is oniv SO miles
| and somewhat longer to pass from Richmond
! TO Lynchburg. But * the roads were ONLY
semi turnpike it might he easily effected in
| one day to Charlottesville, and d little longer
| to Lynehhurg y instead of the stages runuinr
| twice week, as they AT present do. they might
| run the stages backwards AMI forwards every
| day III the year. The intercourse betweenthe
city of Richmond, and Lyuchburg and Char
| lottesvie and the adjacent country. is greater
| than between the Metropolis aud any other
towns place, in the Commonwealth That
such rs the situation, country and soil through
whlch the said road IS proposed to be run, that
| nothing more viii be required than TO semi
| turnpike the road-EXcepti in few places. a
| little stone, gravel, or wood may be required
| The Sem-thrnpike answers better in Virginia
than any other kind toprove the fact, it is on
| ly To refer TO the road leading from Richmond
| TO Goochland Courthouse, above and below
| Iuckahoe Creek, where it is said two survey.
ors, with 80 or 80 hands, with big plough
turnpiked 5or miles of the road in 3 ora days
| and will venture to say, that il is a very plea
| SAINT and durable turnpike, and has been so foi
5 or years.-Men, horses, and all kind of car.
riaces, feel Tie advantage and benefit of goo
| roads.
In consequence ofturnpikes in Penns, Ivania
and New. York, their farms distant from the
cities of Philadelphia 81 New-York 100 miles.
have risen several per cent in their value. il
they are situated contiguous to the turnpikes
II is astonishing What appreciation the lands
on the Richmond turnpike for 8 or 10 mile,
have receved-and all our lands wonld rise in
the same proportion in the interior of the state
itthc turnpikes vera extended as they ought
to be.
God and nature have blessed the people OIL
Virginia with delightful climate and fertile
sol--our crops of various kinds are luxurant
aud abundant, and Virginia would be ths
"granary of the world" if our roads and inte,.
nal navigation were attended to as they ourht
to he. What an improvdent people have we
not been in not opening our rivers and roads
and enabling our farmers and planters to car
ry their produce to marke ct with ease and facili
tyr-Let not the state of Virginia for the hono
of the old dominion, be any longer in the bach
ground of her sister states; but let her take he
proper stand in the midst of them-And as sh,
was first in the field, let her not be the last
|; or even the second in arts, sciences and inter
nal improvements-and from the fayorabI,
sentiments entertained of the present enlrht
: ened aud patriotic General Assembly, " we thu
J people, have now lively hope and joyful ex
pectation they will carry into immediate exc
cution what was so wisely * happily begun b,
their enlightened and patriotic predecessors
i have seen Bill that has been reported b,
the Committee of Roads and Internal I'm
provement, that, should it take effect it is hon
I ed that all the evils complained of will be dom
away.
, 60 Gnd DO Hkecise.
Extract Of q letter from the County of Stat