Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-12-09

For THE ENQuIRER.
THE J.alfES and JACKSONS RIVER
ca al.

General Assembly.
FACT l. From the examinations Of the re-
turns made by Commissioners appointed for
that purpose by AN act of Assembly, il appears
that the "rerdge rate of freight npon James
River, together with the existing tolls, a
mounts Ia 3 AZ per ton, for 100 miles
FAcr9 Experience both in Europe and the
u. States, proves that upon canal the freight
at IA ton OF produce need not exceed s per
ton, for distance of 100 miles.
Inference. II follows, that il the James and
Jtcks"n's river Canal WAS completed, "a toll of
s 2 47-l0o pcr ton, for 90 miles, might he cul
iected, without increasing the cost of bringing
produce Ia market with the advantage of
having at all times, constant, safe, and com
renlent conveyance, instead of the present un-
certain, unsafe, and incunvenient navigation.
FACT 8. The books of the James River
Company show, that during he Eve years
preceding the LIST fJanuary. 1928, the pro
duce and merchandise transported upon the
river and canal, exclusive of plaster and coal,
averaged annually 3I,224 tons. In the year
1919, the quantity amounted TO $4,000 IONS.
IN average distance Oftransporialion, cannot
be- less than 90 miles.
inference. l. necessarily follows, that if the
Canal was completed, the above S4,s24 tons,
paying toll of S Al per tom, would yield
an annual revenue If 5 255,655; which would
pay six per cent. interest upon more than
FOUR MILLIONS of dollars. or more than
np"hir III" esi'natr made. by Mr.. Moore of
HE expense at the works contemplated
/ toll of 26-100 prr ton would Weld "A
revenur, exc. eding The interest of three million
nf dollars
Let 1t he remembered that the articles of
coal and plaster are not included in the above
tonnage. III rs left to every person to form
his own estimate of the probable rev.nu.
which, when the ~ hole work Is completed
may he derived
From coal and plaster.
| From the materials of commerce
4 nhch these improyr will in, ite 10
Frnm the probable increase of those arli
Giles now constituting the trade upon the
From the tolls upon the connecting road ;
and bridges over the Greenhrirr and
Gauly rivers
, From tolls on salt, sc. upon the Kanaw-
Il Is no Improbable superstition that the ne,c
subjects of commerce, will greatly exceed tn,
existing trade IL weight, bulk and value
Ought not the consideration of this very
important subject Ia engage the attention of
the legislature at AN early period ofiis sessions;
and cot, as heretofore, b. postponed until its
very clnse Tho time Is near ut hand, " hen
the Dor fthe co"ntry is usually appropriat
, eu Tor me succeeding year and before that l.
done, il would be well for the public 10 be-
, appriZed of the determination of Ih. L., gisla-
iure. LOBBY MEMBER.
THE JUDICIARY SYSTEM
We PUBLISH ii in our last paper "A Memorial
addressed by h" One Of The People" to he L.
g,sia'ure, complaining of tn, " impeJeciions
q The lao organising The Superior Courts for
this Commonwealth w. hard neither TIM,
| I'm off
+ paper az the subject demanded We now sup
ply this omission. We seize the present ep-
, Portunity TO execute the intesiions We had
formed long before this Memorial came TO
our hands. We will frankly state our opinions
upon the whole matter. The evil has a, last
become too crying to he concealed too enor
nous to be palat.d. 1t demands a radical re-
form Of the system at the hands of the repre-
sentniives of the people.
That "government is, or ought to be. in
uted for the common benefit, protection
and security of the people" is proposition
loo plain to require any calculation or support.
!, II rs recognized az sort If axiom, in all our
: fundamental Instruments from the Decaril-
!, ton of Independence down to the present
day.-Bnt of all the functions of the state GO
vernments, none is more essential to the bene-
, ut and security of the people than the right
administration Of Justice The duties O.. the
y
field. They embrace even the regulation Of
: the courts, and the appointment of the Judges
But, though they take in larger compass of
powers, they dn not generally come SO ncar" Ia
the business and bosoms of the people. While
hey only touch indi, iduals here and there.
now and then, the jurisdiction nf the courts
reaches them in a thousand transactions, and
10 the every day concerns of life. Ii is the
, interest of the people, therefore, that Justice
should be well administered courts be pro
perry organized; the most competent Judges
appointed.
Is The organization Of the Courts Of Vir-
gInia the best calculated TO attain these oh
: jects?
!, We pass over the Courts of Equity.-We
pass over the highest tribunal Of civil Law
known To- our land, viz the Court of Aupeals
with one remark only: Can that court be-
well constituted, which is composed nominal
~ of five Judges, bat really of four onIy ?
What IS the consequence Should one Of
: these four he unable to attend in his place. the
highest tribunal IN the land is made up of three
Judges only. Let one of these dissent. and
lhp case goes of un the opinion of two ONLY :
less Than majority Of the whole court
'Rnes'i"ns thus decided are not considered as
: settling the law of the land Justice becomes
chPrIcl0iIs--Hod I've people lose then reverence
lor her decrees.--T'hr state of the docket too
IS one ut the hest thermometers of the state n(
lhe court. Is the mass of business lrssening (;
IS not the docket loaded with eanscs. whicii
should long since have been decided
Ihr coach requires another wheel tu be put
10 il.
: But we pass over these courts. ~ come ~
once To the subject Of the u n,oflai IL can
~ hrs ,t,I A.,