Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-01-24

IL was reared they would not give correct inforna-
ton! Would not the association OF Committee
OF the House with the Board, justify the conclusion
that coi;:lencc was not placed in them MIR. III.
remarked, that he was in favor oil the James River
lmprov ement from his situation but he was :,ot
less friendly TO the Improvement of all parts Of the
state.
| .Hr. Booker opposed the amendment. He
thought no subject would be agitated this winter
oil more importance To the persons inter estsd in
the james river, than the present And If the
committee were appoin,el from the representation
oil the James river country, thoy would be employ
ed more usciully 10 their constituents, than If they
remained IN the House. The tariff of tolls origina
ted with the Board of p. w and as mankind were
tenacious OF their opinions, good mish result
rom as.ociaiinS with them a committee Of the
/ House.
| Mr.. .Nassie was impelled by sense of duty to
say something on the subject. Tie committee was
opposed on The ground Gifts bein, dangerous pre-
cedrnt. According 10 that,argument which he con-
Suereu was Carried IN the present TO an extra
VACANT length, nigh; be dangerous to DO many ne
ctssary things Fear might be entertained of tax
ms iood lest IT should choke Bui it had nev er
been the practice send committees To the extrems
quarters OF the state, aud there was no danger that
the appointment OF the proposed one would lead to
such practice. Ii had been admitied that Others
had deceived the House by heir reports. Bat had
me iiouse ever been deceived by their oyn COM
nii'iess! III the members OF the House were not
engineers, they would be able from The application
OF common sense, 10 form good Judgment. a man
ignorant oi architecture, might ues erheless Judge
oi Tie convenience and utility OF house. \ COM
in,iee gould say whether the water in the canal was
deep enough to answer The demands of the country;
whether the works had The appearance Of durability
anu seemed TO be calculated for the purposes in
tended. 1t said there was not water enough
ia 'he canal to iioat the coal boats and this
meat was contr''cted with equal confidence: Now,
eoaio moi the committee ascertain this, end all ST.
"ar lacts! For his own part, lie thought much
good would rerut from their appointment.
M. Pdftes0n, of \. was opposed to the an
poinment 81 cnnniti ee for the very same reason
'hat Mr. Booker was In favor OF il. He had as
in.eh cohhdence IN a committee of that House as
o'her sentie'uen; but the committee was 10 be
eo'hPoseh oil those most Interested in the subject
they would probably give TO tie House the most
favorable report IN their power. He preferred in
formation IRON those least interested and would
therefore rather amend the resolution still further
.nah was proposed, by req hiring that the whole
board oil I. W orks should make the examination
than that committee of hat body should do it. In
that case the number of persons required TO 90
would not be greater than under the resolution as
II then stood. They were in his opinion entitled
10 as much confidence any other set Of gentle
men IL the tariff of tolls had originated with tbe
board, 1t had been led on and approves bv tbs
douse, who according To that mode of argument
was liable to the same objection OF partiaii,y TO
| their measure
| mr.. Garland was satisfied that the friends of
| the James fiver Improvement were incapable of
misrepresenting matters of foct For his own mar,
he had intended, IL named on the commit ee to ask
| to be excused.
J Aiier lev more remarks from Messrs P,tteson
and Booker, the question was taken, and Mr.
Dronsoole motion to strike out the committee of
the House, prevailed, l2i to 81 votes.
/ mr. PaffeSon then moved that the resolution be
| amended as lie had suggested The motion was
made IN more specific form by Mr. Moore of y and
alter few remarks from Messrs Garland u,ry;.
ana Niger, the resolution was so amended ~ tn re-
quire The examination To be made by the whole
Hoard OF +. w. the ex-oiIicio members only ex-
copied The question recurring on the adort,on of
the resolution thus amended,
mr. .lidsoa, of Southampton said he coulJ GO.
no necessity Tor lis adoption The whole history
y, '''s'""i Improvement did not furnish an exam
p' e VI ~ ''"'" money being expended in surveys
OF routes &c. Ii the object wa. TO enquire into III.
condition OF the canal as it lad been constructed
ana predicate any measure On that information in
rcia'ioh 10 ~, he saw no objection But il the ex-
animation was 10 he auxiliary to any scheme for
continuing The canal, lie should object to il.
4 mr. 1Hdy said that the resolution ought. in his
opinion, to hc joint one, and il could NO, bc ,c,e1
lie
Board of p. w. who intended TO adjourn ,ba, w.,
day. But he was opposed 10 the sdoption of Tho
resolution he James river scheme had been an
crossing one; IT had been almost the only one
heoIe the Hoard; 1t had swallowed up nearly all
the funds OF the commonwealth The Board IVA.
composed OF intelligent gentlemen, some of whom
fesiue on tne James river, and many of them had
passed by the works and were familiar with then,
ana could acquire no new information from the ,ro
posed examination. There had been txvo co,;
s!oners ard three engiDeers-wbo had made renor,
AFTER reportto the Iouse--and he could no, seq tho
necessity of sending them again.
mr.. HaTuie thought Mr.. May was mistaken
The Only time the Board had been called ON tn
act on the subject of the James River was ,,b.n
'neY were required 10 prepare tariff of tolls The
Objection as to the Senate's acting was not eooa
unless thai body had actually adjourned: and he
quoted an Instance in which bill originated i, tho
Rouse, passed all lis readings and was passed bv
the Senate the same day. AS TO the obiec,ion mr.
cl by MIR Mason, oil the cost OF the surveys e.
they were attributable to the opponents rather than
to the friends ot the scheme The opponents de
shihS more ihIorInatIon had insisted upon most os
the surveys. The undertaking was important 10
the whole state If il was abandoned. what hon
was there oil perseverance in any other
mr. hdrShnH said, that the Senate had all
Journed until wednesday. Mr. Blackburn though,
this was not material for the Board of p ~
knowing that the subject was in agitation, would
not adjourn.
'Hr. Dromgoofe said, there was work enough
carved out by the resolution 10 keen the RospJ
employed two months. But it was meyer ;o,oa,,
ed that they should perform such duties. But this
was an age oil experiment and new principles were
| 10 he adopted. Instead of y. of p. w tose,;n
the capitol, IL was to be ambula,ory. Whe, !, had
inspected this work it was to be sent 10 innec,
another and another, &c. Mr. d. commented o.,