Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-12-20

and passing through the very heaft OF tine STATE,
the best connexion between the Eastern and West
ern waters, which can be made within the United
States, as the eertdi,, and they once hoped. The
speedy means of insuring these public improve
nen,s, on which the regeneration, and, indeed
saivdtion Of the State depend: They have, there
fore, looked, viii the utmost dismdy, on The act
Of the last assembly, as indicative of total o5an-
donnient of those public improvements, and all
their consequences. IF the tchoie Of this Wes-
tern trade will justify the tohoie State in ven>
turing on these gigantic improvements, will not
our giving away portion, ii mol the whole of il,
and giving away with 1t oreshalf. and the most
cnierprising haifof our population, and making
tirein, as they have too long been, the back coun-
try of Baltimore, forever put an end TO efforts
on this subject?
It seems to be taken for granted, by the whole
Western population, that Virginia has abandoned
,sny further Improvement, OF nature TO grasp this
Wesern trade, and TO secure TO them hat they
have been looking to for years; and, therefore,
they have been driven TO cover your table with
petitions, to be annexed, in commercial point
OF riesr, TO Mary land; and that Baltimore shall be
their seaport town. What better proof can they
have of the total abandonment Of the improve
plents heretofore contemplated than the passage OF
The act aforesaid? And therefore i, is, that they
now pray you so TO modify ihdt act, that the
Company may run their road wherever they please
las, for instance, by Covington to the Falls of
the Great Ksnawha,
Taking their premises to be true, there lie great
force in their application: Whether il will be suf.
ifcient to induce this present General Assembly
forever to put an end TO the power of Virginia,
now absolutely, and your Memorialists had hoped,
indlienaJiy in her, this Western trade, il is
for their wisdt and patriotism to decide. The act
of the last session is certainly not calculated to af
ford substitute for that Improvement, which the
Western section of the State has a right 10 ex.
pect;- and It's only effect be TO tpeoken our
i'm II , .irsa
There ought TO be no hesitation, therefore, as il
himbly submitted, in repeating the act of the last
eession; and good faith would seem TO dictate that
this should be instantly done.
II will then be question, and a n1omentous
one indeed, whether this trade shall be yielded 10
Baltimore, or retained by the Slate?-not retained
merely, bot acted on efficiently by the State, in
The manner indicated by the excellent renorks of
orr present Chief Magistrate on that subject. If
we propose TO abandon it because the project il
o'siondry and hazardous, can safely take this
ground in opposition TO the opinions above referred
to- and to the opinions too OF the people OF Balt-
mere, who, with not half the advantages we
possess, do not think it so? five are about 10
abandon it because il is beyond the power of the
State, can We be correct in estimating tina, mower
below that of the City of Baltimores
That City knows full well the value of this
trade: she has been raised TO her present state of
prosperity by portion of the back country in
and according 10 nature, belong TO Virginia; but
which, with all the rect she now wishes 10 acquire
an fee simple
For want OF enterprise in making roads, sc. 20
as 10 seize on this trade, il has rolled on through
the whole extent Of our State. for FORTY wears;
uh.h now our whole state, and every town in il !,
Notwithstanding our great natural Superiority, has
necome back county, either to Baltimore or
New York, and must forever continue in that
Hunoie and Tutnous condition, unless the present
General Assembly, in their wisdom, shall ordain
osierwise. Let the law of the last session stand
OF that which the petitioners your table ask
ana the de Is cast. II is not well perceived how
you can escape from this dilemma, without taking
such measures as will satisfy the Just cancellations
OF our western people on this subject Indeed .
-tere can be no bstter time than the present TO act
efficiently on il.
There IS great deal of labor in the State al
present almost unemployed; and the sprino m oUr
affairs, which would be given by its employment,
and by the money which would be expended in the
cshlre OF The State, may well be supposed: willis,
~ Is not easy 10 estimate either the instanfaneo,.s
or future effects which spirited and serious
movement on the part of the State, in this great
project, would have on the landed propertv in GU.
cry part OF the Commo nweal,h. II is verify he
iieVed' that,in a short, time, we would no LONGER
see our population flying from our borders and
seeking their fortunes elsewhere; but on the con
uary, as our country, especially below and near
.de wafer, IS in reality the-Garden of the United
o'ae.' II occupied by wealth and enterprise, we
wouiu soon see ihe Tide of population reflowing
and occupying its natural bed
touF hemorialists hitherto have treated This
supJec, as though they were all Virginians But
we, the Inhabitants of North Carolina. are greatly
ana eqpaliy interested on this subject with The low
er and Southwestern parts of Virginia.
Inc waters OF the Albemarle Sound. and The
o1Iet 10 orlolk, compose their great highways IN
.ns ocean indeed, II an inland seaboard nayiga
.on' rom the Sound TO the various inles along the
s:oss'' shouid &c made, and which is dsemed far
from impacticable, Norfolk would be much
more eligible and large seaport tour, to tbs vyboe
o. worm and great part OF South Carolina, than
fimoTe. ~ 'ta" "'i-
Lei Noriolt be fixed on, then, as The En,po.
stuh' oy NE Middle States, and LET ia eyanin.
now she can be supported as such. The trade of
Niee oaeS country is necessary 10 raise and sur
Ev,l isIge seaport town. In the FIRST place. Nor
- ''ers 70 none IN the excellence OF her har-
uour' ana hef contigui,y to the ocean. 10 say mn.
thihg OF the fact, that her harbour il safe Of an
pToach and always OPEN ~
we VIII not stop the course Of our tsrsssnt on.
Tuly, W examining into the practicabjitv of and
e 'SDD ana me lDhen this great work ia IN he
uhcettsSen and finished. That we mus, .nb,o;, a.
Jour honorable body, in the GuH and sieodf1sI
NcPe 'nst 1t will never be given up, or our pIos-
PEGS uininshed; aud will proceed al once 10 take
we" OF what would be the probable effect when
we following public works, here and else,vbers
snail nave bsen completed:
FIRST, that the communications bs,r,es,. a.
chesapeake and Delsv are, has been made:
Ahst the Susquehanna has been imnrov.d ,L.
Fo''mac' HSPPahsnnoek, York, and other branch.
That the James river has been also ims,oved.