Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-03-20

wh'cb would be justified by the new facilities IN
up James River. '''u P'oefess
buf The James river Representatives. fe.r;n.
'na' 'nese expectations might be disappointed.
and the people they represented might be bnr,h.rs
With additional tolls, before they derived 80
dement, from the Improvement. exacted pledce
which was given in the following sections I'm
.srted a. il 10 said At the INSTANCE of Charles Yancev
ksq OF Buckinsham.)
Sect. 9. And til. General Assembly here
loy pledge themseives, tina, as the work afo,e.
said, on the James and Jack.on's river snd s.
the vallies OF these rivers, shall propress
ana snail contribute to reduce the exnen,. &c
transportation, up and down the said rivers or
eahsis, oeiow the average price of Transportation
upon me SAID rivers, as they have been for the
three years last past, they will authorize the said
company ts receive tolls thereon, in convenient
see"ons' 10 the amount necessary with their other
resources specified in this act as applicable 10 the
payment OF Interest on money to be borrowed hv
men, Tor the payment of the interest on monev
expended IN such work; prorided that such adj
otona tolls shall not exceed one third of the saw
ing IN transportation up and down the said riyers-
which VIII accrue thereby TO those who use the
said improvements, taking the average price of
transportation for three years last past, as the
basis of their estimates. N''
" Sect. - And be it enacted that fourteen cum.
in's.ioners be appointed residing in the coun-
'e' ''iieI'hS ON Inc James river, and Jackson's
river, Tor the purpose of ascertaining the ave-.
rage price of transportation Of the various con-
modIlles liable 10 tolls, according TO the term.
OF the charter of the James River Company. and
all Other commodities up and down the said rivers
ior three years last past; that is TO say, Daniel
Warwick OF the City OF Richmond, SC. SC.
Secl. ~ And be u further enacted that from
ana after the period at which the said comnanv
holding as an agent in trust for the benefit Of
me commonwealth, shall give thei. assent To
this act. they shall not be obliged to work on the
bed OF James river as heretofore, EXCEPT as far as
may be necessary TO render the navigation from
the upper locks to Lynchburg as easy and equal in
every part az may De practicable; and The said
company shall at all times hereafter, keep the he'd
OF the river above the point to which any new
Improvement contemplated by this act shall be
completed tor use ard connected with the rive-
and below Cro,o's Ferry; as good and conyenien,
Tor navigation as it now 10; and as it ill be after
tne repairs aforesaid shall be made Session acts
lSl0 20 p. z3-.i4.
Now, sir, with this solemn nledee st,,;n, r,,,
IN the lace, and in open defiance of everv n,io
cipie OF justice, In iS25, this same Legislature
"h!ch hao made these enacimenfs, without ever
Striking one stroke towards the Improvement of
me Maicens Adventure 10 the mountains Iail
on i4o per cent upon the toll on tobacco over and
above that which under yonr charter you had anv
authority TO demand Yes, sir, instead ne an,
nhiiins the charter as you would have done in the
hands OF individuals, the pow er of The Legislature
Is employed 10 take from the hands of industry a
port, OF us IaooW without any equivalent
l ne honest hard-working planter, after toiline
TOT me support OF the partner of his bosom, and
me beloved OIL pring OF his lons is made TO Weld
up share OF the fruits OF his labour wi,hout even
the semhlance OF benefit.
S:r, the 10 h Section referred to, dist;nctlv ar.
know lodges the charter as the AUTHORITY nndsr
wch me Aesisiatus Claims the right of collecting
tohs' and continues its operation under the samo
James River Company, holding, as an necnt.
IN trust for the benefit Of the Commonwealth -
And, as if to leave no doubt of the un,ers,andin,
OF the tenure by which it holds limits The point Is,
which II Is to keep the bed OF the river Git for ma
Y'ga'ion, 10 tyO,cs Ferry And wbys WIN
MOI 10 DunIap'- Creek? Because the act of 1855
sect. o. declares that Cro,o's FERN. at he
NOUN ~ LeoneysCreeh, shall be forever taken
ana deemed to be the highest place practicable
1cifhtn the meaning IF the ADORE recited acf',
And what has the James River Company done To
Inc bed ct The river since the purchase of the
charter and The dismissal OF the suit which threat,
ened the dissolution OF the charter? In the wear
1915 company OF hands was employed on the
Ded oil the river above Lynchburg, principally in
the section through the mountain and IL. n.;oh-
oourhood, where it was represented many lives had
peeh lost. Except that, am not aware nor do
believe, that any tbog haS been done to the bed
OF the river, since the charter fell into the hands f
me stale. myself saw numbers Of boats mas
sing by the mouth of Wiis's during the last sum-
Iner, with only four hogsheads of tobacco, from
Lynehburg, and upon asking The reason, the reply
was that they could not bring more. The COM
mission merchants books in this city will testify
TO this fact.
Hlr. Speaker, the people of Cumberland asks5
you Tor no money 10 improve the navigation oe
WilIis's River. They asked only for a cb,us-
10 improve their own navigation sixtyafye miles
aD've It's mouth. For this they pay forty.two
cents per hogshead at the mouth Of Willis's
Inc people OF Buckingham asked oniv for n
charter 10 improve Slate River, and are now en-
gagged In doing their own work. You have me.
granted charter TO the people of Fluyanna ana
Aioemarle, 10 improve the Rivsnna at their own
expense
When these people enter into James River with
their tobacco, hey told that they cannot go &c,
tichmond without paying ITO per cent addi,io,
upon the toll allowed urder the charter. Tbev
ask, why? are new facilities sfForded5 THE onIy
answer il, no. But the Government has boupM
the charter, and you have no appeal.
We come now, sir, 10 The second enoui,v
whether this addition 10 the oil upon tobacco. au-
'horIsed bv the original charter, is justified became
The people upon James River asked Won 10 i'm.
prove 'be navigation Of IL, and must pay for your
errors.
In order IN decide this question: il is necessary to
go back to the year 1910, hen this grand scheme
of forming a bond Of union between the east and
Tie west, was first conceived By the great men of
he country.
In that Jesr a resolution was adopted sppoiuf,
tuo - IN h. =