Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-04-20
congressional.
SPEECH OF MIR. MERCER.


u! ike character are those prepos-essions Of
my colleague, which have distorted the origin nj
two other surveys, referred TO in this repor,-the
= survey recently begun, and accomplished bu, in
part, OF the line OF a canal or rail- way TO connect
The nayigabie waters of the James and Kama " ha
rivers, and of the route of an extension of ,h.
Cumberland road, TO the tide of The Potomac,
within his district.
In one particular, initiating strongly against the
views of my colleague, these objects have some
resemblance 10 justify my joint alluson 10 them
that the AID OF this Government 10 both, had been
soiemnly invited by the General Assembly of Viz
gaia: but they merit, in her respects, and shall
receive distinct snd appropriate notices.
As the suspicious of the honorable member
here, come nearest home, and impinee on nyseIf
as well az upon several of our colleagues through
whose districts these surveys have extended
sbalI be Pardoned, trust, for any seeming ego
tism, in freely using my own testimony, in this
court at conscience for our common vindication.
Along with II, is involved, indeed that of come
, hrty or forty members of this House. who con-
Cured III our request for these surveys, some OF
whom are OF opposite parties, and some OF whom
trust will We content TO follow, as I shall, the
banner OF the Constitution, which excludes u.s. ex-
csFt in one contingency, would it had effecu,lI
done SOP from any participation in the choice OF
President; which has endued us with power
Inst cannot be exalted. is OF Paramount authority
with the Executive, and acknowledges no earthly
superior, but the American People, 10 whose will
i ;mparts the solemn force of law.
will not presume to vIndicale the motives of
those gentlemen who uD cd in our request to the
Executive, to cause survey and estimate to be
made ot rail way, or canal, calculated 20 con-
meet those rivers OF Virginia which open to the
navigation OF the American People, and are alike
central and important to the whole Union; but [
viii vDdicae my own.
Fifteen years ago, | was deputed Commissions
el to survey those rivers, by that Commonwealth
to which shall ever be proud of my allegiance,
a. ! arm grsified by the recollection that hazard.
ell my life ia performing this duty, as ! descended
one OF them IN The FIRST boat that it ever bore upon
~ ough and dangerous current. This voyage sug-
g-sted hose resolutions to create fund for In
tstna Improvement, aud Board of Public
Works, which were first submitted TO the General
Assembly, in 1912; were suspended by the war,
and afterwards renewed and adopted in 1916.
COevai with the earliest of these periods a gen =
denim, recently within the sound of my voice and
Intimately acquainted with their history, though
never member of any Legislative body, well
knows that coHcuned in opinion, that the riy-
sr Greenbrier, branch Of the Kanavla, could be
conducted from high level across the Allegheny,
so as TO supply nsvigable canal between the wa
tiers Of the james and Kanswhs rivers. That this
object of national importance, and inerlted the
sid Of The Federal Government, the Board Of Pub
lie Works unanimously conceived at their first
meeting, IN 1916, when, united on the same Com.
inttee of that body, with one of the present Sen
ators OF Virginia, | had the honor to prepare The
annual report which the Governor of the Com
!. Iuonweab, President OF the Board, submitted
Nafly in the ensuing session, to the General As
ssNly.
fin die close OF that session, or on the 22d of
February, 1916, the General Assembly invited the
aid Of the United States to this national object by
Joint resolution. And that this sense of its i'm
pouant character was neither new, nor ssd3erfy
acg1esced IN, Is evidenced not oniy by The long
aniecedent report Of the Board of Public Wofk.,
bpt by the adoption Of similar resolution by ,be
House Of Delegates, al the preceding session OF
the General Assembly. In these proceedings, IT
was asserted, and especially 10 the Report of the
bossd, that The character Of this public work gave
to the Commonwealth Of Virginia a right to call
upon her sister States Of Kentucky and Ohio. and
upon the Federal Government, to aid its construc
liDn The compact with the people OF Ono in
1902, by which that Stat was admitted inio the
Uaion---the work OF a distinguished statesman ,
Nov the Chief Magistrate of Virginia mot only
ksintsins this doctrine, then common to the South,
well as to the West; but provides for ts sppli-
ION, not TO the Potomac alone, but to ali the
rivers Of the Ailsntic, which admit Of On
with the Ohio, by turnpike, or other road
towards that State; and no sound constroc-
eh admits such power 10 be legitimate
can exclude from its opsrotioD, the
where practicable, OF canal, for q
r-r-1nuncrinn,