Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-01-30

monweath and the present General ASSEMBLE. ~.",
haye full time and opportunity to consider th, gre,
question: unin duercd by the lazy passed nj m. I
session. 49,
Yonr Memoral,sts buinbly, aud with all due res,e,
represent, that they consider the aforesaid as
~ rrocoDciiab bile with and as sulye,s,vc nj La 49,,
iferesfs and dearest hopes Of Virginia.
The Fathers OF our County, from ash 5o,,
nave always looked to the connection of the Eas,crn
and W esern waters by means of the James and Ken
i Dawha rivers, probably more COW enien, an. ~,
urai communication than any other within tie United
Estates. 'So
The State. for several years past, has been oper,
ehs' though on semiy, on this subject, and with this
vieW. The practicab,lty and propriety OF This schs
has been sustained by the examinations and ra,or,s
Of every Sc, Of commissioners aud engineers from ,,
nwhich the present Chief Justice OF the nited states
assisted down to the latest reports of your prcscn,
state Engineer composing, may be seen by lle
nies OF your own body, and of the board of PubI;c
orls mass OF evidence surely entitled very greg,
'cetsht, ifno' productive Ofa5soiats conoiciion.
AZ would be madness, ;etefore, in the opinion Of
your hieuor'a''sts, for those entrusted with the public
veal now TO legsate this subject on the princinIe
'ha tins cobnexion Is inprac,icajie, and the scheme
os'onarg against this weight of evidence aud sithou,
an opposing opinion circums;a nee, save what t.
Magnitude OF the enterprise Itself sug eests
We have before ns, however, the example of New
Aox whose schemes on this subject, from their mag
aifu1e, vera considered, during their operations %
Customary da smp'dtscdJis whereas, ii turns ont ,,.
their very magnitude has proved the cause of their ma.
triumphant success And they are now etEectip, the
improvement OF their State IN every other quarter
whilst these operations vii, finally prove source of
revenue TO the State, adequate 10 all its cxeencies
without other taxation.
The magnitude Of such projects if they al praciica
ore Is the greatest recommendations and hence the i'm
policy Of diminishing By dividing it, other States the
practical results. aud consequently the po,yer In carry
them into effect. The friends OF Internal Emnruye-
ment have always looked 10 'ie absolute power which
IL Is c';ydensty believed this Commonwealth possesses
over all Others TO make within her territory and
passing through the very heart of tie State the best
connex'on between the Eastern and Western waters
which can be made within the States as the cerfrjn
anu they once hoped. the speedy hsung these
public improvements, on which the reeeneration and
i"deed, sa.aton ofthe State depend: They have there
tore locked. with The dsHay on the act of the
ias assembly as indicative OF totai abandonment of
those public improvements and all their couseouep
cts Ii the t.ole OF this Wcste trade. will M, ;rs,,f
the 'raoc state ID Venipiing these gigantic imorore
fcH'S, VIII not our giving away portion if mol the
w'e Of ~ and giving away witt, il oae-hay, and the
iost eaferp'isiaS nay Of population and max ipr
them, as they have loo long been, the back country
tatt''ore forever put an crd 10 efforts on ths
subject?
1t seems TO be taken Cor granted by the Who'll, V
tern population that Virginia has abandoned unv fur
Their improvement, ORA nature to grasp This Western
trade and TO secure 10 them what they have been looh
ing 10 for years. and therefore, they have been driven
TO cover your table with petitions 10 be annexed in
commercial point Of resc, to Maryland; and that Bali
more shall be their seaport town What better proof
can they have OF the total abandonment, of tie improve
Df
the act aforesaid? and therefore il Is that tav now
pray you so to modify that ar. as that the companv
may run their road wherever they rlcase-as for
instance by Cosngton 10 the Falls Of the great Kena-
! VIA.
Taking their premises be true there is erea, 6,ce
I'D f!eF application: Whether il Will be sufficient Il,
induce this present General Assembly orercr to put an
end 10 me power OF Virginia. now a6solatsv and yonr
Memoralis,s had lroPcd iaaliennb in her. over His
western trade, ii is for their wisdom and patriotism To
decide .he act Of the last session is certainly not
calculated TO afford substitute for that Improvement
which the Western section of the State has rip ;,
expect; and MS onIy effect be 10 ceQien o, po,zsr
! IN gong on with it. if we ever intend to do So
i There ought to be hesitation, therefore AS is
hunhy submitted IN repeating the &C. OF the last ses-
sion; aud good Faith would seem to dictate that his
should be instantly done
! 1t will then be question, and q ,onerious one in
decd, whether this trade shall be yielded 10 Baltimore
or etaned by the Sate?-not retained merely I'M,
I acted OH efficiently by the State, in lie manner
indicated By the erfeenf remarks OF our present chief
magistrate on that suhject.-if propose to abandon
It because the project Customary and hazardous can
we safely take THIS ground in opposition to the cpnioDs
above referred TO- and TO the opinions Too Of the people
OF Haitimcre, wiso, with half the ADVANTAGES yc
possess, do not think il SO? II we are about to abao
don 1t because is beyond the power of the State can
4 we be correct III estimating that power Ie!oy that of
The city Of Baltimore:
THAT city lsnows full we'll the value Of this trade
size has been raised TO her present state of prospective
by portion Of the back country in question the trade
OF winch did always, OF right, and according 10 aG-
turc belong to Virginia; but which, with all The rest
she no" wishes 10 acquire an fee simple.
For want Of enterprise in making roads &C. 50 as TO
seize OH This trade, !, has rolled rough tie whole
extent o! orr state for forty years; until whole
state, and every town IN IT. notw outstanding great
natural superiority, has become back country Ell
Tier to Baltimore or New York, and must forever con-
time in that humble and ruinoms cond,tios unless
tbe present General Assembly, in their wisdom shs
oFdain otherwise. Let the aw ofbe last session stand
or pass that which the petitioners on yopr table ask
ani tie de IS Gust Ii not well perceived how you
can escape from this dilemma, without taking such
"asures as viii satisfy the Just expectations of our
I" es'ern people on TINS subject. Indeed there he
no better time than The present to efficiently on it,
There is great deal Of labor in the Slate at rre-
sent almost unemployed and the spring 10 aair
Which would De given b. its employment, and by the
money which would be expended in the centre of the
State may well be supposed whilst il is not easy Il
estimate either the Instantaneous future effect,
which spirited and scrious increment on The mari o.