Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-01-01

I as good time as any other, and he saw no reason
! for delaying it,
Mr. Anderson Of Bctetourt, expressed his sur
prise, not less at the motion of the gentleman than
at the argument by which he had attempted TO
support II. When, he asked, did that gentleman
ever vote dollar towards the iinproye rent of the
James river, or of the country connected with it,
But II seems that he has all at once become the
strenuous friend Of the james river Improvement
lie had himself unrddlcd the vstelv of this new
and ardent attachment BY the present restriction
'ia baiumorc Company would be compelled To
carry their road through his co,lt..rv oyer almost
lhpassable mountains, and nj the expense OF i'm
4 fi'enSo sums vi money that must b.. extended
there' Nir ~ declared that, upon this subject he
had no sectional feelings; Tor his constituents were
q, compelled 10 send their p Siuce to Richmond
Acting rs citizen of the Comm onyvealth he was
disposed to permit the road to take any route the
company might think most advantageous. He did
hot consider, however that TO be- u. . proper time
! 10 enter into the merits OF the application Let
the bill Il brought in; let its friends aud opponents
meet II July and openly and let the House decide
advisedly
| MT. linn remarked, that it was true he never
had voted dollar towards the iilproyclncnt OF
James river; but, unfortunately they had got our
money, ana be wished TO get il back.
Mr. Everett said that the petitioners only de-
served 10 be put upon footing of fair competition
with the other estern counties A great and
valuable road was TO be constructed IL must pass
through some part Of the Western country The
only question was should the company be permit
teu 10 take choice OF routes; select the cheapest
i ana most advantageous: In the decision of this
question, there no reasonable opposition to
srahtihg the privilege, except from the very coun-
hes through which, according TO the present re-
stricuoh, the road must pass He thought the
rouse ought to permit the subject 10 progress
MT Bryce remal kei, that ne had not cxDected
tnat the subject would be taken up so soon a, the
resolution had been laid the table with the I'm
GeTsurdints that II was not 10 be acted on until
4 'here was full House. On an questions of gene
raj interest, nc disposed 10 permit the friends
OF the measure Ia mature it, and present Il TO the
Rouse IN all its details, and with al t.:eir argu-
ents III Its favor, but he did not think the present
came under that rule. The p,inciple now inyoy-
cd, however important, could l,% % web decided
upon resolution as bill. lie repeated that he
had hoped II would have been referred TO thu. ,ieci
SION oi iuil"r House. 1t involved principle of
great Importance, coming directly in conflict with
what had heretofore been considered as the ,olicy
Ioi me State. 1t had been determined bv Virginia
10 improve the navigation of the James and Kcnay-
ma rivers, ami to connect them i'll such manner.
as W uIaN INTO her bosom the lucrative commerce
OF the West. In the execution OF this scheme
she had expended large sums oil money; she had
borrowed The sum oil : / POO 900; and the mea-
sure now proposed, came directly in conflict with
inc source 10 which she looked for the means of
carrying on the work. and of the ultimate rcdemp-
ton oil the debt contracted. Virginia had looked
! 10 the lucrative commerce of the West; she had
thouShf she could offer il facilities that would bring
along her line OF improvement, and that from its
benefits she would derive the means of carving
on other extensive and valuable improvements
mat, by improving the face OF the country; by
bringing INTO operation the whole resources OF the
state, she would place herself on that point Of ee-
vaton III the UniOn TO which she was so Justly en-
titled This proposition, involving such consilera-
ions, was weighty and important No deyeIope-
ihents that could be made by the details of the BILL
could possibly induce the friends of the policy to
which he had alluded, to give il up, or what was
equivalent to grant the privilege asked for. What
nc ASKED would be the consequence OF permitting
the hMl koad to run parallel with great i'm
PToNeIncnt: Are they not apparent upon 4 mo-
ment5 reflection? But who, he asked, are the ne
uuoners: Are they not the same persons who pc
/ utlOhed you TO make the improvements YOU have
already made who urged you into the great scheme
oil uniting the eastern and western waters? W hat
you nave done, he granted, was not done more for
tneir particular advantage than for the general adj
vantage But, alter having been so instrumental
III causing TINS expenditure OF public money, with
what grace can they now come before you and
ask that you should 90 that which must render
what has already been done almost useless If
advantages were TO result from the Western com
Inerce, why not preserve them TO ourselves: But
Ia on the other hand, we had abandoned all idea of
advantage from CONNER With the West: if VI,
intended 10 abandon our improvements and consent
I 10 throw away the money that had been spent
Then the peculiar situation Of the West the utter
hhpracticaoiiity Of their getting to market and the
consequent hardsbips under which they lahored
i'iSht demand the adoption of some measure for
their re.e!; perhaps the permission asked in behalf
b
hrst ascertain whether Virginia means to carry on
her scheme of Improvement. Until that de cision
Is made, he could consent To- the present prono
sltiOn IN favor OF the Rail Road COMPANY and
thereby withdraw the means OF completing our
scheme, aud OF being reimbursed the sums cx-
! pended. lie said he did not understand that the
! application came from the Rail Road CoInnanv:
but tilat they We're, The contrary TO be consult
ed and invited TO select the route by the Kenawha
sc. &c.
Mr.. Bryce dweli on the consequences that must
result from the abandonment OF our scheme oil con-
meeting the Eastern and Western waters In IL.
execution, wc had borrowed 81 200 OOO The
present income OF the Improvement, was $40 600
less than the interest annually due, and for which
the state was bound TO provide. Was it he asked
prudent To diminish that revenue: 10 cut of the
prospect OF making the expenditure aid if not en-
iirclY reimburse itself, by it, profits? The policy
he commended, was ruinouS; it led to direct taxa
ton Of the whole people sc.
Mr.. Is. concluded by expressing his rccrc, that
the subject had been taken up at a time when he
was not prepared To enter into IT, He hoDcd t,e
House would reverse the opinion Of the Commit
Tee.
! Mr.. Miller regretted that Mr. Bryce was not
prepared Ia enter into the subject at that time and
expressed his surprise that he should under such
circumstances, be opposed to the introduction of n
o"i' he question was only in its first stage of
processing; and why not permit it to progresss
why not permit bill 20 be brought in with all its
details presenting the whole subject fully and
ldli ~ To the consideration of the House! III should
be glad, he said, 10 meet the member from e. mir
~ and hear him when his health was best
MS idcuiiles most aslute. and his preparation most
ample For his own part, MIR. Miller said, he was
IN a position which rendered him entirely irnpar.
ila All the interests Of his part Of the country
were connected with Richmond and Norfolk; and
the construction OF the Rail Road along the route
|fsss. f..H.. .s...1f. Al.