Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1828-08-07
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may not Virginia proceed with some
confidence TO the completion OF thoSt
Improvements which are already in pro
gress' Are not her resources adequate
TO the object, and does not The sound
est policy advise the application OF them
In rejecting on these momentou'
questions. il will readily occur to the
Il legislature that money invested in pro.
ductive fund may be replaced at the vii
of the proprietor. He does not acquire
dead capital, but a subject capable Of
circulation, capable of being again con
verted into money at pleasure. II wil
be at The option of the legislature to re
tain the property. in which case the div
idends, il any reliance is 10 be placed 90
the estimates of the Principal Engineer.
will meet the interest; or 10 sell so much
stock as viii discharge the principal. A
loan then thus employed, does not i'm
pose continuing burthen on the people,
but becomes an active fluid, having the
double operation of reproducing itself
and of dispensing benefits to the state at
large, as well as to great number 81
its inhabitants.
This convention will net engage in
the task for which perhaps il is not well
fitted, Of calculating the expense or the
productiyeness of the improvements
which we recommend These calcuia'
tions have been made officially by the
person whose duty it is to obtain the re.
qusits information, and whose prefss
sisnal talents ought to enable bin, to
decide upon the subject. To them, we
refer, and the Judgment OF the legisla
ture will be exercised upon them. To
that judgment we submit with implicit
confidence.
There is hewevar one obvious cir
cumstance to which we will take the Ii
berry to advert.
II every proposition to dominance an
expensive and more bene fetal system
of improvements. the legislature will un-
doubtedly take into its view the compa
ra'ive value of the object with the ex.
pense of its attainment In making this
comparison, future disbursement weuld
be opposed to future advantages, and
no other item would be brought into the
amount Even in these cases, an anlar.
ged policy which contemplates the fu
tuie as well as the present, would. we
persuade ourselves perceive 10 the pecu-
mary returns which might reasonably
be expected, and still more in the vas,
accommodation 10 its citizens, and the
consequent increase of articles for mar
ket and of the general prosperity, full
remuneration for present advances. All
experience shows that iudicious and
permanent Improvements of internal
navigation, continually disclose new
sources of wealth, furnish additional
employme for industry, and thus add
to the population and strength of coun-
try.
But, as respects the navigation oil
James river we are not now about to
commence the more expensive and more
beneficial system. tits already begun
and very large sum of money has been
expended omit. The canal from Rich
mond to Maiden's Adventure has cost.
as appears from the last report of the
Principal Engineer, S64o, 1000, and that
through the mountains sectien sos. 900
The value OF these wsrks, of the lower
canal especially, depends essentially on
uniting them All those who commence
transportation at or between the head
ofthe canal are undoubtedly benefited
by il, because freights are lessoned DO
the addition to the cargo But those
who enter the river above, derive no
advantage from the canal below, be-
cause their cargoes and their moving
power must be adapted to the state Of
the upper navigation. If the improve
ment steps at its present point, upwards
ofoua million of dollars are wasted. We
can avail ourselves Of this expenditure
only by extending the Improvement
From our estimates of the advantages
and disadvantages Of its ex tensinn, this
item ought not 10 be excluded. II il be
taken into the amount, its influence, nm
less every estimate which has been
made is deceptive, must be decisive in
favour of prosecuting this work.
So imperfect is the navigation of this
river above the head of the lower canal,
that in one state OF the water, boat
cannot bring half load; and in snoth
er, it is liable to be wrecked on the voy.
age. The vast Importance of compile
tins this Improvement must be obvious