Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-12-02

III. bcuon me anAloES sCrslbllities of tie people q
Virginia, during this year, WINS the interesting s,ibiecr
Of internal improvements. The a cit ments nrofSrrf;
thereby became SO extensive, that portions of liz,
people OF thirty-niDe counties and of several towns
voluntarily sent representatives to a convention, p.
meet at Charlottesville on the 18th day of July. I328
iCr the purpose Of taxing that subject into consider
uIion. IHls convention, composed ofcitiZens amor,.t
tie most renowned for talents ard resnectob;Is:,
met accordlngy, and adopted certain proceedings
wilich, IN virtue o. one OF it's resolutions have bee,
forW0rdei to ME by 1Ir. Madison, the Chairman,
accompanied with a letter. requesting nte to lay them
before the General Assembly; and l now take nreu,
pleasure IL complying with that request. Thoyr,
proceedings speak f"r themselves, aud REQUIRE mn.
commentary from me; and | nov rely UPON The Wis
dom OF the General Assembly for the adout ION NJ.
any such measures Of Improvement rs may be sur
gcsted by the information continued therein. H1I.
without Interfering with my specified object Of irI-
,nedInte Improvement recommended b, t5at con,,n-
ION cope | may be ildUlgcdi i'll calling the attentions
inc General Assembly during its present session. 70
one which l conceive to bo OF greatly more utiiit,~
nan eXpeEce, although the same measure WIS ,uua.r
the consideration OF the Lost General Assembly. md
did not then receive tho appreciation of both ;;L
branches. 1t Is the continuation and complexion nj
the nonaWiia turnpike road from It's present ter
lnlnGtlon, to- the month Of the Big Sandy, near thu.
Junction OF VIlgin:l, kentucky and CHIC conceive,
this measure TO De Of 10 much urgency, and promises
so much utility and advantage 10 the state, nart;e.
Iiarly 10 the people residing III crrtr!n sections a.:
II, as We'll IA TO u large portion Of cur WcStcr,
brsttaren, that 1 deem Il worthy OF decentralization.
IL IS represented TO me, upon calculations entitled
l SI-lh- 10 Iul CrcGli, that the Increase Oi fills rrc,,
the finished part OF that road, and the whole tolls Ipol,
the part proposedto be finished, would afford a fInr{
fully adequate TO the payment ofthc annual ;nterpyt
upon a sufficient sum to effect the object, and the u
innate ICniDursG;L,1 1t Ui the PRINCIPAL. = this ~
sui should be true, then, even Upon the suvpositioD or
otiectlng the Improvement by u loan, it could be done.
not only without pccunialy loss, but witt! cain to Ia.
Stute, aid none cun De lnscIsihic ofIhe great accom-
rodatlonsw which would be Afforded thereby, TO n very
great number Of individuals. am also siil of opin.
ION that 1t would congort wish the di.nity and liieIa.
ity OF the state TO opGna ro"d Tor tie ucconu,odat; inn
OF the people fthe NoIA!westcI3 section of Tia.
State, corresponding nearly with the route before IN.
commended, although the proceeds Of tolls. for sore
tIile 10 come, might not be sufficient 10 cover ell TIM
costs herewith lay before the General Assembly, :.
correspondence between juel Shrewsbury. ESQ
Chairman OF u committed in behalf of the people. 81
\ enawha, and myself: i'll my ca?acity of President or
the Board0 OF Public Works, and OF the Isrras Riran
Company, with the accompanying papcrs. Tbesa va
pes %l! inuy disclose the objects OF the corrcspoI>.
dcnce. ! cannot avoid expressing nv sincere DIR
that the tacfs called for IN behalf of the people of he
naWiin, may be asccrtailed under the arranpcmcnis:
suggested oy the EX-olieio Members of the Jams.
River Company for that purpose. | dcan, them iu,rrf.
tant to enable the General Assembly to act with VS.
dom aud Justice towards the people ofthat section a.
eountry. I am of opinion. that if the facts elieyed tot-
the compliments, should be found upon examination To
be tue, that further Legislative provisions would ~
required ior their relief.
Whilst upon the subject Of the reduction of tclrs-
called for by these papers, I caanot avoid calIino No,
attention to the subject upon a more general scafn--.
J am convinced myself that the Tariffs of tolls in this
State generally arc TOO high, and are certainly so +,
some particular instances. conceive O. wise. ;rHi.
ciols Tariff OF tolls to be the WITH, princiDle Of Ell In.
terual improvements. If the tolls be too h;ri,. The a.
clity afforded to transportation will burthen If be.,orJ
the worth OF the accommodation afforded. On tho
very INST blush otthe subject. the evils of incorpor,tnl
nights present themselves IN most to1Iaiduh,e arr.
against the powers OF the State Government ia !,
justice Upon this important subject. We beye alr,a-
ny III many cases vested the rights OF the existiur rstns
OF tolls IN corporations, aid they must be held sacred.
the consent OF the corporations must be obtained, b.
lore the corrections can bo made. How is this Tn his
cone? There is but one way. BY piv;pr for cor,
concession, m>:e than it is worth. I earrestIv be;.
the General Assembly 10 revicw the number Of coree
porat'ons, they have already erantcd, founded upon
common rights? Every corporation is n gn,,Tnu np"nt
more Or less influential, according To the sim Of COW
mon rights granted to each such c0rDcratiou. Gan:
emporium III imperio." Docs not a rayiryv of tIn.
corporations already granted, present il humber RI
llit!e governments operating within a GENERAL cr,
completely beyond It's controul, as far as granted RIGHTS
are concorae6' And can thcre be che reIcctino mar.
WHO docs not already see the porDct,Gl en,fnsTrnss
mcnt5. which nlusi nc thrown il Tie way oP - ;rs,
aHd iaiT administration, of the Whole; yhtu tho vSssf.
tec nights OF no one corporation Gan be taken. w;tj,nn,
Es 9"n CONSENT hnd what chance docs any indiyi-
oial cl'lzen stand amidst these perpetual strtirr,Jes 5~
CORPORATIONS tor the enjoyment Of lbs ORIGINAL Tirbt.;
I+ken rom MIN, and unthinkiDciy granted TO the11.--
1 hcse questions seem to call for the best couside,1-
tl7aso OF the General Assembly, before tbcy bccnrra
farther Preclpltated i'll this rniathomaiie n1If az nar-
tlal icgi5lation-takiDg from tho many and nitilr
to tie few. e'"5
Daring this year the election Of IJertorv &C. Pc.
dent and Vice President has taken place, ~ All t3o,,.,
highly interesting, but iacaloulably 50 at his tinr. IL
consequence Of the immense magnitude Of the prinrf.
pies involved nit. The laws fthn State upon thai
subject, have been duly carried INFO ceT,rt. cvrort -,
a few cases Of absent, aud Of informal returns: srS
my proclamation, announcing the names OF the Trnr.
tors chosen, has been issued accordingly. A COW
fhercoi IS TOW respectfully laid before the Geuc1fl
assembly tor their information. 1t has become nv
duty which perform with sorrow and rcrrct. to ig1
iorm tue General Assembly, that u vacuucy has occnr,
red IN the Electoral body Of this State, accustomed bc
county. " O''"N
The law Of the last session for taking the sense o.
the fTechciders Of this State, upon the proprietv oE
Convention for the revision Of tie State Cor
SItUtIOn. has also. horr, c.rrict ;-4o oCr.a4