Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-02-19

dresses YOU
have perceived, from the papers that my pc
fition to the General Assembly to repeal the Act
OF the last Session, the subeQtof the Baltimore
rail road has been reported unreasonable, and that
report confirmed by the House, who refused also,
j; is said, 10 permit the petition to be laid on the
table.
Whether that petition was ever read TO the
House, or was referred without being read; amp
whether it was the object OF the honorable menu
Der, who moved to lay il on the table, that mem
bers might read it; or for what other purpose,
know not-being ignorant OF the rules OF your
House 1t is true had the feneg'ity, for die,
reasons stated in that petition, TO present It with on-
" my own signature to it; but as II also contained
a repetition to those presented By others, TO
remove the restriction III that act, which limited
the railroad 10 the mouth of the little Kanawha,
] had presumed that one portion oil my petition
could not have been acted on--but that l would
have learnt its fate by the decision oil the great
question made by the other petitions. don't
complain of this course-t was Doubtless the pro-
per one butt would be matter OF deep regret, il
have framed my petition IN such way as TO have
made it necessary thus TO decide on i-proyided it
has had the effect of settling that question finally
so as 20 be beyond the future control OF the House.
1t generally happens, that matters presented to
the consideration Of the Legislature, OF great ma
ti0adi concern, are accompanied by petluon o.
some portion of the citizens, circulated through
the county TO obtain subscribers; or that some o.
Their public notice has been taken OF the subject,
by which those opposed to it are apprsed OF the
wishcd-for enactment, and are thus enabled to
make known their opposition. II Is believed that
this did not happen in the case OF the Act alluded
to- 1t was brought about, I believe, by app!i-
cation of certain citizens Of Baltimore, who only
arrived few days before the adjournment, with
the Act from Maryland; and who could not give
that fair notice and time which ii might otherwise
have been their desire to do, unless it had been
postponed till this Session. 1t that Act, therefore,
is to have, or has had, serious effect on the pre-
sent or future proce edings of Virginia, on the
great question of her Internal Improvement, and
cannot now be recalled, il IS certainly circum-
stance decptJ to be depiored-I hope and trust
your vote was in favor of the repeal and that you
will vote against any further measures that may
tend to put down the Improvement OF our rivers
that you will be able to give most satisfactory
reasons to your constituents for not doing so.
know not also, whether the petitions TO remove
the restriction in that Act have been read TO the
House-or whether they have been merely re-
ferred to Committee but it will be seen, on ex-
animation, that those petitions predicated, as
the petitioners state, on the belief that the State
had, ''before she was surrounded, at present,
with discourGgi7lg competition, surrendered all
intention Of improving the great advantages with
which she entered The lists competitor for that
Trade, for which so many millions had been ex-
pended by other States, aud for which many
millions are a0ir ofeTing. The abandonment OF
the James river Canal at Maiden's Adventure
and the refusal further to prosecute the improve
rnents OF the upper section OF that river, they say,
but too nIoigTtuHY attest this determination
How far the rleinoriasts considered themselves
justified in coming to this conclusion, in consc-
quence OF the Act aforesaid having introduced that
dIsconrGgalg competition; or from the circum-
stance that the people IN the lower sections of Vir
ginia have not seen, soon or GS readily as
themselves, that the Improvements in question are
equally advantageous and interesting 10 the whole
State, it is not for me 10 say: l think they have
been premature and unadvised, however honest,
III their belief iu such conclusion.
The Legislature had originally contemplated the
improvement of the James river by an indcpen-
dent Canal; but after the use of steam power in
pEopciling Boats had become better known, doubts
had arisen, whether some more cheap and conve-
nent plan could not be devised and accordingly
the Board Of Public Works were directed, by the
Act of 1924, to cause new survey to be made
1eith the utmost practicable attention to cccnrG-
cy IN tse estimate Of expenses.
These public fJInctionaries, understand, have
been duly engaged in this work 1t required time,
as an estimate of expenses could not be at all ac-
CITRATE, without location of the sites of DAMS and
their minute examination. In the mean time, the
completion of the work to Maiden Adventure
the making Canal and Locks through the Blue
III lge, and the finishing OF other parts of the work
already begun, have been going on, and large sums
OF money borrowed and expended on these objects.
The Engineer has now concluded his examinations,
and made his report of system of Locks and Dams
with that minute attention which was required
and before receiving which, it could moi be ex-
pected that the Legislature would go on with the
work. That report has lately come into your pos
session, and should il be satisfactory TO the Lcgs-
iature, nothing is left for them to do, but 90 on
with the works pointed out. 1t would be strange
indeed, then, should they abandon it at the very
moment they have received the information they
directed to be prepared for them.--That report
supports my petition throughout, except indeed,
as to the repeal OF the Act of the last Session with
which he had nothing to do But il the views of
the Engineer are correct; and If we are not to
doondon this Trade; on the contrary, if il is de-
cided now, or, in all human probability, may be
decided by the next General Assembly, to 20 on
9cith the tcork, then humbIy hope It Is not too
4ate 10 remove this dangerous competition, so
much and so properly dreaded by the petitions be-
lore you'll will rest with this present General
Assembly, not Nth the last, to say that notwit1-
standing this official document aud evidence before
tnehi, they VIII deliberately abandon that work
abandon 1t, too, IN way almost amounting 20
contract with the Road Company never TO resume
ito DO SO deliberately on petitions expressing
Oeiel and conviction that IL Is aba1d17sed The
last Legislature, it is true, will be charceable
WIN entering The tcedge that is to split and divide
me state, not only part from the ether but the
whole from the true interests Of all Il will be,
though, Tor the present General .asseusbfy 10
artre u nome. trust you will be found in onpo-
sllon to this, or be |itl-halded with proof 70 sat
isiy your constituents that YOU consulted their
true interests IN doing other wise know that
you ana every other member Of the present Gene
RAJ assembly viii do what, in conscience, YOU
MINK Is rishti but the most upright and wise may
err, and you are 20 answer also for the 5csdoz al
your acts.-If you won't do away ,cba. r,,oqf IN.
fortunately, already exists why will you increase
thc competition for this Western Trade. by
bringing II dFectfy IN conflict with the James RI
VcT before improving that river al least 10 patfons
burg! Especially, too as the Engineer telIs YOU
ms n'St DC cove or tho State must sustain an an