Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-12-25

performed full tour Of duty. With pleasure. he ad.
died. that This early devotion 10 their native State had
been followed by life OF honor and usefulness in each
of those gentlemen. and that OF them holds place
upon this floor He begged leave to enquire IT strong
or evidence could be gven OF the safety and security
with which political equal participation inthc
Cover nment, could be conceded any people. Another
ground OF dsrust, however, he said had been relied
uron. II has been the pleasure oil the gentleman from
ChlpePer, Cudge Green9 to suppose that the people
Of the West have contracted passion for internal i'm
provement, and that this passion may prompt them to
excessive taxation to carry into effect their iavorite
system OF policy. The tendency to abuse the taxing
power by the people Of the West had also been relief
ON b. other gentlemen, as source OF danger to the
East against which they insist upon security He said,
IL this dsqualiyng mania. really prevailed in the West
from whom was IL derived! lie would coll the atten'
ton of the Convention the letters Of General Wash
ington The iather Of his Cour7ry scarcely re-
heved from the tolls Of the Camp, when in writing to
the then Governor Of Vrgnis he urged the necessity
Of connecting the Eastern aud Western waters Of the
al,h at the most practicable points, partc-
sary enforcing the pracicaby and great import ance
of having the Western trade into Virginia bv the
Aanawha and James River In lSio-'ll, a Lowland
Legislature organized commission for the examina-
ton OF those rivers whose report gave TO the country
the most naterns prospect, Of securing very import
ant share OF the Western trade, by that rouc.-The
strong and powerful reasoning employed in that report
gave encreased value to the enterprise the minds
OF every one; and he only felt restrained from spe liking
of it, with the feelings which Produced by the
presence of the individual AT the he all of
hat commission. The subsequent reports Of the Civil
Engineers, continued to increase the confidence, felt in
The praciicabty and value OF the work. But in this,
as in many other splendid projects, he feared tha due
regard had not been paid all the elements, which en-
tered Into the consideration OF the subject. IL then
supposed, that the use Of eamboats could not, I'M
und any circumstances, reduce transportation from
New Orleans, to the mouth OF Kanawha TO less than
from 40 10 $50psr ton; and upon this estimate OF freight
was the conclusion mainly formed, that the Virginia
line Of propo.ed commune a,ion might successfully en-
ter Into competition with that, through TIE Gulf of
aelv l,ia hvp tb.ss hah h..
assured by merchants Of respectaby that their goods
had been brought from the City Of New York, to a
point on the Ohio river, near the mouth Of the Kanaw-
ha, at one dollar and seventy five cents per hundred
including port charges, insurance, transhpment at
Orleans, and dragged round the falls at Louisville
This single fact had gone far 10 from his mind
me disqualying passion, supposed to be felt by the
Western people.
In looking through the district of the Common NV alih
but few objects of internal Improvement presented
themselves. OF character. warranting public expen-
diture. The forming and grading few leading roads,
comprised the principal benefits, which he thought
could now be conferred that quarter of the State
with prospects OF adequate returns TO the Treasury
The attempts TO improve the rivers had as vet
abortve, particularly in relation to the great Ka-
nawha He then adverted to the quarters Of the
State, where public improvements were most re quir-
ed and where under any system, having for its ect
the development oil the resources of the Common
wealth, they were most likely to take place.
In doing so, he called the attention Of the Conven-
ton, to tbs connection of the upper branches of the
ence OF such connection, upon the growth AMI pros
perity OF Norfolk. The Engineers, in the service OF
this State, well those the employ mt OF the
United States had concurred in the reasonable pract
cabiliiy OF this connection, without tunDeling de
cung,-an advantage peculiar to this line. And it, |
in his humble Judgment. any portion of the people of
the Commonwealth, had deeper interest than their
fellow citizens generally, in a liberal and extensive
system of Improvement, it the people of Norfolk
and those interested in its wealth add extension.
As to James River, he said that shoug h no AIDE quae
motive may exist, tor mingling its waters with the Ka
nawha, yet it had high claims upon the resources of
the State, Tor further Improvement.
The Canal Of James River, although now compare
lively nnproduc'ive, would. he thought, produce am
pie reiurs il extended TO Lynchburg, il. saiutary ef
i-cts upon the trade and of that interesting
town, could not be doubted The Salem Turnpike now
for want of funds, might receive invi-
goratisn which would shortly extend TO the Tennes
see line, rendering it source Of much wealth TO the
intermediate counties, well as 10 Lynchburg. The
Rvsnna and the Rapraannock, he said also looked TO
The patronage OF the STATE tor the extended benefits
which, he hoped, they were destined hereafter to
ter ON the Agriculture Of the country. The Valley |
Country, he sad would expect, the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal progressed some application of the funds Of
the State. TO the improvement OF the Shen aud
South Branch but when the whole field of operation
passed in review, and the objects of internal i'm
Provement fully considered, he thought every mind |
must I've satisfied, that the West could find no motives
Tor favoring rigorous unjust system Of taxation TO
carry into effect objects, in which they could have hut
common interest. and ir relation which, the Mid
Iand and Eastern DISTRICT must feel deeply
cerned, than their Western fellow citizens. The va .,
rious and varying views OF gentlemen in relation
to this subject of Internal Improvement would furnish
he thought, some illustration of the weight due to the
argument, which denied TO the western people their
due participation in the legislation of the country be-
cause of their passion for internal improvement. Some
few years since, an enterprise determined upon
in the town Of Baltimore having for its object tn,
necton OF that city with the Ohio river by rail road
Among the authors OF this enlightened undertaking. was
found the rable Carroll of Carroton and William
Paterson, who might be almost regarded the father
OF that city These gentlemen with eight Others sub
srribcd about half million Of stock Their example
was followed and the residue of the capital taken
with avidity by their fellow ownsmen Application
was made to the Legislature Of Virginia, for permits
sion TO conduct the road through her territory This
boon, which TO bring charge upon the Treasur
Of the State, but which looked 10 the expenditure OF
large Of money among its citizens was granted
but coupled with prohibition against uniting the rail-
roid with the OHIO river, at any point below the Little
This reservation, as he understood, was
made for the avowed purpose OF improving by Virginia
means ani Virginia resources the line of the grcaKa
nawha and James River. So strong the passion for
internal iinpro ement with the owand gentlemen that
they reserved this entire line for their especial ope
ratons. In the course Of the eejng season. recon
noisances made by the Engineers OF the COMPANY
who directed their examinations TO the vseys of the
Shenandoah, and South branch, well the valleys
Of Greenbrier and Kanawha. Their reports were SUI
fcently favorable TO induce the company to determine
10 submit the line TO critical survey and examinations
il the Virginia restriction should be removed Petitions
from various quarters presented to the Legisla
ture, urging the removal of the resricon-bu TO the
astouisment Of every boiy toe bill introduced for this
purpose rejected II was resisted by IswIand gen
emen whose influence had not been sufficient to call
out the Of the StNe this line but who "a
tise branch OF the L. gsatnre, that this Baltimore