Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-10-03
Ton THE DAILY WING.
10 2homaS Richie, Esq. Editor Of The Richrnon

Ton THE DAILY WING.
To 7Homas R:tetie, Esq. Editor of The Richmond
Enquirer.
your Journal, that of the 9Th ult. l happened to see
!ost evening, wherein you communicate the proceed
ings OF the Common Council of fhe city OF Richmond
which feiate 10 the improvement of the tide water ma
VACATION Of James, River. | beg leave 10 submit
some brief observations To you on Your remarks ON
them. You preface these by regretting their ndop-
ton upon principle, while you admit tho IMPORTANCE
OF the contemplated improvements. You also tell
your readers, that these or such like improvements
aust be brought about by the State itsclE that tho
=. States has nothing TO do with il; and that the Com
mon Covnci.hGro called uron the Federal authority 10
exercise Il power not granted TO them. You farther
detail the proceedings Of that body in the year 1915.
on the communication from the Mayor of PETERSBURG
ind remark that if Congress in TINT wear had no COW.
troui over roads and canals, how can they have juris-
dIctlon over GU! river in 1929? / beg leave iwh;le
you arc thus moueted on your State Right poney.
called IooIy, on which you have been ridinr for thcse
h!teUil Or twenty years, under both whip and snur
over almost all the mail routes in the United States
10 inform you TINT 1t would br nothing uncommon in
that Coni'ch or others, 10 change sentiments, the more
| especially such as read aud believe in -FOUR political
creed. Yet ! cannot conceive why Won n ssiIotla;e tho
haVISaDle waters OF tho United States to the CEN
struction OF a road or canal. l aMI persuaded that IL
you will take the trouble to examine, YOU will find tim,
the exclusive jurisdiction of the navIgablc waters Of
the United States have been coded 10 The Federal
Government by Tie State. That such was the de-
49, SlH'''A III luS AJIule HcTet0fOrR-
VIII not BE- doubted by such rs remember or refer ia
an act OF the Legislature of tina State in the wear
1905, Incorporating q company for the purpose OF im-
proving the navigation Of certain Darts of Jpmcs RI
yer. The stock of this Company was inconsiderateIv
taken, before IL was discovered that the LcrislaiuIc
had no authority TO grant sncli O charter without the
consent OF the United States. Consequently, the
Stockholders of that company pctitIoned CONGRESS IN
confirm the charter granted BY the State, which they
did before any innncy was e~Xpende1i; and am nor
s9aded that II. VII! be owned by you, that one at least
OF That company. Is rs Competent a jurist as anv other
now iivlng.* Iftherefore the c neral Government,
has the exclusive right 10 foster and protect The com
merce OF The United States. it follows, Of course. tina,
the power to improve her coasts, BAYS and rivers. rests
with her; and ! would respectfully INQUIRE of vou.
why and what can be the reasonable objection TO the
Common Councils making the application to the lcral
authorities of the United States, TO cnJlire into lie
pracucablli;y and cxpcdiency Of rcmorinp the oh
strnctions to the navigation of this river, throurh
which such a vast amount OF produce is TRANSPORTED.
unless indeed, YOU believe that the Stpte is dcs;-ous
Of having the honor or credit oG doing what Won s1,
yourself IS so desirable and important, or that she Is
moro likely to do 1t better and more cXpclrious than
the Federal Government? This, / think, YOU can
hardly think likely, the more especially when. as | MIN
credlGly informed, that there arc more DESIGNS and
surveys made md submitted TO the Board of Public
Works than could be executed by the resources Of
the State for twenty years or more to come, befDre
which period many of these viii either be laid aside
or superseded by other improvements of q different
nature; and II you have COZ spared the design and ex-
ecution of the work dono on the Dismal Swami Ca
nal while under the State authority, and what has
been done since the work has bccn under the direc-
ton Of the United States Engineers, you would not
entertain such IN opinion. The whole ofthe time of
the Principal Engineers of the State has been spent
III making surveys, extending levels and drawing new
designs, while no work has as yet, as / can
lcarp, been put under either of their immediate exc
cution. TO conclude, ] cannot conceive upon what
you can ground your objection to these proceedinrs,
unless indeed you would be gratifcd 10 see the dor
III the manger acted. This ] cannot believe, having
a common interest with the rest of your fellow citi,
zens, and knowing the millions OF dollars which have
been expended in other places for the convenience.
encouragement md protection OF the commerce of
the United States, and the industry and c%nterprizo Of
her citizens. Y.
-
NCusf Justice .AfarshaA.