Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-11-17
[REroRrnD toR rnt WHICH
VIRGINIA CONVENTION.
SAruRn Nov. :

table.
MIR. TAzuwErI on behalf of the delegation from
Norfolk communicated 90 the House that they had
elected ii MIR s%1gsby Of Norfolk to be the
successor OF Hcn. Taylor.
The House then resolved itself into Committee of
the W hole Mr.. POWELL Ill the Chair.
Mr.. ScoTr then rose, and stated that he was not
M the House Yesterday, when the gentleman from
Rockbridgc spoke, but he had heard that the gen
tleman had questioned the accuracy of some Of the
statements which he had made, that the improve
inents on the James River were made ut the i'll
stance of the citizens west OF the Blue Ridge. He
had not made the statement which had been impugn
cd OIL hcr knowledge. He had little to do with
public affairs ut that time. But he had made on
the authority OF his colleague, who in n subseuucn.
conversation, had expressed his Willingness to bear
him
He would add another fact or two, as Illustrative
OF the state OF proceedings i'll the Convention. We
are called on by report OF the Legislative Commit
tee to place power in the hands of the citizens West
Of the Blue Ridge; and we, who represent tile middle
region are told that our Interests safe III the hands
OF the West, because those who are i'll the Valley
have common interest, aud Will take care that there
IS no oppression in the State He looked little into
past le"sation to learn from experience if those in
the Valley have felt coninOp interest with the East.
lie that when scheme for borrowing sun, for
tie improvement ofthe James River and the Potomac
was before the General Assembly, only one member
of the Valley voted against it
4 proposition before the General Assembly
the session Tor road 'ron Winchester to Par
kersburg: there wds only member from the Val
ley against 1t. The gentlemen from Russell had no
great interest i'll the mattcr except Western inter
est, and they willing to make thus road for tho
West out OF our money.
Therc also proposition at the last session, to
open road from Logan Courthouse to The Ken
lucky lnc On that question, which was for the be-
ncft ofthe w est, but member for tic Valley yo-
ted against il.
III 1924, there proposition before the lie
Glslature, for Internal Improvement on large scale
~ loan proposed of $1,000 900; and an addition
al loan, i'll certain contingencies, of S75OoOO Thut
proJct he learned, was brought forward by a member
from Berkeley, and supported by another from Dote-
tDurt.
With all these facts in his recollcctio lie was not
willing to put the interests OF the East in the keeping
OF those of the Valley.
MIR. GHEEv then rose, and said that lie was call
cd on by circumstances say what he knew of the
Improvement the James Bivcr and the Kauawha
Canul, and the road between them He lived at the
time, in another part of tie country; but it happen
ed from the circumstance that he more familiar
With the Board ofPublic Works. than most OF the other
members, that he knew the motives which had led
this business lie had agreed With the advocates
Of the measure at the time Though he admitted that
il turned out bad He stated what the charter of
the james River Company and that there was COM
plant that the Company had not complied with the
eond't.ons of tho charter Examinations had been
made by the Engineers, and gentlemen We're apnon
ted to consider OF the best mode ofimpovng the ma
giGation 1t was necessary to get clear of the char
ter of the james River COMPANY a prosecution
had been commenced against that Company; and no |
one could tell either the result, the time when the
result would be known. Flus it became NECESSARY
10 cxtnguish the claim of the James River Com. |
pany, to improve the and to determine on yghat
principle this should BIZ done
Rfe parties interested in this matter stood tIrrs2
On the lower part of James River, where there was
violent opposition 10 Improvement large scale
they not DESTROYS OF any Improvement beyosd
the present state OF the river, continued on to the
mountains They from any improve
Inent large scale; and their argument was that
moderate improvement would answer the purpose,
and that by adopting Improvement a small scale,
the tolls Woul not be prevent ed from increasing
AS to those the other side ,of the mountain on
the Kanawha and in the Valley, different view
taken. 1t said that from the report of the
Engineers and the dictates OF reason the greater
the improvement and the larger the boats the chea-
per could be the rate of freight. We, therefore, say
they, desire improvement on a large scale. The gen
tlenen the West looked at the expence of the IN
provenent, but agreed that they should nave to pay
the interest OF the money advanced IN the shape os
rolls.
& compromise was made. The people on the
flames River, this side uCccdcd to the larger scale
on the condition, indeed, that they should never be
charged higher tolls, until the work should have been
prosecuted to certain distance, and then that the
additional tolls should not be above onehrd of the
original tolls.
fhcre stipuations to the tolls on tic
Kanawha, but he did not ccolec precisely what they
Thus the people lower James Rive 80 10 miles
Richmond were induced to yield their objections to the i'm
There complaint afterwards that the puatons had
been violated lie knew nothing OF that The facts,
which he had stated those within his personal knowledge
and his motives i'll addressing the Committee, place
MIR aooaE <oi Rockbssc said that he did understand
;he gentleman from Fauqac saying that the improvements
lie mad always supposed that the plan originated this SIDE,
and what had fallen from the gentleman had confirmed this
proean " had rot been before suggested, lee deemed
itimporan that the suggestion bad been mere, that oirg
diversity interests co,rproue had taken place and
this plan had been agreed The gentleman from Fauq;icr
had alluded several Of the West appropr the
public money lie would inform the geiiiera that he had
voted against proposition TO give money any part
the State for which he considered useful
money for the other side OF the moUnjIu for it.
lift for this side and The czsus this side frequently
applied he still for lie had voted for grant the
University WITH pleasure and he took this o-oasion 10 Gisovn
any sectional interests however such might influence
Others.
hir LfIeH and said gentleman de,iraus 20
address tie Committee, he owed it his colleague ovsrnoY
Ges) that the Committee Ills COLLEAGUE was
exceedingly DESTROYS TO give his views the COMMITTEES
prevented from doing by inJispo.on which was
aggravated by the Of the weather tie presumed was