Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-01-04

,,i,n The father of his Country was scarcely re-
.,ed from, the tolls of the Camp when in writing TO
bc then Governor of Virginia, he urged the ncccssl-
tv of connecting the Eastern and Western waters OF
tho Commonwealth, ut the most practicable points,
particularly enforcing the prac;icub'y and great
Importance of drawing the Western trade into Nir-
pinia. by the Kcnawha and James River. In 1870
II, l.owlnnd Legislature organized Il commission
for the examination of those rivers, whose report
gave the country the mos, iatoriny prospect, of
securing very important shsrc oi the estcrn trade,
by that route The strong ind powerful reasoning
employed in that report, gave increased value tn
he enterprise, in tho MINDS OF every oso and he on
" felt trained from speaking Of IT. with the
feelings lich it produccd, by the presence of the
distinguished individual at the head of thpt commits
sion The Subsequent reports oftho Civil Engineers.
continued TO increase the confidence, felt in the prac
ticability and value of the work. But III this,
many other splendid projects, he feared that due
gard had not been paid to all The elements, which
tered into the consideration of the subject. II wns
then supposed that the ofieamboats, could not,
under any circumstances. reduce transportation from
New Orleans. the mouth of Kcnawha, TO less than
from 40 ~ 800 per ,u", and upon this estimate Of
f-H,ght was the conclusion nniny formed that the
ccsvf,II ~le OF proposed communication, might
tho Iic e.er into competition with that, through
60; Nv n oi Mexico. Unfortunately for this hypoth-
by that their goods had been b faGsi, ff o he City
on NcS oTk TO point on the Ohio river. the
mouth o!thc kenawha, at one dollar and seventy five
cents per hundred including port charges insurance.
transh,pncHt at \. Orleans, and dragged round the
falls at Louisville-1'hs single fact, had gone iar
20 remove from his mind the disoualfyihr passion
supposed to be iet by the western people.
| In looking through tbs district Of The common
wealth but few objects of informal improvement; rrr-
scented thcmsc :cs, of character, warrun.inc public
expenditure. The forming and graduating fcw lead
ing roads, composed the principal benefits which hr
thought could how be conferred OIL that quarter of
me State, with prospects OF adequate returns 10 the
Treasury The attempts to improve the rivers, had
Us yet proved abortvc, particularly So IL, relation to
the great Kanawha. He then advertcd to the quar-
crs OF the State, where public improvements were
mos required and where, under any system, hayino
TOR Its object the development of the resources Of
the Commonwealth, they were most likely to take
place.
In doing so, he called the attention of the C.nvcu
"n to the connection of the upper branches of the
Roanoke, with New River, and to the important in
flucEcc Of such connonction, upon the rrovth and
prosperity of Norfolk. Thc Engineers in the ser
vice Of this State well those in the employment
OF the United States, had concurred in the
bic practcabhy of his connection, without tunnclinp
or deep cutting,-an advantage peculiar to this line
And II, in his humble Judgment, any portion of The
people of the commonwealth, had deeper interest
than their feoWciiizcns generally, in a liberal and
extensive system OF Improvement, 1t the people
OF Norfolk, and those interested in its wealth and
= extension.
As to James River lie said, that although no ade
gnhte m0'ive may exist for mlngling its waters with
the kanawha, yet it had high claims upon the rcsour-
ces OF the State, for further Improvement.
! The Canal Of James River although now COMMA
ratWcly unproductivc, would, he thought produce
ample returns; il extended to Iynchbure it's sauta
ry effects, upon the trade aid commerce of that in
49, pix, '"as;.;vi.:. ~ 80, 10 ra Solo"
receive an inv goration which would shortly extend
TO the tennessee line, rendering source of much
wealth to the intermediate countless us well "a IN
: hynchburg. The Rivanna and the Rappahannock
ne SAID, also looked to the patronage of the State for
the extended benefits, which, he hoped, they wore
destined hcreafterto confer on the AoricutnIe NJ Tho
country. The Valley Country, he said world ey
Paet, MS the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal progressed
some application of the funds ofthc State to the i'm
! Provement OF the Shenandoah and South Branch.
but when the whole field of operation was nneeod :;
review aud the objects Of internal IMPROVEMENT fl
consitered he thought every mind must be satisfied
tnat the Vest could find no motives for fnyorno n
rigorous and unjust system of taxatop 10 carry into
erect objects, in which they could have but a com.
mon interest. and in relation to which, the Midland
ana Eastern District must feel more deeply concern
co. than their Western fellow citizens The yarious
ana varying views Of gentlemen in relation TO this
SUBJECT OF internal improvement, would furnish, he
thought sourr illustration of the we,rht due 70 tho
argument, which denied to the western people tbGiy
uuc participation IN the legislation of the country be-
CHuse OF their passion for internal Improvement
Sumo few years since, enterprise was determined
upon, I'D the town OF Baltimore having for lis obiec,
Tie connection oftha city With the Ohio river bv
abroad Among the authors of this enlivhtened
u1hcraEIng was found the venerable Carroll of Chr
rollton, and William Patterson Who MIGHT he aIn,,
regarded ne the father Of that city. phcse gcn,la
mon, with eight others subscribed about half million
OF STOCK: Their example was followed, and the re-
sdue ofthe capital was taken With uyiditv bv tbo;r
! loiIow-toVnsmen. Application vas made to the Lee
9i'ture OF Virginia, for permission 10 conduct tho
ROAD through her territory. This boon which was
10 or'ng no charge upon the Treasury OF the State
out "nch looked to the expenditure Of large sum OF
lmoIey among Its citizens was granted but coupled
WIN prohibition against uniting the rnil yoad with
lhe Ohio river, at any point below the Little Kama
@na- IHIs reservation, as lie understood was made
Io' the ayowed purpose OF improving by virginia
means, and Virginia resources the line of the Great
huh&wha and James River. So stroug was the pas
son Tor internal Improvement with the nwland con
tlcrn thnt they reserved this entire line for oir
own especial operations In the course Of the snc-
ceeolhg season, reconnosanccs were made nv Tho
Engineers Of the Company, who directed their oxo.
Ionatons to Tho valleys Of the Shenandoah e. South
Brnnch MS vel as TO the valley Of Grcenbrier and
Honawho. Their reports were sufficiently favorobo
70 lndnce the company to determine TO submit he line
10 critical survey and examination, if the Virpina
restriction should be removed. Petitions from yor;
Gus quarters Wero presented to the Legislature. ur
NJ fba ;ctfor -