Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1830-01-04

E W iHtI EtHsUhtuH hDnt 4
vert its candor and hberalhy I cheerfuily
! admit. 40 not believe tina, the danger al,pre-
headed exists, nor do think that Il It did. IL
wool lac evaiitd by The means proposed
/ do mi hesitate, IN the outset 10 avow my
sell a decided friend OF The policy of internal
improvement not, sir asystem Of internal
! Improvement forced upon US byina government
Of the United States, wlthou, our consent, and
without authority system less suited perhaps
Tor making roads and canals, than Tor making
fresid MS aud Secreiares--less used Tor the
Purpose OF facilitating transportation from one
part of the country 20 another. than for the
purpose ofuansfer'ing popularity from one set
of politicians TO another. | advocate thu policy
of Internal improvements. Conducted by our
own neinal government, Tor the bona hide
purpose ot lessening tho expense Of rnnsppr-
isuon. facilitating the intercourse between
distant places. increasing The value Of ouI prop
cry aud with IL the wealth nnd resources OF
the State. IN no friend OF any system con
Quoted. IN matter by what authority, which
robs one mans purse TO improve another man 3
baud. think that no improvement, ought ever
In be undertaken, unless tho local districts i'm.
medaiely benefttod by IL will bear a tax, in
the tirm Of toll or otherwise. adequate at least
| to pay n reasonable interest upon The money
! expended M It's execution And that govern
mru ought never 10 advance liz money or cree
| dat Tor tho purposes oil such Improvement.
without the best assurances that such return
cau be made, and exauiing an adequate toll
| upon the transportation, ~ TAX upon the dis
trict With these Limitations, which cautiously
observed, would guard every part of the State
from IN ust burthen', think thai the best 10
te,ests Of country require the patronage #
the government. in the improvement o. lis road.
| anj fivars.
The policy of internal impra venent, Mr.
| Chairman. Is not an invention oil the west for
enriching themselves. and impoyershing their
| noighbors. II IA tho policy o. the sta esuan
and The patriot II w,s recommended to US in
Virginia, by tho father of his country ANT
| has iound its most jealous and Distinguished
advocates, in the eastern di',,tcis. When adj
verse circumstances had thrown II into srmc
dscredi', darkened it's prospects, and dampcd
the spirits Of lis iricnds.-who, ask, were fore
most IN their efforts, 10 yindioate ITS character
and reanimate lis hopes let tho ing al
Charlottesville during the pasi year answer
this question IA meeting invited by n voice
| from the low lands attended by few members
| from the west, and many from the east of the
! Blue Ridge, whose presiding officer was the
| distinguished member of this Convontisn from
| the county of Orange, once tho President Of
the United States. and among whose most &C.
tive members were the President OF this Con
the gentleman from CheTsr6 Id, and Other very
| distinguished eastern men, now membt - oil this
| convention.
Let us look on the map of the State and see
! what par Of he country is directly Interested
! IN The policy OF Internal improvement lis
narrowet limit will be found prescribed, by
! the Potomac on tho north. the Ohio, on the
wcs,. the line of North Csrolins on the south
and the head OF tide water on The cas-. Add 10
this extensive district the ,owns OF Norfolk.
! Petersburg, Richmond. fredericksburg, aud
| Alexandria, with the counties adjoining ihom,
in which the direct interest is quite as mani
ieH II. in any other par, OF thu state aud you
leave but very small district MOI directly in.
trIestrd ia this subject. Bot IN truth. SIT. the
interest of Internal Improvement peryades the
whole commonwealth. The Underwater com
| Try which requires no improvement IN lis roads
| and rivers, has nm mporian. in crest in The i'm.
provemept OF its markets Whatever will IN.
crease tue population, the wealth, the mercan-
lile capital OF their market towns, nusi rn.
nance the value OF every acre ofthrir lands.
| Aud permit me To suggest, that under prudent
| system OF internal Improvement, pair0nised by
this government, the benefits 10 the tide water
country, thoagh they might not be so grca,
| would be more certain, and the rJk OF loss loss,
| than to the immediate district in which The Im.
| proVement might be made. Suppose, for ex
ample, the government TO borrow the money
necessary for completing the James river i'm
provoment. and provide by law Tor tax
| on the land, or toll on the products OF the
James river district to meet the interest on tho
| tosn--in this case the whole risk incurred by
! the tide water country, is, that the means EN-
| poyed TO pay the interest on tho loan may not
be efIaclual--and this risk they encounter, in
! common with the James river district and every
| other part OF the State. II the Improvement
| should succeed. that would secure the meaas of
! paving the interest on the loan aud lay a sure
| foundation for the prosperity ofsheir principal
market towns, and thus without paying one
dollar for IT, the tide water country connected
with Richmond would enjoy the benefit Of an
| improved market.
! And what would the James river district en-.
| Joy The benefit OF an improved market, IL is
irue, and Of improved poflatlon, but sub
ect TO tho tax necessary TO pay the interest
on the loan. II would depend entirely upon
the comparative value of this tar, and OF these
| benefits, whether the James river interest
would be promoted OF IN jured, by the success
ful Improvement. II tho tar were equivalent
TO the diminution Of freight resulting from The
Improvement, then the James river interest
would have gained Doihing iii more than O.
qulvalent it woud be injured and II would be
bsne6tled, only in the event, that he saving
of freight would be more than equivalent 20 the
tar imp sed. The interest then would incur
the douno risk OF loss, first, by the f,ilure Of
the Improvement secondly. by having 10 pay
for il more than IL was worth. Apply this III
usuation TO all our nsvigable streams which
require Improvement, 10 the towas connected
with them. and the country Interested ~ their
markets, and you will perceive how essentially
the interest ia a well conducted system OF in
ternal improvement is an interest Of the con,
! "a.
gard it as partial interest, and 10 excite local
iealonses concerning it. Considering II 10 this
| light too, you will acknowledge the injustice
OF regarding it as the means of taxing ono part
| Of the monwealih for the benefit of tho o.
Their. Indeed, the very moment you adopt thu
principle Of making the local districts pay the
| interest upoo the expenditure, and hold their