Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-06-22


placed IN hls double relation, charged with incompa
BILE duties he must b. permitted 10 Judge Tor him
which was inc paramount obligations; aud the onl,
choice he had 10 avoid commitment TO abstain from
voting. or to vote in TIE negative n such -iions
He preferred the io'mer cour'e b when present, aGC
,lled upon TO vote, no would adopt the latter.
She Secretary further observed that he would tab,
~ occasion to express his regret tina, many prcpo
siions Of this nature urged upon the stockhold
ers. There seemed TO be an overween!ng desire on
the part OF the Preidont Of the Board to entange the
affairs OF thus company wih thos- OF the govetnme nj,
which were not only embarrassing to the repre-
tive oil the government, stock. but in his judg un
necessary and even ptejuicia TO the interest OF the
company. The company would do better to confne
i;seli within its proper sphere OF action and use the
already within its power inspire he cont iencp
which valuable wo;k could fail TO 10, II proper
Nv managed He also regreits 10 perceive such rest
SIS impotence on tie pat Of the Board rather tn
President, 10 embark In spcculdive measures, which
though splendid in appearance, were regarded a. vi
sionary in the eyeso all sober and substantial men
lie could net but consider the proposition to CONNIE ce
the Western secucn al this time vi this character;
you have not yet broken ground 90 mile; YOU re-.
quc additional subscp ion of 81 500 900 to
the coal mines Noone seemed TO doubt the vau. and
practcabiliy Of the Eastern section aud vet Tor some
cau-e tho subscription fingered IL was almost GER
tain that this project OF the Board for IN.
Western section under these circumstances wouli
discourage all further aid 10 the Eastern.
IL has been sad that you nc I'd OF exercise The pow
er, when obtained; but experience has showu, that
every power granted will DO attempted, AMI white
those splendid visions govern its affairs there is
no security in relying on the frbearance OF the Boz
The sound policy of the company now was to direc,
fe united energies of all concerned TO accomplish tn.
work to the coal mines and when this was DONE the
influence OF its success, any thing could, would give
the desired Impetus TO lite extension through the noun
tains; but let not the confidence OF the s,ockholer. and
those who may incline to Subscribe, be destroyed by
this succession OF projects which now disturb the IN
The proceedings OF the Board have done much to inn
pair the confidence OF sober-minded men, by WELDING
10 the local and private interests, which are disputing
about the distribution Of the mouths OF this canal 1t
requires different policy 10 regain hat confidence, but
OF this there was. from the present appearance little
hopc-'or the President OF the Board had
taincd your consent 10 project than his
was In pursuit OF another; and although he hal much
personal respect for him, and the entire confidence
in his integrity, il due 10 caudor TO say that he
thought him better qualified for projecting aud embel
fishing splendid schemes than for executing substantial
ones But such his temperament, that il was diff.
cult 10 restrain him.
The project of going on with the Western section, a.
proposed, was an Illustration oil the truth Of lila remark
The only reasons given were 10 avoid oosng The Penn
sylvania charter which required part OF the Govern
ment subscription TO be expended in the Wes and
cure aid from Virginia Pennsy vania and Ohio As TO
The PennylvaRa charter, the company had nothing 10
npPrehend; that State would taxa such advantage
but cheeriully the law often thers any
prospect OF the work going on; she could not have ex.
peced that the Uuited States. subsc pion would be
confined TO 8 00S 900 when she ade the condition.
and would never ask that any part OF this should
lie expended in the West while doubt remained OF tho
success OF the Eastern part, much less while the sub
scripions far deficient. As TO her subscrib-
ns to any part OF this canal, the Secretary thought
that visionary hope; the State debt would he
Sl3,OOO,O 600, which, whatever might he her wishes
would prevent her from giving pecunisry aid. IA to
Ohio, she was also deeply embarked in works Of her
own; and The reliance Virginia, ii seemed, was
upon the effect Of aKo her change III her Constitution
II she die not come into the measur-!-Ail this was
visionary in the exrsne, and only served to show that
ii was better TO restrain the iRps of the President
OF the Board, and make your appeal to the solid. sub
stantial men, who have money to spare, and who
know 'V'll how TO take o: it.
MIR. Mercer rose under the appearance Of great
element and said tina, he should accept the remarks Of
the Secretary Of the Treasury they intended,
regarding the qualifying explanation which sccompa.
MED hem az merely designed 10 give effect a
premediated stab at s reputation: he would repe the
assault as warranted, and ready to meet any and
every charge o. this nature by exhibiting history Of
his whole life on the stage OF action to which he had
been assigned. Nothing was more unjus, than 10 stig
maiiz. him as visionary maH He had been actively
engaged in public life for than twenty years; and
could say, that, although he had introduces rome of the
most Important measures ever egi'ated 10 hi state
he had never inlied IN any thing he had undertaken
Obsrr had, indeed, got the credit Of many
which he had originated.
He was the suthor Of the "Board Of Public Works"
i'll Virginia. and OF the establishment of her education
sysem, which had been attributed n Gov Barbour and
other: he was the founder OF the Charlottesville Uni
veTGiy, which had been away with by Mr.. J, fer
SON. and he was the author of The great revolution in
Virginia. which had eveDtuaed in tho form ton OF her
present constitution; and yet he was 10 be stigmazed
az visionary man. He repeed the charge a I'M
fOhhneo, anu challenged investigation sDd scrutiny in
to his whole life. He then proceeded to show thai
unless the alteration Of the charter was made as pro
posed the company would lose the charter offered by
Pennsylvania, and the work would b. arrested at the
foot OF he mountain; and recapiuated the argument
be had used before 10 press the ity of applyir
10 Congress and the several legislatures Of Virginia.
Maryland, and Pennsylvania, for that purpose and
mt the western section 10 be commenced, the
ly means OF obtaining money from Virginia, Pennsyl-
v'niA and Ohio, to go on with that past OF the work
The Secretary OF the Treasury observed that the
President vi the Board had chosen to interpret hs re
marks in his own way, and discarding all reference 10
the explanation accompanying them, considered that
40 assault, or rather vial sab had been given 10 hi
reputation. The Secretary observed that he bad oniy
TO say this point, that il to charge the President OF
the Board with being visionary man, and better fitted
by the conformation OF his mind 10 project speculative
schemes, than 10 execute substantial ones were to cas
npuation upon his character, il still rest upon
him-he had made the charge and had not one word to
fake back-but on the contrary, could and u il
necessary 10 convince any stockholders present, and
there time, without interfering wi the business
for which they were assembled, he would press the
charge much further; but, at present, he would only
say, that having been associated with the gentleman
public station Tor many years, in which the fullest
poruuity given 10 know the opinion of those around
him, s would state without fear Of contradiction that
the conviction as 10 the visionary OF hi. mind was
not merely general, but universai II go common
topic, aud the fact so often asserted and denied
but by the gentleman himself, that II impossible for
one situated az he had been, to entertain doubt;
did he believe there single individual present
Who If put upon his Coincidence. whatever might be his
personal respec, for the PRECEDENT, would say that
he was in every Of the word a visionary man.
But, sad the Secretary, need nc look be yond the
proceedings Of this company The papers memorials
and reports esnang from his pen full Of evidence
No sooner mad he obtained your consent go TO Rock