Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-03-09
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.
J,NuARY 18TH. 1890.

MIR. BROWN, of Harrison, said
MIR. Speaker-I am well satisfied myself, of the
cXpediency of ructng this Road, III tho manner
puiHted out this bill, that must beg to be excused
for endeavorng to produce the conviction in the
minds OF others: and am sure, if gentlemen would
give to the subject an Impartial and attentive
siderutonf they could bring themselves to submit
to the drdgcry of minute investigation of the facts
and estimates which l am prepared to lay before
them,-that need not despair of success do not
concur in the opinion that the present is an inauspi
cous moment for urging measure of tins kind. IL
is true that certain august Assembly, now sitting
in neighborood, are engaged IN revising the fun
danenta laws Of our Government Whut will he
the result of their labors, can oresee. For
my own part, shall not hazard conjecture on the
subject But let it be admitted that are to have
Constiiution-does it follow, that all legislation
is i'll the mean time, to be suspended? There are
some subjects, confess, which 1t would be unwsc to
touch, under existing circumstances. For instance
1t IL anticipated that the constitutional features ofthe
judicial system tn be changed 1t might, there
fore, be nudicious to alter, at present the organza
ton OF courts of Justice But have fund for
internal Improvement, and the constant and active
application of that fund, must be ohjcc, of concern
to the new Government, equally with the old. In
deed, under whatever form of government we may
live, the Improvement of the country by roads and
navigation must and will be object of primary inn
portance. No man here believes that any probable
change which may DC made IN the Constitution will
in the rcmocst degree, affect the subject Internal
Improvement Then why torbear to acts We are
exhibiting to the world, beautiful illustration
of the principles of republican government. The
people, by their immediate representatives, en-
ployed in removing the very foundations of the go
vermont, while the government itself is moving on
uninterruptcdy, in the discharge of its accustomed
functions. That change which, in other less favored
Countries, be effected only by sangunary revou-
tion, is here mild and pacific process,
disturb the ordinary oilegislation. Let us
make the spectacle more imposing, by showing that
the government is in its fullest vigor and efficiency.
Let some one act of wise and munilicent lcgsla ion
olJz.,f Init # al
supposed to be on the of dissolution 1t WILL at
asst, give to those who have sought its destruction,
land none have sought it ously than myself)
the better cause to respect It's memory. fair OPP
portunity is now aifor dcd. The work for which we
ask the patronage of the Legislature, is peculiarly
and aptly suited the OCCASION. It's cost its sim
piicty and its entire dIsconnection from any work of
public improvement. in the State, all recommend it
as admirably calculated to employ the energies of the
government, whilst t,ansitu from he old to
the new Constitution. Most of the public improve
Inents ofthe State have necessary connection with
each other. The Potomac the Rappahannock, the
James, and the Roanoke, through the medium Of the
Dismal Swamp Canal, all lead to common point on
the seaboard-the Chesapeake Bay,-and are in
tended to drain the whole interior country of its
produce, and bring it to place of deposite and
expectation the Atlantic. These main arterial
channels, together with their numerous smaller
tributaries, all material and constituent parts of
the same system-lnks of the same chain When
1t Is proposed 10 construct any portion of this
ries, twofod question arises-whethcr tho work is
necessary in itself,-and whether the proper time
has arrived for making it. 1t would be idle to pre-
pare feeder for canal, until the canal itself was
opened, and SO it would be premature to construct
road canal, in the INTERIOR until the conduit: which
to connect it with the ocean, should first have
been finished. But the road in question: is detach
cd, isolated work. and wholly independent of every
ether within the Common wealth. If useful in itself
now, in this interval of leisure, this breathing spuce
before entering on more extended field of opera
tions-is the proper time for it's construction That
rte Nf fhpS tate Uh fboN
West, is truct of country bounded the East bv
the Allegheny Mountains, and the S.uth, by II
chaIn OF mountains, running from the Ohio River
between the waters OF the Great aud Little Ken.
awha, and interscctng the Allegheny in the county
of Nicholas. 1t is, OF nearly quadrangnlar figure
the regularity of whose outline, is interrupted, on
one part, by the encroaChment of Maryland and on
another by the projection of the counties of Ohio
and Brooke. Within these limits, are embraced
900 square miles. sixth, Of the area of the
whole State. 1t contains population of 60,OOOI
whites by the census of 1920. 1t pays revenue of
$4,000 annually and the assessed value gifts lands
houses and lots, Is $4,000 ,000-that of the whole
Commonwealth being about zoo millions. This tract
of country, in point of soil, climate mineral wealth.
and capacity for productions surpassed oy any
territory of equal extent, in the State. The noun
tains, you advance TO the West, sink down into
hills. The face of the country, although uneven IS
not rugged. Most of the land is fit for cultivation
all of for pasturage, and is capable Of supporting
a very dense population Yet it is comparatively
uniDproved-almost in state of re, and all for
the want of the of transporting the produce
Of the country to market. The streams which in
tcrscct it, flow into the Ohio River and nature would
seem to have designed the Gulf of Mexico, as the
outlet of its trade. But the great and fertile valley
of the Mississippi lies below us, and the extent and
variety of its soil, together with its vicinity to
a market, give it such advantages more remote
Districts as to defy all competition Nothing is bet
ter ascetancd by experience, than that the trade of
the North West, must GO to the Eastward across
the country, in part to the District of Columbia but
CHI N Rolf md oIDti
COMMERCIAL intercourse of the country is at present
with Baltimore The proposed road would afford
all the facilities that are desired, for reaching this
latter place At Winchester it is connected with
the Little River Turnpike, which leads to Alexan.
dria. There is also, an excellent road from Win
chester to Frederick Town, in Maryland, where
Turnpike leads on to Baltimore. 4 bridge already
constructed, furnishes tue Of crossing the Po-
tomac. When the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, or
the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road shall have
been completed as far as Uarp:rs Ferry, junction