Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-06-17
FOURTH OF lilly

Telegraph on the part of subscribers"
FOURTH OF july.
held "a a. = % n" cos9 S. house c' ON s.,S of Lsu, re-" SI,h lam. and IT, =, ,i:iniy,
pose Of making arrangements to celebrate tho approaching anniver.
Chair, and Charles a. stewart appointed seeresaryi whom tho fol-
Resolved, .Tha. Tho.. .: Ghol.on, Esq. be requested to road
the DeSlaIs'i9a of Indcpendsnee
Stewart, Digs Poynor and Robor. Kirkland. DO a eommitee Of
y Resolved, lhs. Colonel George G Droonsool., Colonel Jane.
y y G Gsoi:oo' Bocsar r x Meads, Il III William u E Mers,s, William
2 Hicks, John = Shell, Doctor Creed Tia.Iin,. Doctor Robe" n
Boo.ne, David Meade and Henry wor,hing,On DO a committee to
Rs:olyed. Tina. 8 2 Waikiki. Of Lauroneorino b. requested to
oa motion made the meeting a SSSS 4. SHELL. c,.,,u,,
CHARLES A. STEWART, Secretary. ""A"
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT.
Inc adjourned meeting OF the c teens Of Richmond,
M'nehss.er aud their vieini'ies, took place a, the Capt.
toi: on Tuesday evening, AZ s O'clock
Joseph Tate, 1.-THE Mayor OF the ciy,1 was, on Mr.
Chapman Johnsou's motion, called to The Cbair-and
Thomas Richie appointed Secretary.
Chief Justice Marshall, from the ommi,te Of Tbir.
teen, appointed at the former meeting, made The FOL.
lowing
REPORT:
THE COMMITTEES appointed TO " collect informa.
ton aud prepare a Report upon such measures as Il NAV
seem meet for our fellow ci,iz sns 10 adopt, for the Dur.
pose Of promoting Internal ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
y reports:
That they have entered upon the duty referred 10
them, with a full sen'e OF its Importance. No mea.
sure can more certainly promote the prosperity OF any
f@Nf> ''eh 'o D. intercourse.
NO subject appeals moro forc.bly 10 the interes, of all;
None can feel stronger motives for attending to this
appeal, than The people OF Virginia. I~nhabi,ing M
extensive, fertile coun .ry, Astounding with rich but Don.
d-rous articles, which must seek adistant market or re.
main useless, trsnsl ortation by land, In the present,
sia'e Of 'heir roads, |, burdensome TO all, and imprac-
ueaoie to manv. Tue noble riv ,rs which border on, or
penetrate the State, while Left almost as Nature foru,ed
them, furnish means If conveyance that are far from
being adequate to the niece ssites Of IN. public. Their
obvious capacity TO be rendered equal TO these neees.i.
lies, holds forth the strongest induceinen,s 10 the | =
bor OF man, and invi es the most earnest attention o.,
The patriot statesman. These rivers pass through dill.
ierent parts OF our country, affect a more or less hume
rous population, and are all entitled to the prote cling
care OF the Legislature. But The attention OF your
COMMITTEES !. more particularly directed to the James
Ihis hne river takes its source in the ALLEGHENY
Mountains, passes through the centre of the s ate, and
wa.htDg an extensive region rich ia mineral aud veee.
table productions, fade its way through The msgn,6-
cent bay oil the Chesapeake to the Ocean. Ii is the
material channel OF transportation for a large portion Of
'he country East OF the b ue Ridge, and Of III. fertile
valley between The Blue R'dge and Allegheny. l.
presents the nearest point OF communication through
the kanawhs, with the rich country of the West. thu.
Offering one OF the readisst and most convenient links
Of come xion bs'ween the Atlantic and the Mis,issippi.
It's advantages to the more remote inhabitants, may
be greatly extended by roads, which will facilitate the
conveyance OF their produce to the villas es en- its banks.
but these roads, however valuable, are OF secondary
Importance, because their utility depends on the state
Oh me river. they may be considered as branches,
which will be more or less fourishing as the stem
may be more or iessivigorous. Their great advan-
tage-the extent IN which they will be ~used-must
depend on the improvement of the river. II that
great nighWay to the ocean be neglected, roads lead
ing 10 II VIII avail but little. The facility OF transporta-
ton down II, furnishes the strongest, IL not the only
motive that can attract produce 10 its banks. The river,
therefore, is and ought to be, the first object of solicit
tudc.
The river has become the absolute property Of the
State.
1t had been vested in a Company on terms prescrib.
ed In the act OF Incorporation. But, i'm the progress of
events, it was perceived that these terms, even Il faith.
July executed, would leave the navigation in too i'm
perfect a state to afford the advantages which might be
reasonably expected from it,: The advance Of science
mad been such, and the application OF that science by
other states, mad been so judicious as to demonstrate
to virginia the insufficiency of the system she had
AuoPteu; IL hsd become obvious that much more was
pracucabie' and much more was demanded by the pub
TIC IMAM the existing law required. To turn our natu-
raj advantages to the proper account, the Legislature
made an arrangement by which the Company received
ample compensation for its right, and consented 10 hold
the property OF the river in trust for the Commonwealth.
me whoie subject is transferred to The State, and no
Individual Interference is admissible.
A new and more enlarged scheme was aJonted, and
ior a short time prosecuted with v gor. The contem.
plated work, after being partially executed, was sue.
pended. large sum Of money has been laid out, for
wbich me treasury cannot be reimbursed in tolls, nor
the people benefited, unless the plar. or some other
be carried farther into execution.
we perceive with much qualification. that the at.
tenuoo oil the Legislature 10 again seriously directed
TO ms most iDtefesnng object. Bnt il is one Of va,
magnitude, and the soundest wisdom requires lha, tu.
'ur' MEASURES should be devi,ed by intelligence, and
aooP'eu IN u iufeh ATTAINED bis inior IN s,iou. AWARE
OF mr. me Legislature. at its last session, pa,,ed an
act for obtaining this inform alton. and entrusted the ,x.
ocution oft TO The Governor. Your COMMITTEES i, in.
iormsa that bis endeavors to obtain an Engineer 10
MAKE the requisite enquiries have moi yet proved sus-
ees'fu'. His applicsi ons to gentlemen Of emin.nse in
Inc profession have been declined. In comic eturing
the causes which may have produced this faiIur,, lhsy
,hinft u probable that the Inducements offered by The
L'ei'isturs may be INSULT . mt 10 altr sci distio guish d
individual, AID that the information. deem,d an indis.
pensabie preliminary to The action OF the Government.
may not be acquired in time for the nsx, L~-sisI.,ure.
me consequence OF Ibis will mos, probably be, ,bs,
,p'hss VIII continue as they are, at east another year.
The Jsmes will still remain ip a gteai d,gr,e eio,sd
woie o'ber channels arc opening f,r the ,rsp,por, alton
OF mat produce whies eould most conveniently h,
nls'eu down i'' stream. The people, to whom The
cnSnnei Of conveyance, will DO at The same time ipyi,.
eo' aud IN 'ume Measures forced, 10 other market,
'hrough Other channels. The advantages which natu.
i'iy be'ons 10 Virginia will be inevitably transferred
t. other Stats s.
YoUR COMMITTEE ran perceive no other mode a,
avoiding This Danger wbisb IL 10 The power Of their fell
io"-el Ems, but The raising a sum OF money which.
IN addition 10 that offered by the 6 mnopwesItb. NAV
epgsEe 'sIen's 10 unite 10 the execution Of the law OF
'ho ia', session, which will command the ~ron6Ienc.
OF ibe Legislature. When ia possession Of The reoui.
ste information, tho Lesi.Ia ure will, II /, ,arpe,1v
hoPed' proceed with that great work ia which IN, s ale
3 ne's.y; anu me eeutrai PsIs Of II pafIisularly, are
most vitality Interested.
Your ommite canno, doub, IN. al. oo,,v a, N.
resources OF the Common wealth 10 its seeomphsbn,nt
y not on the plan already adopted, on some other which
the wisdom OF the Legislature, instructed by the in
.o,hiuon already I'd "s possession, cod that may be ~
,aiosa, shall deem more eligible. n, however, the
bsgi,Ia'u . sboJid be Of opinion, that ali The funds
when this great woik may require, ought not 10 be
drawn hon The Treasury, aud that The PARTICIPATION Of
,nolvnus,s ooght 70 be invited, your Committed feel
Pershsded, That ibeit tel ow citizens will readily en-.
gage, 10 The extent OF taeir ability, iD any iust and
fessonable plan which the govefpment may devise.