Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1831-03-24

the rub-that's the point that pinches.
IL these things could be done F" without
money and without price" and might
add. without labor ;uo, then we should
have friends without, number to Inter.
nal Improvement.
But gentlemen cannot tax them
selves and their constituents, by bor
rowing money and involving th. State.
Sir. am a. unwilling as any gentle.
man on this floor, TO tax my constitu.
ents or myself but when
necessary--when the good Of the com.
munity requires it--,here is no people
under heaven who would more cheerful.
~ bear fair and just proportion Of the
burtheD, than those whom I have the
honor IN part to represent. Taxation
- not intended however--tbe alarm is
false--i,'s all n bug bear---a tub throw n
out to the whale. The people will ne
yer feel it, repeat. sir, If the money
sough, by thi. loan, be honesily and
faithfully applied to legitimate objects
ct improvement. the people will never
feel II. No. sir, they will rather feel
relief from The rising prosperity OF the
State--from the increase of wealth and
population, and from the consequent
advance in the value Of property. |
will hazard the prediction, that a iu-
dicious investment 0f funds for the
purpose contemplated by the real
friends OF this measure. would be n
profitable one--when I say profitable.
| do not speak as a stock iobber, eau
tiously calculating the per cent. to be
gained on the investment made--yerv
possible that the stock itself would
not immediately yield profit. on the
capital expended. equal to the interest.
But, sir, consider the per centum
gained, In dollars and cents, by the
tolls on any great State improvement.
as the least important considerations
The very Tact OF li-bursing two mil
lions OF dollars in the State, is matter
OF great public interest. The money
thus expended ia the State and for the
State, gaes into the pockets Of her ci,i-
Lcns, and the. better enables them 10
contribute fpr public purposes. The
more you distribute wealth among the
people, and the more Inducements
you hold Oh, for them 10 become enter.
Prislng and industrious, the more you
attach them to the State, and the bet.
ter citizens they become. Again
! the money thus expended upon schemes
oi improNcInent,yaluable IN themselves,
not on!y retains Industry and enter
prise within your borders, but increa.
SEES the value Of real property. and,
/" The same proportion. increases the
wealth ut the Statr--and need | add,
that population aud wealth are the true
sources Of revenue.
10 illustrate my meaning more full
~, will suppose case. Suppose
then, you have a great public improve
lnent ~ view. say a turnpike, II canal
or rail road, no matter which. This
Improvement is to pass through sec
ton OF country where land, though
/ rich aud fertile, is selling low, in con.
sequence of the great difficulty Of get I.
ting lis surplus produce to Market
soon a. YOU commence this improve
IeDf. this land begiDs to rise in value.
~ now in demand--purchaser seek
II, and IL sell, for double. treble and
sometimes quadruple its former price,
and you increase your revenue in the
same proportion. Besides, the NOR
valuable land becomes, tie more dense.
/ ly II will be settled, aud tie better il
will be impI overland, | trust. il is
the permanent improV ement Of the
state, We are all seeking.
MIR. Speaker. my honest and firm
conviction Is. that in due time, under
4 wise and efficient system of improve
fneni, the increased value Of property.
a9d the consequent increase Of popu
latIon. will swell your Golfers, without
any alteration Of your revenue laws,
with AN additional sum, more than
sufficient TO meet the interest Of The
loan pfopOsed-and this too, iudepen.
dent Of the profit Arising FROM the im.
provemcnis. This. sir. 10 What should
call true State pOiiey--tO increase Do.
puiation--tO IucTea-e eDterpfisc--t1
increase the comforts aud c0nyenien
ces vt the peOple--to increase wealth,
and consequently to increase your re.
venue. These arc some Ol the reasons
by which am Influenced on this ques
ton, aud watch induce ne 10 hope thI,
motion will moi prevail, that its true
friends may he cgablcd 10 present u
~ lis most acceptable form.
But there j. another consideration
paramount 20 ell others. Il j. poll
teal one. S,r, IT has been stated hers
and elsewhere, that tbs habits, the puf
SUITS and the interests Of Eastern an,
Western Virginia are disslmilar; tha
they have no commeFcial iDlerl ours,
No community ol iBtesesis--no com
. mon political feeliDgs--snd that the,
. arc after strangers. We have seen