Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-02-23

tea OF the peculiar objections felt against this We
presume that when the subject again comes up the
friends OF Improvement will be prepared with hill
limiting the money borrowed to the prosecution Of
three or four great and from their character ackrow
ledged State improvements.
Extract OF letter from intelligent citizen of the
West. to his friend at Richmond
seeing the report made by the Second Auditor 70
the House of Representatives. in relation To the ov
pendtures on public works, am induced to perform
! promise made to you in former letter of -,
that would give you IN desultory way, some gene
raj views in connection with the subject on which
have corresponded with you.
we have been well admonshed by several States
vastly In advance of in mprov emeDts that reli-
ance cannot be placed on private companies to i'm
prove the State to any extent and the Report above
referred TO, confirms that admonitlon In reference
to this subject. you have my views in former letter
and am more and more confirmed in the belief that
THIS State Will continue TO lnger in her improve
ments until she adopts some general enlarped and
liberal scheme or policy of improvements | am an
priced nevertheless. that the Legislature will have
10 encounter some difficulties in arranging a system
OF Improvement with which all will be reconc,ed
IN TACT, fear 1t cannot be done unless n snrt Of
patriotism and Cancellation pervades the breast of our
statesmen In support OF this opinion there are
abundant proofs in the jealousy manifest ed in the
northwestern section of the State, and elsewhere in
consequence of the patronage bestowed ON tina
James river section. The Potomac, then like the
James river, was In Wretched state for navigation
and notwithst anding the control which Marvand and
Baltimore had over that chanacI, and the manifest
disposition in the latter to exercise that controlvet
much was said and by the friends of tina, sec
ton, about the partiallty of the Legislature and
Board of Public Works. towards the James River
We admonshed, too, by some late publications IN
nel9hbourng paper, that such feelings yet are cher
ished
That principles and measures such as have adj
verted to- should, in disregard of the dic,aes of
ENLARGED bavn ID, a.,
| amongst those whose local interests would seem to
be directly promoted by such policy, is not irrecon
cllabe with the prejudices and passions which con-
stitute the nature of man. and which, in themselves
calculated to defeat the efforts of the friends of
internal improvements.
But 1t is presumed that those feelings could be re-
conciled by well organized system Of improvements
Take for example, the James river and all that sec.
ton of the State CONNECTED with 1.-THE archives
of the Board OF Public Works. will show the situa-
ton of one of the branches of the Mononrala and
Its susceptibility OF dam and lock navigation from
near Its source to Its junction with other branch
CT the rlver which is presumed to be equally
susceptible of like improvements. These two bran
cbes untes at, or Mofgautown, forming the Mo-
nongalia.
In 1890, got into one of those common fiat bot
toned boats at Morgantown, which, in company
with two other very heavy laden boats descended the
main river TO its junction with the Allegheny river
at Pitsburg. The Monongalia appeared to me to be
sluggish stream, with but little fall, and although
| the waters were scarcely in boaable order, yet
feet moved with but little no Interruptions
unit! we reached within fifteen twenty miles
of Its junction with the Allegheny river, when we
found labor necessary get our boats into the
main channel, (Oho) in consequence of the eddy wa
ter accustomed by swell in the latter river Hence
conclude, that by the aid of dams and locks the
Monongaa be rendered navigahe for steam
boats, at least as high up Morganown, which, as
you know is situated in the heart of the north wes-
tern section of Virginia, including section of Penn
sylvania, which State would lend her aid. Witt
! fhaco ante tIn ol,,
branches, the various products of that section Of
the State, would find difficulty in reaching the
mouth of the great KanGwha to say nothing of
the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. 1t is, therefore,
obvious, that, not only that section of Virginia bor-
| derng on the Ohio and Kenawha, are immediately
connected and benefited by the improvements above
referred to- but that the heart of the northwestern
section of the State, we'll as the southwestern,
| by means of the Ohio, the Sandy, the New river
the Greenbfier, &c &C., which connected with the
James interest, commonly called, covers not
only half of the State dependant upon State improve
ments but invites an immense intercourse with the
| States of Ohio, Kentucky, &c &c.
TIE Shenandoah river must certainly command the
attention of the friends improvements in the State
The valley through which IT passes, is extensive and
fertile Astounding with agricultural and mineral pro-
ducts, with the capacity to render the mineral pro-
ducts source of revenue and wealth to the Slate.
and therefore forms 4 most important link IN the
chain CT improvements: and although 1T has its eon-
Dectlon with the Potomac, &c yet immense agrl-
4 IS,
positive that the State will be more Than
remunerated for the funds or capital expended in
rendering the Shenandoah a safe. and every day
navigation. 1t, moreover, has other advantages that
! few rivers in the State posscss-is position in
the centre Of the vallcy-its sources Interscct
Immediately with the sources of the james
its course through the valley nearly parallel with
the mountains to It's junction with the Potomac
the main channel, well It's varius branches, Is
| affected less by tie droughts Of the summer, than
perhaps, any stream in Virginia-its falls too, are
much less than the falls of the rivers that cross the
various ranges Of mountains, and of consequence
susceptible of dam and lock navigation at a much
less cost than many other of rivers of the same
length. With this stem or link could be connectcd
turnpike road from Winchester to ClarksburB, on
the waters fthc MonoDgaliu before mentioned, also
with ParkersUUrg on the Ohio.
There are many other important streams, west of
the Blue Ridge, and the Rappah1nnoc!5 and its
branches on the east, must command attention.
Roads. consider as a secondary consideration. 4
law based upon the principle Of the Pennsylvania
road laws would answer every purpose. especially
when it is considered, that the cheapest and most eff
c cnt Improvements, arc the dams and locks upon
rivers, when such improvements are practicable
VIC L.