Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1831-03-10


not, any where, seen copy OF the bill. And
how was this fund, thus borrowed upon the
| credit Of the property Of the tchole State, and
to he paid by tax upon the property of the
whOIs Slate, TO be distributed
For the James River $1,000, 900
The Petersburg Rail Raod 10000
Road from Tenn line to Salem 10000
To improveths Shenandoah River SOC, 900
To make the Winchester aud Par
kersburg Road Ia5,os0
1905 900
Here again we perceive that more than
enc half of the whsle fund is to be at once
lavished upsn the iavorte felty of Virgicia-
TINE JAMES RIVER IMPROVEMENT
an improvement (if it can he so terned) up
on which million aud a half eff dollars have
already been expended, and TO what purpose?
10 the i.j,1y of the noble stream, whose ma
vigstIon has been rather impeded, than faci-
litated by the i'll directed efforts of man
l must confess it, the very name of ''JGHes
Rirer," has something in it, to me omiBous.
1t is a sound, fatal 10 the cause of Internal
Improvements in Virginia. II has not only
swallowed up all the money, but has engulpt-
ed the very spirit. hope and enterprise Of the
commonwealth. Ii has been the hobby upon
which certain men have ridden Themselves IN
to aftluence, and the Stale into poverty--a
scheme of countless expenditures and fanci
ed divldends-a case upon which the quack
doctors OF civil engineering practised their
prescriptions until the patient gave sympto,~s
oil dlssolution-a carcass upon which the
Northera vultures leasted, while the people
were left to iamish. The Toy, which for
moment caught the public fancy, has, with
iIch Cr.x hao a
thrown aside, now to be purchased again
the golden anticipations which ushered II into
notice, have dissipated into thin sir-the
magnificent enterprise which was to cement
the Union-to honor the Old Dominion-to
enrich her people, and populate her deserts.
has passed away like the s'baseess fabric of
vision" leaving but few stasnsnt pools
Wondering bridges and deserted cuts, TO tes-
tiiy to the extent of money which has been
rrodigally wasted upon it.
Ii | am asked, il the connection of the
waters of the Ohio and Chesapeake bay, by
means of the James and kenawha rivers.
would not be an enterprise greatly conducive
to the general wealth and prosperity OF the
State oil Virginia, would say, that upon a
bird's-eye observation OF the Map OF the
country, might perhaps incline to the opin-
ion that it would. But when more mature
| " consider the character of the population
| resident upon the borders ofthe James. and,
! indeed extending from the Blue Ridge down
to that broad and beautiful sheet OF water
called the champion Roads when cou-
| slider the nature and quality of the soil tine
extent Of negroe slavery eiusing its poison
! Gus and pernicious miasma over the moral
! and phisicai energies of the whole communl
| ty-when consider the pursuits Of the peo-
I ple--thelr notions upon the subject OF the
mechanical arts--their aversion 10 commerce
| and manufactures--their contempt fer the
| laborious occupations Of liie;-rny heart sick
| ems within me. and do think it the very
! vanest effort, which the folly of faan can be
! guilty CT, 10 expect ever Ender such ciFcu,a-
| stances, 10 rival the parallel COMMUNICATIONS
Of the Ohio and Chesapeake, and Erie and
] Hudson canals. It never can be done. As
soon might you expectthe African to change
his skin-the lowlander to forget his sports
| the soil to vary its native productions, or any
/ other event alike improbable or impossible.
! NORFOLK will become the NEW YORK,
| and RICHMOND the ALBANY of Virgin
! ia, when that Revolution takes place la the
character, pursuits and population Of the
| lower country which will leave not one yes
| tige behind, of the predominant characters
! tics OF the present generation.
| Has it ever been your gosd fortune, Mr.
! Editor, to travel by water from Norfolk 10
Richmond If so, yos have seen one Of the
most beautiful sheets Of Inland Navigation
| beautiful here mean not so much 10 the
eye oftastc, as to the eye of politicaleconony,
which this Union can any where present.
unsurpassed SO far as my observation has ex-
tended, by the North River. the Ohio, or
the Mississippi. And yet what is the scene
which every where strikes the view? Do you
meet with the smiling villages-the cuitivat
ed iarms-the smoking iactories-the joyous
revery OF commerce--the hum and hustle
OF the mechanical arts which distinguish the
! shores of the rivers just mentioned. No Sir
quite the contrary. Permit nae to lay before
you the following eloquent extract from the
speech OF a gentleman in the late Conven-
ton, assembled 10 revise the Constitution of
the State---a gentleman who will not be &C
cused OF any Intentional Misrepresentation
Of facts, to the prejudice of Virginia. My
own personal observation will bear testimo-
ny to the accuracy OF bis description.
Gas trayersed our lowland country, the
land not only O! my nativity but of my faith
ers-l said to myself how much has il lost
OF its primitive iovelinessI Does the eye dwell
with most pleasure on its scGsted felds, or its
stsntcd forests OF secondary growth Of pine
and cedar? Can we dwell. but with Reurn-
full regret, on the temples Of religion, sinking
into ruin; and those spacious dwellings,,
1 4 Al 4