Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-06-22
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OF SToCK-CONDUCT OF
TIE WEST.

THE WEST.
The Allcghanan statos that G2 shares were sub.
scr'hcd in that county, (Crocnbricr) to the Janes
Rlyer Improvement Perhaps no county on the
hne is more interested, few more ablc and mono
mas heretofore been moro eorncst, not to say clo
morous. at the cold delays Of tho Legislature
Sixtytwo shares! Bravo!
when one remembers what prodigious zeal as
Tar as words could go, has been manifested for a
number of years by the counties lying around the
head waters of Jamcs River for the conncxion of
the tide nth the Ohio: when the brilliant eloauence
ard cxcrions Of its Representation in the Legisa.
tnre, their promises of what would be done if they
were only permitted, their declarations of the
vital necessity of the improvement to their very
cx'stchcc>-wher all these things arc remembered
and put by the side of what they haze done TO help
themselves, now that they have been permitted an
opportunity of showing their faith by their VOL
sensation of tho Ridiculous ovrrpowers any more
serious feeling! The great counties of Rock
bridge, Botetourt, Monroe, and Grecnbrier, which
for l6 years have been most loud for this improve.
mcnt, most reproachfol for the neglect of their in
terests, most valiant In words--what have they
accomplished when ut last their rrmonstrances
were heard, and they asked to pot their shout
der to the wheel1 Why subscribed some 80 or
$4,000 towards the small jos of connecting the
Atlantic with the Mississippi. Were those coun.
Ties unable to subscribe, it would be a different
affair." hut they are we'll known to be as flourishing
or more so, than any part of tho Commonwealth,
and 10 contain large and solid capital.
Howit has happened that they display so much
indifference on occasion which we have been
taught by themselves to suppose, was of such
Inappreciablc consequence to thcm--how it is that
they refuse substantially, to contribute their aid
towards the completion of work, which, 1--WE havc
their own assurancc,) would make their land { o
now with milk and honey, it is impossible for us to
say. 1t cannot be that they want confidence for
the scheme is theirs; nor capital, for they possess
much; nor a consciousness that of all Others they
arc to be those principally benefited for that they
acknowledge. Can 1T be that they hope that Others
VIII advance all the necessary means and incur all
the possible risquc, while the share of benefit
VIII How to them, if they had participated in
the hazard and responsibility? We reject tho sup.
position as derogatory to the spirit and libcray OF
those of whom it is prodicated. Such n cucula
ton would not only be Liberal and ungcncrous
but positively scandalous and mean.
Yet such will be the conclusion of all if the
people OF the West particularly the people of tn,
wealthy counties we have enumerated, do not come
forward and retrieve their pledges, and in som,
degree at least, make their acts correspond will
their reiterated and high sounding professions II
| cannot be otherwise. Such n belief would b,
justified by facts and probabilities, and while
would reflect dishonor upon Western Virginia
would be of most dangerous consequence TO tn
enterprise itself To disappont selfish s2i,i.
to punish those who in this the very crisis of thei
fortunes, either indolenty, rcmissly, or from
selfish and ungenerous calculations, refuse 10 hel,
themselves, and show willingness to reap tht
harvc t, while they decline to aid in sowing thu
ground-such disposition say, would be equal
iy natural, common and dangerous. Let the Yves
| for its own sake, beware.