Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-01-15
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
FTidGu. .J1nuGrU q.

HOUSE OF DELEGATES
FridGy, JaRuGry9.
JAMES RIVER AND KANAwHA IMPROVEMENT;
Debate motion to reeoHH The cat to authorize nc cor
pOration of Richmond to subscribe TO the Stock Of the
James Ri0cr and K0aGlcLa Company.
Mr. Gregory moved that the Bill be rccommtted,
with instructions that the Committee bring in bill to
authorize the State to take the stock Of the James River
and kanawha Company, not now subscribed
Mr. c.. said it would be proper for him TO give his
for making this motion. The bill now before the
House was more Objectionable bill than he had ever
before been called TO vote upon. Not only was it
because of the objections of portion of the people
about TO be taxed for the support of the improvements
but because should this bill pass there is end of the
attempt to carry on this work The impossiby Of do
ing itby such means would soon be made manifest Mr.
c. proposed that the State should take the remainder of
the stockone half of which she has taken alrcady-in
order that the work may absolutely fall through
which will be the case, if the State does not in
terpose. He did not intend to go IL large into an
argument the subject But he would specify one
objection to the passage of this bill, which was TO him
important Ii this bill should be passed in its
present form, it would place the whole company the
Sa.c subscription, and ALL under the control of the city
of Richmond. He had idea of putting so larrc an
interest under the power of any corporation The pre-
sent scheme had been commenced the principle of the
35th system but that had early been departed FROM
and the vote of the State cut down half of
its weight and possessed entirely dsproporlionate
to the stock which she subscribed He thought il OBJ
ectonable that the State should be allowed vote
upon her stock equal to its amount when corporation
TO possess the powerspf controlling the company
which would be the case if the corporation of Richmond
was to have vote equal to the amount Of Che stock
DO subscribed by It.
alr johnson CT r eld,-be i.2psd ilc iiopse would
not feeenmis taa hia ss'b ispse fssgYei eas. hey
were now debals ~ 5,i on t,e .tltsg 81 geaus4y
70 al winch the books Of The coIDY iey iaaa. close
E& he 85lt nss The question ipYo3fe a. ~ nstruc-
rs moved nv The ger ioD-ll rom ~ a se Qeiid
on proraced discussion, and revive all those to-
cs of debate which had formerly been settled in the
curse of the legislation the James River scheme
The presentation of bill to the House, like that ndi-
Gated by the gentleman from Williamsburg, would rem
der 1t necessary TO form new contract with the sub
scr5ers TO the stock OF the present would
IN fact make 1t necessary to go into the market and
lcIt subscribers anew The question was, whether
the city of Richmond should subscribe and thereby save
the charter which the immediate object of e-
gslation 1t would be best to decide this question first
and begin dc upon any plan which may afterwards
be proposed. lie feared the effect of a motion which
shonid bring the whole subject into discussion He had
doubt that il would be pabe to the city of Rich
mond that the State should take any part of the stock
proposed 70 be subscribed which might be thought de-
sirabe by the Legislature If could be done to
destroy the charter Of the company The city would
doubt be thankful to the State for relieving her of part
OF her burthens but the primary object to
ue charIer, WHICH would be erected by passage of this
bill.
Mr. J. here entered into arguments in addition
TO those of his detailed speech in those of
Messrs. Wickham and Stanard which noticed
here as they belong TO his general argument, which
hope hereafter TO report In the of these remarks
Mr. j. alluded TO the declaration that the work could not
be completed with the 81 100000 constituting its
capital Stock;-and supposed of the oxpcdienis
which might be resorted toby the company after having
expended three and half of the four millions that NJ
expanding the remaining half million in negroes TO con-
sttute efficient force while The ordinary expences of
the company for the salaries Of officers &c. might be
paid out of the income fine nprovoment1
Mr. Colston asked if he understood the gentleman
from Richmond, as asserting 70 the rccomniment of
the Bill?
Mr. johnson said that he was opposed to any procecd
ings which shond draw long discussion Of the sub
ject But if it could be shown that there was any ur
gent reason for re-commting the bill, he would acqu-
escc.
Mr. Coston considered it essential that the Bill should
be re-commtied but he was opposed % the Instructions
indicated by the gentleman from WILLIAMSBURG He
thought the remark OF that gentleman TO the pro-
portion of tho States vote worthy of much atien
ton Mr.. Coston had acquicsced last year in the pro-
vision that the State should have vote upon onc-outh
of the Stock OF the Company ofiy although hoding
e-half Of the stock lie had done so upon the as
surances Of the gentleman from Nelson tlat there
would be large private subscription On the con-
trary, he found that there but a small private
subscription and at much the greater part Of the stock
to be in the hands Of corporations If the scale Of
the votes still remained why should the State be entitled
to vote for but Oneiourth while the individual stock
holders and the City of Richmond to be placed on
the same iOong u such were the case, the control of
the company, would inevitably be in the hands Of the
city Of Richmond lie thought some provision could be
made by which the vote Of the State coudbe ENLARGED md
concession made instead to the company On tis
and other grounds he thought The bill ought be re-con
med lie confessed that the constitutional argument
against the bill had not made any very powerful impres-
sion ON his mind But when the Legislature possessed
the constitutional power TO do an act il was another
question oil not less Importance whether il discreet
or exPedent to exercise ITS constitutional power in the
premises. In this point Of view it appeared 10 him
subject Of grave deliberations whether it was right to
tax those who unwilling to acqucsce in tie meg
sure proposed by the city lie thought that if time was
given TO consult upon the subject, opportuny.woud
be afforded Of making some adjustment Of the matter
more agreeable to all parties. There another con-
sideration which he thought ought 10 claim delay All
the other schemes Of Internal Improvement n the Stao
depend 10 greater or less degree ON The question
whether the James River aud Kanawha Company shall
apply the dividends Of this stock to The prosecution of
the work, or divide them among the stockholders ri
they pursue ic former course the fund for Internal I'm
provement VIII yield no surplus and all other works de-
pendint on that fund must be brought 10 close The
gentleman from Richmond had supposed that the com
pany might after three and half millions Of the CAPT
tai were expended purchase negroes with the remain
ing half million, and that the $4,000 income from Inc
tolls, would be sufficient defay the other expenses be-
sides labor But such Calculation certainly fails