Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-12-21

of increased inland travel on u for
eien commerce. (recentlyso ausplcious-
w revived, and on the creation, among
ourselves, Of some great emporium OF
business-thc heart, so to speak, OF the
system, receiving and returning thro,
every vein and artery, the life-blood
that gives health and vigor to the
Commonwealth. A closer association
moral and political, Of tho citizens of.
the East and West, Us we'll as a great
err equalization Of advantage Ito the
3 neglected PORTION of the State,)
might also be expected to result from
the Improvement, while its influence in
arresting the tide of emigration, that so
long and so d~isastrously to Virginia,
has set from her, and the facility
wherewith a military force might, on
emergency, be speedily concentrated,
present motives for its execution, which
recommend themselves strongly to the
patriotic consideration of the Legisla-
ture.
The very efficient aid it would af.
ford to our great central improvement,
is also a very interesting consequences
of its accomplishment-aid, perhaps,
adequate Of itself to enable that work
to overcome every obstacle in the way
Of its completion. In addition to all
which, the impressing on the trade OF
Tennessee and Alabama an eastern d.
r%ection, in anticipation of that magni-
iccnt scheme, which might else divert
it towards n more Southern market, is
itself a most urgent reason why thi:
State should undertake and complete j
without delay.
The favorite and established join
stock system of Virginia, admirable as
5 it is, will scarce suffice, as | humbly
/. think, for the accomplishment of the
, undertaking referred to, or at least
not till after a period when some oftht
advantages now offered by it, viii
, have been irreyocably lost. The in,
aptitude of that system to this case, re,
suits from the deficiency of capita
along tho proposed line to finish tht
t propor,ionate individual subscription
, which it demands, and from the hope.
~lessness of obtaining adequate subscrip
ton elsewhere. Tho remoteness o
the work from the great depot of CAPT
: tai, the startling character to those who
) have not viewed them nearly, Of the
physical difficulties to be overcome
the novelty in some of its features, and
the magnitude ofthe undertaking, and
at thistime, the scarcity Of money e *
t tinguish all hope of efficient aid to the
enterprise from distant capitalists-ac
f cordingly, so partial have been thu
+. subscriptions, under the charter grant
ed by the last Legislature for a rail
road from Lynchburg to the Tennes
see line, that the failure Of that scheme
may, | presume, be considered as de.
] cided.
$ Under these convictions OF the i'm
p~ortance to the Commonwealth, of Q
d. rail road improvement between Ten.
nessee and James River, Of its early
completion, and Of the hopelessness O
!, its being effected within any short time
r by individual enterprise, | venture, ye'
with great Difference, to recommend, a,
the only plan by which its speedy &C,
v c~omplishment can be secured, that i
F.. be undertaken by the State. Will
these convictions, | should not hesitate
. to recommend this measure to YOU
S adoption, even though resort to a State
: loan were thereby made necessary,
: Happily, however, there exists no sucl
necessity. The portion of the Surplu,
Revenue Of the u. States, to be trans
ferred, during the ensuing year to thi.
O State, amounting to a sum consldera,
bly, beyond what the undertaking would
require, whether directly applied, OF
n by creating q sinking fund for the dis
j. charge of a principal, and applying So
e much of the annual proceeds Of the re
sidue, as may pay the interest of a sun
g to be borrowed for this object, relieve
!. the Legislature Of all financial Difficult
J, ty on the subject.
e The objection that might be taker
t to the proposed application of so larg,
# a portion of the fund, as combining tn,
o benefit oft, in a great degree, to a sin
n gle work, ought not even, if well found
# ed, to be allowed to weigh against thu
e measure, should the Legislature con
0 cur with me, viewing it as Of para.
: mount Importance to the interest ofthe
Commonwealth. But the force of suct
an objection is materially lessoned, oil
altogether obviated, if the expectation
f may be justly INDUCED, as, for reason.
already stated in another part of this
paper, it seems to me it may, of fur.
Their transfers of the accruing Surplus
f ses of the Federal Treasury.
y, The full benefit to be expected from
the South Western Improvement can.
not be considered as secure to the State
if that improvement shall stop after eff
} fecting the proposed connection be-
! tween the James and Holstein Rivers.
Tho nrNtro,.t.. Al. -. - r.