Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-03-17
VIRGINIA EEGaSLATURE.
SPEECH OF Mr.. SEGAR OF NoRTukMrros.

L.
held up to the House melancholy example of III,
neiclency and %astelu tendency Of the Stale system
admit, said Mr.. s., that this unfortunate cx
parlment in virginia. but, Sir, the experiment made
under circumstances which rendered failure unavoidable
that time the science of Civil Engineering
paravely in its infancy. Sn talent of this de
scrp,on, that the estimate made by the Eng EN-
ployed OF the expense Of the work about 81 200
miie about one eighth Of the real COST The manage
ment off the work con6drd 10 gentlemen who
though of high intelligence and good information &c
neral Subjects anew nothing oil Engineering and Canals
have heard indeed said Mr.. S that the upper canal
when copeledby the contractors aoOud mt hold oater
But whs: doe. this isolated prove, admitting il
experience TO have been The suddest possble' WIZ
only, that in this little instance the State system did
succeed aud that in operating for the future uPnn th
principle, should be particular in proceed
ings. Nay, draw lessons lrnm this very q
useful kind, and doubtless we will But the gen
leman from Prince Edward will have this decIdet
by authority, am happy 10 meet him that point, ant
simply ask him, if this Ptifu little case, upon which hi
lays so much stress, is not counterbulaucrd-Gye, Sir
ten thousand times weighed down by the counter expe
rence of Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania? Mos
willing am said Mr.. S., 10 determine the relative me
rs of The systems by authority; and regard
fortunate for the argument OF the gentleman, that he a
consented TO place the issue on this ground
Per cunira, the gentleman from Prince Edward refers
TO the success of the present james River improvement
since it vas undertaken lhe joint stock plan Herr
have attended this work since il transferred to the
Joint stock principle is surely owing TO any benef
cp mt operation of The principle Its operation is
" known felt in this work. Did individuals 90 for
ward to invest in this grand scheme, promising perhap:
more certain profit than any other line whasoever =;
HIVE individual capitalists subscribed two iths Of the
five millions on which the james River and kanawha
Company is operating? Let Us see. The corporation Of
Richmond subscribed 500. OO0-Lynchburg $500 0GO-
Washington College SlU,000- Bank Of Virginia $500
mn C,,, hs tho nil lctnc
OUn-lraying for individual subscriptions S720 900 =
Hence il appears that 81 $50 900 of The s which
should hare been subscribed by individuals, con.
tribued by corporations IT, said Mr. S the work had
moi been begun until individuals had subscribed the
whole two fhs, it would not have been commenced al
this day. perhaps never. And in consequence of the
pressure Of the times-a circumstance, however, not uf
lecting the Stae-many Of the subscribers have been
unable to meet the instaments they became DUE and
conseuuenty shares ia this company, upon which the
oreina subscriber had paid $50 for each SHARE be
purchased for S5 in the huDdred-or which is the
thing the holder of share, who had paid $50 thereon
will willingly give IL up 10 any person who Will pay The
balance due
Now said Mr. s., if there is any thing in The history
of the ne W James River Company which cnn be urged
in vindicalon of the joint stock system, he Nj s.. did
not see it. The funds had not been raised by ndividu
als-no. not even hco fihs But for corporations, The
two 6hs required condition precedent TO The State
spbscrp,on of three. fflhs could have been
vised nd here let ask, since the of all the
corporations in the Stale exha used what
have for The carrying out in future Of the oint stock
principle: What fuod is there 10 nourisl it? What
means 10 sustain il Now, if individual enterprise
would not sustain great work like this: promising in
the end bount!u returns, what we 10 expect in rea
alion 10 works of questionable kind: The truth
is that examine the subject you will the Two and
THREE ihs system isincopet'ntto accomplish any great
scheme OF Internal improvement
With respect 10 The impro rempnts ended TO be
conducted on Slate account will briefly assign the
sons which influenced the committee. They are the
Valley Read the Turnpike Road IRON Stanton To Far
kersburg and the Railroad from the tennessee Line 10
the James river In regard TO The Valley Rond il passes
through fertile portion of the State in which there
are Two separate in,eress-that OF the owners of small
farms much the most numerous and that OF the large
prop ctors The means oil the former are loo limited To
admit subscription their part of three two
6(hs of Macadamscd Road and the larger propet0rs
wish Railroad through he Valley TO Baltimore. Hence
one interest is unable and the other unwilling to embark
in any here that will rebound 10 The inter
est of the State. There is other alternative but TO
undertake this work Stnte account With respect 10
the Parkersburg Road all agreed that from the pc
cuar condition Of The country through which ii is TO
psss il ought TO be done by The means OF the State
And with respect 10 the Railroad from the Tennessee
Line 10 EvanShon, the case IS ye, clearer u not only
passed through the richest mineral section OF Virgin Ia,
hui the LEGISLATURE OF Tennessee have ordered survey
If railroad from Knoxville TO the Va Line. and are ra
Jy 10 embark in the undertaking. provided Virginia will
consirnct railroad from the James River TO The Iennps
see Line Il is munifestly proper that We should
,op,are This DISPOSITION lh- part Of Tennessee by Civ
no her some indication Of our intention 10 Cooperate
with her in this great Line, which is to nnke through
Virginia great ,horoughnre, while it will bring 10 "ur
markets the rnde of East Tennessee and North Alabama
RI, The gentleman from Halifax rdicues the idea Of
.ommencino Railroad at the Tennessee line and pu'-
ng !, down at a county courthouse. His argument
N ibs noinl is founded the supposition that when
he road reaches Evansham, it will then stop soever
There is no, The slightest danger OF this, SAID Mr. 3
The uompnt the State commences The portion OF the
ou,e cunon 10 the Danyillc and Lynchburg branches,
ndvdna capi,a is put in competition or both branches
n, tho extension from The Eastern terminus at Wythe
.ourhouse and there can be but lille ooub mat DE-
ore III. Slate carries the common line to The common
,veroi,o mint she will be there met by the branches
ION, DonvIs and the James Riyer-c'rluinly by one,
mt both And the gentleman from Halifax enquiries
now il is that, having taken the Road from T." s
o Eyansam on Stale account, we ca t,,so There il
our consistency to depea9esSo nT mo 1890 somebny
s'% &c griHsiss said MI House On this
w. do not expec, 10 proseyte the members OF 'hs
Hopse on subject involving so great diversity OF opin
~ And therefore the committee haW recohmenu.u
he sonIicaiion Of the Stale principle - WORKS ol h
NOS, general character, and in those ctses on IN -
is snnarent that private enterprise is incompetent 10
effect them. :,,,;,, v;.v,
now approach, said Mr.. S "A most interesting WY
g ,h;s o,ep subject not on, tont=nd that the whs's
scheme recomHleHueo 10 S"s'- n ,,o,, ,,nt
he State, but take boder grounA' ana sns, I;usa o
III The Stale has 10 do, is 10 hNupcn Tue s,..hiE,y
undoubted utility, satisfy Itself OF the's s,1 a.
ind then the money TO construct mem ouS". :, ,ys
matter Of course. believe as ST all attep ~ 49,
Ina, good works will pay for themselves anu
Ianl revenue 10 be applied to ohei ooects Oh Sa'e Nv
These nre startling propositions, hho" vi,h
particularly to those gentlemen "ho are "at'ns
Argus eyes dollars and cents .ths ,1n,h sha
But do not despair of establishing tnelr uuu' ,h;rh
h0 neon raised AGAINST this scheme-no, mol even oy
the gures Of the gentleman from Haax Sr the se ea
statesmen who conceived as far back IS loVo
The design of that work which is now the %onue.
,hu.,s,s The idea of come citing the waisfs OF The
Hudson and The Lakes was deemed absurd, and The
of tina, day. out against it, as scheme II hs
which would grind the people to dust some o, ne
most sceptical enqued "where is The wafer 10 ;.%
from to fill this great ditch and me log pf me