Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-03-13
TUESDA 4.
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.
SPEECH OF Mr.. sEGAR OF NoRruAMPros.

tnges OF general system Of Internal improvement.
The gentlemen frum Halifax and Prince Edward, he
said, had viewed the subject in financial light excu
svey They had taken The pounds shillngs and pence
Of the question, and had thought proper TO
hib 10 the House single of the many advantages
which would counlervai the expense 10 be incurred IN
the construction OF system Of public works They mis-
took the object of public Improvements. That obec
not to make money, but to give bounty TO produc
lon-to disburhen agriculture by cheapness OF Trans
PorlAon-and TO fur nish 10 the community increased
means OF acquiring happiness ond wealth. viewing
these the ends be accomplished The expenditure oil
money wasneces,ary for arriving at The ends
Fortunately, said MI s., the merits of this question: III
cacu!a5y important Isl rest upon very simple prn
ciples
MIR. S. hen took the position, that the wealth If q
country consisted mainly in the annual produce of its
land and labor. 1t does no said he consist even ID The
fertility nf soil tho obuntuuce of its mfuerslH-
Our own Western and moun,nIn REGION furnished con
elusive illustration this point. county as rich IN
soil as the hand of Nature could make it, and as bound
less in mineral treasures the ocean ITSELF 8ns never
,Leless poor And why? Because, having outlet to
market The annual produce OF lis land and labor was
inconsiderabIe. Now, said Mr.. S the moment you
concede the poson that is the produce of your aud
and labor that constitutes wealth. you concsde The
INDISPENSABLE necessity of Internal improvements Your
wealth. upon this principle, said Mr. S lies in the Yves,
and in the Valley. If you would increase the annual
produce of the land and labor Of the State what is
the same thing its wealth. 10 the highest point OF which
resources of the West and do this plan Of Internal
Involvement is indispensable. In this argument ie
sumed il was true, that public improvements would IN.
erase the annual production Of land and labor brt liz as.
sumed because could not be controversial being self
evident truth Yet he could moi forbear illustration.
e took the case ulhe Eastern Shore Of Frg II has
comparatively poor SOIL producing on an average, not
more than barrels Of 10 the acre and admitting,
in consequence Of its thnness the cultivation Of bn e"
pies Yet with poor soil. IL paradise on earth
her people were rch-rich in all that constitutes
wealth and comfort in this life. And the chief reason
that the uhor of Nature has placed them convenient
10 the markets of the world II is true that habits OF
industry contribute much TO their blessed condition.; hut
whence said MIR. S. those habits OF industry, except
from the stimulus Of ready markets. and multiplied
facilities OF inter communication This is the secret OF
their enterprise Every nnepence worth OF surplus
prouc lion they dispatch 10 market IN purchase the
nd Of sugar, other little necessary and not
only this-the easy access TO market mnitIpes Wese
lle 81 puses to thsm most beneficial in the economy
of their finance, bot entirely lost to people WI" are
shut out from the mnnsels Of The world. And now SAID
MIR S. but contrast With the two Eastern Shore C"un
ties the condition Of Of the Western Counties tut
have Chesapeake or Atlantic, on whose noSom
TO float the produce Of their labor. Is enterprise or
industry available 10 them? They may labor. and
labor and labor and they get not The reward OF t'r
toll They may male the prodnce. but 1t rois upon
their hands, for the difficulty and cost o! transportation
DENY it market The illustration Is conclusive ana II
10 our sympu,bes behalf Of brethren OF the
West who are no, so favored as ourselves.
Mr. S. then seized he position o coroIary: ne said
from the Just discussed that without generous Ss
TEN of improvement, the richest portion OF our Sale
MIGHT be considered as lost entirely and ice had
as 1ceN b. ,ethout IT, He would give gentlemen on IL
- should GO he"a =" t-'I bo,'-' Snn;
pose, said he ,-- State Of Maryland should make OF
US The modest rcGses-as little Delaware some years
since, did Of Mar and-thGt we should give her our
Valley and Western regions Gentlemen then. would
brought 10 their Senses and view this question IN its
proper light. What" they would saw give yru the
richest PORTION of Staie-lha part Of it which has
The most fertile soi-which has nexhaustble stores of
coal IRON lead gypsum and saltgive yon this portion
of our Stale.--Wy, we will see about it, Yet, said
Mr.. s., should Ike to know with what consistency or
Justice the enemy Of internal Improvement could refuse
10 occede 10 the session. For, II hr determines That
he will never open The West the East by roads and
canals he could grr no Why that por'ion-to!
ever to be excluded from market-should not b. given
away Consistency would require it, and justice de-
ma nd il: and for 1ne, said MIR. S DO not hesitate r.
declare, that the fist moment 1t becomes settled ft
that we are to hav. Internal improvements "ou'u
cast ms vote to give away Western country % any
State that would it justice, ty opP"ng Tor IL an CUT
e! to market.
Mr. S. then proceeded 10 she" mat i'oera' syst'ho'
Internal Improvement such us was recommended by ir
Committee. wouc add gea'iy !" t'e plou"c.'e ef;a'
Of the State 1t WILL said he create new sources OF IN
drs,,v oG exchange, ni supply and demand. IL VIII
G mn The old anc form channels Of trade IL Viii
add millions upon millions 10 the produce o Inc Ianor OF
the State, and bring into market m''i'"ns o. p"po
yh;cb w;,bou, i, would ever have been produced In
tho FIRST pacs sad Mr. S, ii is the reason oil Inc hnS
nnv peop the means Of getting 10 market reaoly
and cheaplv the productions Of tneif iaeor, anu e
smounl of their dsposabe surplus will certainly De
The less the cost OF tIansPo''a'''n, "ie
r,,.r the boue,y TO production. The proposition Is
rue in all its forms country shut out from MARKET
nu,, necessarily continue unmprored Lao"ur IS use
less and hpnce universal experience Will oe ioun" !"
the fact that countries destitute OF LIE faces
Of inter. communication, have ever conn"eu ;ri' in
dc,ion 10 The actual quantity necessary TO satisfy their
ohvsc, necessities And IN the order oil pf"gtes
zion indpsry has been most stimulated IN those whose
facilities of communication have been s'ealest. D"t,
said Nr s will not rest this position upon speculative
-e,sons merely. | will illustrate 1t by The UNIFORM
;-,s." g Io,synol Improvement, There never was an
Jmnrovrnen that did not increase the production OF
The country through which it passed few tacs; sad
Mir S. as examples will take first, The case OF tue
scbuyikil Canal In las, this work was competed
Of the coal regions oil fennsys iva asr ,e,cbsd
The Philadelphia market from this source In 1870, 'ne
a,noun, was 500 tons; and il gradually increased un
in Is33 il reached $50 900 tons. This COAL sold IN The
market as it was at S. 80 per ton, amount
oil 10 0O0 So there were added IN single year.
n the productive industry Of Pennsylvania, the I'm
amount OF $50 600 tons Of single article worm
neariv million and half Of dollars, which, Dull lot lle
opening Of this Canal, would have slept lore'el III tn
Novels of the earth! But gentlemen may say, that
this example of coal, being, as 1t 49, necessary ar
,:cr of consumption is fair Illustration. lh"o9n
he supposed, that if canals were opened TO our c%n
mines or our iron or lead or gypsum BEDS they would be
a,e nded with precisely the same results bni ~ "oo.o
take another case that of The Weand Canal IN .anaoa
connecting Lakes Erie and Ontario and mus forming
connection with the ST. Lawrence. Oar. men ''ad
table showing that whereas o32 the year tins canal
went into operation there inconsiderabe quantes
If pork. wheat, slaves, SALT &c, tina! passed through
This CANAL in 1884 years after, The amount IN eacn
oass had been ,rebed 4 nd whereas in 1882 only 2iO
scbooners passed through it, in 1884 The number vas
increased to SOY Who would say that this immense IN
crease of production had been effected by Inc con-
s,ructon Of this canal: But come, SAID Mr. 3, 10
sill more triumphant iIIustration-the Erie and Cham
plain Canal in New York. find IRON accurate re-
Tia, the oroduce which went through this canal in
$50. amounted 10 sl3,DOaoOO Now the trade of the
s.,;on wbich furnished this immense production was