Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-03-29
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

Hss an echo FROM The heart
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
SPEECH OF MR. HUBBARD,
Deiirered in tie House Of Delegates The l1h Of Fe
6raary 1888, in tauor Of The Lnd.nits PostpOHem:n
of The Report made Jy The Committee Of Roads and In
ternal Earisatioa.- Report recommended Loan
of $50U00, for the construction Of several 'coT6s 81
Internal improvement, and acas SO amended (teore t
motion for Indefinite Postponenuent .oas maacj as TO
proeide far an additional Loan Of (S72OO0O) 3'5th'
of the estimated cost Of Railroad from Falmouth to
Alexandria.
MIR SpEAxER:-Havng for the first time been no
nored with scat in this body, have hitherto contened
myself by acting silent observer of its proceedings,
and should not on this occasion obtrude upon the in
diligence of the House, did not entertain such decided
aud nsuperabe objections to the adoption OF the Report
now under consideration 1t is scarcely necessary to
mind the House of the importance OF the subject before
III s Importance is obvious, whether considered in
ference to its financial BEARINGS or examined IN relation
TO the character extent and magnitude OF the various
works proposed TO be constructed. do not design imi
ta,ing the example Of the gentleman from Campbell
(Mr Campbell) and going into discussion Of the ab
street right of the General Assembly to appropriate mo
ney to objects Of Internal improvement. The authority
has been asserted and exercised by the Legislature and
with the and appreciation OF The people and
think without any Infringement of The private rghts
guaranteed by The Constitution. That question is em
phatcay re, adudieata, thing adjudg.d, and settled
too not by few detached mud insulated cases, but b,
q variety Of decisions made during long series
years, and under circumstances Of nature pecu
iariy embarrassing Nor do intend discuss the tx
pediency of a general system Of Internal improvements
All intelligent acknowledge the advantages and be
ne6s resulting from canals, railroads and turnplkes
though know those advantages are frequently exagge
rated BY the warm friends Of internal Improvements
while on the other hand am free to confess, they
perhaps frequently dsparaged and deprecated by
their opponents So far from being hostile To Internal
Improyements desire 10 the.n advance with all III,
s6n in nj IN,
works be constructed judgment and economy in then
execution, and above ALL with much rupidny as tht
very limited resources Of the Common wealth will JUST
fy claim be friend to Internal improvements and
an, not the less friendly to them, because am exemp
from that enthusiastic zeal which aninates other gentle
men on this floor. But however friendly to Internal I'm
provemcnts nv desire 10 see them advance hss
overcome my aversion and repngnance 10 great ano
overshadowng public debt. Adopt the Report Of the
Committee and pass The bills which they have prepared
in conformity aud you augment the pecunary liza
bilities of The State nearly six million OF dollars pro
position 10 enlarge our exis oogations ny such an
amount would any time be entitled 10 serious rei"c
on but under the distressing and clrcn
stances which surrnnnh H deserves Inc graVest de-
Liberation of this body.
proceed now, Sir, 10 state NY objections 10 The Re-
mort Of the Committee. The Report advises loan OF
more than FIVE millions, and il recommends The consruc
ton of works apon principles involving departure r
some instances, and in others utter disregard OF what
have considered the established and true policy Oi
the Common wealth upon this subject, Four Of TIT
works indicated by the Report proper 10 be construct
ed proposed be made Slate account solely anc
two other costly works by subscription OF 5ths on The
uart of the Common wealth Although the Report durs
not entirely repudate the joint stock plan Of improve
nent We, il certainly assaiIs that principle and seeks in
directly and gradually to overthrow it, In 1916 az
years ago) the General Assembly established the fuuc
Of internal Improvement and endowed II literally Ihr
Joint stock plan then adopted and The then friends
of Internal improvements relied upon the annual
income Of that fund as affording adequate means
10 conjunction with private subscriptions, OF carrying
on Z sysiem of improvement eminently conducive l.
the prosperity of the State If the system has dis
pensed advantages Of less pervadng and sauta1y cha
raeter than anticipated by its friends it yet re
mains for it's opponents to demonstrate that the accruing
benefits of the State plan of Improvement would hav.
been cold and enduring. The joint stock plan has
um persuaded succeeded fully we'll here, the much
lauded State plan in New York Pennsy lvania | wish
to maintain and preserve that gina joint stock plat
by which the Slate suaxcribes 5,hs, when individuals
have previously subscribed 35lhs; and wish 10 sustain
it, because believe, that under it's operation, works OF
Internal Improvement b. constructed more judi
eiously and economically, and with arer prospect OF
ACHE wing great and glorious results than under The ope
ration OF any other system. BY the joint stock plan
you have the attention. the sagacy and vigilance OF in
dv,duai interest, associated with that OF the State
While under the operation of the State plan OF Improve
ep you deprived Of these advantages and are con-
PEELED to rely upon the fidelity OF agents. wno from the
very nature of hngs be expected TO discharge
their duties with the same industry and integrity, az
when acting for and subject to the supervision Of com
pany, as we'll as the Common wealth. believe elso
that the joint stock plan is that which above all others
should receive the counenance and support OF the most
ardent friends Of Internal improvement Under Ills ope
ration 10 millions Of dollars. sided by Is millions o: p
vste capital will many works US % million.
on the State plan; while in the the State incur.
debt of TO- and in the other case debt OF 25 millions
contend them that it is the interest Of all the
friends Of Internal Improvement 10 adhere to the joint
stock plan, enabling the State 20 safely under
take and wisely perfect, greater number OF works
than any other PLAN and one too, peculiarly adapted
20 Virginia. possessing she does sparse population
and comparatively limited resources. The State plan
of improvement, may suit Pennsy 'vanla or New York
States enjoying greater advantages of foreign and inter
nal trade densrr population, and much greater accu
mutation of capital than possess but even in those
States we should remember that many Of the: best and
most valuable works Of Internal Improvement
their existence the capital the enterprise and patriot
ism Of private companies But need not dwell on
this subject The gentleman from Prince Edward alr
Venable.) and the gentleman from Campbell, (hr Dan
ie have clearly demonstrated the superiority OF thr
joint stock plan the Stale plan OF Improvement
that it is unnecessary for me TO say any thing To
strengthen their neutrality-suspicious. which, hPugn as
sailed have neither been impaired or overthroWn
Again, assuming that the several works which the
committee have recommended to our patronage to be
uuobiectionabe lines of improvement, and assuming
Also the sake Of argument that The cost of cousruc
ton will mol exceed the estimates, yet maintain that
.Tbe Joint Stock Companies operation
four hundred miles of Canals and Railroads. and
hundred and sixty mora Ihs Lshs sehuyk
arc profitable than works constructed State
oonnt! -
m State account resolved avai herseo private
pits and 1885, sLo bad nneone Raiosd