Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-02-20

tain The claim We'll, Sir, what would be the amount
of such subscription The part OF The Stale: IL WOULD
under no circumstances be less thar 20U O0 yet he
gentlemen who would be willing give the Valley that
enormous sum in shape which they d. not desire H.
are shocked the idea uf giving third nt the amount
in fnrn calculated tn advance all the substantial n'e'
Of the Valley, and entirely acceptable tn thr PR"
pie, For my part, Mr. Speaker, mn unable lu
comprel;ead the correctness of this reasoning.
But, Sir. | viii delaIn the House longer on this
mari of the subject will !rave the Fn,.y road III l;r
hands OF thuse more directly interested lhaa my sell III
i,s success md pass to the cons draiiGn OF "hrr
tones connected with the scheme Of Improvement re-
ported by lie committee.
As lur tr Forth western appropriation the cnnn'ri.
tee had thought it best 10 present that III the shape mp
reared in their rppor leaving the details 10 he arranged
hy the North. western Delegation when hill shDnd be
ordered he reported. Ii known 10 the House,
that the National road and the North wrsern read
already penetrated that region, in parallel lines, but
at such distance from each other To leave large
portion IF the country delu!e Of The advantages Of
good ruads. 1t ilnpnrinnt That many short roads
inrrsectng these liurs and leading 10 The Ohu river.
should be made. to afford the necessary accommodation
To- the public. There were many streams winch should
BIZ improved by The removal Of ohslnc:iIs which
inprted lI;cr navigation. All these nhecs can he pro.
yded for by the appropriation propose by ,hr c"nh'l
tee. and authorised BY gentlemen from thai sec'i"n
of the State say, that there will be difficulty in ad
ustng The subject the satisfaction 81 a.! concerned
Having thus disposed Of all the recommendations Of
the Committee cdnc now Sir, To lIr consideration OF
llie cost of the works contemplated The w"lc auIonnl
Of expenditure to he incurred by hn State IN carrying
the views Of the Committee, is but hltlr over
SIS 0tO 0G0 This is not cnrjec,nral estimate II
funded in many instances upon actual surveys, ara
is sustained by lie opinions Of the most competent In
gnprri. In mos, cases, the estimate If the COMMITTEE
higher by 10 70 per CENT than tie estimates u Tic
Engineers.
But, Sir beg the House TO remember that Tic report
Of the Committee dees not propose TO create ne" nhI'ga-
iinns the part Of the State, Ia the amount OF Sooo'
| nH H.. at
report of the Committee proprsrs to augment ne exist
ing liabilities - the State only 81 G0oUOJ How do
establish This propositions To H. Sill by reference 10
the of The last session of the General Assembly,
and by comparison of them with the report OF The Con'
mllee. Any gentleman who i'll lake the trouble 10
examine The laws u" last winter in ralinn 10 the Dan.
vile, Roanoke and Junction EaI!ruad aud The Lynch.
burg and Tennessee Railroad will ind ia by lse acts,
The State is plrdgpd for subscription 0i Two MINIS OF
the capital stock necessary to construct both OF those
Raids and 10y ariihmrlical caculat0n lie VIII ma
! that twoflrs Of the capital Of th@e two Companies,
| amounts IL the sum Of S3I0n,000! Now, Sir, the
Southwestern Roads recommended by The CuninIit'ee,
Intended Ia supcrsPde both those Roads, and con.
| seeurnly, release The State from It's obligations
in relation them The fleet Of the report OF the
cnmnillcr, is rot 10 create nc'c and greater iab'Ii'
lies on the part Of the State, but 10 substitute other
and mare udciu obligations in lieu Of those now ex
islng Instrud therefore, of being regarded as cons
sal rr"l"ct-"ne embracing new debt Of SO oOO 0OC-
should he regarded n scemr contemplating an IN.
Creased expenditure OF III 10 te
of the cf liabilities proposed by the com
mpe and above the existing pledges under the
charters Of the companies abnve referred 10. So much,
Sir for the increase Of public debt, which 10
cite such u!arni in the minds of gentlemen.
But, Sir let me address few words genllRnen who
ute ouch slickIrrs fr economy. Sir, call upon all
those gentlemen they value the interests of the Stale,
and the principles which they profess, 10 pause aud re.
feet, before they rel the rrpurt OF the COMMITTEE
Nay, Sir, go further. call those gentlemen, as
they regard their consistency TO sustain that report
Yes, Sin as they value economy, call upon ihem to
support system; for maintain, thu! the effect
OF II will be 10 reslrnln expenditures aud 10 promote Inc
Of economy. Sir. lake The bnd ground. thai The
partnership prncp pie praclised upon in Virginia,
must inevitably bankrupt the Commonwealth, aud am
prepared I" prove il!
The consideration of this topic naturally leads me To
advert 10 the history of The Internal Improvement iund
In the year loiG the Legislature bring sensible OF the
necessity Of making provision for the derenprment
n lLe ut the Stale, chartered great corpora
ton called The Board Of Public Works This corpora.
ton endowed with large quantity Of Bank stocks,
which the Stale then held, with all the stocks which The
State Owned pixies lands &c then in operation,
aud pTnspecliveIy with all the bunusrs which! The State
might thereafter receive upon the grant OF new or The
renewal of old charters of Banks in the Common wealth.
This fund originally amounted TO about two millions Of
dollars which constitutes with The bonuses subsequently,
obtained from The Ranks, the permanent funds oil The
Guard This fund has been increased by the dvI.
dens the stocks and by the profits on tho works con-
s;ilulcs dsposnbc fund Of the Board All loans, too,
made fr the purpose of improvement, cnure 10 the be-
uet IF the Board, but until they redeemed they
be regarded asadding any thing 10 The actual va
luc ur The fund
The plan contemplated by the Legislature The time,
aud which has been Gpnomnaled q" The compromise,
was lkat tw"lhs of the capital of every incorporated
Company for purposes OF internal improvement, should
be subscribed By this corporation whenever three lIlts
were SUBSCRIBED by individuals. No discretion was al
Iow ed To the Board-lhe direction nandainry
III very short TING 1t was fund that hs principle "pe
rated m'st ruinnus y-the fund was rilrred away III
objects Of local character, To the exclusion OF the more
important improvements This led in very short lime
10 the repeal Of the famous compromise act The man.
da,ury direction tn the Board rescindrd-and tiI"y
not even allowed the discretion ot subscribing To
warks of improvement The whole subject was thrown
buck upon the Legislature aad 50 the suI"c stands TO
the present day. legislative direction IS always ne.
crssary To enable the Board Of Public Works 10 sub.
! scribe TO any Improvement
Al FIST, the Legislature, admonisled by the evils nj
the compromise system exercised with much caution Ibis
power Of direction the Board Of Public Wuks-l'ry
scrurinized the character of the Improvements narrow.
", and oked 10 the condition nf the fund with J"a"us
eye Bnl in short time This caution was re la1ed lie.
gislatve directions became and mare frequent 10
the board, until have in practice, though not by
laws returned TO the system N iclG IN other words,
Sir il is regarded universally matter OF right,
thai the State shall subscribe twofiiihs whenever lnii-
v:dunls have lulhrd the condition precedent nf snoScr5-
ing three flhs Of the capital stuck of any company
have known instance Of such application
having bsen successfully opposed. There may have
been examples but If there have teen, ask gentlemen
| TO point to one-I know of none.
am warranted then in assuming such 10 be the prin.
ce o the Stale this subject r such It's pracIlce
Let examine for mnment, The tendency OF
this principle contend Sir TINT il leads 20 Useless,
prousr and improbable expenditures ot public money
That it unequal and uni Just in its operation That lis
tendency. if may be permitted to borrow nm expression
from the denagngmes Of the day, is 10 'make the rich
richer and the poor poorer" T" invite fraud and sP'eH'
alun and TO minister the cravings Of private cupity
the expense Of the public ntercss-and that if il is
arrested il will inevitably land this Commonwealth
| in irretrir vnte bankruptcy.
! Sir lonk for moment at its operation. Does II not
destroy all Discrimination 10 The works to be undrra.
ken, Does pledge The State 10 the construction