Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1838-04-26
INTERNAL IMPROYEME NTS-PENNSYL
NANIA


NANlA.
Il any State IN the Union, Which his engaged
largely in Internal Improvements. might be suppo-
scd 10 be discouraged by the results of her efforts.
that States Pennsylvania. which is deriving a less
per cenagc on her outlay. believe, than any 9TH
But Is She discouraged Does she give signs
Of dIterlng in her purpose-orof sinking under her
load OF debt? No. Far from il. 1t but tho
other day that DR. Burden, the distinguished Presi-
dent Of her State Senate, sgning that post de-
lvefed Valedctory address, in which. after point
ing 10 the incaeuIable advantages which had result
ed 10 his State, from the system Of mprovcmen.-
10 Which she had so long and with such cons,anca
adhered, boosted, that in his twenty years service.
as member Of her Legislature, he had never voted
against an Internal Improvement bill Does he
make II matter Of self graduation that he has sad
died the State with debt which never be repaid
y debt winch has been wasted in Improbable under
aklngs dt,indeed we should think, would belaher
asource of amcnationthan Of pride. No: he exults
that lie has aided IN threading all hcr yalles with Ca
mails, and in envening the Of her mountains
with he perpetual echo oflong trains Of locomotives
as they bearto her cities the newly developed wealth
OF the interior. But we have YET another aud mere
Improvements in Pennsylvania, Notwithstanding
The 0oabre picture drawn by the Imagination of Mr..
Edmunds Of Halifax, in his speech in our IL. of
Delegates last winter, in the fact that she is not
at all disposed to change her policy, but seems
stlll bent ON prosecuting it, by continuing to
spend few none millions of dollars in the great
cause, upon which, according TO Mr. Edmunds
she has already edsted so much treasure A bill
has Just passed her Legislature appropratin,
about hco millions If doliatS TO the "jdtaii ran
Gus" design OF carrying on her great schemes OF I'M
proyement, -completi some already commenced
beginning Others, and absolutely directing surre1s
FIR nor Laes not heretofore embraced in her patron
age What ply ii is, that, instead ofsuch ysiona
ry madcap legislators Dir. Burden, Pennsylvania
not blessed with such wise and sober statesmen as
Mr.. Edmuuds, to guide her dcstniesl Thea, she
woudnot have spen22 millions Of dollars in internal
mproHemcns-her vast mineral resources would
have been sill uneXpored, and not brought into
active competition with those Of other Sates-no ca
nals ail roads would have disturbed the pfimeyaI
suhtudes of her mountain lorests-and the busy
sounds OF the forge aud the shuttle would have been
almost uHheasd Within her borders. We marvel luat
such sage economists as Mr.. Edmmds do not pro-
pose 10 dam up, instead OF opening rivers, to
destroy instead Of improving roads and force
upon us the old system OF w1goniuS altogether
since the sumo process otrcasonng by which they dc
monsuatc. to their own satisfaction, the inuty of
internal improyer ents, would equally prove that the
more numerous and dilIcalt the barriers to the
transportation a tobacco, Wheat, lsuf, sc. &c. 10
market and goods to the merchant, the better for
the producer OF the one AMI the consumer OF the
cthcf Instead OF cutting canal to Richmond, by
which the cost of TRANSFORMATION Will be diminished
oHe-ha, and the time reduced from ten DAYS
two should block up the river and burn
batleauX, and revive the old wagoning and tobacco-
rolling system. increasing the cost and the time Of
transportation TO an indefinite extent What
sense And vet this is the amount of all thearguments
against internal improvements. Virginia has long
been cIogged in her Legislature by these dead
weights it is no wonder, therefore that she has
sunk from the first to the fifth State in the Con
ledemcy Butwe hope thatthe day of her relsmp
ton from the curse Of such fatal counses drdwelh
nigh.