Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-03-22
VIRGINIA. LEGASLATURE.
SPEECH OF MR.. LUCAS,


SPEECH OF Mr.. LUCAS,
On Internal Delipered IN the House Of De
legates, Wednesday, FEB, l4-[CoScLuDED]
It is moi possible Mr. Speaker that could be oPposet
10 improvements n the Valley, in which live and have
some little property that would be enhanced tell you
No. But am against this scheme, though 1t throws GU
this bait-and select this of the road up the Val
lev the more fairly to illustrate the rotenness of this
whole matter. will not depart from the wise, just
safe settled principle Of the two filth joint stock plan
founded in compromise and fasten forever an unequal
houndless, system of la1aon.tor 1t must enc IN MS
upon nv county, and the whole State that may never
be gotten rid Of till those bonds, which bind together
the East and the West and which other gentlemen in
sis will thus be ndissoluby connected are perhaps LOT
chilly severed by the sword as lntma'ed oy tue non
si,ion will stretch my hands, one TO the East the other
to the West, for equal JUSTICE and an equal system OF
liberal Improvement, upon the old plan of our fathers.
and atthe proper Time should noa scar on I,s
farthest will 60 for building up this old Capital as Tar
az equal justice will permit, and old Norfolk ALSO our
great town, without stopping enquire whether
By so doing may draw trade from this place and d.
nsh the profits of the James River Stock, held by the
State, or individuals about injuring which, heard SO
mnch The other day, when Norfolk was knocking at our
door for simple act of Incorporation, to enable her to
make some seventeen miles OF Railroad, on her own
account without asking cent from your Treasury,
instead of hundreds Of miles of Railroads. on State &C.
count over the wild, mountainous West as this scheme
proposes!
know gentlemen say, and base their calculations
upon the estimates Of learned Engineers, hired by the
State that the works included in this scheme, will only
cost some six millions and that the intention is only IL
expend about one million year; and that they have
kindly appropriated the revenues Of all our completed
improvements 10 this purpose, and also, the public epo'
Sites pledged already 10 increase banking capital
and actually loaned TO the people, to stand the existing
pressure But cannot consent thus 10 appropriate and
thereby rob all other works Of Improvement, for the
49, 10, obo ot,,o
such estimates. Like the gentleman from Goochnnd,
who is so in this Scheme, said the other duy,
huve confidence in Engineers estimates. They have
fallen far below the mark in every of magnitude
that has fallen under my notice. know undertekers
of public or private works, when they want job,
never make their calculations hgh-they do not
TO alarm you-but, wien you have commenced and get
in for when the foundation is laid their bill Of costs
grows with the work. So with these Engineers esl'-
ates-lhey are never too high and their bills for
perin,endng have wonderful growth. And so it will
be with this scheme Yet when entered upon, we
must stick go through be the pressure of the times
what, it will-coDe good crops or none, and come the
money whence it may, must 60 on, as the gentleman
from Prince Edward said the State baggage. We
must finish or let the work stop and rot and sink what
ever we have expended This James river work is fair
ilustraton great central improvement, admit, and
which wish TO see completed 10 the Ohio when salts
fed i, is not wild scheme to go beyond Lynchbug
the Chief Engineer says, as wish TO all other i'm
provements finished already commenced by US, end now
in progress go for saving what we have already done
and expended and for completing speedily practi
cable 10 save from rot and loss and receive the per cent
TO arise instead of commencing this grand system,
the hazard of impeding those in progress suspend
ing Them the injury Of the parts already finished and
the Of the receipt Of profits upon past ex
penditures Let US do this, and shall act like states
men of enlarged views, united with just notone Of d
wise economy. True wisdom dictates, that we should
not undertake too much at time and more especially
does every notion of prudent policy, against this
undertaking in the present state of Indebtedness OF the
Stale and with the banks 10 their pros
,rste condition, and with our deranged currency
8. go, TOO, Sir, against now embarkng in this mighty
State scheme because am against beginning the
system of loans which il involves, and the funding
system il contemplaies know how these systems be-
gan in England, and to what they have grown and The
state of things which has followed in their train know
to what their national debt has grown. know it has
sweiled until plain subject scarcely calculate BY
arithmetic its amount even the annual interest of
millions, and that enormous taxation weighs its length
ened load in unequal scales
believe the completion of the improvements ombo.
died in this scheme instead of six WILL in the winding
up if ever completed cost about three tunes this
saw fifteen millions al least, 10 be added TO the six
millions of present debt and liabilities, amounting toge
Their to some twenty millions OF public debt Ih!s ex
ceeds the public debt Of Pennsylvania and yet Penn
sylyania could bear fifty millions easy as Virginia
could twenty-five, and could when she contracted her
debt.
There is another view of the subjec. which has not
ne,itions have been presented The people have not
moved in this matter. Instead of waiting 10 obey, we
are attempting not only TO lead but foreste the popular
voice and bind the public will, and unfairly to approve
We hasten TO bind them for millions before they are
aware This have already advered to, and 1t has been
mentioned by Others but it has not been urged as IL de.
serves when look the existing state of things in the
deed we are all like the gentlemen from Augusta and
Northampton, ant-nsructionists, and ready to violate
,he will his immediate constituents and suffer
glorious maryrdo upon the altar OF The general welfare
put it through you, Mr. Speaker, 10 every member
on This floor whether, when they ef their homes their
constituents had dreamed of this great scheme or any
other being brought forward at this session. in the pre-
sent state Of the country and its finances OF our banks
and our currencythat in our present embarrassed de-
pressed and fear, for considerable time lrremedabe
state of affairs public and private, we without
sultng ,hem or waiting to hear from them il afraid
were 10 enter upon era in Internal improvements
not Immediately wanted, and upon entirely new, extra
VACANT and unjust princples-upon State account and
on mighty SCALE and all upon credit. Cut loose, Sir
from ali The ancient moorings which have hitherto stad
this wise and renowned Commonwealth within the
bounds of prudent adventures, and saved us from
pressye unequal taxation That we were 10 select this
unparalleled period Of general indebtedness and deange
ueni without sale, rigging spars 10 launch them upon
the wide sea of State improvements and public onns
With all due delicacy and respect venture to that
if the great body of the people had been convened in
primary assembly, that their almost unanimous voice
would have instructed otherwise and venture the
further assertion, that the great would now, this
instant strange this scheme, if their voice could be
heard and prevail do not mean to include those who
are 10 receive the principal bounty but the mass that are
20 be plnndered BY the unequal taxation that in time will
coma. IL there member on this floor who doubts Not
one Sir the necessity Of aencing the scrupes Of
many members proves indeed that this is well known
proves the sentiments Of Tie great majority Of u.s. if left
flee honestly 10 decide would 60 against present action
Our constituents did not expect this. For one, Sir
came here not 10 tax but to relieve my people-not 70
make improvements for ourselves, much less TO
chem 10 make exclusively for other sections came 10
administer enents 10 relieve my whols country from
general paralysis.