Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-03-22

all those necessary minor Improvements, in every sec
ton will be overaid.-We shall none of Us I'VE
to see the loans redeemed. Our common ihhe ln.
lance will descend mUrtgaged And why oiSguis'
for so i, il planned little sprinkle of some 2ooooo
dollars has been cast 10 fall in mist some'che'e
over The North west soften the hearts OF the delegates
from that cold regonanoher over and down ihe grta
yaey small comfort TO be sure compared 10 lhe Whole
TO refresh and vvfy that rich, but too thirsty secton
and 10 swallow these morsels must gulph down the
whole embodied in this unequal dose-So Inc tning Is
planned With these made votes added 10 The ten:,e",
ries The scheme must cary-so 1t IS at least oes'ghe'
and thought Yes, Sir, it is The whole Tor eW OF no
thing for any. But tell my friends up the Valley, that
they will find in the sequel twill be dear bounty, when
The worst is eeen and felt through series OF years Of
taxation You pet but the crumbs-the dust IN lhe ou
lance-chaff TO decoy and catch
Why Sir was not each Improvement presented IN de-
tail to rest upon its own merits? Why, especially was
not these great lines Of Railroad and this main stem par
ticularly If it will yield 40 per cent on COST at an alb
surdly moderate estimate our Chlet Engineer reports
to u.s. it surely could come strongly recommended on us
own account and best afford to stand fall on its own
merits and is the last that should need poppng And
why are we asked borrow money and buren the State
10 construct it, almost 10 the exclusion OF all ceis ana
on State account? Why is this lift would yield this en-
nous per cent and there this high authority for the
bele-and the patrons of this report have ventured 10
urge its construction State account for this
why not indeed before US, like Norfolk, and ask
simple of Incorporation and no money instead OF
asking for its construction on Stale account exclusively
instead of asking poor old Inundated Virginia, almost
now overshadowed in the bright constellation as gentle.
men insist go begging in these times 10 raise money
10 make il? Sir if these be times for the State 10 Dor.
row for this work. are they not times TO sell such stock
10 the market, if not by o'clock, certainly before the
present sun goes down. And who, ask, would invest
in this adventure? Sir, believe such thing. am
not so easily gued 1t is ption the widest i'm
aginabe dream What Sir this railroad, to run through
comparatively wild, mountainous country, or very rug
red at least little improved by culture and sparse
" populated, and so long ine yield DO per cent upon
an absurdly moderate estimate believe in no such
absurdy and believe the estimated cost of construction
is nearly wide Of the mark. do not believe It can
be constructed far less than double the estimate OF the
same Engineer 81 200 600, that when mnd il would
for wears half quit cost know little about how Tar
estimates actual COSTS and something too abont
their quitting costs of construction The WINCHESTER
and Harpers Ferry Railroad runs by my door, meeting
the great Baltimore and Ohio line at Hurpers Ferry ard
te you that there is much to fear The latter great
work will be abandoned except for passenger tray
ell greatly fear it came on il IL Baltimore, on my
way here, and learned in Baltimore from persons hold
ing stock, TINT such abandonment Is seriously coEtem
plated because it is sinking IL sunk some
iwenlyodd thousand dollars the present year. and has
sunk more or less every year since made and yet Sir,
saw produce in masses, strung all along the ine ac
luay awaiting transportation The expedency OF making
Railroads any where, depends upon the Typographical
admits of easy, cheap constructions md the country
is populous and rich, and the line terminates at some
great mart they may pay repairs and cost oil keeping up
and yield per cent II not, Railroads nre not the
sort of improvements that should be made and certainly
by going in debt for the construction Butt will here
take occasion say, that, while do not believe this
main STEM The branches looking 10 the present com
paralvey unproved slate ofthe country and its sparse
population and all The boasted advantages of this city,
and of Norfolk compared 10 other onyenlent and
better markets. will yield any per cent on costs, clear oil
annual current REPAIRS yet, that differ somewhat
from the gentlemen from Prince Edward and Halifax,
in making the per cent. yield alone which any given
Improvement may affurd to The propelors, Stale in
dvdua stockholders the only test Of utility to decide
The question Of the expediency of constructing them
The great question s stated by The supporters of this
Scheme, who have preceded Inc in this debate the eI-
tent Of benefits conferred upon country, IN enhancing
property, increasing by stimulating production and cheap
enng the rates of transportation and trnvei and by so
much, the produce Of agriculture commerce and manu-
features And on this head i could give very strong
statement in these ameiurang respects, in the immense
advantages conferred upon my own little county, by The
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal. The vast benefits TO djucent counties,
certainly overslaed the other day, by the men,
Der from Frederick. They have added millions 10 that
section Of country. So with the great New York Erie
Canal made on State account. lis beneficial effects
have, indeed been wonderful and the obvi
ous 1t drains the great Mediterranean Of America,
happily said by the gentleman from Prince Edward,
or all the great Northern and Western Lakes, and the
fertile regions around quite happily remark.
ed by the gentleman from Halifax, in more detail
But not with this scheme II is idle 10 compare 1t 10
that great work. And repeat that if this main stem
from Wyte Court hnuse 10 the Tennessee line be made,
that the great current of trade will run out OF Virginia.
and not into the State. And SO, after The completion of
the proposed Tunpikes up the Valley, the current will
strong to the East 10 empty its freight at HarPers
Ferry into the of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
to seek lis natural and best MARKET into The Chesa'
~. tL1 Q,,l th nteIr, n{
OF Columbia; for trade will follow the natural current,
f not obsructed 10 the nearest and best markets. and
the laws OF Nature should govern and Direct in opening
artificial channels. of all this, and Gun have
objections oft My county in time-'ts whole area
will most probably distant day. becvme great
depot, il were for the vast prolucnns OF the rich
Valley region, of which it is the mouth, and all The nd
acent country, which on either side Of The Valley, and
beyond lies convenent-and the local interested friends
OF this old City and Of Norfolk and Of the James and
Roanoke improvements, must not think by this scheme
10 draw oil The hack country Of Virginia. much less
drain the wealth Of the Ohio and Mississippi val.
leys. Nature has willed il otherwise and cannot, ana
under existing circumstances should moi be- though state
pride would so desire it.
1t is very easy to indulge false hopes and Uiopinn
dreams of wealth It is easy in words or in figures,
based upon your assumed data, 10 compare Virginia 10
her great sisters, New York and Pennsy vania, and BY
nagnyng her natural advantages and suscepbllltles,
TO persuade ourselves believe in the pride Of our hearts,
that she might have ouslrpped them in the race of great
ness and the pursuit of wealth; and that even yet, she
has nothing 10 do, but now to embark on this sea OF pro-
mise and by sudden and deep plunge asls proposed
still reach the goal ahead. The ideu is aacous. prgl
mia has Jagged behind for the want OF public spirit to
prosecute Internal improvements, as il assumed and
urged as a reproach. No such thing. We commenced
early any other Slate, and are not so far behind
We have gone nearly fast as our ana
means justified New York and Pennsylvania had and
have great natural advantages and facilities of SITUATION
not say Of soil They had the start in the career oil
wealth and means, before they struck spade or LAID
rail making canals and railroads. and it is not true that
Virginia could have kept pace in The prosecution OF I'm
provements that their great superiority has resulted
from their greater public spirit, and from their public
improvements completed. Sir, can never overinke
these great States, until we exchange situations. me
seaboard must be lrunsposed taken from them and
given to US. You must bring the European world as
much to us as il is 10 Them and the great Atlantic