Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-03-08
sN.RK CHI s, 1898.

TO yours ind mine, Sr-l care what might be lis
general benehlswhaL would be its prospect "f success
few generous spirlIs like my friend might sustain IT.
but, Sill II would scarcely receive respectful consider
alton al The hands Of this House. Why, Sic, what have
we heard from the author Of the repor, hmseti!-Clr
Stunt He informs that contrary to the usual AND
natural order OF things II is necessary to commence lhe
Tennessee Improvement The Western end OF ii, with
the view Of avoiding what they would have 10 encounter
If they commenced in the Eus The distractions which
they would with in the lncal interests which
would be formed al every lalIns place OF the improve
nsnt as 1t progressed West repeat, Sir, the very
foundation of This Report is laid in appeal to divers
heo sec'lonaf interests, ot which nave not ortn
consulted only because It's friends think that enough
have been appealed 10. TO secure its passage. More,
much more might be said on this head; bat 1t ls unne-
cessaIy TO anpliiy apoa position tina, will be contra
Mr. BAyLY continued: lie said That he especially OBJ
jected to The advocates of the port Of The committee
setting themselves up the exclusive friends of Internal
improvements. lie deroed friend to Internal
improvements any member of that House; and it
Ter THE very that be opposed what be considered
c most III proper scheme Let gentlemen propose ju
di"Us and homes. system and he would not object 10
lE but he could not and would not 70 for which he
believed would load the Stale with onerous public
Jest which would me 7tnby lead 20 oppressive axaliUn
do not desire Mr. Speaker to sIelle. myself behind
vagne gencraties will therefore point out such sys-
tera as consider udciDus We have been told Sir
cha, should nw The examples, upon this subject, OF
Pemsy vana, Ohio and New York. desire, Sir, not 10
follo" their examples, but TO profit 10y them But what IS
the example which these States harr set u.s. They did
not attempt loo mrch and thereby give guarantee that
they would d" nothing 1hry-OhIo parlIcnlarly-dId
not seuraize their powers by dividing their energies
among multitude oil Objects No, Sr they concentrat
ed th-r strength upon works OF general Importance, and
urged them their pelion. This TO 10
have Scn proper One OF the requisites therefore: Of
judcieIIs system Of Internal improvements, in my OPT
nion, is that the resources of the State should not be
FILTERED away upon works which not Of general i'm.
poraRcr Sir, New York, PennS ylv1nla, Mary land and
South Carolina told all long way ahead OF
upon the subject Of internal Improvements. Yes,
Sir, in this they have all got The start Of This
advantage which Eng tells us is OF 20 much I'M.
pnrance already lost IL The trade, &c Tor WHICH
we are conendng already taken before your In
proSements in The nature Of things can lie constructed,
will take another direction than to our markets Our only
chance in rcganing lies in our superior natural advan'
III the greater cheap and aclNleS Vi our I'm
proyecns And, Sir ifhose natural advantages are half
what they represented be- and if we pursue pro
per system of Improvement, We have nothing to isnr
Under this state Of things, what should be "n Course:
In my humble Judgment our naHlm should DC, tSItnH
icnLc' We should urge Improvements on with vigpr;
but with than is compatible with The slrictest
economy. Sir by pushing Oh with too much zeal, you
encounter many ohstacirs which might be avoided In
Tie frs, place. when you have great number OF ln-
provemrns under say, you make large demand Tor
labor, whic; the price OF not only to yourself,
but To The community. 10 say nothing about It's effects
upon The community nj large, ii causes all OF your own
undertakings than they otherwise would
There employed on the James River Improve.
mcnt 500 ands-t0 say nothing aoou those employed
upon other improvements. Well Sir, what IS the ct.
fecI am told that The price OF labor on the whole
line Of Improvement is runonsly high. The hire oil
negro man when the James River work was conmen.
S7U-now it is Sl4u advance OF lou per cent
ncreas. this demand Sir, and you raise the price.
Again-By pursuing ibis prudent course, you have 1t
your power select the most Judcous aud economi'
cal plan of improveuen and you thus avoid The heavy
losses which Prnnsy sustained in constructing her
works n. York commenced her Internal Improvements
in vly
1895 New York thus had The start; and Pennsylvania,
in this for COMMERCIAL prosperity pushed on with
such mad overHke her rirai that she sunk
sir m{iOHS If d0tays ~ the st-be whole amount
expended beng only % millions Yes, Sir. she sunk
oneuutt of the expended This fact Is stated
upon the authority OF The gentleman from Northampton,
,chu quotes it from The report OF the Canal ConmssNn'
ers Such losses these, desire 10 AVOID IN Virginia
Sir she cannot afford To- make them But they are The
insuperable cnncOnanis Of prccipitancy II Is So IN
the affairs of individuals anI nt States Ny Trend from
Northampton Saturday, went TO the turf for all IL
luslralion. | will GO there oo TO get one TO illustrate
my views this pnnt.
In this race Of internal improvements, ! you'd nei.
Their select the gentleman from Northampton nor the
gentleman from Halifax 'lr. Edmnnds) as my rioer
would not select the gentleman from HALIFAX, as there
would be ground 10 lear that he. see ing that n York
and Pennsylvania had gnt The start OF him. would give
up the contest and be ruled out Nor would take lie
gen,lrnao from Northampton, for fear that he to, see
ing that his competitors had got the START would throw
his reIus upon his hoses meek, and by dnt oi whip
and spur drive him fu"nsIy on 10 regain his lost
ground, as to his wind nut and render the noble
cnurser unfit Tor the confess! No, Sir, would select
neither of these gentlemen Tor the rider; bat would
select one who should ride according TO these dIrrc-
tions: | would say 10 hn-fon have lust the start
your competitors ahead of youdo not push on with
over heated zeal TO overtakr thrm III The hsl round
vou will break down your hn1sr il you debut luke
hard pull upon him-drive him along but always Keep
some in hanG$nvr yourself IN the hrSt hea ano you
lave natural JupSrIprty Viii cDne Oul Viclor IN tc
contest appeal 10 my friend in my eye, who Is s" OK.
nerenced on The turf, RI my mode Of conducting the
race is not the proper one lCol WIN johnson, who
was sitting in The privileged seats. nodded assent
Mr. Speaker, suppose do not pursue this prudent
course but The contrary, adopt the report OF the Gem
miuee what will be ts consequence II seems 10 me,
Sir that an alarming increase Of The taxes oi The Com
,nopwpah will he inevitable. II will be recocclfd
that the First Auditor in his report recommends an IN
crease OF taxation, to enable The treasury 10 meet s
nrsssnl liabilities 1t will he rec"lected also, that 10
ssye our Treasury from bankruptcy we have been COM
IoJ IN onprprriate the SUN Of Sl70O0O from the
nIns revenue of the u States This IS onr sItnati"n
chen our publc debt only amounts to bve millions Three
hundrod md some odd thousand dollars. But what VIII
he our condition. if adopt the report OF the commit
lee, have just stated TINT present debt 10 upwards
Of FIVE millions OF dnlas. he faith OF me Slale IL
Isd,sd 10 the James River and Kanawha Company to
aid il upon the three.hIth system, 10 It's completion
ersand that the President OF that Company snys that
il will take TO effect This millions OF dollars The commit
70. ask for millions Besides this we are nhoer Iiaol'
tics FIR UPWARDS of five hundred and twenty thousand
dollars. for works of Internal improvement, exclusive
of our pledge to the Roanoke Danville and junction
Railroad Company.-l exclude this, because The work
f which this company Incorporated, IS included IN
,h .rnr, So that if we adopt the report debt and
jahes will certainly be fifteen millions and some hnn-
drcd thousand dollars But Sir il is not dealing fairly
with The subject, to pu, down the works contemplated
in the report IF the committee at i've m'ons OF u"ias
G.; have heard This estimate much talked OF by Judi.
cous gentlemen who s turned the attention To sub
;ec,s o this sorl declare 10 you that nave not
We, heard the first man. other than the members OF Inc
committee who did not as his opinion nat 's es
i"dcious gentlemen say that in Their opinion the I'm.
J.a.ar,soIs contemplated would cost fifteen millions