Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-03-01
VOLUME XXXHV.---No. "a.

SUCCESSFUL of ha
enterprise Committed to their charge and who feel that
whilst they are building up work Of priue and useful
ness the State they also erecting lasting mDnu.
mfnt ot'ther own industry and SHIP There can be
bIt one answer to such questions by every intelligent
man; and in that answer is 10 be found the amples ties.
tmony of the roth of the proposition which ASSERT
that the joint stock system guarantees the better
slruct.on OF works Of internal mprc9eme thar te sys.
ten, so much auded by the advocates Of the report.
IL remains T me 10 show, thai works undertaken and
conducted by individuals and companies will generally
yield better profit The capital expended than those
constructed by The Slate, and shall then, in ny opt
MON have sustained each OF The propositions asserted
by NE respecting the comparative merits Of The State
and jontsock systems. The truth Of this proposi,soa
ollaEiss nseRass,y cornlIary Eos1wo others
wh;cL nave ProVed-suPposng The existence of ano.
ther fact which cannot be disputed The funds neces.
sary inr The construction Of such works having been
managed with greater prudence and economy the orgi.
nal cost IS ess and The works having been better coz
sucled TIE repairs needed less frequent and less 4.
pensve The other fact is that individuals are less ant to
undertake Improbable works Than the Slue or in uher
words, individual! capitalists Wills slow to embark lyrr
fntune5 in enterprises which do not promise profitable
rrurn, whist the State from reasons already mentioned
may be often induced by log rolling legislation 10 under
take schens which utterly worthless. These reasons
and facts combined, form argumr rincing my
mind, that as general proposition, the works If com.
pancs will be profitable than those of The State
have not had the time, | say that | have
had much nclinGtlon 10 hunt up statistics 10 sustain
this or any nthc! portion Of the arguments have aG.
dressed may address to the House this subject
One of the advocates Of rhe report during this ebate
prriaced his abored array Of statistics with the re-
mark, that " an of fact worth pound of
Argument n proposition, the truth Of which is, in
my opinion, entirely dependent circumst ances, or
rather on The sense in which IL Is understood. When
all the material facts which the truth of n PROPOSE
ton depends declared and made known, the
ton Of the gentleman is undoubtedly true Such
ray Of facts forms the very best argument that be
presents!it sways and commands The judgments Of a,
except those who SO blinded by prejudice passion
dull! naturally in intellectual vision, that they
will not, Seer it, Sir, the truth Of propo-
silion is dependant single ac-such fact forms,
when exhibited unerrng standard Of truth-,he very
truth Itself No sophstry, however nsdlous or skifuI
can undermine it. No eloquence, however ingenious
and arfu, obscure veil il over, to prevent
its light from carrying conviction to every wellodered
mind. But when only portion OF the iacls attendant
proposition or an event are stated, whilst others OF
opposing, conrolling or Qualifying character, are
left Unnoced uaGnc9nr you nave the most deceptive
arguments the dangerous guides, that the honest
inquirer after truth ever yet listened to or follow
ed. If, therefore, | had the time and the materials
b. which to furnish al the important facts on which
a correct! solution OF the question under discussion
depends, il would afford me much pleasure to bring
them to the notice Of this House. But as | have
not, as have no means Of as:e.,a;ning nnder what
circumstances The works Of States and companies, Which
might wish to consrust were constructed, the nature
Dor and The rate o interest wbsa they were consucted,
the accidents that human prudence could prevent,
which may have beiaen the the other, and the
many other causes political, moral and physical, propt-
liors adverse which must enter INTO any calculation
that will enable YOU 10 argue safely from experience,
from facts that works constructed under one SYSTEM
will in future prove profitable than those construct
ed under the other have not thrse data, must
content myself with such general reasoning as seems 10
grow Oh. Of the nature Of the question, aud the state
rnt of such facts 10 oppose and overurn those
presented By gentlemen advocating opinions adverse to
mine. The uenllemea sustaining the report, continually
hold up to view the prosperous and uourShIng con-
diton Of Pennsylvania and rely chiefly upon the ex-
ample of that State argument in favor OF the State
plan Of Improvement The rapid increase OF her PoPu-
ation her commerce. her manufactures and her wealth,
has formed the theme Of their hhppest and most ro-
uuent remarks and they have not hesaleG to uscrIbe
sl or nearly ALL of her superiority OFF own State,
in these respects, to her system Of Internal Improve.
menl ! shall not stop TO inquire how far other causes,
unnotlce hy them, may have contributed TO her present
envinbp greatness-bu must beg leave to supply pos-
lion Of Statistics mention ncss rnn0teh ny thrm,
with regard this State, which form one oil the strong
est arguments in favor Of the proposition ] am now
entea7oring to establish BY reference to document
which row noj in ny hcnd the Message OF Governor
R,ncr to the Legislature of Pennsylvania find that in
The wear 1886 three works. the Union. LehIgh and
Schuylk canals which have been constructed by Jons
stock companies. at an expense Ut about eishl nions
of dollars Welded amount OF tolls exceeding eight
by the State at expense Of about twenty-five mINon7
Of dnIas Welded dariag the year, tolls bnt little
greater in amount. mot much exceeding eight hundreo
thousand drars II, then, are To look to Pennsyl-
example, if, as gentlemen would have US,
we are to regard her history furnishing unrrring es
tjmony in favor of the great benefits flowing from Inter-
nal Improvement claim the fui! weight Of The aulho
rily IN support Of the proposition, that greater profits
will generally attend the construction OF works OF In
ternal improvement by companies. than ny the Slate
fron however,
bored to show ~ argument, and by reference to the
bis,nry of certain works Ut Internal improve meni mat
enterprises Of this character when undertaken solely ny
the State vii! be- conducted to completion win greater
ropd,ty than If undertaken by companies under our
cysIinr system ! can see nothing in the conduct AND
management OF such works ny States ana companies,
10 Justify Ibis conclusion On the contrary the same
arguments by which he nlnt stock system mas heec
yindca,pd on the OF economy ano iahtulness IN
the construction Of the works, will demonstrate the
suuerorty in this respect also, of that system over the
Stale system The same interest which seeures 10 Inc
construction Of works by companies the virtues above
mentioned will stimulate It's members 10 Inc PromPs
and speedy execution os their charge Adopt what sys-
TEN Won will it must be under the control and manage.
ment of men at last; in the case, OF men actuaed
by no motives but such usually urge 10 the discharge
Of nubc duties; in the other, OF men, VINO, IN aoouon
IN these motives stimulated ard quIckeneo oy me
sron incentive Of private Interest the hope OF Pecunary
profit ana reward. In order to sustain his position,
the gentleman from Northampton has contrasted the
Erie Canal, a work undertaken and completed oy me
State of New YORK. with the Chesapeake and ONO "a
nj and Tho Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, works c"nf-
mat m, ado to ei The charge Of Joint Stock These
are believe The only examples he brought too noee'
circumstance take it moch in favor OF the soe OF ne
question ! endeavorng to sustain, lnasmucn, 90
we cannot bu, believe that the great aoof anu
DISPLAYED by him in searching up facts to ses'aln his
views, would have brought to light any other instances
favorable to his cause which were to be found in the his
tory of such works in any of our s,s,er states. les,
The Erie canal admit constructed with great "a
d;, rh;s, The other two works mentioned By the gem
, I have made comparatively slow progress Bu.
n me case the danger have already attempted to de-
mons,Tate of listening to arguments and Interences
from partial statement Of facts more apparent
a :, his The gentleman has furnished with the
snoh of each Of these works, and with the number OF
saIs that elapsed during the progress ut their consruc
lion If these formed Tue only circumstances that should
x. ma l.. arriuian nj a conclusion 10 the rnpldy