Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-12-05

would produce less. In this situation Of thinrs, SO
critical and embarrassing the Company, what will
the Legislature do for lis relief Or, speak more
comp1ehe ns'vfly and justly, what will do for the
iief ~ taat broad ana productive interior, which de.
pends nphn this work THE Legislature, in deciding
upon ls question: VIII al once perceive that, besides
me cons d'fhlons of policy upon which this work was
gun ana 'hieh nrle Ia lis prosecution pow e!uy
ever, there re other cons.rat arising out OF the
operations OF The Company which make the further pro-
secuu'h o ~ to some extent lt least, and that by aid of
Tue etiie' an at of The clearest economy and duty
II TINS Work should be stopped in its present condition.
and no immediate and vigorous measures be taafn 10
preserve from utter rum the expensive and unfinished
section through The Blue Ridge, conbine on OF DIS
astrous ELECTS must inevitably follow The whcla Sc
ven hundred and forty fifty thousand drllas which
from hrst ID last by the State the Company has al
ready been expended upon th. section will be lost
the "no'e OF that trade which canno, reach market
Without II, will be 1stthe whul, of tina, distant and
disheartened class Of citizens whom fire. and accu
tnuiaiinG dsaPpointments in the means of commerce
VIII aflVe INTO emigration viii be lnst-the differ
ence netwern wide and bounteous domain, rendered
coWefc'ily active under the influence OF cheapened
and prosperous trade. lett commercially barren with
out II, VIII also be los-and, TO crown ALL the whole
expenses OF repair, the whole interest upon the out
Standing debt OF the Company, and finally the princi-
pal tself, will be thrown q permanent and crushing
tax upon the commerce of the Canal-hat is upon the
private property of the contiguous and surrounding
couht'y-thus concentrating tax which meant
TO ce Used, and converting commercial highway
INTO an hciual aud grevous mortgage upon private
tates.
I THESE rulnous consequences the Company is in no
respect whatsoever able 10 prevent that the State
must snier them unl-ss she .reres prevent them
Tor herself She, indeed, is the true and real sufferer
Mt last and whatever in thus matter the contract Oh
sa'oh OF the company may be, the company, al best,
is only her agent; whilst hers is the prior the lar
ger, The perpetual obligation TO protect her inter.
esls and her people from every injury to which the
duties OF State can extend. Acting upon this prn-
c'Pe, The supporting hand of the Legislature should
be gwen, at once To the improvement in question -
mere IS no other that could require it more, which
could better demand it upon the ground of sect onal
and legislative faith, where efecual aid could
surely deliver from present evil, aud widely operate
Tor future good. Possessing a,npl.r tributary
nex'on than any other commercial line IN the Stale,
there rs no one means accessible 10 the Leg stature
through which so genial iGfuence could be
tended to the labor, the progress, and The education
oI so a'ge portion OF our peop!enn oHe by which
much could be done TO cheek emgration--to ob;eraie
amongst US all causes and preteXls OF sectional bitter
ness-io bring our various and scattered people into
tercourse and brotherhood with each otlrr-to su7s
tute societies OF with all the faculties of numbers
IN the place of solitary and separated families, and thus
tn consolidate the power, the interests and unity of the
State Looking at this Improvement III the light Of
these and kindred considerations, could not, without
conscious abandonment OF duty, omit 10 recommend
10 The Legislature, most strenuously TT and pro-
per SUBJECT i5 prompt ano generous assistance
Should the Legislature agree the propristy OF this
recommendation, the necessary funds could be raised
upon the credit of the State, and might be given up to
the company upon such conditions il should consider
prudent TO impose.
The form Of that assistance should any be granted, ii
- competent only TO the Legislature 10 decide; but
would respectfully suggest The espedient I'M
der existing circumstances, that the Legislature shall
assist the company By loan which shall, at least,
be suiccn, in amount 10 complete the section which
Is partially finished, and thereby TO it from early
and entire ruin TO those who beet, for whate yer
reason, TO the organization Of the company as no,
suited TO this great work, sufficient for it,
and who unwilling, that account 10 subject 10 lis
administration the funds of the State, bot who, al
the same time, are most anxious 10 uphold and PFC
mote the work seli-o such it will b. rendered appa-
rent by reflection, that whilst other modes Of reeI
could be proposed haB The recommended, yet that
there one, III poirt, considered which would,
perhaps he more sItoLle N rs If, free from
external Objection Should The Legislature think pro-
per TO make the isaa recommended, it is proposed
as an accompanying condition, that 1t should re-
serve Tor the Sat. power III the acts o. the
company more pr"noronae To her interest than that
{ which est tbshed bv law. The power held
BY the Stat. that OF giving at all the general meet
ings Of The stockholders, vote which shall be equal
tn fourth OF all the votes gwen by others, and five
hundred in addition. THIS it might be cxpedent 10
continue, it, in the Of other JOINT stock compa-
Mes three fths Of the stock the hands Of
dtvlduals But in this the shares of indivdu-
r ala amount 10 about seventh only Of the whole
stock, and cannot and do nol in fact, The
trolling authority Of private interest in the 1dministIa-
ton of the company, (Which is the main principle OF
the JOINT stock syst.mD there is sound why
the stat, by arbitrary restraint upon herself should
secure that authority 10 her Corporate partners, and
thereby place the positive control of the company 10
their hands, if banks colleges and city corporations
competent and more suitable managers of
IL trust than herself
Bat whilst there is sufficient reason for making
The Stle less in power than her corporate colleagues,
when she is than double in interest, there SUI
fcient against making her the unchecked and alb
snute power Of the concern Hence, would suggest
tha, the vote of the State be il what may, shall be
divided equally amongst her three proxies and thai,
these proxies themselves be taken from different parts
Of the Siate With check OF this divided vote
,onay distributed and condcd persons of nelli-
gence and prohy, it may be safely expected that the
power OF the State will always be irlt wss, us and
conciaiory couuses, and not in selfish, arbitrary and
abusive acts
IN addition to all other reasons for the aid recon-
mended, The Legislature will not tail u perceive new
aud persuasive in the auspIcous introduction of
steam agent in the navigation of the canal, and
the important bearing upon the future prosecution of
The work which IN 5 circumstance is likely TO have
The difficulties attending the application Of this agent
ID canal navga!oa have always, until recently, been
found nsuperable. But the experiment which is now
in progress amongst u.s. although conducted under all
the disadvantages of first trial. and under the still
greater disadvantage of serious mistakes, rs TO the
capacity Of the canal, has nevertheless been highly
satisfactory, in many respects, and may be consider
ed pretty fairly proving not only that boats can
BE- moved upon canal by steam, at IN equal speed
with other boats and without injury to The banks,
but at greater speed, with the less resistance
from the water, and without injury Indeed, the
great dcSide-a;um in The Of canal navigation by
steam that of applying ii in such manner as to propel
a boat rapidly without encounterng resistance and
producing in jury pofo:one5 10 the speed, may be
considered as happily attained. And with this vital
point fairly the side Of the experiment. there is no
other mechanical difficulty to contend with which s
not wholly subordinate, and which experience and trial
cannot be safely relied sufficient 10 overcome.-
If fully succegsful, i, promises 10 BE-, il be used
With equal Convenience for canal or lock ard dam na-
viyation and will thereby allow the nns, perfect free
om to be exercised in prosecuting the remainder OF
this Improvement by or the ohe! Of these modes
exclusively, by blending them together and that to
XIV tent lust the nature Of the route,
sl.rauons Of convenience and economy may suggest.
Whatever the aal availability OF tis experiment may
De, il is a, ! asst Of decided and deserved expectr
tion and has come forth moment of great embar-
RI rassmen to prescn! new means and 10 inspire with