Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-10-17

Vic vi HloSt Important SUBJECTS acted nor
a long time, by the Common Hall, is that OF az.
pointing an agent, whose duty it shall be To attend
IN Washington. next winter, to scc that the two
memorials on the part OF the citizens Nc., anu 81
the Common Hall, on the subject Ut the navi..s.
ton of the lower James River, be properly pre-
sented.
! The State of Virginia does not derive one cent
oi revenue from the navigation OF the lower pr.
ton OF our river, nor is the CITY ~ Richmond
thereby enriched copper, save in the general heU,
chts OF trade. Ii draws no direct revenue from
this navigation. either in the shape OF tolls, duties
or any thing else. On the contrary, the General
Government has It's Custom House at this place.
10y means of which, 1t receives large sums annu.
ally, not returning cent oft 10 us in the shape
of improvements. Now il there was ever q work
purely national in It's character, which belongs
exclusively to tine whole country. and has uoihius
sectional in ii, this seems to be the one. Ii : pSv-
per that the General Government should Improve
that river, from the navigation OF which it slone
derives revenue.
Richmond Is much port o. entry A. any
port whatever.situated upon navigable river. ana
not on the very shore. IL Is A. much 81 A.
Philadelphia or Baltimore, or New Orleans or A.
bany, or many others which enjoy the advantage
OF ports of entry. This advantage W. under.
stand to be rs follows, VIZ that below a port Of
entry. river may be properly rendered navigable
by the money of the General Government: It i
then national concern. Above 1t. however. the
Improvement only being local in its nature. and
not national. is thought not to form an exception
TO the general rule against making local improve.
ments by national means. BY this rule We are
entitled fairly to assistance from the Government.
The amount of shipping entering tins port would.
1.-THE Instructions in the river could be removed Jas
no doubt they can at little expenSe.) be increas-
ed an hundred fold. and the tonnage from the al
mission of larger vessels, IN much greater ratio.
There is one season of the year, when sailors have
great objection to shipping for this river because
the lower part OF it is very unhealthy. Now. if
the vessels could come up to this city, rs healthy
a spot as any in Virginia. cannot any one see how
the business would increased
Ii certainly is proper that the General Govern
ment should take some notice OF the source whence
ii derives so large revenue. Ii It's disposed TO
forget as. It Yet should not be- 30 blind aS no;
TO see It's own interest. lying plainly as it does.
before ii. But let Us jog the memories Of the
good people at Washington. and insist upon their
gratifying our Just wishes.
The City OF Richmond has never been repre-.
sen'ei in Congress. save by Mr.. Bots. on this
subject The other Representatives from this
District, have always been opposed in principle.
to the prayer Of the petition. The political creed
OF the present Repre,e NATIVE. Is understood 10
be Of the same character. In the absence. then.
OF Representative, she should do the best she
can: she should send an agent, whose duty it
should be. to pres the passage Of this law. a.
much a isosjb!c.
We hope the reign o ss,,45ssiEactionisn is pass
ing away: indeed it never had much -A44,,d ex-
actly here; but hope It Is passing away every
where. The "sky-scraping" politicians. who
would have the appearance Of being Purists Of
the strictest school. tell it is debasng to touch
this money. If the principle has been laid down.
if it be wrong, our declining to touch the money
does not alter it On the contrary. the principle
is already settled, and other States take advantage
OF it, while we spend time in idle amentation.
for what cannot undo. While we are "sky
scraplng' it, in excessive purity, here, the
people Of New York have already appropriated
millions TO the improvement of their great river.
The New Workers sickle for principle too: but
when they find they cannot carry things by storm.
they make the best Of a bad bargain. That is
the way all sensible men should do! II is a me.
thod which we yet hope TO see introduced into
Virginia. Stick up for principle a. long as YOU
can, with the least hope Of success; but when YOU
find your eXertiOns Of avail and that others are
reapng all the fruits, then, do the best you can,
for your State, under the circumstances That
IS true patriotism!
But as we have said, this work is so purely ma.
uOna that VIC cannot sec any objection to it what
ever That il will benefit this city indirectly, is
true, but will not derive one cent Of revenue d.
rcctly from 1t. 1t is the most entirely national
work VIC can conceive.
We shall no doubt hear a camor from certain
quarters always hostile to the interests of this Civ
but We hope no attention will be paid to them. II
is time something were done for Richmond. Her
own Legislature does all it can against her, at least
II did last winter. She has struggled on against
wind and tide and keeps her head above water as
we'll as any Of her ncighbors. But for having
done so she is indebted to her energies alone
We do not doubt she will receive the appropriation
if Captain Tyler, by way Of punishment, does not
intcrpose his veto
The Albany Argus may rest assured that he is
mistaken in surprising that wish 10 assist in
driving his lavortc candidate of the ground. What
we have said has been designed entirely rs en-.
couragcmcnt to our own friends not to dishcartcn
his We wished our friends to see how preposicr-
Gus was the idea Of setting up second time for
the Presidency, man vino had been elected in
Is9G bt n OOO nd ,lcCaatod Ia IafO nv IN OOO.