Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-05-26
RICHMOND DAILY WING.
TRIP To LYNCHBuRG.
MONDAY MORNING. MAY 20. iss,.
Tux CANAL.

In slledgng that the Canal had proved . failure we
did not to that compstent transport
in safety and with the adequate ccsny and safety, the
commerce Of the country through which but that
thus Tar had entirely failed realize the earlier vions
Of its projectors in drawing through Virginia the
OF the magnificent western world and in making Richmond
entrepot between the populations OF the Atlantic and
the Mississippi States. which, could be effected - was
once confidently hoped and believed. by Missionaries
only, but by the ustcus sages; would have
constituted Richmond pro eminent position the map
Of the EARTH armed with nsur. and thus acquired advsn
agcs, which would have enabled her the lists Of
commercial rivalry with any and all Amencsn cities. aud
In OF time, have We'd in her wealth. population
and resources with the renowned cities OF ancient
modern fame.
These splendid hopes have certainly been eepsed Tor
the Pressa After 90 years Of experiment and nal. the
upland navigation with all the expended upon
its improvement. has turned nothing. We have little
If any trade than before-the bed Of James River
perhaps would have brought market safely with only
occasional duekng all that now, and the State
would have been saved annual OF S300.0Oo pay
for improvement which has commerce.
or multiplied her people, developed her great latent
sources. IL is in this that the Canal il failure
that falls far short Of brilliant expectations which
presided its orignaon. Are who have direct
ed lite operatonsac its President and Directory be
blamed for this disappointment No. The legislation
and the niggsrdly psamony OF the State is be blamed
Possibly they bsmeabe for selecting iuudicious
mode Of improvement-that however is yet debseable
point in Europe and America. Possibly they
bameable in not inspecting narrowly the execution
OF the work. in all its details, which has very
many instances been executed with the unprncpled
and criminal neglect for breaks sn continue occur
masonry to give and culverts fall in all kinds
OF weather. in drought aud rain, and without
the agency OF muskrat for the Improve
ked and apparently, uncsused bouirer.smsa These
10 n
cling the expenditure Of many hundreds Of thousands nay
millions OF dollars. and the employment of hundreds OF
agents, honest dishonest the might be- the
perinendence in detail OF whom by the chiefs was quite
mpraeicabe then To this class of on the part of
the James River Company confess-ihey were hume.
rous. and have much deaeied from the reputation the
great work The and the sufficient is tina,
they inevitable in the absence Of experience Just
the OF experience which kept the Greeks ten years
besiegng Troy when Captain Stockton and the Princeton
in our times. would have captured the city IN days.
most liberal allowance ought be made upon all these
subjects for the James River Board The of the OBJ
il he is Just man, ought be influenced not by
the considerations Of how much better aud economi
cay similar work could be executed, after expert
ence the only inabe teacher except God has dark
ness light and the crooked straight but by the difficulties
which then presented themselves arising absence
Of that very experience. Perhaps the just won.
der ought to be, that the james River Improve.
il well done that its sometimes
cheated, bui that they eRregiously cheated
that they should sn inadvertently but that they did not
sin
IL is them, ought to be- proud and noble re.
Fiction, that the multiplicity OF their agents. great
they have had e1Pend and the long they
oticated, imputaon and shadow OF mputaon has
rested upon them any Of their confidential agents
There has not been suggestion that know Of OF
fraud embezzemeni, this day in
Try and so destructive OF its reputation.
Nor did we by saying that the canal a failure thus
many millions, say that IL ultimately and
OF necessity fail God forbid, For then poor con-
ception, cOnsgning Virginia forever subor-
dnae and subal,em destiny, and reiuguishng the high
and preemnen advantages which God and nature con-
ered upon her Rather by the declaration that had thus
far failed did propose and hope the energies
of all Vgnians embrace the resolution that should
fail 81 will fail the State does no, prove
her Interests her position among the powerful
coniendng Commonwealth Of this Hemisphere and her
past and future glory happiness and prosperity. All OF
these inseparaby connected with central improve
meni which shall connect her the west with
unbounded fields and miiable Of the valley
Of the Mississippi, and the East with the Atantic
Without this she is politically and commercially exn-
guhcd The Athens of the old conedcracy declined into
Paa honoted for the past but neither felt or feared for
the present.
rr, M