Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-12-09
To The Editors Of the Wig.

~ he fdHoTs U the IPhg:
Gentlenen:-The legislature begins lis session
which ~ TO decide several vi the most important
ever before submitted that body Foremost scoo,.,
these subjects is the scheme, which paI ..e,u,o.> 81
led "tio Great Central Improvement" To recommend
this 10 the acceptance aud fSsonf the people and of III.
oehes' Assembly, Conventions and meetings have been
hed IN inherent places, to oganze psrties concse
opposing interests views aud opinOnsand what is still
more 10 the purpose the metropolitan press has been
lent OF essays, dsqusons speeches aud resolutions for
seNers months TO forth the high claims of hi, parcp
lar scheme to the Confidence and favour of tbs State
IL understand what these good people want the State
10 do IS 10 appropriate aime millions VI dOiia,s to build
railroad from the CITY Of Richmond TO the Ohio r,er ana
II nine nilons are not sufficient much more as will
accomplish the work. This ~ the simple Proposition
1t not the precise one, il is very near it,
Ai'er the legislature aud people OF the State had been SO
oeh osmOooIed by these same people for the very same
object 81 the Great Central Improvement" II was NOT i'm
probable that they might be deuded and humbu,g,d .ysi
Richmond aud the James River interest have aemsted 10
DO ihs molly on grand scale IL would seem TO me- that
the hrsi step IN this business reason WHY tins I'M,
provemeni desredis enough make people pause and
ook into the subject with diligence IT no. suspio un-whst
shf Only that they have spent about screen mions Of
dollars upon this same Central Improvement all of which
mas been lost aud thrown away. The first step WAS IN
James River Tor batteauN naYigaiiOn-thnt rouJ mot M
Inc money expended was thrown away. aud the State be-
came paymasie TO the Shareholders for annuity OF IL or
ID per cenum per annum tor Then the State went
to WORK ON II, on larger scale 'own hook Tbis
found not TO do-hese people had their Conven
hons her meetings and resolved resolves and
expended great deal OF patriotism the subject Thev
did MOTE They sent forth "Peer the IIcrmitr A. tb.y
delighted TO call the President Of their Compapv Il,
ngheh me peope-io rouse up the spathetc-to smuat.
tue dououul and sOthnl-and empty their noe Pc
ter did wonders-ths State agreed 10 throw nto the .
concern all her works mot worth a brass button o ,be
new Ohel 80 mueh-one or two mlions-and Peter the
Hermit had TO raise, by subscription. two millions
las was small matter, all concerned thought SINS.
dnt on the patriotism OF the people. Peter the hermit
mace speeches-he went from pillar TO post-he persmhu
aed mountains aud plans-he beseoehed-he implured-
he roasonod-hc denOunced-he thrcatened-but the oil
shnaie patriots amongst whom no laboufed, would moi
come up TO the sum of two millions. IL was no CO. But
rtet the hermit and his advisers and as,ocatrs were
cunning men IN their generation, and had the talent and
the tact TO overcome the blindness Of the pco, in no,
ing and the avsrco Of the people IN not contributing tbe
money TO such praisewory objects. They found out II
people themselves would not subscribe their money ,ey
might get OF their cash IN another way Jonathan wild
would not have desired scheme more worthy Of universal
admiration and wonder Peter the hermit was fnancier
as well as crusader in the holy cause There were
three OF four corporations along the line of t. mp,ov.
men sitter whose dollars and Peter the hermit us,
co, rue people souess dogs that they were were not
70 po fe,d on but corporations which good psots de-
Xnt 10 secuso OF having souls, inst such subjects
Tor little civil and patriotic robbery ~ Peter and m.
iiIendS wanted. They got at the Bank Of yusinia-
ncw 90 you spposel through The Lssisuture-they got
at the corporate cash Of Richmond and Lynchbus through
iner Common llalls-Snd AZ Washington ColeRe-God
KNOWS how Certain Is, that this financial haul drew
TORN. Tor the Company. no'rly Sl,2OOOOO. The sub
scphon was hed; they vent 10 work. expended not only
Their Two millions thus rai.ed but oil they could borrow
on iher own credit and all they could by the endorse
mtn by The Stie, Of Their hJnds-stll wonderful to tell
al this ~ noushtthe work Bselrssthc money 10 thrown
-sunk-gone 10 us and orr heirs forever-and Pc
hflhe hermit poor Peief-is told 90 his tccin PRINT
ioo-ihat he ue short Of fool "whst fall 10 here
my eountrymenl" "There IL none 90 low as 10 do hin,
reverence Alas the hckeness Of the people and of Tor
tune
AZ the end Of the third fslure, regard 10 ih, Great
Central improvement" nothing daunted is te1ds are a.
fetdy and wiling ever begin sgan even upon lar
ger scale They want nine millions 10 begin with
out 81 The eSehoqoe OF the State The basis II their new
scheme - the loss Of millions the wrecks and
fragments 81 iornsr works. but plan and scheme De ssrs
epudiaung oil the pssteVen poor Peter the hermit
Before the Legislature and people will consent N thu let
us CONSIDER ~ the next number MEHERRIN