Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1845-12-11
--i.i.I e lls Fs.l Psge.l

* r. "a nufactnres,--an Interest whlch
=, ~ S.{sl ofdinafy 1nion Within our ber-
-. n al rs nccessar g g nsss ~
,s,ss,,rnsfIon and development q the Union. M
s.a - bSrsl rssi.ie 70 lcck Il oeF m'neFas
r.,,Vek. an, sheap labor and staple az
i,rueEIinr d uzisssn itself upsn pfo
~ Iiss.. dmnishinr, sithout seeps
~ -. -. ~ - s,nnrtance % which this ifle-
- -, -rsl afi .r largely i IS calculated,
8. $50 !. 80 toald 10 if1.seruai pr6spefssy
- 49, Iso. betyeeh sA.s subject ans.
nc spsi 1.s.sse 81 tie Stale, aIuays
me mAlsriy ,.'t.s fsIt. has become stronger ana
rent a9q w. Is ~ since sie successful M
more aaln' ~ 49,, .yes.cIs pPon The sca az
tfodnction = e $1,000 q aftt the warfare more
esent Mll. - 49, sommeftepf nations and one
tadeall1 ponant Cor u I'D al others to con-
= gld1f and profile for, who Ave maritime lis
deE . r. desehded HsspIt for yirgini,exccp
lna1teI pi defence, lea ingulaepsSde of lie
from ne sea periecig sesure Cd scarceIy less
I ~ =. t' nsS ieg ..s power oleou
ti,,,ar- O., VI, the Chseak and is estuary
,s,serr ID only inlcts5 81 which 6foreign enc
nv can ef approach b.. Here, then, gu these
and o ne mskgta Of hese, are 70 be found her
bafilsiields. pnss-<a Sc By any but naval pow
s. - - hat rsiser uecreat Britain, with her
North Amer IN possessions as olaces from which
sns coaid escend upon rs with al ti,e certainty,
e 70 asas Of exact calculation sic would no
donDt rely upon her war steamers as her engines
81 assault, and with desc couK effect 80 mid
e seass IS compel II b Hrwzy ro-rpvrrl-.r-r
army In garrison adequate 10 any emergency, UNI
less We have ne inland p9Fer Of concentrationfor
our own sources which was equal to hers. Such
i power, would q web arranged and connected
system Of internal Improvement become. With
tuch system peFfading the State, ard accessi-
BILE stall points for every description Of necessary
supply, the State itself would becomein effect, an
extended military camp, with the faculty Of imme-
diately combining her whole disposable power Of
men andlneans wherever and Whenever her pur-
poses Of defenre might require. Looking at this
az one of the triumphant and conservative results
of the policy in question, il is undeniable, that
however local and exclusive its ordinary benefits
may be.fhonglt to be, here at least Is one vital
particular IN Which the benefit will be acknow-
edged BY the State. Hence teo il seems, that the
Atlantic and tide-water section, assumed 10 be the
most independent Of all others OF this policy, has
yet an eventual interest in the greatest0f all, for
kthere isno otherto which is srccour can ever be
30 helpful ID that last extremity which casts life
and property and every thing which is precious to
people upon the hazards OF the sword.
In order to carry these views into any thing
like corresponding effect, I'coHd not present to
your consideration narrower range OF internal
improvements than that which have heretofore
Recommended, So long as the Western, North
wealern and Southwestern portions OF the State
are without tie commercial outlets which they
ought To have, neither one Of them can be passed
BY withoatabsolnte injustice Each one IS in need
Of the helping baud OF the State--each one Is
entitled 10 receive It, and each one is capable Of
making IN ample reqnital lorall1t may get 4
main difficulty in relation 10 them has always
been. how To provide for them all at the same
time, without hazardingfoo far the creation Of an
oppressive debt ;5or hoa, On the other hand, 70
apply the resources of the Stateto each one Sc
peratey and in turn, without exciting the dstrust
and hostility Of the rest In whatever way this
difficulty may be met, wheiheraby successive
or united provision, il il still certain that no
measure can command the confidence and co-ope-
ration which are indispensable to final success,
that do not, in some form or other, convey 4 sa-
tisiactory assurance to each particular section,
that il will not and cannot be neglected. The
nature and extent Of that assurance, leave 70 be
devised BY Yourselves. The Northwest should
be satisfied, tiGStI Ii nothing more istgiven, the
million Of dollars at least, which has been con-
tingently subscribed for itsbeneft, should not be
withdrawn ;the West, that the promised connex.
ion between the tide-water aud the Ohio river
should Be made good and the Southwest, that
its many and its INST claims, which have been so
long and 90 iniuriorsfy denied shall be denied no
longer, and that the request which it now makes,
II not substituted by something better, shall be
fully, immediately aud heartily complied with.
In relation to the improvement entrusted to the
James River and Kanawha Company, | regret 10
inform you that il is in better situation, as to
is progress, than i was year ago, nor likely 70
be in any better one tir that respect year hence
than il Is now, unless the Company shall be sup
piled with other funds than its own to 60 on with
it, work lt.is now upwards of three years since
oil operations upon this line above Lynchburg
have ceased and ceased for waat of means to do
more These means, the Company cannot raise
upon lie own responsibility, nor out Of any proper
ty which belongs 10 il. II is without funds be-
yond It's daily liabilities without property TO con-
vert into funds, without credit to borrow them
upon, with hundred and forty-six miles only
Of the four hundred and eighty COM
Initted toits charge and with bait single year re-
manning 6f its chartered time to complete the res
idue; thus situated, il can hardly be doubted that
any further reliance upon it to prosecute ana fin.
ish its work is mere illusion, which could end |
only in disappointment and delay. The whole
dependence Of this Company for some time before |
i stopped its operations was, in some form or
other, upon the aid Of tho State; its whole Deepen
lance now, FOR tie continuance OF these operations
Is upon the same aid. If it Is granted, the Com
lsany becomes neither more nor less than the |
agent Of the State for the management OF its mon
ey, and, in this light considering that il is mainly
a corporation Of corporations, whose several func-
tons have nothing in common with railroads and
canals and that its responsibilities are only TO it.
self il is, perhaps AZ little suited for the appica
lion Of the public funds, as any agent to which
The Legislature could ever think Of committing
them. As every dollar, therefore, Of the money
u2on which this work Is TO be prosecuted, mast
als, II Il all from the State il is the clear duty
Of the Legislature 70 reserve to itself the direct
and entire control Of all il may grant, and secure
is due application, under the most puA.hs>and
a. - sesponsit.ily i can establish
Wish66t adverting 70 the adminisii1il - thia
Company for any purpose Of criticism = ex-
l,litures or failures, bat regarding il Only in is
1 eiaai condition, and seeing that il has accom-
lishs al that il Is able 10 accomplish, that il IS
raiicaly unfit, BY reason oft peculiar structure
10 act as agento Of the State in What remains to
b. dono-seeing this cannot recommend too
strongly the immediate adoption ofsaca measures
as shall Be necessary TO repossess the State, with
liza consent of the Company, either Of the whole
line Of its work or of the unfinished part Of il and
Iat to the end that il may execute il on its own
with ali the vigor anf despatch at its
co,n nas,d. Should this & declined b. the Iegis-
i,iase, il Is nearly certain from any thing tia; can
Ia now seen, that an Indefinite, il not perm nc..
ssop mast BE- put to the extensioaof tie work, and
/ se large commercial interests depending rFca L
10 thereby abandoned. Under tie pressure q
Is overriding necessity, il may well BE- expected
That III minor objections to the plan OF State exc