Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-02-05
PLns-. Jan. 10. isIs.

s"se y suahee mai belief. L also beheusd that | was IN,
mot person VIII" eosesiped the idea that cog wheel. mich,
be dispensed with. The proof of my belief H.. tina, \ s,,
a fa'en' IN the year 1890. and another Pa en-, for a further
improvement. tho next year. signed by James Munre.-
But having seen in your paper of the 9th instant , com
uunicAtion from Mr.. Bloomfield, OF New York. \ am nos
constrained to believe ,hatCol. Stevens conceived m. 80.
IDEA many years before my self; and I therefor, ebeerfuIIy
eoneede TO him oil the honor OF the frat conception. Bu,
have seen nothing yet to convince INC that either Col.
stevens, or any one else, ever made any erperinenfs 10
Prore what he believed; aud his belief could not h.y, h..n
known In Englsnd-or, if II was known. il was totally
Si"erarded, as railroads continued to be built for mapy
years aiter~ ards with the expensive addition Of coss. Mr..
Bloomfield must be aware that Col. Steven,' pamphle, died
an Immediate death; the project Mas never noticed in any
seisafvfe work, to my knowledge; and Ae SAVE thu, a
member OF the New York Legislature Loot his influence by
approving the scheme. No wonder. therefore. that | never
heard OF II before. l do not think that this admission
makes my title any lsss TO being the man eneieat eaas,
OF railroads having ever been built for travelling. I built
real railroads ION a small scsle) upwards Of 100 feet long
IN every principal city in the Atsnuc States, and upon
eseA railroad placed . car, in which | propelled myself, Up
an ascent at 80 ieet per mile, to prore the adhesion Of the
wheels; and think II MAJOR Noah will refresh his me-
mory, he will remember, that Ne sat in the car aud propcI.
led hrnseJ the length OF the railroad several times. There
must be hundreds yet IN New York who rode in II. and
can ~rememoerit IL.
Daring the years 1914. rs and 'I6. I transacted a large
wholesale business in the Cry of Richmond. las every old
inhabitsnt Ut that place now remembers) My business
frequently carried me from tina, place to Boston, aud | al
ways went IN the mail stage with what expense aud ia
ugue no one. (but those who remember those um,s.l can
form any idea. l frequently during the war; received
goods from Boston by wagons, aud from ~. Mays. lin
Georgis,O IN the same manner; which goods | sold Tor
more than ten tunes their present prices-lNoi an Anne
mean vessel dared TO leave port: ei,hose VINO se now SO
anxious for war. reflect On this iactl
In the year 1915. | commences importing goods from
England | owed one house IN Boston, ON settlement
Se4e4s 80. l%misb.say my credit was SAi,~',ed in New
York. was furnished With a recommendation BY a.
wealthy and Influential a Mercantile House as any then in
Richmond, Ia these words:
This Is TO certify, that We have been acquainted with
Mr. Charles Williams IRON the commencement Ut his resi
dence In this eity-a period OF about ) OF 8 years; that
during that ume he has conducted himself with uniform
Pruprseiy; has paid uncommon close srenuon To business.
and Punetualy Pertufmed his engagements. aud that his
commercial oPet atoms. since the last war, have been judi
eiOus ana fortunate. We further certify. that the moral
character OF Mr. Williams $ unb,cn shed, and that his
abilities for the msnagementof business are good. aud that
ms credi, here Is undou6Ied aud we think him worthy OF
credit any WHERE. OTIS, DUNLOP & co"
| "a an inventor from my earliest mem,r ~; in the year
lsl4 | iaren,ed and tai!t a diving boat, with the intention
vt going under the AdmiraIs ship, Uhen lying IN Hampton
ROsdsJ ami b. fastening a torpedo to her bottom, blow
her ~; / builIIt very Seerefiy, but there - one member Il
the present House OF Delegates who saw II, while build.
ing. The treaty oi Peace prevented its ever being used.
| slso invented a Cotton Press, which vas highly re-
commended, and extensively used in Virginia and Moth
Car.hna-but To introduce a system Ot Railroads for uav-
cling, / abandoned all other pursuits; aud | spent the
whole oi my property. aud the best pofuon OF my life, in
unsuccessful endeavors TO have them brought into use. |
advertised ia nearly eve y newspaper IN all the large cites
OF the Atlantic States, INV plans; they were treated with
silent contempt, or open som. | was NOR i,fed and q 8
gEstsd with the world; | was ashamed 10 meet my former
weathy associate; aud my father wrote the tia, ne could
constantly hear me ntisuIed for my railroad dreams as
lntN Ntst GhNtus winch I. cAIculcY annoying 4 MS |
feelings. | hope l may be pardoned Tor one short extract
from his letter; . Il this:
II warned you wuen you first began your railroad
dreams, that you were leaving n life uf ease 10 embark IN
one of trouble; that you were quitting the road u wealth.
to pursue the path to poverty; hat neither Fulton nor Ev.
aus evtr enjoyed one nights repose after they became In
VeuIOrs Fitch, who bLlt the fret Steamboat in this cOun.
ny, drowned himself n the OsIo River Few inventors
ever receive the reward OF their genius during their lie; OF
what service 10 tAsn is u monument after their deathl
"Ten Greeian cities clsim'd a Homer dead.
Through which the !I1ihg Homer begged his bread"
81 know the high hope you entertained OF acquiring both
Wealth and Honor, and Anow how sadly you have been
disappointed and | greatly fear you will end your lite as
many disappointed projectors have before you; who through
hatred .! an ungrateiuI world. las they concevr) have
rushed into the presence Ut their Maker uncalled Tor, and
unp7epared. | beg you To retire gpLIie from the busy
scenes u: active lite, where your brain ls kept In 4 constant
"hiH; ceVuie some u your ume To contemplation Of anodI-
er HE, which | hope soOn to ENJOY aud never read OF speak
OF railroads during the short time 1 have 10 live"
But tor the great misfortune OF losing my leg, Il was so
well pleased with my humble IiieO | never should nave
msde any claim for rsHaTd for my services IN The cause oi
railroads. Since that lime | have not been sbe 10 sarn
one dollar for the support Of my fanrly-ihe pain Ut ly
leg l. so ineesSant that | cannot pursue any reguia. busI.
ness. wrote my appeal at the Request, OF friends, and /
think II proper now To publish i certificate frum The Clerk
Of our County Court, via:
"lceruiy mat CHARLES Williams was married in this eoun.
~ IN The year lo29, and that he has since been employed
IN farming and keeping a store; a few years since ne sus-
tanned 4 heavy loss by fire, and about 3 years ago his leg
was broken; he was confined To hts bed about a year after
1t was ampuiated, during which time oil his prope ry was
-Dld 20 sutsiy distant cfedittTr, except the land and house
ne lives IN, and that Is under deed Of Trust tor its full value.
No person residing IN this county has ever sued him; he
has always been considered an honest and useful man, ard
/ believe that every person who knows hun, cOmmiseates
his misfortunes. and cpmmends him and his family - the
symPathy Of I'll. ABRA. SHEPHERD. Jr.
Clerk OF FIuyanna County Court"
November -. lsI5.
| might state that ( subscribed $500 toward, buiIdiny,
Church in Richmond and a liberal sum amount not now
recUIecied) Tor building 4 Monument T. Washington, and
4 School house also and Ihai / paid upwards of 500 Tor
| coronation and State taxes. % n One d,Vt. sill. ,f ,ny n,
perry. James Brown, Jr, the present second Auditor Of
the State. knows these iacts. / might notice many re-
marks Vt Mr.. Bloomfield, but | do not wish to trespass too
much on the columns OF your valuable paper. Why was
he s~urprs,d that the people Of Boston should be aEtynsh
ed To see a wheel. turned by a crank. draw a carriage offer
III Was it because Col Stevcn,' theory Iof which they
had never heard predicted the same ihingl Would not
the citizens Of New York be astontshed II they saw a man
Hy over their city1 Yet hundred. Of sehemer. hive con
ceiyed il would be done. for the last 100 years. N, can
did man could suppose that ! claimed any merit from build.
ing the railroad in 1917. or that / was Ignorant of their
use in England pnor To 1922, nor will they say II i. INV
fault, that ] have not continued reading about railroads
since l-2S. would thank any person 10 read the tshol,
number Of the Penny Magazine, published in London. IN
March. 1888. and they cin tncn form an opinion whether
it Is probable that the use Of Locomotives Tor travelling. and
the abandonment % cogs, proceeded from a pamphlet
published N 1912. iwhch must have fallen from the press
shil Jorn,l or from my public experiments and exhibitions
in 1871, % and %. And think hey will agrse with me.
that the 0hols uorid il principally Indebted TO nv ,rp,,i
neHtS, which pToUed that rsilryads could be used for trayel
Ing and they Will also agree that | ought TO receive some
remuneration Tor my services but a. " What 10 every body's
business is %nobody's," have a very faint hope Of ever re
ceiying any thing | have never yet received one dollar.
Please have the kindness 10 publish this commupien-
ton, which Mr.. Bloomheld's letter makes necessary. and
! hope all papers which have copied that will insert this. I
say as lie does give honor 10 whom honor is due, but for
myself, IN my present circumstances, I would prefer same
thing more suJSfdafiaL CHARLES WILLIAMS.
APPRoACHING REVOLUTION IN FRANCE.
The New York Sun pays particular attention tn tho nj
hhcsl movements Of foreign nations. and has gained soma
celebrity for the American Spirit It has svineed in relation
to the interference Of European powers with the South
American republics. Under the above caption tina, pane,
Of the l7th instant states:
"Lciiefs OF a stirring character have been received In
town by q number Of French refugees. calling upon Them
TO return 20 Europe with Ill possible despatch, and be- pre-
pared 10 Join their friends IN France at an early dsy. The
close alliance between England md LIuIs Philippe u cna
unR excitement al over france, and The JOufnsls are as
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