Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-12-18
m ne Ed,l0,s Of Tic Enquirer.


Please 10 publish in your paper The enclosed
memorial. II speaks Tor i;sef observe IN lhe
Wing half an intention that il is The mere right
Of way question. Ii is more. II is The result oil
The deliberations OF Contention OF 500 Of on
own people. Ii is absurd TO attempt 10 trea
slshtngy such movement OF The peoplcot VIf-
sinia. Although il may comporl with The views
or palimore, or It's great company, 10 nave such
a road, is that reason Tor denying The improve
ment 10 such large portion OF Virginia
Surely not. But il is said the people Of The North
West are divided among themselves. There Is
division whether The route shall be through thus ar
thai county; but every body must see there neither
is, nor can possibly he, any division en- he ques
lion OF advantage to their quarter OF the STATE
from the passage OF a railroad through il ex-
ceptng always the small portion Of The popu!a-
lion Identified with Wheeling, which, having
monopoly how OF trade and travel would, ol
course, be unwilling tu see il diverted. Those
counties, below the Pennsylvania line, whose re-
personalities voted with Wheeling, were as anx-
ous Tor road as any others; they opposed The
greater latitude 10 The company, because They
feared the route nigh! be below them. Is il moi
then, an abuse ot language 10 say they ale 10 be
classed with The opponents of the improvement
or even OF The right VI ways The opponents Of
these petitioners have no right 10 shelter them
selves, under anv such alleged divisions, beyond
| the voice Of Wheeling and its immediate inter
ess. II IS reasonable that Wheeling should oppose
any such road that would give her the go-by; but
il seems unmany and uncandid for other riva
Interests 10 shelter themselves under such sup
posed divisions in the North West. II they mean
each county in The North West wants The road
within lis bordeis il may be admitted such III
visions exsl; but in the general sense, there is no
division or The subject IN The North West; always
excepting Wheeling and lis immediate interests
IL seems now ascertained that The Baltimore
Company will not accept The provisions Of The
law Of last Winter, compelling them 10 60 almost
within sigh. oil The Ohio river, and then tc turn
al right angles, and run long distance up 10
Wheeling, through rugged cliffs and deep ravines,
before il Is permilledlo reach The water; and II no
change be made, there can be no doubt the road
10 Pittsburgh will be completed; and The people OF
The North West be perhaps frercr deprived OF The
benefit Of This great improvement, requiring an
outlay in the beginning Ut from seven 10 ten mil
lions, and an annual expenditure If one-and a.
half 10 two millions, as have seen estimated
What will lie thought Of the wisdom OF Virginia,
If This result shall be witnessed by The world
not only OF her refusing such an expenditure OF
foreign capital within her borders, nolc ard through
all time, but of her locking up The treasures and
resources Of that large district OF country which
would be developed by the work-ot her alien
a;ing the faternal feelings OF so large portion
oil The Stale, whose representatives might be
made To feel il a Sort OF duty to their immediate
constituents 10 oppose crcry improvement, oieyerY
sort and kind, in all other portions OF the Stale,
ill this wrong was redressed by means from Inc
State Treasury a'one1
Such, hunbly conceive, is not the true policy
of The Stale. L-t her different interests be con-
ciiiated by harmony and mutual concession.
Let not the James River interests, and friends OF
the central line OF improvement, claim all the re-
sources Of the State exclusively Tor itself, but con.
ceds something TO other parts OF the State and then
they may have strength enough 10 get along. BY
cancellation, harmony and concession, much may
be done in every part Of The State; but il, from
jealousy Of other interests, opposition be created
from quarters friendly TO improvement generally,
another session will pass by, in all probability,
without the passage Of law any better than
those Of last Winter, which remain on The STA
lutte book as dead letters. A VIRGINIAN.
To The honorable tic Scnatc and House of Dele
gates of the Commonwealth of Virginia
The undersigned citizens OF The County Of -
again present themselves before your honorable
body, as petitioners for the legislative privilege OF
lHptOSiHS ouI IoHuilioHj ~ eue SouSsi uS1'o" "
Railroad from some point on the South Branch
OF The Potomac river, through North Western
Virginia, to the Ohio river, not below The mouth
OF the little Kanawha river. Your petitioners
represent, that that portion OF Virginia, inieres.
ted in The proposed improvement embraces
district OF country, extending from The South
western boundary OF Pennsylvania, TO The sources
of the Monongahela river, distance OF about one
hundred and twenty miles north and south, and
about one hundred andlhirty miles from The Yves
tern slope Of Allegheny mountains, 10 The mouth
of Little Kanawha, embracing an area of about
$4,000 square miles or equal 10 10 millions
of acres Of land. This district OF country posses
ses climate and soil interior 10 no portion OF the
Commonwealth of like extent, and containing
mineral wealth, not equaled by any other por--
,on OF the Stale |, abuunds with stone, coal and
iron ore oil the richest quality. Ii has now po.
pulation Of at least 100, 000 souls and is capable
OF sustaining population of 5000 allowing
a population Of 100 10 square mile, which is
less Than the average population OF some of the
Northern States And yet this fertile country is
wilhou, access to any market for ia surplus pro-