Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-01-06
To the Editors of the whig;
INTER NAL. IMPROXEMEN

cd interest will connue 10 increase until n in
something beneficial to the good Old Commonwealth.
She has been for years, and now comparatively speak
ing decreasing in population. and deenrg 10 wealth. in.
'eusenee, and responsibility until, from being the first
she mas been degraded To the rank Of fourth the
Union and there is fear that she will sink
CT sun In the scale OF States, unless her
co True sense OF her condition. and vigorous effort
Tor her restoration. IL to every true friend
the State TO witness her downward tendency and be-
comes Us 10 inquire into the Of it, aud. II possible
provide Its remedy and in my humble Judgment nothing
Is go well calculated arrest this retosrade arch as
J1dieie1s system OF Internal Improvement.
why we have so long delayed rcsorting a course
certainty haught with sautary consequences, IL 10 difficult
10 say The Richmond Press, and Others asenbc our in
aenon to sectional jealousy and want OF concert
feeling 'nd effort resulting from local and conflicting
@fessi and 1t Is unfortunately that this condition Of
things exists and lie, doubtless the Of
difference, and supincness upon the subject
Almost every section OF the State is in want Of an i'm
pfo'ement OF some kind, and camous for immediate
accommodation and but few have the patience to wait or
the generosity waive their claims until other. are served
Some there are, who already avoued with all the fae-
ues they FIRST asked and which proved ample for all
their wants. with aPPet,es wheted by experience Of the
dement's derived from the accommodations they have 70.
| eeived. grasp eoyetously at more.
Announcer class rejoicing IN the possession of work
which has opened their whole REGION answer. all the pur
Poscs OF their trade and furnishes them with the
facilities for the transportation market of all they can
produce forge, their starving brethren and exhibit he very
height OF sehshness IN mpor,unng for tina, wilt
minister TO their travelling comfort not content with the
HsessfaTis' they torsoO. needs have the
! OF improvement.
am disposed to supply first OF ALL the actual want, of
the country at large. would make il primary and para,
mount object To satisfy the requirements of our
commerce 10 construct, where they needed. works OF
sseh character as are bes, fitted open country TO
the best advantage help the and farmer and wool
grower, and all branches OF industry to let in sb, upop
our most beniRhted, and least informed citizens and 70
stimulate generally the people the Improvement of our
SOIL and deSeopsmeni OF and hitherto NEGLECTED.
internal resources
Should any work be proposed which will secure tb..e
end aud al the same time be thoroughare domestic
ana foreign travel. 50 much the better would prefer IT,
because this would help pay the expenses Of manien
anee OF way and transportation and such work would
iond my hearty Cooperation, and support.
Now with all due Difference to the city of Richmond
and feelings OF sincere attachment her, and h>r able
Press, Which exercises powerful, and sometimes fear
pane vi influence upon the prosperity Of Virginia am
compelled TO say, that in city town. section of the
state does this sectional Jealousy, and se6shness above
alluded TO- prevail to greater degree in the Metrcpo
Ms Let any scheme u improvement be presented 10 the
public, and the rsi and great inquiry there H. what effect
will II have on The City Of Richmond and should be
supposed that there is possibility Of endangerng
OF Juousy affecting IN the slightest degree her interests
tollhNita her fress their
and relax not their firing until they have Frustrated the
measure with Its advocates.
Let the no, be understood to be inimical TO Rich
mond appreciate the policy OF raising up great CON-
mefcai emporium-aud would rejoice To see her become
popuous, wealthy and il please magnificent CITY
out am not disposed TO Other any
po,non OF the State sacrificed to her sggrandzemen
will refer 10 IN which this selfish policv
mas oten strongly manifested alude the project of
gnung the Ohio River with Richmond or the waters of
chesapeake by continuous Railroads. subject which
OF and tlv
IL IS known TO all the people OF Virginia land many have
paid dearly for their krowedge that some years since
the Legislature chartered company for construction
OF continuous improvement from Richmond to the IA
nawha River.
The Poiessed object of this measure was to establish
compete chain OF communication between the Eastern
aho western waters OF the Stae build up Richmond
and 10 furnish the people Of the valley of James River
aud those beyond the Allegheny safe Cheap and ready
means o. conveying 10 market, the valuable products of
he respective regions. For the contamination Of the
scheme, the faith OF the vas ghted To IN,
valley, and the Trans Allegheny country and they Weld
60 70 The invitations 10 forward and nvest their
hy IN the enterprise. IT'S true. the West contributed
bot e but they gave the best of their aby and as
tne WIDOW" bestowed her mite freely, aud with cheerful
ness.
The work commenced and vigorously pro.eru,e ted
until 1t was finished far Lynchburg distance of I47
miles, at cost OF some si1 millions ot doars The West
a"aied with anxiety, though with confidence its arrival
into heir country but after demonstration Of heir pur-
pose TO ADVANCE which resulted in nothing an erpen
d'ure OF several hundred thousand dollars in making de
aehed pieces OF canal aud the destruction Of the old Blue
hloge canal, the Company closed their operations.
IynShDufg thus became the terminus Of the work and
he9mend with her press, seem say, that thus far ii
sha CO. and no iariher aud there shall course be sop
ped within IS miles OF "rhe Valley VrsiGa" as il is
uenomnated par eIceileneecsreess whether tho pledg
60 ah OF the State be redeemed not and utterly indf
irfen' TO the wants, and interests and rights Of their
| Wesisrn brethren.
Some Of the press. regardless Of all tbsso .o,,;do,o,
are not content ~h it, stUppsge that point but 20
,.' Iuhef and INSIST upon empying the canal Of n
i' ana converting 1t into bed for Railroad which they
propose TO continue from Lynchburg TO New River thence
to zsEtg BY short down the Valley OF that torrent
suspended o. bsi II may b. the sides Of its rugged
PeePhoHs aud 10 many places oveThang cliffs. Though
comparatively wild, barren, desUiae and almost uniu-
habed region, until in iIs vending way II debouctes
upon the Kanawhu, and thence proceeds to the Ohio
Here u an Improvement upon which about five millions
Oh the plolc ueefure OF the State, collected from cit
Zens OF every section Of u, have been expended; an I'm
prOyement which has The State IL 10 believed mo,e
than oil he Improvements IN the State together; one am
ply sufficient TO 20 the rich, pOpuIous and fers
Valley OF the James River all that 10 desirable as means
Of uan'Pouaton, and comfortable travelling accumo,oda
uons; and yet It - modesty nsked by interested few
hist this great work snail be abandoned or re- modelled
sud converted other those FOR which IL wag
gnay Enej, and BY the expenditure of some three or
iUur millions inyrc Of the peoples money, turned into
Railroad, asd for whsD Why that al the travel and
trade ma business 0f tie great West shall be surely and
unavodably forced into The Richmond market and lest
there be danger that this liberal end be thus surely
attained; let perchance a moi.oum OF the travel or b
Saie - insisted, out Of abundant caution that no Rail
road shall be permitted to DO constructed north Of James
River, even though should terminate IN the Metot oils
Give W eUfTy thing, says Richmond, aud then protect
| ~ our monopoly
| Another portion Of the Richmond community are m,
willing TO destroy the camel outright but are the s,renuous
advocates Of scheme which less surely because ind
feey, will be fatal 10 its prosperity and existence They
would establish rival, aud kill II by competition Their
plan II 70 construct Railroad from Richmond by the way
= the Glover HILL Pits, along the south side James river
oLynehbug, thence by New River the OHIO coneding
| with the route above described.
Here u may be well 10 observe, that even II this line Of
road should ever b. constructed ~ intersection with
New River. those citizens nj the West who might bo in
dnced to regard this route with favour have guarantee
that will be extended in their direction; for Of this point
the work approaching very to tho Tennessee line
might hesitate between the prospect of poor
tor the cost Of abOur Of slrmoBntnR the difficulties 60 be
encountered m the descent Of New River the advan
iages OF Tor better location up the Valley with the pros
Pec Of better business from that quarter and at last be
tempted 70 abandon the traced out for H. dyergs
to the Southwest, and leave the West second time di.ap
pointed and unpioyided Tor.
II is Of ell irp-Dbobe that vb,, oce,,,.5 L. a. -