The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-12-15

they were OF that, which for the benefit and i'm.
munity ct their road proposes to control the legal
an'horltes OF Carolina, even within the limits Of
their State. notwithstanding your opinion, Mr.
Editor. that IL conld scarcely have entered into
the head ct the most long cared animal i'm that
body (,he Virginia Legisla,ure.) that either the
state OF North Carolina, or any company in it
would think Of purchasing rail road, nearly all
ct which lies in Virginia" must be permitted to
tell You, that such notion was conceived, some
where, and by some one, and was rumored. cir
culated and cultivated as n means of defeating the
passage of the Bill. Mr.. Syme undertakes to
prove rather too much by his testimony Gan in
'erested witness too,) when he makes me the
voluntary agent and originator of measure,
whose tendency might have been injurious. and
IN no way beneficial To the cause advocated-a
m assure which. era,uitous and masked for and
uhprovlded, would have been culpabe, wanion
and absurd. Dies not Mr. Syme know that the
idea, that it the Portsmouth road was sold il would
be purchased by North Carolina or some Compa-
ny IN that State, originated in the vicinity of
Petersburg and hat il was used in Richmond as
an argument against the sale of the road Was
1t not gravey asserted that union of the Ra-
'egh and CASTOR Road contemplated with
The Portsmouth Road; that North Carolina al
ready owned the former, could easily by purchase
possess herself of the latter and that then, by
legal process. of which her Governor had alrea-
dy'given notice, she could deprive the Petersburg
Cn'npany of the Charter in that State and thus
become the monnpolist of the entire line of trade
and travel through both States to Norfolk This
was Petersburg and mt Portsmomth thunder!
In the struggle which Thus going on to
keep down the Portsmouth Road. and the effort
to make North Carolina appear as partial and
interested party, il became necessary. both the
support of The Bill and the defence Of Carolina
against such charge. that it should he promptly
l.. 4
effeclnal way of doing it, than by the provi.
sion in the Bill which inhbiis the contamination
of the scheme referred In. While speaking
therefore. on this branch Of the subject took oc-
casion TO state, in explicit terms, that a rumor
was abroad that Carolina designed to purchase the
Road, if solid denounced the report as unfoun-
ded, and with view of quetng all apprehension
on this score, and in The act of defending that
State against even suspicion of interference in
the matter. gave notice, that at proper time.
would submit the amendment, (Which then
read) prohihltory to purchase of the road by the
Stale. Looking To North Carolina as an Impair
tial yet decided friend, allied to by other i'm
provements besides the Rail Road, and identified
with as in various and important interests, il
would have been strange in me TO have reflected
on her character or cast suspicion her purposes
knew the amendment supererOgatory IL
was that peculiar atmosphere Of opinion generated
by Petersburg views and feelings which made the
echo necessary to the thunder peal. During the
whole of the protracted debate this vitality i'm
portant question To Norfolk and Portsmouth whe
Their in the Committees, in the House, or i'm the
Senate, not word escaped any friend of the
Portsmouth Road. lnimical either To the interests
or honor OF Carolina. We knew nothing to com
plain of. and could not therefore complain We
had not been arragned guilty violators of her
laws, sand we therefore had appeal to make to The
escncheon Of onr State, that its motto migh shield
us from the penalty of law. But how stands the
case on the other side 60 We haze no ,Dish 10
make mischief or 10 gel or friend Syme into a
Scrdpe. but 1t may not be amiss to show by his
own language, how he and Petersburg stand af
fecled towards Carolina. Here is part of friend
Syme's speech on the memorable occasion to which
this subject refers
Let us now continued Mr. S., take a look at
our neghhor of the Old North State, and see what
she was about. He had il from the best authority
that the Governor of that State had ordered the
Attorney General to cite the Petersburg COMPANY
before the Supreme Court. TO show cause why
their charters in North Carolina should be forfeit
ed penalty for the contract with Mr. Rves
Now. if this movement designed To menace
the State Of Virginia, who was heavily interested
in the upper route, (Which would be ruined by this
forfeiture. and compel this Legislature to resus-
citae the Portsmouth Road, in order that the peo-
pie of Carolina might have two roads to market,
should we not meet and repeihe attempt2 If
Virginia was to have her legislation dictated by
her sister States let her no longer talk of her past
glory, for ii would be literally past and gone-let
her no longer lnscrbe her proud motto on her ban
ners, hut let the picture of her esculcheon he re-
versed, and instead of being pictured as standing
erect In the pride of freedom with her foot on the
fallen Iyrant's neck, let her be represented as
PROSTATE on the ground, with her sister States
trampling her to the dust.
. Bnt, said Mr.. s., suppose there should be
serious purpose on the part of North Carolina to
exact this forfeiture, will she do it-can she do il
If the Portsmouth Road is not revived 2 AS ony
as the Portsmouth road is disused, the Petersburg
is The only Road connected with the Wilmington
Road and 1t It's charter should be forfeited, there
would be gap of Twelve miles, which would
prove utterly destructive To the latter road by di
verling the long travel from the Allsntic, and
ser.iing it by The Mississippi and Ohio route
For this reason, 1t for NJ other, this bill shoud
pass Again, although the Petersburg charter
should not be forfeited. it woud be in The power
of the Wilmington Company to dictate the price
ct the Portsmouth road in case Of sale. The
President of tina Company might say 10 the bidder
II you buy this road will not connect with you
at Weldon" OF what value then would the road
be? To another he might say" if you buy this
road will connect with you and so regulate the
tare as to- throw all the passengers your road :"
90 'nd' ny me sale OF This road. virginia was ell
Iher to forfeit her property in the Petersburg road
to the State of North Carolina, or have the value
OF her property. in the Portsmouth Road regulated
by the whlm or interest Of North Carolina Com
Pany Would the State Of Virginia submit TO
this %
Now, Mr.. Syme was the representative Of Pc.
lers6nrg; and the above quotation explains, far
better than could, the views and feelings Of him
sell and his constituents towards sister State
M. ftfn nttI 4 l.. l.. 4
from his published speech, without understanding
their true import. They embody the very princi.
pie and object Of that provision complained Of by
" The Observer.' which was desioned 10 protect