Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-12-03

added 10 The committee which was ao'ese "
The meeting then adjourned.
FLEMING JAMES, Chm.
Chs. C. HUDSON, Sec'y.
LOUISA RAILROAD MEETING.
Alta meeting Of portion Of The ci,izens OF Al
bemarle, held in The Couu, House in ChaliotIes'
vile, ON Saturday Inc coin November, on motion
Col L j. Randolph was called 10 inc Chaif, ana
VIM. r. Early appointed Secrc'
The object Of the meeting was esP Pr, aiaeo oy
the Chairman, whereupon Valentine W. oou.n-
all. Esq offered The following preamble ana re-
solutions which were unanimously adopted:
Whereas. The General Assembly OF Virginia,
q, lis las; session, passed an Act authorizing The
louisa Railroad Company, 10 extend their ROAD
N The Eastern base OF The Blue Ridge, "at such
noin, as is suitable Tor accommodating The trade
Of the valley OF Virginia, having regard mol only
10 the facility and economy OF approaching me
mountain, but also Of crossing II, and TO us UNI
male extension Westward" and directing inc
Board OF Public Works 10 subscribe three nilhs
of the sum OF $3.50, 900 deemed necessary fer such
extension, and requiring said Board 10 pay 10 me
Company $50 900 as soon IS the sum oil s:20.uuo
should be paid or sccuredto be paid BY subscrib-
ers other THAI the State, and in That proportion
npon the same terms until the Whole amount al-
,horized by The Act is subscribed:
And whereas subsequent 10 the passage Of sale
Act The Engineer 1t the Louisa Railroad Com
nanv. made laborious surveys OF The TWO routes
connecting Tor the extension Of said road, and re-
pored mol only that by the way OF Charlottesville
10 Rockiish Gap was better adapted 10 Inc main
object contemplated by The law Than Inc rouie oy
Stana rdsyie, to Powells Gap, but that The later
was we'll nigh if not wholly lmpraciicanie lot
such object, 10 w.t. the extension Vi sa'u t"'loau
across the mountain:
And whereas the stockholders oil the Louisa
Railroad Company, in general meeting assembled,
after an elaborate and able discussion oil The COM
narrative merits oil the Two routes, decided BY The
Overwhelming vote Of 1877 10 AZ, 20 extend their
road TO Rockfsh Gap, because IN their opiaion
tina, was the point in the language Of The law
s.rnos, suitable for accommodating The trade OF
the valley, having regard not only 10 The facility
and economy OF approaching the mountain, bull
also OF crossing il, and TO lis ultimate extension
Westward"
And whereas there has been subscribed, on the
part OF individuals, and in favor OF the route 10
Rockfisb Gap, an amount OF stock, exceeding BY
10 900 dollars the amount fpriyate subscriptions
required by the law; and whereas, although about
10000 dollars of such private stock has been Sc
cured TO he paid, by bonds with unques!ionable
sureties thereto, nevertheless the Board OF Public
Works, with fnli knowledge oiall The foregoing
facts, have refused 10 make any subscription or
payment Of stock on behali Of the State, upon The
ground. as il is understood tha, the Louisa Rail-
road Company have NJ right NADER The law be.
fore referred TO- 10 extend lnc,i road bY Inc Char
lottesviile route ard whereas, tnc Board have as
sumed This position in dirccl uppoci.ion 10 he OPT
MON Of The Attorney General The law officer OF
the Stale, from whom they sought adyce as 10
the Interpretation OF the law: Therefore,
tfpEu pfS
exhibit, On The part OF the Board OF Public
Works. a elarDg Gcielicliun Of Gu'y, and a gross
usurpaiion oil power; that such proceeding is .
palpabe effort 10 nullily plain law OF The land;
and that il asserts the alarming doctrine that lhc
Board o. Public Works may al their pleasure
suspend il not repeal, The deliberate enactmenls
Of The Legislature may cali upon tina! body L"
ACT ludicially, and determine Ike meaning oil
laws which have been suemnly enacted, and
thus to Withhold from The citizens o: The Common
wealth The rights which such laws may have con-
icrred upon them.
9. Resolved, That during the contest between
the competitors Tor The ronte Tor The extension Of
The railroad, the members OF this meeting beheid
with establishment the remarkable spectacle OF
the Board of Public Works, torgeliul of lis true
position, becoming a party 10 The struggle; The
Governor OF the Commonwealth and the PTesi-
dent OF The Board abandoning his legitimate du-
lies al The seat of government and stnmptng IL in
favor OF one OF the proposed routes; then return
ing to line capital is reported and believed, al
The summons Of The leading advocates Of that
route and there, with his associates oi The Board
(whose duties in the premises are wholly minis
erial) upon p17ic suggestions and solicitations,
connecting and issuing instructions 10 The Proxy
representing the Stale IN The delibs!a.lunS 81 Inc
company, directing him 10 disregard The report Of
I'LL La1a n. ~
lcas not such one as 'cas generally expected Of
inn: and 10 vote for rcsurvey OF route shown
by him to be impracicabe Tor useful purposes;
course Of conduct, in orr opinion, highly unbe.
coming in all concerned, and especially in The
Chief Magistrate OF Virginia, whose duty IL IS 10
know no sectional interests, but in the disnihed
exercise oil his appropriate functions, equally 10
protect and guard The gbs OF al.
3. Resolved, That By no Interpretation OF the
act Tor extending the Louisa Railroad, can II De
maintained that Inc Legislature designed 10 give
he Board OF Public Works even supervisory,
much .ess a controlling power in the selection Of
The routes Tor such exiensioni or that such selcc-
ton should be made subjec; 10, or in any man
ner dependent upon their ratification yet from
The coulse pursued by The Board, il is obvious
,ha, lhey have arrogaed this power 10 themselves,
and they therefore merit public censure and re-
Duke.
/. Resolved, That though surprised beyond
measure al the bold and unprecedented assump.
lion OF power in the premises, on the part OF The
Board OF Public Works, our confidence remains
firm and mistaken in The wisdom and justice OF
any tribunal 10 which The ultimate decision oil the
importan, questions involved in this controversy
may righluIly belong; and believing that The day
is not YET come when the Legislature OF Virgil
mia can be induced by any influence whatever 10
10, iah hoo
sanction and under which hundreds OF the ci-
Gems OF the SAFE have acquired vested rights, we
unhes;ialinely recommend TO the President and
Directors OF The Louisa Railroad Company 10
carry into effect wilhou, delay The resolution OF
The late meeting Of said company requiring them
10 enter into contracts Tor the construction OF The
proposed line Of extension.
5. Resolved, That the grave questions and i'm
portan interests involved in The altitude assumed
by the Board oil Public Works, demand The con-
sidera,ion OF the people Of Abemallc in public
meeting assemble; and that with This view we
! recommend 10 our fellow. citizens OF the county
thai they meet a, this place on The first Monday
in December their next court day, 10 express their
opinion 81 re cen INC. OF the Eoard, and 10 lake
such Steps a.. l.iay h necessary 10 vindicae, as
far "a tt.y can ihr sapTr macy ut the laws and
the Interests vi ha,r whose rights under them
have been thus a.saiiea.
On motion, i! was
Resolved, Tha the proceedings OF Ibis meet.
ing be published in the papers OF Richmond,
Staunlon, Lynchburs and Charlottesville.
On notion The meeting adjourned until The
first Monday 10 December next, that being Al
bemarle court day.
THOs. ]. RANDOLPH, Cha irman.
VIM. 7. EARLY, Secretary.
SOUTH CAROLlNA-THE WAR, &c.
In the Senate Of South Carolina on The 25h