Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-09-02
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, Is47.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT
In VIRGINIA

The rivalry between Staunton and Harrison
burg, for the Western terminus of the Louisa
Rail Road, seems to have produced considerable
excitement among our old friends in that region.
The "Senior" of the Register seems to have quite
forgotten his burning Indignation at the conduct
Of the traitorous and cowardly Wings, who refus-
ed TO lend their roiees, to aid in the prosecution of
the Presidents war, and devotes the whole of his
columns TO the humiliation of the presumptous
schemes of Stanton and Charlottesville. Poor
old Alexandra how contemporary does the We
teran editor by single side blow knock your lit
tie card castle, founded upon the Shenandoah
Improvement, into heap of ruins 1t is enough
for you to know that the Buckingham Register"
considers the improvement Of the Shenandoah ga
visionary schemc!" The why's and the where
fores are matters Of no moment-rather small po-
tatoes Just now, for the "Senior" is busy The
Richmond Times informs us, that GEORGE II.
CHRISTIAN, Esq, Of Rockingham, addressed the
citizens of Richmond on Friday night last, with
view to enlisting them in favor of the preten-
sions Of Harrisonburg, in preference to those Of
Charlottesville and Staunton. The Times gives
an interesting sketch of the speech of Mr.. CHRIS
MAN, which seems to have produced decidedly
favorable impression upon his auditory. We
have known that gentleman from our infancy.
and can well conceive of the pleasure with which
a speech from him would be listened to by an in
telligent assemblagc.
Stannton has the advantage of position, how
ever, and if she does not maintain it, it will not
bo. to1a tod II ID
The road has to be made too, after all the ''wind-
work" is finished and tunnelng the Blue Ridge
either at "Powell's" or "Rockfsh", will be
swarm work for summers day" At all events
It will be work of time, and as our old friend of
the Register seems impatient for the carnival of
the Cars, " if he will pay us visit we can pro-
mise him sight, from the window of our sane
tum, of a half-dozen trains in the space of haitian
heur.--Aye, and furnish him ticket for ride
''to the Ferry and back again" to boot. But we
have lost sight of our object in commencing this
article which was neither more nor less than to
introduce to the reader the following extract from
the Times sketch of Mr. Chrisman's speech:
ale spoke Of general wan, of activity this
side OF the mountains, as compared with the
oODG NiSiiiOBtduc RtDuSIDtU WcIt
one day dining with friend in the Valley,
when his house took fire. He saw at fist the
flames could not be extinguished, and went at
once to work, with the assistance of neigh
bour and domestic or two, and removed all
his furniture, while his guests stood amazed,
with their hands in their pocketsl Why, e.
ven our women, said he, have more activity
and energy in such cases than your country
gentlemen OF the low lands. To these peculi-
arities he attributed the thrift and comfort
which abound in the Valley, on the one hand.
and the want of prosperity, the dilapdation of
farm houses and the exhaustion of lands in the
middle and tide water regions of Virginia.
Hisson once passed through an immense James
River farm, where he saw the finest and most
extensive field of corn he ever beheld. He
remarked to the owner that his crop would be
large, and he must send a great deal TO market
mo-" said the planter, "my negroes eat il all
up" Now, said Mr. c., that is Just the diff
ference-the Valley farmer wont let his crop
be eaten up at home. He keeps no useless
mouths to ill about him. He will send some
to market.
Mr.. c., offered some good ideas about max
ing too large calculations, applying them to
the Railroad scheme. Although he was in
hopes the Louisa road would ultimately reach
the Ohio, we should not now overlook inter
mediate advantages-lhey should be frs, secu-
red, before they entered upon that expensive
scheme. They must proceed by degrees, or
they couldn't get along at all, Get to the Val
ley, secure its great trade 10 Richmond, and
then talk about the Ohio. He couldn't see the
wisdom of running mad about Oregon, when
we had so much land to occupy and improve
this side of the Mississippi. Nor could he
! perceive the necessity of going to take from
the Mexicans Coahuila, Chihuahua, New
Mexico and California, when we had so many
millions of unpeopled acres, and so many vast
fields for enterprise at home. This capital
idea was most boisterously applauded, and it
gained for Mr.. Chrsman great eclat. was
looked upon a A NEW LIGHT FROM THE TENTH
LEcIoS!"]