Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-02-16
TuF RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
For TIC Enquirer.
THE JAMES RIVER BILL.

| long homily about the Me1ed" 'A'' -
Taylor's Letter, or even the Presidential pros
,ccls Of 4s. These are all, no doubt, question:
Of moment, and interesting particularly 10 com
muni,y of quidnuncs, as the home-honof'ns fan
ices say Virsinians are. But wish 10 expires
,,v individual portion Of that strong, deef ieeiins
which is be,lnning 10 spread broadly, anu nioi'
h,n,dIy over cur good old STATE, anu IS destined
+ hnnc soon 10 heave heari-stIln2 10 action II
every breast that beats within her DorGers. II !:
H. cr;,ii OF industrial and commercial improve
m-nt. This spirit is acquiring force and moving
Ia lis Objects not with The calm and healthy might
nj stream which finds its channel open and IN.
distracted before il, but with the wild fury Of a
torrent, checked by the dams with which crude
iu,emcnt or blind apathy have sou2h, 10 cu!bit.
The fact tina; the movement has assumed this
character, is only more melancholy. than tha, past
legislation should have given cause Tor IT, In
your paper OF Tuesday, you publish The proceed
in.s ot meeting held al Lexington, subsequent
10 The rejection OF The James River Bill, in which
eyasre alton, proceeding, | think, EGl wholly
from sectional interest," has gone 10 the unp.ece
dcned length Of threatening division uf The
Stale. Some omHuus indications in the North
west, too, seem 10 show, that few persons there
beg in 10 look through the miss oi disappointment
and uncertainty, 10 the same terrible cousunllna-
ton. The first impulse Of perhaps every one Who
hears or reads the ayowal 81 such sentiment,
is 10 brand it as tiai;orous Ye. let him who feels
that impulse, only measure by The high feeling OF
Stale pride which engenderS i-l..e same feeling,
in The breasts Of his Western brethren, men sprung
from the same soil, and breathing the same social
air with himself-and thereby estimate il he can,
the bitter sense OF wrong and dependence which
could nuIify such a wealth OF memory and such
cherished associations. TIE voice OF Western Yir-
sinia would have been more commanding, had il
been more unanimous; bur that Nature has loI-
hidden, BY producing variety Of territorial sur
face and variety OF interest, so that sectional dis.
cord which has ever been The curse OF the State
al large, pulsues each grand division, quarter
and locality al minimum, and perpetuates al
once Inc general unity and the general blight
We are only held together by our very dissen-
sionsi These local jea'ou>ies may be called the
piles on which line fabric ol Stale must be reared,
useless and disastrous as foundation, as long as
their heads are suffered 10 rise high and uneven
IT, bur Joining lhef strength in one firm and last
ing supper, when lcyelled all 10 one and The same
surface, by one power acting alike on all. This
must BE- one central Improvement which will Join
III: two principal divisions, subdividcd like them
hy branches uniting successfully minor portions.
II as is possible, there still remain region
which cannot be reached, distinct line would be
advisable ard necessary; but that region is very
small. as any one will see, who will mparlially
study lhc topography Of The Slate Al any rate.
the GENITAL work should be made flrsl.
And this brings me 10 the immediate cause Of
the strong sensation whose oubreaks you have
noticed Facts and arguments have been eX-
hans,ed s,eadiuess Of policy invoked, every ap
peal that could be made 10 The head the hear; or
The pockel. urged for years ard urged once more
lie N
tradicions-a general convusion seems 10 be
oveiturDing old ideas old creeds, and even ! be-
ieye lhr old relations ol cause and effect
You must Judge a r.an now not by what
he does. bat by wha, his sense Of pre-
sen, expediency prevents him from doing
Conviction and action have no longer any
connection. Truth is banded about like boys
ball. from one side 10 the other, reaches al last
its Iighful resting place through The mutual OPP
position Of both or all parties-that place not be-
ing olicn quite satisfactory 10 either; and, when
apparently disposed OF, is dragged forth again to
afford new sport and new struggles 10 The same
restless crew. There can be nothing more va
ciaing or which has more completely baftlrd
prophecy, than the course Of our Legislature Tor
several years past and for The present particular
". on The Two or three questions OF general i'm
portance which have been brought before ihem.--
No. 10 touch on politics. as the election Of Sena
|
Potomac and Ohio Railroad charter, the squad
bles between The two rival passenger lines be-
tween The North and South, and This "lasI unkind-
r, cut Of all" the abandonment Of The only work
which calls voices OF favor and approval from
every section OF our Stale, from the Tour quarters
OF The groaning Commonwealth. This lasl, toe,
was done by body apparently inl oi The internal
Improvement spirit, and which earlier in The ses-
sion showed that spirit by supporting several 10.
cal works Of iEcomparaby less importance and
merit, These gentlemen two months ago maze
unanimously an appropriations ior The volunteers,
which was required 10 sustain The honor oi the
State as whole, in the eyes OF her conlcderales;
We, This great measure, Tor the completion Of
which her honor. in The hands Of their predeces
sors, had been repeatedly l'"ds"i 10 The people 81
the East aud WEES wilma her uNn domain, meets
a treatment precisely contrary. Docs Virginia
live .cr herself " cthcrs2 i Ter horror 10 be
soueh; through her rrn>pe;it u - Prosperity
through her nonor? Why not show their attach
m.nt 10 Tie States honor and lame, "a-t and PEE
sem, (i ilhas any presently By an appreciation ni
that On which alone i. was reared. ahd by which
alone il can be supported industrial lhrih2
The only explanation which can be alleged Of
our pas, rpicy or ralner want u ;olcy, is the
aversion which tie people Of manT district To-
caics have 10 making grants OF ihe public mo
Eay for lie sole benefit ui Others widely distant
from them. Ii is lrite one, and il demolishes
Itself: lar he system The adoption OF which II
prevents, has Tor one oi lis graniesl objects The
iusins Together oil these separate and opposing
interests. and the lack OF sympathy which ac-
companies them. Bat do not believe this loca
jealousy exists even now 10 The extent Il !" thought
10 reach. How is it known 10 do SO, has any
election Of delegates turned, except in one or Two
ob>cnlc instances, IN The issue Il any great work
~ Al ;p,h,
meeting been called 10 express The sense OF even
comfy acapS' the junction Of Tie Last and
West! For every instance ot The Kind produced
will bring Them by the dozen in favor Of il.
Even supposing these local feelings 10 have
their full force, should delegates represent them?
Does il never occur 10 legislators, that, being
elected as the most enlightened Of their commu-
nifty, they might show themselves worthy The dis
lnclion in a better way than by adheIing, as
| first point Of principle, TO those views oil their
constituents which are most limited in scope
and conception A bill laxing oyster beds would
| find arraycd agans, il five or six counties; one
taxing coal as many more, and one 10 lax iron
still larger number, while measure taxing,
with their own consent and wish, the people oil
other States on either side OF US, Tor The bench, oi
our own citizens in common, meets The continued
opposition Of majority OF all.
| II is singular enough, that several counties
which are opposed 10 The James River aud Ma
nawha connection, Is II internal Improvements
in The abstract are the very ones which owe most
10 such works Take Chesterfield, as near and
prominent example. VIVA, but railways and ca
mails have iosered her industry, and partly pre-
served her from the decay which has fallen on
other counties in The same regionl Is Glover
\ Hill anli.raway, or does conviction wear of
within Two years. Yet the whole weight Of her
talented and honored representative is thrown BY
her will into The scale opposite TO that in which
she herself rose. The voice, TOO, OF the Southern
Tier of counties on The North Carolina line, which
have at least three artificial outlets TO market has
long Joined in The same cry. | am unable 10
conceive why such strong opposition 10 conncc.
lion with The younger hall OF The Stale should
ment, would be The more benefited OF the Two sec
TONS (iI sections they must be called, )-.oii,
while the West has but to gain, The Eas, has both
to gain and TO regain. ALI The advantages which
reach the West must do so through The East
Ia III;