Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-11-11

The State permits them 10 take private property
Ito change water courses-to bridge rivers-to
cross highways and turnpikes, all for the puJ.
lie benefit Why is it, we ask, that the water of
the lake should be exalted above the rivers, and
mill-privileges, and all the dry land Have the
transportation, steamboat, and wharf companies
so long forced the people of Vermont to pay
heavy tribute, that they now think themselves
entitled TO an eternal monopoly Is it any where
expressed in their charters, they are corporations
many of them) that the lake shall not be bridg-
ed? Is the Lake itself their exclusive property,
or the property Of those who dwell upon its bor-
dcrs Have the people of the North the East
and the Centre no ownership TO exercise OVERT?
Have they no authority to demand that their in
teresis shall be regarded? 1t seems obvious 10
us that they may demand the right oCway; they
hare right 10 demand that they shall not be
forced 10 any unreasonable delay and cost in the
freight of all their BREADTH tufts. They have a
right to demand that they shall not be cut off
from their market for breadsuffs six months in
the year. We claim the bridge upon the ground
of right-of justice We insist that the lake in
terest must not exclude the people, more remote,
from their just privileges. We ask no exclusive
privileges, and we will yield none we ask of
the lake interest no more than Is reasonable and
just and in full faith that what is asked will be
for their advantage as well as ours.
"Vermont" has put in special plea in favor
of navigation against the railroads: he insists
that the former mast suffer no inconvenience, even
though it be to free the railroads from an &C
knowledgcd greater inconvenience! We pro-
test against that plea. Both arc the common
carriers Of the public; and as such both arc en-
titled to equal privileges. That is the true doc
trne. We are told, however, that the Legisla-
ture must violate this common sense doctrine,
because the road will do as much business with
out the bridge as it would with it, This is an
assertion Of the widest sort, uttered in the face
Of all experience. But if true, it is not enough.
If they cannot do that business as chedpty and
as speedily, without the bridge as with it, then
the roads and THE PUBLIC have r,ght TO the
bridge, unless they thereby inflct greater in
jury upon navigation than the roads would sus-
tain without the bridge. The whole question
therefore turns upon the balance Of inconvenience;
and Vermont" has fully admitted that the bal
ance is on the side Of the roads. The assertion,
however, that the roads would do as much bust
ness with ferry as bridge, is entirely without
foundation--is too palpably absurd to require
gument. The managers Of the Ogdensburgh
road hare decided that question; have decided
that the construction Of road must depend up
on brldge-a bridge at Rouse's Point or in
Canada: and it is weak suberfuge to say, that
they will be responsible if the road is abandon
ed. No! that responsibility will rest upon those
who defeat the bridge; aud we venture to pre-
dict that they will find it heavy responsibility.
Who are better judges than the managers ofthat
road, including their engineer ?-the oldest and
most experienced in New England, we believe,
and certainly one of the most reputable They
are right the issue plainly nferrible from g Ver-
monts" whole Article is, BRIDGE AND RAIL.
ROAD US. BRITISH CANAL. He has convinced
us that the incorporated transportation companies
would gladly hail the DEFEAT OF THE OGDENs-
BURGH ROAD aye and of the Vermont and Can
ada and Central and Passumpsic also. They
never will permit the latter to reach the business
Of Montreal, if it can be prevented never per-
NIT either of the other roads to reach the Lake,
if il can be avoided. When Vermont" called
upon us to contrast the BRIIIsH CANAL policy
of opening to our Lake the vast commerce of the
West, with that 4" which seeks to send this i'm
mense trade upon continuous iron road, and
with lightning speed, through and beyond our
borders, for the exclusive advantage Of Boston
and A FEW RAILRoADs"-he revealed the true
character and object of the hostility to the
bridge He, the organ OF the opposition to the
Bridge, gives us full warrant to declare, that this
is War of the Lake corporations and interests
upon ALL THE RAILROADS. WHICH AIM EITHER
TO BosroN, LAKE CHAMpLAIN, MONTREAL OR
OGpENsBuRGu; and its object is, not to carry
western commerce through Vermont to Boston,
but through Lake Champiain to New York.
Briefly, it is contest to put down the railroads,
and TO keep up The present system of dragging
the freight of Vermont through Lake Champain
and over the mountains the contest ofthe Lake
Corporations against the Railroads - ola bakers
dozen Of transportation and wharf companies, a.
ganst the thousands whose money is invested in
railroad stock and the 100000 of the people
who want bread at a fair price
1t will not do, then, for Vermont" TO tell us
that the railroads are not concerned in this ques-
ton. We take it, that it is something to them
whether they share in the commerce of the
West and be it remembered, that no exclusive
privilege, as against navigation, is asked. With
BRIDGE the railroads would touch the Lake at
Rouses Point, Plattsburgh and Burlington-they
would give and take. We take it that it is
something to them all, and to all Vermont Also
to retain the confidence and capital of Boston,
We well know that when Boston committed her.
self 10 Vermont roads it was with view 10 unite
Montreal and the great lakes with the Atlantic.
That fact in turn has stimulated New York; un-
til she is disposed to contribute of her capital
towards extending railroads to Whitehall, and
into Western Vermont, and up the Connecticut
valley. 1t is this rivalry, between Boston and
New York, which is giving vitality to railroads
in Vermont. Put an end to that and you put
an end to all new railroad projects in Vermont,
for years you check the Passumpsic, the Con-
Eecticut River and the Rutland roads-and prob