Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-05-14
VIRGINIA AND TENNESSEE RAIL ROAD.
APPEAL TO THE SOUTH WEST

/ ilhIiNia AMI LNNESSEE IA IL ROAD.
APPEAL TO THE SOUTHWEST.
/ Though the vote upon the act authorizing a
subscription on behalf of the Commonwealth to
this important improvement, proves that it was
very popular with the Legislature, yet the State
subscription was made, and the corporate privi-
legeS were granted after the msst careful scrut-
\ ny into the merits Of the improvement and upon
| conditions more stringent than are usually I'M
posed upon works proposed to be constructed up
on the JOINT stock principle. With every diSpo-
stion to he liberal to the Southwest, the LeGs-
lature wished to secure to the public, and 10 the
I Commonwealth the fullest participation in the
advantages Of the work, ifsuccessfu whilst it
guarded against contributing to the construction
of a work, merely loca in its character, by rcqui-
: ring the large preliminary subscription of seven
hundred and fifty thousand dollars From this
severe and unusual test of their ability and sin
ce1ity, the advocates Of the Virginia and Tonnes
rsec Rail Road have never shrunk. They never
desired that the munifcence of the State should
be perverted to local or selfish purposes; nor did
/ they doubt, for moment, the ability and the in
cHnaton Of the country interested in the road to
comply with the conditions imposed upon them
That they were not mistaken, the result has, 50
far established. Lynchburg has shown that the
declarations made upon her behalf were neither
idly nor lmpIoyidenty made. She has, with
quiet resolution, complied with every assurance
and nobly redeemed, to herself and to the State
the pledge Of devotion to the noble enterprise ii
which she IS 50 deeply interested. Her prosper
Gus citizens have poured out the rich accumula-
tons of industrious thrift at the demand of public
duty, and have exhibited the rare example of
capacity to acquire by enterprise united with the
! disposition to contribute with wise lbcralty.
i Having. by the subscription Of five hundred
thousand dollars, or tro-thrds Of the whole a.
mount necessary to receive the State subscIip-
ton, performed her part of the compact Lynch
burg must now regard with interest the contri-
buttons Of Southwestern Virginia-the region
most deeply and Immediately concerned in the
success OF this work. We DO not doubt that the
subscriptions of that region Of country viii con
vince the sceptical friend, or obstinate foe, of in
ternal improvement, that the mineral resources,
agricultural capacity, and public interest in their
Improvement, have not been overrated by its adj
vocates. We are confident that the Southwest
will do its duty Indeed, ii is under obligations
10 DO so, which may not be disregarded. The
long delayed Justice to the claims of that country
has been ample. The State has provided for the
construction Of Turnpike road, and this has oc-
casioned the expenditure Of q large sum Of public
money, for the labor and provisions Of the South
west whilst it has enhanced the value of its
lands by making them more accessible. We hope
that portion ofihls will be added to the subScrp-
tons THE large landholderS and capitalists, that
the State may reap the reward Of having the
money expended in the construction Of one i'm
provement contribute to the construction Of an
other and more efficient one.
The remainder of the subscription is we learn,
less than 200, 000 and this will be readily raised
in the rich counties Of Bedford, Roanoke Mont
gomery, Pulaski Wythe, Washington, Smvth,
upon the line Of the road and those Adjacent
Indeed, it will require little more than S25 600
each from the counties upon the immediate line
"a sum, insignificant in comparison with the a.
bIlity Of these counties, and the extent to which
their interests will be promoted BY the construc-
ton of the Road. These counties will hot dsre-
gard the example set them by the counties Of
East Tennessee, engaged in constructing another
section OF the same great line. Southwestern |
Virginia holds the key fthe greatest commercial
thorough-faEe in the United States. We are
convinced that, unless the experience Of similar
Improvements is vain, and the antcipations Of
scientific intelligence be an illusion, the inter
course of the Southwestern States of the Union
and its territorieS-from Memphis 10 Mexico
will be carried and passed. in a rich and mex /
haustlble stream along this magnificent improve \
ment That the North and the South, that Asia and
Europe, viii adopt it the medium for interchan-
gng manufactures and merchandise, for the .
III OF llle NINE or Inc SOIL hat
the Federal Government will employ the Virgin
ia and Tennessee Rail Road, for tile purpose Of
transporting the glittering results of its Southern
acquisitions, or the munitions Of war which are
to defend them, as the messenger BY which 10 .
despatch the daily interchange of intelligence be-
tween the members ofthis great confcderacv-
and along whose rapid pathway the representa-
tive Of distant and embryo States may forget, .
IN the rapidity and comfort ofhs transit The dis-
lance which separates him from his home. When .
we think OF the magnificent dcstnes Of this i'm
provement, we cannot believe than any portion
of Virginia can be Indifferent to the success of
the work. We know that the Southwest appre-
Ciates the berality Of the Legislature, the fdeli-
ty Of her friends and the deep stake She has in
the result. We are confident that her rich men
will put down their thousands--those in more
moderate circumstances will put down smaller
sums, and that shares and hal-shares will attest
the universal appreciation Of the people. They
will recollect that every dollar paid to Railroad
reduces freight; gives them access to market at
any time: gives them more for what they have
to sell and reduces the price of what they have to
buy; raises the value of their lands by bringing
them into demand amongst emigrants-Tn 4
word, diminishes their labor and enhances their
comforts; increases their wealth and reduces the
cost Of living Such has been lis invariabe effect
elsewhere-and such must be its result in South
western Virginia.
CONNECTICUT.
The Legislature Of Connecticut is now in scs-
sion The WHO'S have a majority IN ;oir+ hoIlof