Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1850-02-25
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT.

! The friends ofthe Virginia and Tennessee Rail
Road are about to be left alone in their effort TO
construct great national rail wav They had
contemplated constructing the centre of a great
national road, commencing at the port of Norfolk
and extending to the Mississippi valley, with the
strong nope OF making its ultimate termination the
Pacific shore. SO far as their own exertions have
gone, the success of the scheme seemed to be Sc
cured. Rnt the efforts of the friends of the yir
gina and Tennessee branch of the road are scarce
Y sufficient TO complete their own work hence
the task OF constructing the remainder will fall
upon those who inhabit the sections THROUGH
winch 1t passes. We regret to see the want
oil inclination, upon their part, to forward this
great work by meeting us with theirimproyements
Public attention has been directed to the scheme
and ITS utility has been demons trated. Not only
mas the work gone thus far, but actual steps have
been made towards the construction. Subscrin-
IONS nave been made, companies organized and
routes actually surveyed. 50 far all is nattcring.
This however, is the work of individual effort.
and, to require the construction Of railways by
inaiVldual effort is unjust and ungenerouS, and
oitentlmeS work beyond individual capacity
individuals arc not the only recipients of the good
arising from the operation of Railroads States
are equal benehci aries They, indeed derive
the creates. benefit from schemes of internal i'm
provements. They a general good and ought
TO be the work OF the body of the people, as rep
resented IN the legislative assemblies. We ad.
mt that 1t IS not incumbent upon legislative bo-
oy eNpend The treasures ofthe State in the con-
s'rnchon OF Railroads, SIMPLY because they are
schemes of internal Improvement 1t is not only
the duty of legislators TO consider the practicabi
lty OF the routes, upon which they bestow appro
prationS but to consider their public utility after
completion But while we regard this as the dn
" OF legislators, we equally regard il to be their
ou'V 10 aid In the construction of those roads
whlch have been demonstrated to be of practical
State utility. The obect of legislation is the pro.
mouon OF State interest, and we cannot see bv
what process Legislators divest themselves of this
du'y, when they fail to aid in constructing roads
OF HfUe utility, especially when they are aware
ticable. f''0
we cannot therefore, approve the recent ac.
tons the General Assemblies of Tennessee and
virginia We admit that while we did not anti.
cipate Inc action of the State of Tennessee, we
did 1ear that Virginia would adopt the course.
Which she is now pursuing, and which will retard
'ier progress and insure for her a rear position in
,he march OF States We had hoped that the
State OF Virginia would not be neglected. of her
best interest But, in this hope we have been
mistaken. True, she has recently taken re.
newed interest IN the subject of internal improve
o"'' nu' sue mas oeen instructed in the adop-
ton OF her policy. She has sought the construc.
ton OF sectional and antagonstica rou,es. inns
pursuing course which demands the exnenJ;
lure Oh the State without insuring her any ade
qna'e return. Yet from these routes can he So
lected those of State utility And i, is to such
una. we would have the appropriations of the
state applied. Such a route we conceive the
rou'n-Side Railroad 10 be. II constitutes nor
'ion OF the great road which we propose to con-
struct throughout the entire extent of the State
route which shall afford an easy, safe and eco
nom'ca' mode OF conveyance, extending from the
larthest limit of the West TO the extremity of the
East. such is the route to which the VIRGINIA
Legislature has refused its aid.
we are giad TO see, that notwithstanding the
W. want Oh legislative patronage, the friends of the
tennessee and Virginia Railroad and the advo.
cafes OF the Sputh-Side Road are still vigorously
prosecuting their works. Defeat in the Leeisla.
lure seems TO have Inspired them with new en-