Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-02-11
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF VIRGINIA
HOUSE OF DELEGATES
SATURDAY, Feb. s, 1851.
NORTHWESTERN RAILROAD COMPANY.

SATURDAY, Feb. s. 1851.
| NORTH WESTERN RAILROAD COMPANY.
An engrossed bill 10 incorporate the North western
Virginia Railroad Company, with the ryder thereto sub
united by Mr.. BuRWELT, and the amendment to said
ryder proposed by Mr.. HAYS, being under consdera-
ton,
Mr.; BOILING asked the indulgence OF the House
Tor a lew minutes, to enable him TO deliver his views
upon the question under consideration. He had no H.
tenton OF jnilctnga set speech upon the House; but
regarding this as an important question: he felt his
duty briefly TO express his views As TO the quarrel
between Wheeling and Parkersburg he stated that he
had interest in decision and cared not which oil
the parties triumphed. But the State Of Virginia has
srent millions OF dollars in her improvement policy
and it becomes her representatives seduIousy to pro
tect and guard that interest Has been the policy OF
the State he asked, to tax her people for nothng?-
Have We like hayward children, merely constructed
immature water-ms, for the pleasure Of seeing their
Wheels revolver 1t not, it becomes then, to institute
the inquiry whether her policy Of internal improvement
has been well directed, has she wasted her means
IL sne desires to secure the rich and valuable trade OF
| the Westa and North West, then it Is manestIy her
true policy not TO grant the charter asked for by this
Dill; and he thought he could demonstrate this to the
satisfaction OF every liberal-mnded gentleman that
floor.
Let us, said Mr. B., take map and look at the geo
gfapny OF the country proposed 10 be traversed by this
North Western Road Ii will be seen that by granting
charter to CONSTRUCT this road we absolutely surrender
10 ne rival city OF Baltimore direct line from the At
antlc to st. Louis Are gentlemen prepared to do
this! Are they prepared to surrender to rival State
and rva CITY, this vital advantage? For one he was
not prepared to pursue policy suicidal and there
fore felt bound to say, that he infinitely preferred the
ryuer oiiered by the gentleman from Bedford to the
original BILL He preferred the ryder because it would
hold the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company yet
awhile longer IN abeyance and thus enable Virginia to
push forward her lines OF improvement to the Ohio
river; Mr. 3. here read from one of the reports of
Mr. Joseph e. Cabe to show that the Baltimore road
was considered by the people OF Cincinnati as their
only dnec line to the Atlantic, and that in the absence
OF better and shorter line the seaboard the trade
and travel OF the teemng West would take that di
recton, &c.
Now, B. said he understood the city of Wheeling
had expended $500 GOO in the construction of the line
railway to that city upon the plghted faith Of the
state that the right way should not be granted the
B Company at any point lower down on the
Ohio river
Mr. LEWIS said the gentleman was mistaken.
| wheeling had not expended $500 DOOM the construc-
c'on oithe road Size had not yet executed her bonds
Tor that amount
Mr. Boiling said that this circumstance did not
change the aspect OF the question. Wheeling is bound
Tor the amount and the State is bound with her. He
asked gentlemen ithey were prepared to sacrifice the
Guy OF wheeling by granting this charter! But il they
We're, he asked II the State not bound, by every
principle OF honour, to protect Wheeling! lie thought
So; aud whilst he not the champion OF either
! wheeling or Parkersburg he was in favour OF guar
dag and protecting the pighted faith Of the State
II gentlemen were prepared and should vote to sacr
nee Wheeling, ought not the State, iii common
justice TO make good to that city tins loss! Are gen
teen prepared to tax their constituents to make good
| this loss! That was the true question.
| lie believed that the true policy OF Virginia would
| be consulted in ordering survey oil route from Ma
| hassas Gap, and thus bring the trade and commerce
OF the West 10 the Eastern borders of the State. But
| some gentlemen on the floor, appeared disposed to
give TO the city OF Baltimore the pre- ference over our
own cities. lie would ask if this savoured of
patriotic devotion to STATED which we all pro-
tessed to love so well? He thought it did not.
MIR. B. repeated, that he wished to hold this Bati-
more line III check till Virginia could strike the Ohio
with some description OF improvement, which should
divert the trade of that rich country into the heart of
Virginia and give it outlet into the Atlantic at Nor
folk,
| He said that the bill under consideration was
| nothing more nor less than that old fellow, the
Fright OF Way" who had in former days, created
much noise and confusion IN this Hail. as, fsad
MIR. b. this is the same old fellow with new dress
disguised is true, but sufficiently marked to render his
| recognition easy and certain. Now, he thought the
| Legislature had erred in granting this right OF way
the first instances but having erred once and thereby
placed in Jeopardy the most vital interests OF the State
he tor one was prepared to meet and contest its further
nroads, at every point and in every shape euise in
which it might present itself in this Hall. If, said MIR
b., grant this charter to Parkersburg surrender
to this road an immense advantage--we give TO them
an advantage in distance OF fully lib miles in striking
| The Ohio, besides Others not less important. Now he
would vote 10 give the people OF Northwestern Vir-
GINA thousand roads if they desired them, provided
these roads would not divert the trade OF the State and
throw 1t into the lap Ola rival State, and provided also,
that the State would be benefited by their construction.
lie asked gentlemen if they prepared to sacrifice
their Improvements and their trade for the
gnobe purpose of building up Baltmorel The gon-
tleman from Harrison, said Mr.. B., tells us this M
provemen will have tendency to improve the wild and
uncutvaed lands of his section OF the State. Grant
that this may be so, STILL is it not equally true, that by
granting charter for this road you materially mJure,
you will not ruin, your old settled parts OF the State
and destroy your Eastern cities by dyerhng this mpor
tan and valuable trade from them! Had we not better
benefit the many than the lew Then let us refuse this
charter, and thereby this trade to build up our
own State and our cities.
by reference to page AZ oil the report OF the Board OF
Public Works would be seen that large appropriations
had been made from the Treasury Tor the construction
OF roads IN the North western portion OF the State, and
he would appeal to gentlemen to know whether they
were prepared to render these appropriations not only
unproductiVe but absolutely vaueess! Ii they are not,
then let us pause, and await the progress OF our own
works towards the ONO The Bible tells us that Esau
sold his birtl-righ Tor OF potage, and all subse