Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-11-06
10, tIIINi " II J IT
AMHERST C. H., Nov. Sd, 1851.
Ter tie FHginiQn.
Charlotte County and tie Rich
IuOne and Dauv;I,c Ecais Road
Tax.


In the counts Of tic Virsinan, Of The
10Th Of October last. we notice a criticism,
or rather an effort at criticism, upon the
procee dings of meeting held at Harvey 5
Store, on the 9Th of Cc;ober. As was cx-
prcicd, the meeting occasioped the ruff
Hing Of some ones feathers, who thinks
! himself ,J@H1 competent" 10 sustain Nh
WAitmcll p. Tuns'all., Of the one part, and
Messrs. Nm. NJ. Watkins. aud VIA. II.
Dcnniss Of the other part. IN their late dis
cussions, before tie people Of Charlotte.
on the aforesaid tax But before we shall
proceed 10 notice this "tricnd 10 tie Road,"
brlsiing as he stands with lis "dztheRti-
cated" statements. We viii say, that uear-
~ all OF the Harvey's Store people are
Railroad men indeed, and many Of them,
stockholders in the Richmond and Dan
willie x nlroad, and they hold themselves
IN readiness TO go as far, as the fanhcsi,
(otherv ise than by taxation.) 10 further
and prosecute the interests Of that Road;
but exercising the right of #, emcn. to think,
they thought It unjust, and oppressive. 10
cast burden upon The whole county, to
benefit such men as the "rrReraJic ljm. A.
Watkins" and others. who lived on the
Road, and yet had SO hille confidence in
the road themselves, as To refuse to take it,.
stock. hut are very eager, for the Road to
be made, 10 benefit them, il otler people
will pay iorGt. TWAS not Railroads that
we opposed, for we show our sincerity in
in the advocacy of Railroads by taking
stock, but not by advocating a tax TO build
70 IDS and refusing to have an interest in
those roads. only so far as it may immc-
dhately benefit u.s. On the point i'sci in
terest some OF the tax men are peculiarly
"m'cliiseHt,' Now, is it not positive
truth, That the mass of the advocates ofthe
tax, inthc lover part Of the county of Char
loiic would oppose any MEASURE that
hnght-ler.efit the upper end Of the county.
They have openly avowed, "nat Il acould
be tyranny. 10 tar oaego,1ioa IF tie com
aaaaity, FIR tie Jeac1 IF tie cNcy," but
now. when it comes to aeacft these very
sensitive gentlemen, the principle Of taxa
ton assumes another aspect, and 10 them
it appears just aud right. But aside from
all ths--even If the principle of taxation
was night deny, emphatically, that the
advocates of the tax tempered their cud-
gels of warfare with reason and argument
they argued the utility of Railroads all
over the county, (which few doubtcd) but
hen /, came to they did not even,
IN single Instance, sustain themselves up
on the principle of direct taxation to build
up the waning fortunes of a road, the stock
OF which, IN the opinion of one of the tax
advocates.was not worth good fat pig"
Now, ~ Friend 10 the Roqd," never heard
any threats or dictztion" from any advo-
cate of the scheme Who was it that de-
nounced Tie people as set af Fools ~
An advocatc.of the tax. Who was it that
said if the people did not consent to be
taxed, they would run their hands into
their pockets and have their money An
advocate of the tax. Who was il thar
said that the people ough, to be taken into
the bushes and given "M1fy-nine," vho
would dare oppose this tax +! An advs
cate of the scheme Who was it that Of
tered to pay the taxes of three hundred
poor nsca if they would vote for the tax
bill Advocates of the tax bill. Who
thatthrew open their doors, unssened
their liquor barrels, and held their barba
cues TO carry the mcasure--to seduce the
ignorant and the giddy to vote for the bill !
The advocates of the tax. Who was it
that denounced the opponents of The tax
measure. and charged them with being ac
tuated by seli-inerestdn opposing the tax
measure, when they themselves, aside from
sci-intercst, would never have advocated
itl The advocates Of the tax.
And, notwithstanding all of these glar-
ing facts. we are told that the advocates of
the tax did rot denounce, dictate, stigma
tze and threaten the opponents OF the tax
measure. We'll, this was not all. The
poor people of Charlotte were told that the
rich men would have TO pay the burden of
the tax, and they now had the power to
put their hands into the pockets ofthe rich
men and benefit themselves And was it
to be supposed that the poor men .oEsC har-
iotte would thus act the rogue because
they had the power to do so 7 But we
deny. also, that the polls show the most
lntelhaent and respectable men as advo-
Gates otihe tax. Accidentally, they had
the speaking" men. and performed their
gymnasiic tricks to the merriment of the
people, and with pomposiiy only cguali-