Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-10-23

4
ty that would follow the completion Of this
great national highway. when the former
would get up out Of the shade and shake
himsei-gather his rich harvest BY sun.
light, tend his hocks and herds upon our
green mountain slopes, aud putting his
surplus upon the car, see 1t run down the
iron rail 10 The sea. We would love 10 do
al this, but our limited space compcls US to
desist.
Col Burwell, Of Bedford. followed, and
in his very shor, and hurried address, stat
ed several important facts. First, that We
had. through this country, the longest con
tinuous stage line now inthe United States.
Second, that a merchant in an eastern city
who trades with % States, Informed him
a few weeks ago that il costs more to get
load of goods to Abingdon ,han to any
point in all these States. aud that longer
time is required TO get them there. Third,
| that the wheat harvest Of South western
Virginia is several weeks in advance of
that Of the wheat growing States Of the
Northwest, and that, therefore, with this
railroad Improvement, we could have all
the advantages Of being FIRST in morke,.
Col. Burwell's remarks were altogether
practical, evincing great research and a
perfect understanding Of the subject He
hit the nail on the bcad when he said that
those who had the ability but not the will
to lend helping hand to the improvement,
and the value Of whose estates would be
greatly enhanced by the railroad, would,
in case of invason. be the first to be blind
Of an eye, or lame Of leg, in order TO re-
pose in safety at home, whilst their more
patriotic neighbors, with less at stake,
would 90 forth to battle. There are lust
such individuals in this and every other
community. and if we had absolute power
for twenty-iour hours after all the benefits
Of the road completed Shall have been de-
vclopcd, we would wiring from them every
dollar of increase upon their estates, and
appropriate it to internal improvements a
inong another people.
At night, other enga aSenients prevented
our attendance at the Convention, but we
learn TINT Messrs n. G. Taylor, of Tenn,
and c. L. Crockett, of Wy,hc, agrccably
entertained the assembled multitude
On Thursday at 10 o'clock, Col. Nc
Gaugh, of Tenn. being called upon, ad-
dressed the Convention for n short time
He commenced by sin,ing that he was a
plain farmer, destitute even of the advan.
tages Of education, but before he was
through it was plain to be seen that he had
large stock good, hard. old-iashioncd
sense, valuable store of information, and
wiihal a liberal supply ofthat Kind Of zeal
that digs through moantains and fills up
valleys
The Hon. VIM. b Preston, Of Mont.
gomery, followed, but indisrosition pre-
vented us from hearing him through or Ia
king notes. He stated that he had come
to the Convention unprepared TO make
speech, aud with the determination not
to do so--but could not, in view ofthc i'm.
portancc Of the magnificent scheme refuse
any effort that mighttcnd 10 promote it.
His arguments, clothedin that sublime i'm
agery for which he is so celebrated, were
irresistible, and must, and did, carry con
viction with thcn to the minds Of more
ihan one skcp,ic as to the praotcability OF
the work As before said, we were too
much indisposcd 10 take notes olllis speech,
or even 10 kear il all, ani therefore cannot
give even a brief synopsis.
At half past 4 in the afternoon, Col Bur
well addressed the Convention a second
time. We regret the inability that pre-
venIed US from being present, for all agree
that it was Mc speech Of the Convention -
1t was almost exclusively statisticnl, made
up cfstubbnrn facts going TO show The
great practicability and necessity Of the
work He showed that our own beautiful
valley was the natural thoroughfarc from
London to China, from New Y orll to New
Orleans, and from North to South. That
this improvement was the only scheme
that could retain our wasting population;
which, for the wan, Of the rewards Of la
Dor and enterprise at homo, was seeking
them in distant States. AS Il means of po-
ltical and national power, no scheme that
had ever been conceived by the mind OF
man, was comparable to it; ina word, !c
showed that the road, and nothing but the
road; would meet the emergency of the
times, and redeem the State.
At night, the Ccnventcn was address
ed by s. S. Baxter, Esq, of Richmond
Having come in ct the eleventh hour, and
being lravel-worn and weary, he detained
the audience but short time. His views
We're plain and practical, tending, in the
main, 10 show that this work, for time
regarded as local scheme, is no longer
looked upon in that light, but is now con
sidcrcd to be the great means of blending
the diversified interest Of the State and
bringing its distant portions togcther--of
making friends and ncighbors of those who
have heretofore been strangers to each 9th
er, and almost aliens.
Soon after the close Of Mr. Baxtcr's re-
marks the Convention adjourned,