Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-27


trai line of mproycment-the JGnies River and IA
hawha line This impror and the central rail
road are the only improvements in Western Virginia
any Importance which will require appropriations Il
any considerable amount for their completion.
"hiie on this branch of the sub jcct wish to call thu
attention of the comiattee to IN important Fact Tin
gentleman from Essex ani other gentlemen from tn
east have complained Of the injustice done b. The large
appropriations Tor western improvements by the iuu
encc OF western votes. How il il in relation to th
great central improvement; It conceded Eli hand
10 De OF the greatest importance the State. How
w's 1t permitted to anguls by that governmental ina
Jortyf Why, after reaching Lynchbu!S, it permit
TED TO stop there for six or seven years and not
outstanding the most strenuous efforts the part
the western delegation there was always found TO b.
sucent opposition III the east to deet the appropra
ton OF money to carry it beyond that place After
mao remained there for seven yenrs aud inter ap
pcaton upon application from the west for appropra
tons to extend that work had been rejected tie ci
Gems OF my county proposed in large public meeting
to guarantee the State to enter into bonds with
security, guaranteeing additional amount of income
from that improvement il it should be opened to Buch
anan sufficient 10 pay the interest on the sum required
for the completion of the work from Lyrchblrg t,
Buchanan. And it WAS not until that guarantee WA.
actually proposed that eastern gentlemen coa be in
duced to vote for the bill making that appropriation
and which could bic passed only upon condition that the
guarantee should be given. We'll now h1w did these
eastern gentlemen at the session vote in relation
otHei which were not to Dcilcr.tc the
west: Why, Sir, the Danrillc railroad bill passed that
session. npproprating 100000 Gentlemen will net
contend that that was improvement for the benefit
VI western Virginia No guarantee was required there
ailude to these facts for tho purpose of showing the
unalrness with which western people have been
dealt with ON this subject of internal improvements.
"a large appropriation was made to Alexandria at The
same session; other appropriations the Chesapeake
and Ohio canal md other improvements without requr.
Ing any guarantees whatever But this great central i'm
provement upon Which the prosperity of Virginia de-
pends more perhaps than upon all the other improve
lIents put together singled out us the exception
aud It was not until those interested aud deeply inter
ested in the prosecution Of that Improvement came for
ward and offered TO guarantee additional amount Of
income resulting from the extension of the canal To
Buchanan to pay the interest the OF the extern
sion that this governmental majority could be induced
10 pass Dill approprIatng money 10 this important
proveIncnt Yet that appropriation Snow set down
charge against the Valley, when the Valley stands
pledged TO pay the interest upon every dollar that is
appropriated for the extension of that Improvement
have right to speak upon this sub ec for have been
compelled Of the citizens Of that section to pledge
my own property to large amount the rxten.
sion OF that improvement and feel the injustice of
ern gentlemen making this appropriation subj ect of
prouch upon the west, when the could only obtain
1t ON the eastern majority upon such hard and unjust
terms Blt s the gentleman from Essex contruvertcd
single proposition which has been maintained by
tern gentlemen this bect Has he established the
fact that there will he any greater danger 10 the east
from western influence this subject Of internal i'm
proreNeDt than there is from the itself Why the
history of the legislation of the last year ought sat
isfy gentlemen this subject. should like to know
by what rule in arithmetic the gentleman will demon
strsc that majority Of fourteen will protect these
terests of the east when their present of TWEEN
ty-thrce does not protect them II You will Look the
proceedings OF the ast legislature you will find this
tern majority of twenty three permitted upwards OF two
and baf millions OF dollars to be squantcred. aye
cast to the four windr upon this sui cc of internal i'm
provement. Whe carried those appropriations think
if YOU will look the record you will find that there
has always been sufficient number from Piedmont
and if that failed, that there always aid cnougl
received from tdewater to CARR the appropriation
And will not this continue to he the if tie major
itv is reduced to fourteen: Most certainly YVES as
tonshcd in looking the list Of appropriations re-
ported to us y the clerk of the Houae Of Delegates
will venture assert that parallel to it cannot b,
found III the Legislation Of any State i'll this Union Why
all the appropriations TINT have been made for local lin
pro"enenis since the foundation of this government
previous to that time, will not equal the amount appTu
priatcd last year for those pupo and that too by
this very eastern majority of twenty-'rcc And Yet
gentlemen have the erontery-(l do not Use the wcrc
il, an offensive sense aud the bodncss to befor,
this committee and declare that they will not trust the
with the power, III the face Il the nct that this
power hns been thus grossly abused hy ma nrity OF
twentythree from their section. have right Ia
speak upon this subject, for MY constituents will deep
" feel this legislation They will lie required to
tribute their quota to the payment Of this enormous
dcbt of two and half millions Of dollars thus squan
dered as have said by the legislature and from which
they are not benefited cent And this too in view of
the fact that when they called upon the Legislature APP
proprie money f1r the extension of great state work
4 work in which the whole State has deep interest
they could not obtain dollar until they forward
and signed bonds binding themselves and their poserty
and pledsns Ill they worth to pay the interest
ted hp SfpDSf
Of this great work Now ask whether we have been
farly dealt with. submit whether my constituents
who have been required TO give ample security for the
payment of the interest every dollar appropriated FOR
the extension Of great stn,cwork beyond Lynchburg
have not the right complain when they find millions
thus profusey scattered every section of the State
for The construction of mud urnpkcs and other local
improve ments without any guaranty being required for
the payment Of interests pronounce 1t the rakest
injustice And yet this eastern maturity Of twenty
three instead of protecting the rights OF my costltu-
cnts have thus nfrnged upon them, and nov have the
boldness to forward and declare that the power
| must still be retained by them.
would submit to YOU Mr. Chairman (M. MILLER be-
ing in the chair II you in the Legislature IS rep
rcscutatve from Botetourt under the otitutlon,
cnlcnvorng to get these great works completed to the
Ohio where would you look for support "heer under
the white or mixed basis would look to the northern
part Of the Valley, to that section OF the State which
has already received oil it wants. Would You LOOK ~
| tue NOrtwest WlIlch pf VIII CA
it desrcsf Would you look to the southwest, when
they will have all the improvements they de-
! srcl No, sir. You would rather lock to Piedmont,
and to tdewatcr Icing the most deeply Interested IN
the prosecution Of that great work to the OHIO Aye
upon the very principle which eastern gentleman have
avowed here, that interest controls Mi EahH!hd you
would appeal to tide water to Piedmont to tie cities
of the east and to those countes deeply interested III
building ND those cities bccausc by building them uy
they would increase the value of their real estate You
would appeal to them men governed by these inter
ests whenever Won desired to secure the completion
either the central railroad or OF the canal, and yor
would not be disappointed. Therefore the east need
apprchend no danger of western delegates abusing H.,
power either of taxation of appropriation for inter
nalimprovements.
But desire no better reply to the argument Of the
gentleman from Essex than that submitted By the gen
teman from Prince George (Mr. RlvEs) on the same
subject. What was his arguments Why he adduced
statistics here BY which he proved that from the year
1900 to the year 1880 this government was actually nd
minstered On the suffrage basis principle, and yet
eastern gentleman has complained that the rights of the
cast were invaded or endangered during that period
ia conceded ON MI sides that is only for the purpose
r,;sin money for the construction of internal improve
ments that nngeris be unprecedented Well all know
thut there were appropriations Of consequence
internal improvements prior to 1880 and the gentleman
from Price George himself who addced these Statistic:
conceded the fact that there had not been com
! ,I,,,.a nF tb. RI tI,o Ia-