Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-15


ment rated higher average value than in either
of the eastern districts and the increase Of taxation in
the two western districts taken together for the last ,c,
Tears from lSi9 10 1850, is at the rate Of itvx rr
: cent while in the two eastern districts taken together
has been only thrtysix per cent for tho period
Now, does not this show that identity of Interest the
subject of taxation, which ought, in the judgment Of all
fair men, to render the people of the west as safe agents
IN eYrng the public revenue as the people OF the
Have YOU any just ground TO say that cannot be !,,
ed with equal participation OF this Powcr Are You
not guilty OF the grossest injustice to your western hr'
rcn, in this effort to deprive them Of that part!cipa
ton
Then as to the power of appropriation, gentlemen say
that those who contribute most Of the public monev.
should have corresponding control in its dburscinen.
that the west having most need for works OF inerna!
improvement there is reason to apprehend in the
that district obtains the share opower in the legislature
to which its population entities ii, that heavy state
debt will be created for the construction Of their public
works. The policy of the state, past, present and fu
ture in relation to expenditures already made for these
purposes and in contemplation, has been examined.
The representatives from the Tidcwatcr, thanP:eG-
mont and the Valley districts have had quite settle"
nen of accounts for the purpose Of asccrtaning who
has received the largest share from the public crib
will enter into this controversy Non nostrurs tos-
as compontre Htss Let Marmon, and Chester and Stan
lev decide among themselves, who has made the mos,
gallant charge and who borne off the richer prize r-
cordng to the Auditors report to the Convention the
present debt for works Of Internal improvement,
stands thus
Underwater district, 1888 T8
Piedmont district, 7,445, 5& -
Valley district, 2,ll5,763 IS
Trans-Alleghany district l,504 09S 60
Total, sll,e5S,772 Oh
know, Mr.. Chairman il has been said that this
heavy expenditure in the Piedmont district has been
ated in part BY the construction Of works looking
wards the west Some Of them may look that way. hu:
hitherto it has been only look. can only speak for
the unfortunate people that l. in part represent Ours
just this time, be the most neglected portion
Of this commonwealth We have mud turnpike from
Corngton to the Ohio river, made state account and
what is called an improved navigation Of the kanaw!a
river, work which has paid for itself many times over
in tolls eXactcd for its use. But what have we worthy
the nomc of as;ate improvement; Nearly every other
portion Of the commonwealth has been provided for
and in that very fact, Mr. Chairman, will be found tho
strongest guarantee against large expenditures III the iu
tirc. The gentleman FROM Rocknrldge, (Mr. MooREl
has relieved me from labor which he has performed
much better than could have done. He has shown that
the Northwest is supplied by the extension Of the Balti
and Ohio railroad to Wheeling, and the railroad
authorized by the present legislature from Three Forks
Parkersburg. That the Southwest is provided for in
the Virginia and Tennessee railroad The lower VALLEY
has outlet 10 Baltimore BY the Winchester and liar-
per's Ferry railroad ard to Alexandria by the Mana.,
Gap road, and the Chesapeake and Ohio canal. The
Central railroad is provided for 10 Stanton, and The
North river navigation secured to Lexington. These
sections and parts of the State having their iune
diac thus supplied, become guardians Of
the public treasury. The spirit Of internal improve
ment exhausts itself with what it feeds upon When
part Of the Stale aains what it desires, i, apt 10
become obivious Of its friends and ncighbors. | am
almost afraid that you Mr.. Chairman, (r MIrLEN in
chair if the James river canal shall ever reach Buc
hannah, will all at once, begin to grow conscientious
about the expenditure of the public money.
We hear strong denunclaons OF the corruption OF the
legislature. II is said that enormous sums are appro-
prated, and worthless local schemes projected and car
thoh Nd, -,
nominated "og-rong." No doubt the complaint is to
extent, well grounded But what is the parrntage
OF this system: Why, has been forced into existence
by the immoYabe and stubborn opposition of certain
portions OF the state, to all works OF Internal improve
men:, without discrimination The unyicldirg ress-
lance Of these portions of the has compelled other
portlous into alliances ard combinations If tho leeisia
turc had devised and adhered wise and comprehen
sre scheme Of internal Improvement providing for the
main lines on state account or by state aid, and rel
sing to enter upon other pro- ects until the first were com
plccd should never have heard of these complaints
The main lines accomplished the minor auxiliary work,
would have naturally followed and without TO
the State, from the inauguration and ability Of prirat.
enterprise.
But if these mischcls have been perpetrated and il
we arc now aborng under considerable debt for un-
finished works, whose fault is it, and how do eastern
gentlemen hope TO provide against further mischief OF
like kind from the adoption of the mixed basis of re-
presentation? During the whole period of the forma-
ton OF the debt for internal Improvement have you not
had a much larger majority in both branches OF the
general assembly, than you claim under the basis
which you propose If majority in the two houses
together, Of twenty-nine members has proved impoen
to protect your people from past expenditure how will
majority of nineteen Gall you can figure up on the
mixed oass) save you from impending or future dan
gers Where has been this governmental majority"
upon which you so much rely, and why have YOU not
b. its power to protect prevented the abuses of which
YOU now SO loudly complain: What right have the east
ern people, TO make past offences which thew ,h.m
hoJJ
JUS the influence IN the government which egitimatey be-
longs ous How they charge us with the intent io
misuse power, from the mere fact that they have mis-
used it themselves, while they had power; Wby givc
you when you standhere to confess thata still larger
majority than this, has not proved sufficient
But Let us look little further into the fairness and
justice of this refusal by eastern brethren to dstrb
ute the legislative power equally among people OF the
commonwealth 1t rests ayowedly upon the ground
that the west will this power if obtained 10 con-
struct works Of internal Improvement at the expense
Eof the eastern people. It will be conceded, that
but one great leading improvement remains 10 be
provided for alude to the great central line connect.
ling Norfolk and Richmond with the Ohio river ! do
not refer to any particular route any special agency
By which this connection is to be effected But refer
10 it, improvement be constructed upon some
route and by agency for the purpose OF uniting our
own seaport and our own Capitol with the fertile and
distant portions Of Virginia. aud with the great states OF
the west and northwest lying upon and beyond the Ohio
river.
Well how do we of the west and especially that por-
ton Of the west from which come, stand related 10
this important work; You will remember, ,Ir. Chair
man, that some twenty years ago when the BaIti
more and Ohio railroad company first incorporated
by the State of Maryland, application made 10
the legislature Of Virginia to pyrm, that work to pas,
through her territory The preference OF that company
wa II the consent Of the state could have been obtained,
TO pass with their improvement from Harpers Ferry
through the great valley Of Virginia and to the Ohio rS
er BY way of the ravnc Of the kanawha, terminating
at GuYandot.e Point Pleasant. The legislature OF
Virginia refused permission to terminate that work at
any point on the Ohio, south Of the mouth OF the little
kanawha. Several attempts subsequently mace
procure the removal Of this restriction all oil which
were unsuccessful Here work offered TO be made
without the expenditure Of dollar from the treasury
OF Virginia II would have rarerscd the entire extent
Of the Valley district The Southwest TO tho Tennessee
line would have been connected with it, and il, would
have passed through the heart of the central west
Lines of railroad running from Richmond and any part
ofthe Pcdmonstric might have tapped This great
Virginia markets do advert TO these facts Of h,to
ry to complain of the legislative action then had but for
another purpose Upon what ground was this rejection
of the application which have referred, and tho