Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-06

,rnrL of mnrovcment through those rugged ana noun
famous regions interposed between ,e M GOV asl.
the cities of Richmond and norion. -. NV !;
calm and temperate consideration Oh tne s
apt to arrive at the coneiuson, And SO far A.
pont their improvements to Baitihoe. hnu "S iai a.
,h arnpdtrra of their means Is lhVolFeo' the.
| ought. perhaps to be allowed to DO So puI on quee
ton which involves the financial power OF .he common
wealth they should, in justice anu lesou oe
repose the power Of a Ip,'isfp the appropriation
r. no turn 70 the more Southern portions OF tho
W.. No oLall nerceiye that they also may PROJECT
of INTERNAL improvements, which might secure tt
o FAR greater advantages than any which ihey coule
derive from est ablsng communication WIN our Ea
rn ctes Cincinnati is there-the beautiful Queen
49, JVest-;nr;ting their commerce and wooing then
trsaa Tba numerous and hourshng cities OF the Ono
nJ tho N;ssissppi present claims to the commerce
Western Virginia not to be neglected OF desPi'eo ot
.bs Western people Invest them with the power Z"
r of the State and they will not fail to weigh the ad
,aptaees within their reach which might result IRON
che improvements of the Western rivers emptyng int
| ha Ohio Will they not improve their rivers whlcl
low through their rich and beautiful valleys, and con
vert their productive soil to profit. VIII not the I'M
movements most beneficial the West, be directed
md pointed to the city Of Cincnnattl Look upon TIT
nap and resist the conclusion if you can
There are assessed to the west more than twentyss
millions of acres of laud-much Of it ferteyet cov-
red with forest penetrated by large and bold streams
furnishing abundant and copous supplies OF water. j
those streama were improved in their sluces or by lock
md DAMS should be made the feeders OF canals Wh'
au calculate the appreciation of western andss II t
roprieors Of those immense regions be invested WIFE
he power of imparting those lands an indefinitely '
reased value, by of appropriations from the pup
c treasury not sensiby oppressive to themselves Gu;
Sir they will improve their rivers. and all their riverr
Che Tug fork of Sandy the Cole, the Guyandotte, t
Sew River the Greenbrer, with all their ui9uluite
rnled into one rushing through their mus olehul
With the Gauly in Fayette, forming the haha"na' a'
ling their Joint tribute to the Ohio. And there, too
; +ba I;ttls kanawha with it's numerous Tributaries
oge,her with the Monongalia and the CHEAT. ALL d
hese will be made navigabe, and all these improve
aents will be pointed to the west-Clnclnnat'.
Yes sir, when you adopt the white basis and give
he west majority of tortes" IN the house OF aee
ates they will be independent of the eastern cities '
" their votes in the legislature they can control tn
~gisation then-elves. They will adopt such system
# Improvement they may deem most useful to theu'
ELVES They will point their Improvements to Cncl
ut. Richmond and Norfolk may be neglected bu
we engrat on the Constitution the principle OF pr
'erty-the doctrine Of property representation. IN
aired basis-as the rule Of representative apportio1
uent the east will majority of fourteen IN tn
tcuse of delegates and the west will be dependent OF
he eastern cities especially for votes to carry improve
nent bills and the and eastern cities will be abb
control the whole subject Of internal improvements
md to point them to Richmond Norfolk, petersburg
Alexandria. Lynchbnrg, and Fredericksburg
Sir it is shown that the cities of the east have NOR
irect and controlling interest in the question OF t
mixed basis than any other portion of the eastern peo
de- Under its operation the east will have Fourteen
majority in the house of delegates Or these fourt e.
.ight would form majority and eight eastern votes nd
led to the western vote would constitute majority o.
he whole house. and control the Legislature Of the State
iow of the eight four will be furnished By the city o
richmond po by the city Of Norfolk and tro BY Forts
Mouth and Norfolk county, making eight and securing
.ctually to Richmond and Norfolk the absolute oontr"'
yer the whole subject of internal improvements Ell
Richmond and Norfolk are the very points from which
is feared the blow is which is TO strike dowi
HE important measure Sir, am amazed 1t con-
bounds all my speculations on the motives OF human
conduct. And when to the strength OF Richmond an
Norfolk we add the TWO delegates from the city of Pc
ersburg with the from Lynchburg, and another from
Alexandria, the cities of the east become invested viii
degree Of power and importance which they could MOI
by any other rule of appotionmen, which can b.
suggested III this body. and confess that for them t.
eject and give their influence to the adoption of an
ther basis would be utterly iuexpcable any of tn
rinciples of human conduct
Sir, it levolved on me- when spoke on Wednesday
exhibit an expose of the finances of the State. An
shown that according to existing rates of taxa.
on, rather as it existed before last December III
dst, with white population OF 1000 contributed l.
Il
nd sectional expenditures the snm of 1902 000 willis
he west, with white population of $4,000 after de
raging local and sectional expenditures contributed L
ne general Use for the ps 81 SeGs5 l 9n
,ur times the contribution from the west though We b
minority of 90 900 souls. Contributing TIL" =
approximately, the west have comparatively smat
ntercst in limiting the amonnt of taxes But II lh'
wer of taxation and apportionment be transferred u
mem. they will be-stimulated to The expenditure o
irge sums for the improvement of their lands and IL
act will be positively benefited thereby, even II the'
ontrbuted equally with the cast But when the tru'
tito of contribution estimated, the motive to eXper
ture is dangerously stimulated, because having tb'
wsr to control the appropriation they convert tn
recess of taxation into money-making opera, ION LEI
- suppose them to desire the construction OF public
York of the cost of s400 O00-to speak IN round mum
,ers-of which thev will be supposed to pay slUO|o0o
ha, being more than they would pay, and the cast
100000 Being about to ex' rcis the power OF appro
ratio w. will suppose them to be animated by thos,
fty principles of eternal justice to which they probes
% much Devotion and to divide equally with the East
Then the east would receive back 100000 and having
aid s30OOOO would lose 100000 in the operation
mt the west having paid 100000, and receiving back
200 900, would gain 100000 by the same operation.
But il s reasonable to suppose that the west having thu
to do 3d. and regarding the money in the treasury
:, public property, which collected originally as an
faction from the citizen or as debt due from the lnd
vdua to society," according to their theory, would fee
10 scruple 10 appr"pratng the woe in the manner ant
% the objects which they shall deem most conducive
the general veal and it would not be difficult TO per
uade themselves that the most udicnus and profitable
pplicatun of the funds would be to the improvement
i their own country and thus the whole sum of $500
100 would be expended in the west, who would gain
900 by advancing 100000. whilst the east wouc
ose 100000 in the operation. Such will be the dan
,ers and losses which the east will be exposed under
he operation Of the white basis Will the east adoptt
Il will be the widest faulty Yes sir if the great and
.terual principles of human nature ehail preyail-
hey act under the influence Of that seiiuterest which
,nder all circumstances is the only steady rule of h
nan conduct-they will appropriate to themselves al
he public although the east pay three hundred
thousand dollars aud the west only hundred thou
and There will be no restraint upon the principle
axaton when once power of appropriation is giver
those who pay the smallest amount of taxes. ar
AVE the will and the power of appropriang the pub
ic money for their own benefit. l submit to my
rn brethren whether they reasonably expect vol
utary to relinquish this authority, and commit til,
management of our own affairs to their control Fol
one am not willing.
Again, sir you claim the right to rule, founded upon
IN alledged majority of $4,000 persons. Now TAX,
be map and the tabular statements furnished by yon
msis committee, in one of the projects presented Thu
,ody 1t will be found that there $4,000 souls in
aeghborug counties counties contiguous to auot