Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-04-05
BunaIo Tracks aud Yankee Ped

We meant not to excite such alarm and
ire in the mind Of our brother of the Dis
patch, in the defence we made Of our
friend Bison rersus the Yankee Pedlar.
1t seems that. IN our light diminishing. we
have come within range of masked bat
terry, which has suddenly uncovered upon
us and fred volley after volley, in such
rapid succession, that We have scarcely
time to return the FIRE. We might haye
though, it prudent to retire, but Shoft-
horns" has few friends left to defend him,
and it would hardly be honorable to de-
ser, him, at the first onset Of his enemy.
This rough coated pioneer has located
half the high roads and turnp'kes In the
country, and we owe him large debt OF
gratitude. Moreover we feel bound to re-
sst, in lmine, the opinion entertained by
the Dispatch, that a Yankee Pedlar can
start from New York, call at Charleston
for goods previously shipped to that port,
and still mark out, in his route. the short
est possible line to New Orleans. But we
will come to the serious point at issue
The Dispatch went as far out Of its way
to attack the Virginia and Tennessee Rail
Road, as the Yankee Pedlar did when he
went by Charleston to get to New Orleans
Those living in glass houses should be
very careful not to throw stones. Itmay
be that we erred in deemlng it necessary
to remind the public seriously that the
Virginia and Tennessee Rail Road was a
link in the shortest practicable line from
the Federal Capitol to New Orleans, but
we certainly cannot be blamed for the
morality of the act.
We can in all sincerity say to the Dan
vile Railroad, GOD speed" and we hear
tily wish it all the success that human leg
slation can giveit. We trust and believe
that every member of the Legislature
from our county and all the counties along
the line Of our Road will vote for granting
to that Road such aid, as may be necessa-
ry to complete it.
We do not pretend to place very
small value upon our sheet, but 1t certain
ly never once entered our thoughts. that
we could influence the legislation Of eth
err North, or South Carolina. Unless the
Dispatch fears that ourinfuence may ex-
tend thus far, we cannot comprehend
why so much feeling should have been
displayed in its columns. At all events.
we do distinctly deny entertaining "the
hope" or the wish, that North Carolina
should refuse the privilege Of connecting
the Danvile with her Central road. We
have not, we cannot have, one feeling OF
jealousy towards that work.
We will take occasion here to say. that
the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, and
the whole internal Improvement interest
of Virginia owe deep debt of gratitude
to the worthy President of the Danvlle
road. for his able support. at an hour
when hel was greatly needed.
But in the name of Truth, is our good
will towards the Danville road, or our
esteem for its President, to prevent US
from maintaining that the Virginia and
Tennessee road is what nature made it,
even if we have to refute the arguments
of the Dispatch in doing sol If we had
once supposed. that the refusal Of North
Carolina to grant the right Of way to the
Danville Railroad Company, was secret,
we would never have mentioned it. If
we had once thought, that our mention Of
it would increase the difficulty, we wonld
have been silent. In like manner, would
we have been careful not to allude to the
similar difficulty in South Carolina. In
that State what was formerly said ofone
of her great men. may truly be said of her
great city. When Charleston takes snuff.
the whole State sneezes. She has stretch
ed her Briarean arms over the whole State,
and she views all crossroads with jeal-
ousy.
But, for the sake of argument. grant all
that is asked; then let the Railroad be ex-
tended from Dalton in Georgia down the
Coosa to Selma, and thence through Jack
son to New Orleans, and we bid defiance
to all competition. This will be done;
nayis now being done.
Let u, beg the Dispatch to descend
from the editorial chair for one moment,
and take lesson in geography. Stretch
a string from Washington City to New
Orleans, and see where the air line would
run. Two points in this line will arrest
his attention. The line passes over the
topmost crest Of the Peaks of Otter, and il
cuts the common corner of the counties of
Yancey. Buncombe and Mcdowell, in
North Carolina, a point nearly in line
between Chesterville and Jonesboro, l03
miles from the former, and &c miles from
the latter. These two points are on the
two lines which we are comparing.
This air line. commencing at Washing
ton City. touches the counties of Fairfax,
Prince William, Fauquier. Culpepper.
Orange, Green, Albemarle, Nelson, Am
hers:, Bedford, Roanoke, Franklin, Mont.
gomery, Floyd, Carol and Grayson in
Virginia; the counties of Ash, Wilkes,
Caldwell, Burke, Yancey, Buncombe,
Wood. Henderson, Haywood and Macon
In Nnrfh C,rol.na. al IL 4