Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1852-01-22


IT, ~. = iets.sei sus Dany;sile Bailsaad i 1 &ost
4~kich 4 e<reis 10 me- xhcnBd " eizrfd 10 rer4Kd
Is fke jne.ns II completion. intAe fFst cIass. Il
rsssss abcni 80 mics thrpugtl me Of the most
pfoi.cfise postcns Of oHs can Stale. sad pene-
irstes North Carniini 81 = roaat from uhicb i
large trnde will be atfractet ia 0ur commercial
towns. Il eannot fail 70 command large Rpf-:
tim of ihe tntEel and mail seftiee hegwesa ~:
western poylf5ns of Worth and South taf8tita Il ~
the dteoffk& frderaE government ard Gaia 81 rs
81 tise Nnflh With these sdsaatsaps n.|asg
vel antiespAfe = femuneEaLiag Eesenne eIsst e
ahalI hare been completed.
TIE Soktkside Railroad Should Hkrvise e
completed afh a. little delay as pfaetsr3bis- Z
forms most important Ink II connecting The
nah stem of the Virgins snd Tcnressee Rrad
viii DE ti5cNaser eo0ntfy. and wishont xhirs.
t6c tfipti Nld transportation 81 ~ msii = asd
from lie 9pnthWesterp Ssklea on tie main ilae
MI bsfedopslg inleugssrd
Aliefkhe Riehm5nd and DaasilIe and he Soaih.
side KailFosdt shall have beenf conpleied, i =
noi inpr0hztIe fhat The public Interests my e.
qnile road Irom Kiebmend q scne po.al on
York rises 81 The bay, and one from Petetzbgrg
% eonnect with Portsmouth and Norfolk. Bat
10 90 feel jssEifed ID accommodating The imme-
s1iare cbnsiTnesion Of these improvements, while
ssSssach remains undone upon the lines penetrai-
inr The mountains TO unlock those rich treasures
8 much more needed 10 fnvigotate the cofnmer>
ciaienterpFises 81 the iowns meRtoned
The Nenh resiern Railroad from Pafkersburg
10 The TygNt's valley rivers (ioFmsng indeed
ssction 81 the main stem OF the Baltimore and
Ohio RailfOad1 AZ 4 local improvement, is not
lese fmporialt TO Northwestern y TRtnIa than
sng road have mentioned % Up any olhet sec
fioa OF The State, Circumstances connected
With enterprises recently projected. as .weil4as
the intrinsic merit Of this work make = Hecu'
llariy proper Tat Virginia shoald hold over L
a coatfollng influence. Its importance IN
national point OF view has been sufficiently no.
iiced ia comparing the great line 10 which i
belongs with the central Improvements recon-
tnended II Is confidently believed, II not GER
iainly ascenained, that The capital can1and will
8 secured from abroad fo[ The completion Of
this road; bal il 10 OF the ffst cons ldaFatlon,
NOT only TO The State at arges bgt to the CHI
rens Of the Northwest, that so far as govern
~snoatal or pfGprietory coRtrof ID concerned, il
should emaaaie from Virginia and not from
another Slate This road in tie hands OF Viz
ginia will Constitute a lever, which, in future
Tine may exert controlling influence over
The whole line, and be the means Of projecting
,ths interests OF a large portion Of Eastern as
well as Western Virginia; and therefore re-
specifically suggest the adoption oil sach meas
SURGE as will secure 10 this Staie and her citi-
zsns the future control Of this division 81 the line.
OF the main stem. OF the profits which may be de-
rived from such investment. Tile citizens OF the
State have a right 10 this inierpOsition To order
to project thea from the sacrifice Of their inter-
ests Ia that competition which Us Inevitable be-
tween Baltimore and other cities oil the North,
Tor the business Of the country beyond tse ONO,
The section4qf Virginia trayer4ed BY the Balti!
more and Ohio aud Northwestern railroads, il one
Of the most tntefprising and prosperous IN. The
State, and will In future contribpte very largely
10 The cemm6o treasury. ylslile, therefore, no
iess than duls, imposes the obligation to provide
this reasonable protection TO our cii.zens Of the
Northwest
The Manassas Gap Railroad, extending TOT
wards Harrispnburg 10 the Valley, y III probably
require some further aid for ils completion 10 the
point contemplated.
The citizens Of Hampshire county have recent
" suggested tho proprety of constructing q
branch IRON Strasbnrg TO Paddytown, FOR the pur-
pose Of connecting with the Baltimore and Ohio
road, and the cities OF Alexandra and Richmond.
The suggestion Is worthy oil Reconsideration. t
The system OF Improvements which havethe
honor tossubmlt 10 the consideration Of yoar hon
! orable body, has been in much taste, and tear
impetfectly, prepared; and while entire origin
aliiy % not claimed either tar5S tho sgstenf %
the points Of view Ia which ID NAV have been
: presented am sure 1t will receive thst wise
and patriotic deliberaiion for which the I.egs-
lature Of Virginia has been SO highly distin.
gulshed. That the execution of the work will
require considerable pecuniary responsibility,
ismamlfest But that il Is onS duty, by lu-
dicious system, steadily and eaergettcaly- %
press these grand leading lines through 10 com.
pletion at a. early a day prudent and pro
per regard f1r the finances ofthe State viii ms
lily, the melanchoiydsc Of orr relative pow
or 10 the confederacx4 the prosration Of our trade
with foreign nations, and our entire dependence
upon States inimical to our interests and insttut
= tons, whose unparalleled success in commerce.
wealth and politicafpewer is dueitoa timely exc
cuton oflikeimprovements, bat too clearly prove!
large a. may appear the area Of the plat before
us, twill not require more means TO consiruet
sshe treat srama work Of the system than has been
expended upon q single railroad in New lerks
less than has been expended on line OF 100
miles in Pennsylvania' will complete the whole
system Why then should Virginia longer de-
lIy what inevitable necessity requires 10 be doRe2
Intimately connected with this subject is The
Question. OF a direct trade between our own and
foreign ports. The geographical position Of Viz.
ginia, is wellas her excellenthatbors, earacious
streams and other natural advantages, could not
fail 10 secure 10 her, and incidentally 10 the weie
South, thebehefit of such adrade, our capitalists
and the energies Of our people were sufficiently
aroused upon: this subject. Posse ssing as she
docs, advantages surpassed By Rone, and perhaps
the best haFkgrs upon tho Atlantic coast, L il
strange that har enierprisns sons should SO long
have neglected their improvement, and have per.
miied this ttsde to grow even less, whist cities
larger than auy incur State have sprung mp al
other points possessing far less naIurn adsan
ixres than ours, and through which cur trade i
now almost entirely carried pm. Il is gratifying
however, to see that some ol eurpeople aroused
BY other exciting causes, are awaking to the
importance Of the subject, ard i beg leave e
! transmit herewith aJeport upon this subject made
nv 1 committee Of the " Virginia Commercial
Convention 10 that body atliss recent meeting
held IN this city. and ask for Il yGnrmosf iayora.
bic consideration,
When we consider the immense trade thai
viii be brought 10 our shercs from the West and
South. West upon the completion OF the several
grand lines o. Improvement nes In progress The
necessity Of \ ready and coascnent eailef, snd
che Importance OF direct trade with the Euro,
pean aud other ioreign poris, cannot fail TO strike
ihe most casuaa observer. And though perhaps
shQnd policy Would dictate that il should be lefl
10 individual enterprise 10 catry The praiec, inio
practical operation, cannot 100 strongly uSga
SnpOn the Legislature the adoption and steady o.
sSryAnce Of such policy as enthusiastically o.
Otherwise encourage snch Of cur cisixans a may
feel disposed q embark inthe enterprise, leaving
Il 10 yoRr wisdom aud prudence Ia devise such
measures asaEs test celebrated 10 effect tails de-
.,EifahIe ohiect.
ssSsrh course Is suggested no less b. The tgrt
iatefests II Nirgif>a than ly he uB9ae pseaenee