Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-12-14

iueIiSf euCll great OeueuS.
| Dunbls, perhaps well founded have heretofore
been entertained, whether the trade which was
, brought 10 our seaboard would support line Of
steamers, il one were established hese douots
can no longer he reasonably entertained. care
! full estimate of the amount and value OF the trade
which was brought to the Chesapeake during the
last wear BY the various railroads and canals, and
| that carried by them into the interior, will show
an amount that would give ample employment to
such line as has beea contemplated. II this be
so. (and the returns show NJ what may we ex-
pect in 4 few years, when our system OF improve
ments shall have been completed! When the
AleNapina, loudoun, and Hampshire railroad
shall have reached the inexhaustble coal fields Of
! Hampshire when the Manassa shall have reached
its terminus in the productive Valley, and the
Alexandria and Orange road shall have been car
ried to l.ynchburg when tide-water shall have
been united with the Ohio by means of the
Central and the Covington and Ohio roads, or BY
the James river canal and the Covngton and D.
hio railroad; and when the great feeder OF this ca
nal (the Virginia and Tennessee road shall have
stretched out its arm and grasped the wealth of
Tennessee and the far south These lines will
command the trade of a country vast in extent,
rich in minerals and of unsurpassed fertility which
! in lis transit will enrich the cities through which
it will pass, and find its way through the Capes
of the Chesapeake. Some idea may be formed of
the extent of the trade these improvements will
bring through Virginia, if we consider that the
great trade which now ascends the Ohio rver, lard
which will be brought to it by roads and canals
from the western part of Ohio, the states of lndi
ana Illinois and Missouri, will find the cheapest
and shortest route to the Atlantic seaboard to be
by one of these lines. The Covington and Ohio
railroad will unite at the mouth cf the Big Sandy,
with the Lexington and Big Sandy road, which
traverses the very garden spot Of Kentucky whose
fertility has grown into proverb. road has al
ready been constructed from Lexington to Louis
vile, and another is soon to be constructed to
Memphis in Tennessee. whilst one is now being
made from point opposite to Louisville, through
Indiana. which will cross the Cincinnati and st.
Louis road at indianapolis thus forming railroad
connection with ST. Louis and Little Rock, and
through one or the other, with the great Pacific
road The Danville and the Seaboard and Roam
oke roads will intercept the trade of the Southern
States, which, passing through Richmond and
Norfolk cities, will reach common depot on the
seaboard When all these streams shall pour their
trade into the Chesapeake, it will not only support
line of steamers between this and some of the
European ports, but with the principal marts Of
the world.
The time when we should embark in this en-
terprise. (if it is not done by private Individually
will be when our system ofinternal Improvements
shall have been sufficiently advanced to insure
their completion Whether that time has arrived
or not. will not undertake tn say. Regarding
the subject as one of the first magnitude. recum-
mend il to your serious consideration assured that
at the proper time it will receive that enlightened
attention its merits SO justly demand.
In my message to the general assembly at the
commencement of the last session, | called their
attention to the fact, that a short time previous
Mr. Lennon, citizen of Virginia, had his slave,
taken from him and set at liberty in the city of
New York, at which port the vessel touched in
which he and his family, including his slaves,
had taken passage for Texas. The facts, as I'M
derstood, are familiar in the country, and need
not be detailed here. Since then, understand
that Mr. Lennon has been paid for his slaves,by
private subscription from the more orderly and
patriotic citizens of New York This may in
demnify Mr. Lennon against the individual loss
he sustained, but it is no settlement of The delicate
and important principle involved in the case.
have thought proper therefore, to cause an appeal
to be taken from the court below to the supreme
court" of the state of New York. Since the ques-
ton has been raised, it had better be settled by
the highest tribunal known to our laws. That
nothing may be omitted upon our part to secure
| that Justice to which we are entitled under Inc
federal constitution, able and distinguished coun-
sci should be employed. advise, therefore, that
provision be made for vigorous prosecution ofthe
case, and that the means be appropriated to defray
the necessary expenses that may be incurred.
have received q communication from the sec
rotary of treasury of the United States, stating
that in the act of Congress rerocedlng the county
of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, 10 the
state of Virginia, there is reservation to the U
nited States of the property in the custom house
and office in the city Ut Alexandria, but no
reservation of the jurisdiction over the same, as
contemp plated by the eighteenth section of the irst
article of the constitution OF the United States,
and as is usual in the purchase OF lands by the
general government for these purposes. and re-
questing that the omission may be supplied by a
special grant of the jurisdiction under authority OF
law respectfully recommend the passage OF
such law, reserying TO the officers OF the state
the right to execute any process whatever within
the jurisdiction coded.
have also received from the secretary OF state
of the United States, communication transmit
ting copy of the consular convention of tho 23d
February last, between the U. States and France
|
President of the United States will recommend to
those States of the Union, by whose laws aliens
are not permitted to hold real estate, the passage OF
laws comforting that right upon the citizens OF
France For this privilege, the government OF
France, with the reservation of the ulteror right
of establishing reciprocity in regard to possession
and inheritance, accords to the citizens ofthe UHi-
ted States the same rights within It's territory IN
respect to real and personal property and to inner
itance, as are enjoyed there by its own citizens.
In fulflment Of the treaty, the President recon-
mends the passage of the necessary law.
Finally, congratulate you upon the condition
of our federal and foreign relations nothing hav-
ing occurred since your adjournment, calculated to
weaken the hope that the south may De permit
ted to enjoy season of repose from the irritating
interference by nothern anaticsm with the subject
of slavery Every friend of this Union has cause
of congratulation at the overthrow aud signal re-
buks the abolition party has received within the
last two years The friends Of the constitution
and state rights even in the north, have generally
been triumphantly sustained. Ournorthern oreih-
rem amonq whom there have always been few
who were true to the constitution, have indicated
disposition to respect our rights, and evlneed
sense of Justice which should ever characterize me
relations between citizens Of sister states Mad
ness for while seemed to run riot, and when Ia
naticism had brought the republic to the verge OF
ruin, patriotism was aroused, reason and Just'ce
Gained the aocendont land the traitor and the dem
aqoque. whether sailing under the name ct abo'i,
ton or free-sailsm, has been put down-peace ano
Loniet has been observation-disclosures has taken the
place of distrust. and with rapid strides we are
marching to fulfill that destiny which has assign
ed to us the position of the greatest nation upOr
earth. May this ever be our condition.
With becoming gratitude for the past favor'