Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1853-02-22
The Iames River and Knnawhn Ca
Etal,


ann of s640.o00 towards the completion OF
the canal to Cosngtou. Awaiting himself oi
the almost universal odium under which tbs
line of improvement labors, Mr.. Cioode' Of
Bedford, seized the opportunity Tor move 10
increase the executive power and patronage,
and centralize at Richmond. still more com
pletely, the control of the whole affairs Of The
State, by attaching a condition thai the State
should have vote of three ftthsin all general
meetings of the stockholders. The State,
in this connection. is simply democratic
Board of Public Works, directed by the DC
mocrate Executive and a central clique-and
a "three .ftlhs" vote would be an absolute
power of control. The certain, and, We do
not doubt. the intended effect of the movement
was 10 secure entirely to the party, OF which
Mr.. G.. is member, the management and
patronage of the james river improvement
and, If the attempt had succeeded tho same
system would have been adopted with refer
ence to all the Public Works of the State. We
hope Mr. Goodies Wing constituents vii re-
member this.
While the bill was pending Mr.. Segar, Of
Elizabeth city, defended the company against
charges which have been alleged against the
management of It's concerns. aud ad vocaied
the policy of a water.lne Improvement 10 the
Ohio with much zeal and ability. \ perusaI
ofhis speech leaves the impression data con
siderable share of the oensuro " heh has rested
upon The government ofthc company, has been
unjust; bat Mr.. S. fails 10 show hnt Tie work
has been managed and conducted with the
discretion, economy. energy and success, " Inch
we have right to expect from those 10 whom
interests of this character are committed. The
public should not however fail 10 discriminate
between the merits Of the work and bc nun
agemcnt OF the work. The James liver canal.
with all the denunciation which has been lev
elled at il, is one ofthe first improvements IN
the State, and if ever completed vii be one
of the first in the Union. We speak not now
of inreservoirs and mountain feeders. and
the possibility of crossing the Allegheny by
water, because we do not profess 10 know
enough of the matter TO determine whether
this can be done We are willing to leave it
to the decision OF men of science, experience
and Judgment appointed to make tle invcst.
CATION. We refer to the original eo-Wash
ington idea-of connecting the waters of the
Ohio with those of the Chesapeake, by line
of navigation. If it can be demonstra cd 10 the
exclusion of all doubt, that this is practicable
adea the scheme should never be abandoned no
matter how many MILLIONS of dollars or how
many scores OF years. should be required 10
consummate it. The day that secs
boat, freighted at Cincinnati, or ST
Louis. passing through the heart of this
State 10 Norfolk, will witness the natal
sun OF new life and more splendid exis.
tence to Virginia. Friendly as we are to the
Covlngton and Ohio railroad we are unwll.
ing to look upon its charter as decree against
the water-line. 1.-THE latter should ever be
completed, there will be double employment
for BOTH But nothing should be attempted
that cannot certainly be accomplished-no
should the State be plunged too deeply in debt
from any impatient desire TO hurry through
work ofso great magnitude. If necessary,
let 1t be handed down from year TO year, and
from one generation to another.
But our purpossin taking up this subject
was to give the company the benefit of Mr.. Sc
gar's defence. Among other charges, which,
he said. had been made to their detriment, was
the allegation that the annual expenses reach
the sum of ninety five thousand dollars-ex-
ceeding the whole civil list of the State. The
statement he pronounced utterly groundless;
for, on examining the returns of the company,
it will be found that the ninety-fve thousand
dollars, put down as the amount of the sa1a-
ries gifts officers. include the aohole repairs of
tbs compamy's aoorks, throughout the whole
line, from Richmond to Buchanan and when
1t Ii remembered, he said, that the work
u anew one, with green embankments not
yet solldihed by use and by age, the expendi-
lures tor repairs cannot we'll be regarded as
unreasonable or extravagant.
Mr.. S. defended the government of tho
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