Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-01-19


THURSDAY MORNING. .JAN'Y 10. 1854.
The Guage northumberland by Mr., Deane,
to the Covington and Ohio Railroad bill came up
as the order Of the DAWN the House of Delegates
last Friday, and though the proposition has since
been defeated we understand from Richmond pa
pers that it was supported by Mr.. Deane IN a
speech of unusual power and effect. The editor
of the Bulletin whose impressions were adverse to
the proposition. cenfesses that "thc strong array
of facts which were brought to bear on the sub
iecfs BY the speaker, placed the matter in very
different light from that in which he had been nc
customed TO view il. The assump,ion,he adds,
Of Mr.. Elet that the guage Of four feet eight and
a half inches has been adopted as the fnilroad
gInage of Northern Kentucky, was efteciuaily re-
butted. and thus the argument mainly relied ON
bv the supporters of ihe narrow guage was at
euce orerthrewn." We esate further from the
Bulletin q G following just views on this import
ant subject. They not inapproprate-ai-
though thu proposition TO which they refer has
beeu defeated. We can but believe that the
House viii he disposed IN reconsider its action,
and that every member Of that body will give the
subject that further mature and enlightened con
.sidcration which its grave Importance demands
If is not a question between Richmond and
Luxembourg. or Petersburg. er Norfolk To them
we sincerely believe there is a o'snnon Interest
in its decision. 1t is question between Rich
mond and Baltinare--between Virginia and Ma
ryland-and We charge the Legislature To look
TO it, that shey be not recreant TO the State * the
high trusts cou6ded to them in the final action
which they may take ON this subject
THE proposition of the member from Camp
hell involves consequences Of too great moment
and is too strongly supported by facts aud argu-
ment to b. lightly considered or hastily discard
cd This is great state question and all that
we desire is that it should he fairly and dispass-
ionatev con sidered with reference to its bearing
.ou the prosperity of the whole Commonwealth
We have ever been and are still, the ardent
friends of the Central railroad, and we would be
among the last to intlict "a wanion injury on that
company. We are far from being convinced
that the nloption of the five foot guage for the
C ovinatan and Ohio road would be productive Of
,as great disadvantages TO the Central road
some Of its friends to anticipate, but be this
as IL may, hold that the interests Of he whole
State are paramount to those of any particular
section. or of any particular corporation, and if
it can be shown that the great objects which
Virginia has in view. in building the Cosngton
and Ohio railroad, can be best attained by adopt
ing the five foot guage for The road, it ought to
be DONE
The Wing also alludes to the deep impression
produced on the House by the speech Of Mr..
Deane, and thus concludes dispassionate and n
bic article in advocacy of his amendment:
We have not time or space Ia 20 into consid-
GRAFTON Of all the interests, which the State has
at stake in this question. II would he thou
sand times better for her to abandon the Coyng-
ton road altogether, than 10 build il ut expense
Of - millions, for the benefit of BALTIMORE the
detriment of the large capital she has invested
in the James River and kana~ha company, and
to the serious and permanent injury of all her
Eastern cities. go. Hs#
In conclusion we may say, that whenever this
question has been discussed. the wide gauge has
always carried the day. Two years ago, the
friends of the Central road, gave up the point,
and entered into written agreement not 10 con
test it farther. Ii substantially triumphant
at the Union Convention, IN Monroe. III '52-a
public meeting in cabell county unanimously re
commended it-and on Saturday, Mr., skinner of
Augusta. in his reply to MIR. Deane, in effect, nd
mitted its "intrinsie superiority by abandoning
argument, and attempting to excite prejudice n
gainst the city of Lynchburg, on the alleged
score of its graspng and monopolzlng spirit
We do not intend To express any opinion to
which city, Lynehburg or Staunton - more re
markable for disinterestedness. forbearance and
moderation in its demands upon the public treas
ury. But an mputaiion of that kind, cast by II
Staunton man, upon any other Ii Guilty in the
State, provoked general litter throughout the
Hall.
The question in hand is one too grave, how
ever to be decided by its bearing upon either or
both the towns of Lynchburg and Staunton.-
1t affects the whole State-its present andits flu
ture prosperity-its social, commercial and pc.
litical freedom.