The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-02-13
md Ohio canal, guaranteed

rdu9uiSf and AieAanoIla turnpike. S,pO0
Total, Observation-Disclosures. s4I72 1Ol
Sir, If this is making an 'outcast' of Alexandria
as the Senator from Culpeper said che seemed to
be considered in some quarters, it is such an out
cast as Benjamin was at the court of Pharaoh when
he received FIVE times the share of his elder breth
rem. fsupon the single measure OF the extern
sion OF the Orange and Alexandria Railroad to
l.yuchburg, Richmond is in opposition to Aiexan-
dria, is not from hostility to Alexandria but be-
cause she believes the interests of the State and of
the people, embarked in existing lines of improve
ment will be greatly injured, if not rendered alto
gether valueless by that extension. r
Mr. President, do not aver that hostility to-
wards Richmond exists in Alexandria, nor do
impute such hostility to the Senator from Culpep
er. In his advocacy of the bill before the Senate,
he is governed, have do doubt, by sincere convic
tons of right and duty tohis constituents and to the
State. Nor do think that ne believes the passage
of the bin will be prelude to the interests of this
city. But that hostility exists towards Richmond
in some quarters of the Commonwealth. it were
idle affectation in me to deny. Sir. is the true
policy of the Commonwealth, to cherish all parts
of her domain, both country and city 1t is her
true policy to make no determinations between
her cities, but to treat all children of the same
common parent. | am at loss to know, what
crime the city of Richmond has committed that
che should be made an exception to this just and
equitable rule Why should she be an object of aver
sion to her brethren, that they should lay wait for
her blood and sell her into the hands of the Egyp-
tians! Is it fault and offence that she is prosper
ous2 Is it treason TO Virginia that hereis built up
beautiful city, whose thriving marts of trade whose
spacious streets, whose elegant public and pri-
yate edifices, whose thousand evidences of enter
prise, intelligence, taste and refinement have ar
rested the attention of foreign and Northern trav-
oilers, and extorted the admission that she is fair
type of the upward and onward march of this old
Commonwealth, and splendid reiutation of the
stereotyped calumny that Virginia has declined
anddegenerated? Orcan it be pretended that Rich
nond does ustpropertiono of the pub
lie burthensf Sir, this city, with fittieth of the
population of the State, pays nearly one-tenth of
the entire revenues In addition to this enormous
contribution, she has subscribed in her corporate
capacity S576 900 to the James River and Kanawha
Canal, S250,000 to the Danville Railroad 5000 600
to the Central Railroad and $780, 900 to the Lynch
burg and Tenn Railroad, making in all the sum OF
81, l26, $780, besides individual subscriptions of ST.
412 200 to the James River Canal and individual sub
scriptions TO other public works, which will swell
the whole amount of Richmonds subscriptions to
works OF public Improvement, to from two and a
| half to three millions of dollars. And what has
been her action by her representatives uuon this
| fioorl Has it notbeen distinguished by beralitv
| and justice TO all sections of the Commonwealth
| To what railroad, to what McAdanlized road In
| what plank road, to what turnpike, to what i'm
provement of any kind, in any part ofthe Common
wealth, tending to develope the resources and re-
store the prosperity of Virginia. has she refused to
! give her support. Why then should Richmond be
II
geHerous, tomaim, cripple and disfsure your fair
metropolis TO deface and despoil this beautiful
monument of Virginia enterprise that rival States
should sheer at your suicidal folly and declare that
they could safely leave to Virginia hands the
| throw OF Virginia prosperity, what would be the
! effect of such course upon your treasury? Does
not Virginia need all the aid she can obtain in car.
! rying out her works of public Improvement? VIII
You cut the throat OF your principal taxpayer q
| Will you say the faithful servant who bears the
| chief weight of the public burthens Will YOU
leave US tenantless dwellings, rnosscovered roots
| grass grown Streets and drive away our citizens
to other States whose legislation delights to foster
| private enterprisei Even if such result were
pleasing to any portion of the people of other sec
| lions, there Ia another light in which apprehend
| IT would not be quite so agreeable. For it must he
recoilected that though our citizens may emigrate.
the td1es will not emigrate and the heavy burthen
| VIII be distributed among those who remain and
who already complain that the load of taxation ia
| fully as great as they can endure
Mr. President, by her immense contributions to
the public treasury by her large corporate and in
dlyidual subscriptions topublic works, by her be
raj support OF improvements designed to benefit
every section of the Commonwealth, Richmond ia
justly entitled to the favorable regards of the legs
ature of Virginia. And if there is a CITY in This
whole Commonwealth which can peculiarly claim
the honorable designation OF YsrQtnia civ. il ia
the city of Richmond Situated on this ancient and
beautiful river, river hallowed by the most vene
rabe and impressive traditions of Virginia history.
situated under the shadow OF theyery edfiee where
the clarion voice of Patrick Henry raised thar
OF "Lsbsrty or DEATH which gave the most effei:
tual impetus to the struggle ofthe Revolution; acitv
In which not only was the decision made which first
committed the Southern States to the cause az
American Independence. but in which sat the Con-
vention which accepted the Federal Constitution
and made Virginia part of the American Union: n
CITY IN which assembled the Convention which
formed the first Constitution of Virginia and
every subsequent constitutional Convention; city
long the abode of some of her most illustrious men
city, situated IN tne very heart of the Common
wealth. which never has had and never can have
contact with foreign and abolition Influences CITY
lndlssoubly allied to the institutions and interests
OF the State, not only by her principles but her
Immense save population surely, If any city in Viz
GINA can claim to be preeninently Virginia civ
and ON that ground entitled to Justice and syu,ua
from Vrginians of all sections is this tirv III
Richmond. And IN conformity with this Character
has been the SPLENDID liberality with which as I
have already shown, she has extended her aid to
every section and every city of the Commons eath.
imposing thereby most onerous burthen upon her
citizens in additions TO the heavy load of state taxa
ton Yet while the people OF every other State of the
Union delight to build up their metropolitan toyns
there are those in Virginia who take especial plea
sure IN every scheme which bids fair to arrest The
progress and parayse the prosperity of this ancient
and patriotic city, the capital Of Virginia.
Mr. President for by own part, can only depre-
cate ana dep'ore the unfortunate, and must say,
senseiess rivalry which exists between the varioils
sections and various cities OF the Common
wealth Why should we fall out by the yyay -
Are we not all brethrenf Or has yirsinis arrived
at such apitch OF commercial prosperifv and
importance that her principal towns can afford
to wrangle about q division OF the spols9 AIas
sir, we KNOW that the very revere of this is
the fact, and that, were all the cities of Virginia
ronsolt3affd IN opp thew wr,1fd me-