Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-04-07

| rom II Jlle-"'l.I, p1eV1ICu 10 All ina was Ita5DH-
able. Oar constituents have never known anything of .h-
works Of internal Improvement. except Ly the ever growing
taxes they cntti!. We believe The system was foundsj on
wrong principles; that ii il, as u general rule, unjust ond i'm.
polite for GovcrnnicC; To buill roads and canals, except for
come high political purpose OF self defrncr or empire; That
whan the OBI C. OF these vol s Is to incrcasc the W. aith o.!
The community, they should, like all other Industrial enter.
prsrs, nc left 10 private energy and capital, stimulated by in.
diviiual Interest; 70: money will, usually, be most probably
spent by those who make il; and the aggregate wealth Of the
country will grow fastest, when The citizen Is permitted 10
employ his capital and Income, US he thinks best, ma Tie
government does not seize II In the form of taxes, 10 invest
e. lis pleasure for The advantage OF classc,, sections or favor.
ltc.. We believe that if these principles had guided the
State policy, the community wOuli now be richer, and The
public works nearer completion. and mcre JudiciIus!y plarn.
I'd md economically executed TN they are. For no agcn.
cy In such undertakings Is 80 diIa,ory, so expensive and
lnriilsss us that Of Government none 50 vigorous, cheap
and prudent as private interest These, sir, are still our
opinions on the original questions, and we believe thar Viz.
ginIa will soms day ug'ee with US. But we know That they
canno; be strictly applied 10 present circumstances. III.
Common eal,h has, or sooa vii! have. under existing laws,
more tn1n thirty millions Of dollars Invested In the stocks
and bonds ct Internal improvement companies, whose works
are generally unfinished. They Depend for completion 10
part on State MD, for our policy has discouraged and driven
of private ca pllul, and until they arc completed, we cannot
hope mr either interest on their bonds or dividends on their
stocks. Yet this resource forms the only hope Of relief from
our taxes for many years 10 come. To complete what We
have begun, and what Is ~profiless 10 is present, condition -
to avoid new Undertakings and push on with the Construction
Of the most important of these works, holding out every 10.
tuccmcnt TO attract private capital 10 engage in ,hem-and
throughout TO look ior"srdt TO the period when we can safely
trust the system wholly 10 thd! great power which has
oridsed the Occan with ships, and redeemed our continent
from rhe wilderness, the spirit Of individual interest and en-
tcrp'isc. Such. sir, Is the policy which The Tide. water PEG.
pie and their delcgv!es, what used ~ be known "a the anti.
Internal Improvement party, are willing and anxious 10 pro-
mote. And We wouli pursue II with al economical bold
ness, with yiaor. and get with prudence. ! speak only tor
myself oGh the people have The honor 10 represent, but |
speak what believe 10 be the sentiments OF nearly all my
colleague. from the sn'n- region.
Such wcro y, feelings AMI opinions when we me: tbs
wir.eri tn! ~ found 10 efficient! second in iha peculiar
friends OF internal Improvement. They hsd no % stem 10
mite On, no genera! principles 10 Ect upon. Every G:aH
seemed pushing 10 get all he could from the treasury, with
Gu! regard to The common interest. |; was a scramble of
local interests mud corporations, which looksd for 4 general
division Of sPoiis-a grab gsme OF catch al! you ca. O1r;Hoor
was about 10 become an auction stand, where gentlemen
sold Ih:ir votes ~ the party who would offer the iar2es. 40.
propriatinns in rt:2fn. They said to each other ',2ive me
what l ask; vote for my bills; and let me carry back 10 nj,
constituents a share Of The public money, and I will vote for
all you desire. | care not what may be The coz, or the con.
sequences 10 the State" The treasury was Ia market, and
The bidders were combining for the division.
For myself, cir, | conId join in no such combinations. l
had no lateres! to subJerve but that Of the State, no per.
sonal desires TO crafty, but To promote her welfare and pro.
tect her honor. Nor could | eater b!lndly on any thing. /
bad been assured that this CoVineron road would cost only
i've or six millions of dollars. But, though the Board had
nsarly q year % make the surveys, we could learn nothing of
the results until the session was more than half over and
even then thrse.fouTths of the line are left TO conieciuraI es.
Inmates, based upon what are confessed 10 be The imoerfect
and unsatisfactory surveys of former times. I couId not as.
certain the extent Of the obligations which this road nigh,
involve, and great as was the probable cost, | did NOT an
much obI'es 10 that as to the fact Ihs. It was really indes.