Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1854-04-13


he eorresp ndent 81 tie Richmond Enqsirer:
/, should occasion but lille surprise 10 any one
who was 1t all ntentiTe 10 the proceedings Of The
General Assembly last winter, that desire shorld
already Be maniiesis5 By some Of or representa-
lives 70 assemble 1gain in Richmond next Decem-
Der. - niemssr q he late House q Delegates
iron Eastern Virgins. in your paper 81 the 2lst
March invites public attention TO he subject The
uroeeedings Of the ate session gave ample warn
i=g.that such result would Be brought about, If
possible, 10 effect II Nor IS this irfepressible ar
dor for Law making entirely inextusable: since
nor the monoionous prteincts OF country village
nor even the pleasures Of 4 snouebonnd mountain
home much 10 offer in exchange for The bright sa-
ioons of Richmond, with four dollars day besides
As The question of holding an extra session in
wolves The interests Of The people Of the whole State,
We may without great prelension claim the prigi.
lege of expressing our sentiments ulreservedly. -
Do the interests o. the State then really require ha
extra session and Shall qaelly submit 10 viz
tuaf notification Of one Of lhe express provisions
of the constitution wherever prelex fer il can Be
|, adEaaced
When ne look abroad through the State, we see
no symptoms OF impending decay. because matters
OF importance were neglected BY The last Legisla-
ture Tse actual wants OF the State government
were very properly and wisely provided for; aad
there are many rehecting persons among the good
people ofthe State, who under the impression
thai lis operations will be uuimpeded BY the.quiet
scioUI of 'lhe Members OF the late Legislature
(untii another election has been held al their re-
spectire homes
II is urged by your correspondent that the Leg
islalure adjourned without providing for our lead
ing lines OF Internal improvement 4 leaving also
our Banks without charters, the State Census IN
noticed g and many Bills Of local character,
ported. hut not acted upon" Unfortunately for
"the good people" and the State, this lei uns.-
Many Of these bills were OF the utmost importance,
and interest TO all-and should have been not only
"reporied," but acted upon. The greater their i'm
poTiaRce, the greater The reproach which attaches
TO Legislature, which adjourned. and left matters
OF such moment undecided Doubtless, however,
We shall survive even this neglect We may find
another Legislature composed Of very different ma
tefials, aud all can be provided for Haste is acc
essary in desperate cases" but affairs are not
yet reduced this extremity Notwithstanding the
waste Of time last winter
When other States aud cities were pushing on
their great works Designed to secure the trade ofthe
| West, our venerable and time honored old Mother
was taking quiet nap BY the way side "Our
Leading lines OF internal Improvement were heart
4 Of only as thinks belonging 10 the dim future
Let not sqnander our treasure at this late hour
with locomotive speed, but let twelve month or
! more be probably spent in exploring our mountain
/ passes. aud in studying the geography and ascer-
| tanning the resources Of our western ceunties.-
| Enough has been done for this purpose.
The failure of the Legislature to recharter our
Banks will not hsye brought aboutth first ordeal
Il through which they have had TO pass. They are
generally beieyed to be solvent, and in The hands
1 Of efficient officers No Inconvenience will result
| which can be OF long continuance, fortunately,
nothing will occur, or can occur, iTreTievably
wrong 10 lis character. by The delay q one year.
1 Our taxes will probSblY be wha; they are now
The census is not all importGHt; il the Constitution
has been infringed upon BY inadvertsnce or wan,
| Of time. let be satisfied for twelve months ITO
lock at il in proper light and wait
Ofmany OF ':the bills Of local character" pass
ed over the people Of the State generally know We
~ little And pity il is, that they cannot be some
NJ what enlightened OF one, at least, re know some
j Thing in this section, and will endeayor To- throw
| some light upon it, We refer To the bill which
passed the Senate without dissenting voice. ..au-
h1rzing The sale Of the Interests Of the State in The
Winchester and Potomac Rail Road 70 III private
stockholders in that road for the sum OF S83 1888 80
A brief review Of the history Of this neres ting
Road may not be entirely unacceptable: fand ma
ny, very many bills OF local character to come
up al the proposed extra session. may, for aughl
that We know to the contrary. afford strong an
argument as this one, for the joyous assembling Of
our Legislators in Richmond next December.
This railroad was chartered By the Legislature a
few years ago and is thirty Two miles long. The
cost ofconslfuction and expenditure in Sustaining
il from its commandments 10 the present ime al
nearly as we can ascertain is as follows:
Subscribed in stock, loans aud interest
y BY The State, $3.50 zoe
Mortgage authorized By the Sialsi- f266 t 66t
$500 ooC
ne annual interest on This amount ~ per cent
few years only had elapsed after The construc.
ton OF this road, when the company found itself
duced almost to bankruptcy A few enterpri. Ink
gentlemen interested themselves 10 the matter and
bought up the stock from those who had pa i,s
value in constructing the road al reduced price
some OF il being purchased as low as 50 so share
This State had received no dividends Application
was made to Ihe Legislature for relief, and com
promise was effected with certain conditions ths
Stale reliDquishing all her interest," except an An
nuity Of $5 0eO, TO be punctually raid The sun
OF b O0o IS Just per cent per annum on Ss3 33a
80 This nnwise and short-sighted arrangement
on the part OF the Legislature having been effected
in lite while the railroad its drooping he
the private stockholders divide some 10 ~ IL ~
cent among Them; the President had bis salar,
raised TO So 600.
Let Us calculate the result of the legislation ~.
that day in re ard 10 this read, aud its conse
quences TO the gpod people OF the State 4; for ali
interested In IL:
Amour, furnished BY the State, H $500 900 on
Amount retained by the State, +, SO 333 81
Relinquished by the Legislature S2i6 SEQ 6si
6
Interest al per cent, 81 ,4sO 600 Of
Here We have the neat little sum OF Sl4 500 pIl
annum by the Acts of our Legislature bestowed
upon the private stockholders OF asingle Railroad
Company L IS not easy TO conceive how such an
effort upon the part Of the Railroad Company could
have been successfully carried out Ii Is never
theless true. Is Il matter of surprise that they
come before the Legislature againa Il should be
recollected that the sum bestowed upon the stool
holders in this road anne out Of The Treasury "
the Safe, was the money Of the people and al q
well been scattered to The winds. The effect upen
the People OF the State" is precisely the same 4.
l though they paid an annual tax OF SI4 800 for the
benefit Of the Railroad COMPANY forever The
tax payers OF Frederick Clarke and jefferson ara
some one ortwo other counties, from their location
are compelled to use the road they are taxed with
their citizens Of the State to pay this endoI
meat to the stockholders of "a 500 and are Jared
again N the shape OF freighis and charges TO the
sum Of Sl4. 800 70 make out Of ihe profits Of lie
road.
Let rs compare the benefits the State derived from
this Road with those enjoyed By private individ.
uals BY another ejaculation
Outlay BY the Stale $3.50 600; interest received
5000, Outlay BY individuals $3.50 600; interes
received, "A per cent. S25 000.-WhiIst the $50
600 yields TO private stockholders IA Der cent
$3.50 900 produces 10 the Stale an inerest Of abou
II per cent
Legislation has accomplished thus much In OH
part OF The country. "A member n the House u
Delegates from Eastern virginia. end ali other.
concerned, should pardon few or Us If our appre
hensiens for the future, excited By review 81
what IS past. Our Constitution provides, Iha
there shall be bat session Of the Legislature ID
/ two years" Lei notthe remembrance or the flesh
pols" Of Richmond, tempt you 10 set 80 vile pre-
eedenl for future Legislation; and our prayers viii
be offered up that yen may spend joyous Christ
mas and happy new year, in the bosom OF youl
respective families, 81 your homes!
A TAX PAYER OF TEE VALLEY