Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-10-24
CovINGTON AND ONO RAII. ROAD.

ing and valuable speech Of Capt. Il. G.. Morris Of
Richmond delivered at the White Sulphur Conven-
ton in August. We have room but for few uG the
speakers strong arguments and ucis in favor Of the
speedy completion of the Covngton and Ohn Rail
| Road:
When we take into the estimate the casier grndcs
Of the Virginia route, its freedom from obstruction by
leo and snow, and tho cheaper transportation by the
canal more than half the distance the most skeplical
must believe that the Virginia route possesses advnn-
tagrs all others, and consequently must command
Il full portion OF the products ui the mighty Wcst.
1t appears to inc ,hnt this Improvement will
| command more than twO-thirls cf the tom
mage Of Kentucky, and fair portion OF Ohio, lndi-
ana and Illinois for by the Baltimore and Ohio rail
road the cost oftranSpnrtatinn must be much greater
and the Virginia route has not only the advantage ot
distance rs have already proved, but the difference
in grades of the two Improvements must give the Nr-
gina Improvement grcnt and decided advantages;
for the Baltimore and Ohio rail road has grades Of
ll6 feet whereas the highest grade the C"v!ngt"n
and Obi" rail ,uud understand is only 80 feet; and
locomotive the latter road can draw at lts three
times much on the former; yet the Baltimore and
Ohio rail road received in 1865 for Transportation of
tonnage. sOr travel and formal service S!4lSiSD u
notwithstanding II WAS not completed more than half
the year; and is estimated receipts the present
wear will exceed i,OOO0oo-nIurh more thnn
the entire revenue of Virginia. 1t therefore appears
to me tlat if person would look ar the vast receipts
| Of the New York improvements, the Pcnnsvlvunia
rail roads, and the Baltimore and Ohio rail road, all
drawing their principal support from tho Valley %!
the Ohio and then look m the Nirgnin Improvement,
starting from n much better position, with distance.
grades and climate all III It's favor connected with raj!
roads through Kentucky and Ohio aud We, doubt
that will be q profitable investment, that arguments
and facts useless with such person
Ii has been urged IN objection thut the CovinG-
ton and Ohio rail road will rcs; s20ODO,OD0. How
this conclusion is arrived nj cannot imagine; for
there is nothing in my opinion t" Justify such mn es-
mate" indeed the cost of other raj! roads md the cs-
mates of engineers, induce me 10 believe tnt II will
not cost half, perhaps not onchrd ot that amount
The Nrgina and Tennessee ruil road. through
| try equally il not more .hcGt with the exception of
not having as many tunnc- has coat with its GcpOts
rolling stock &c. not more than SHj0U0 per mile
The Baltimore and Ohio rnil road from Cumberland
| ~ Wheeling. about 2Oi inlrs, which every aa-
mits presents greater difficulties, cost s. ,i'S5 H.
Mr. Elicit estimates the cost Of the Coving,on and
Ohio rail road al SlS 600 per mile. with fiat rail- and
higher grades than nj present contemplated Mr..
Shaw estimated il would cost. ncr very careful
survey, with only one grade of lIl5 feet s50uO,UlIl,
| and lis prices for work were above the average
charges for similar work other improvements; and
Mr. Fisk, upon n partial survey, including the tun
nels At the very low grade which he has adopted NJ
about 10000, ,0Ol-which estimate | satisfied is
above what the cost ough; To be-, and which upon II
more careful estimate lie has already reduced But sup
pose this rail road should cast slTDnO OOH and its re-
cepts be (ony half of the estimated receipts o the
baltimore road the present year, $2,UnO,O0n and al
low 10 per cent, the usual expenditure lis profits
would be ,2OO,OO0 or IL per cent upon its cost.
lst. This rail road will devcopc the resources nj
Virginia, and increase the value ot lands in the vi.
| cnity of the Improvement, thereby increasing the
venres Of the Statcs has been the all the
rail roa,s not only III this State, h i'll other States.
ID Ii will AFFORD facilities toluarkct to large Sec
tinn OF Virginia which Is now locked up in its
tain barriers, and increase the ntcrc"ursc between
the citizens OF the different scctios of III" Common
wealth, producing amity and good feelings between
| them.
3D. II will induce thousands of persons To visit our
watering places who are now kept away i'll c"n-e-
uuenCe of the difficulties of getting tu and from tc
and cause millions to he spent in Virginia which are
nnw spent at the North.
l,h. 1t will build up our cities, and encourage Il d.
rect trade with Europe, cause ship building /" br car
red in State, and ship owners To settle amongst
us, thereby freeing lis 10 Il certain extent from the
thraldom Of Northern monopoly, and saving our cit-
zcns from the "ncrous tax paid 10 Northern ncr
chants for cnasiwisc transportation, commissions and
other charges which estimated nj the enormous
sum Of 81 5ilO,tOO 10 Virginia annually.
9Th. Ii will unite Ia the great West bv bands Of
irun--vea. may say, with bands of gold; for az il is
the shortest and must he the cheapest route from the
Valley nf the Ohio {" the Atlantic, il must produce Il
unity ut interests uthc Western States with Virginia.
| u greater intercourse, and cngcuicr better feelings
! thnn those which now exist.
am well aware that many pcrsni- contend that the
debt of Virginia great that would be impoltiC
| To increase il To construct this Improvement! Do
these individuals believe TINT the State will ever b"
called to pay the interest on the loans made i'll lS'
! To certain rail road companies! Here arc million,
which although calculated us rWhl: debt, the State
can never be called op l0 pay; tor the earnings Of
these companies and their constantly increasing re-
acipts forbid such idca even 10 the most sk"pica
and the or millions of dollars invested i'll the stock
Of these improvements will soon be productive, pny
ing at lrast per ccntum, and greatly increasing tn"
revenues of the States; .nr the S"usidc rail rth
will be completed the present ycar-the Virginia and
Tennessee and the Danvile tae next year-al!d the
| ~ 81, urIA Alarun nOIt tII
| sas Gap in lShG, Then contend that Virginia will
be more able to make the necessary appropriations to
construct the Cnvinyton and Ohio rail road than sh"
was in 1853 when she made those large apprnprn-
tinns for rail roads which have already greatly n
creased the value Of unds in large SECTIONS Of tho
State and which will rctu.n with usWry the judi
cous appropriations for their construction.
IL Virginia GhGWld tail to make the necessary ap-
propriaon to construct this great work, at tile next
session of her Legislature, Kentucky and Ohio may
make their connections with other Improvements
the tonnage and travel which our Improvement would
now command may be diverted into other channels.
never to be recovered; and politicians, who have
suffered themselves to be carried hsray by pet
ty tcuds, rival interests and oral icnlousics, and
allowed this rich boon to escape WHEN already
within their grasp, may then cXclalnl, "too lnlc
-,oo late" But their regrets can never resnr" to
Virginia the position and the resources which thls
Improvement would enable her to command.
It simc, Sir, that Virginia should exert herself not
only TO increase her population and resources, but to
make il to the interest OF tho West to seek her aI-
nnce Look at the proceedings Of the Northern pcn-
ple holding their Conventions 10 destroy the slave
States and 10 dissnve the Union--scc one of ihrm
iConnecticu) nullifyng constitutional net OF Con-
rrcsa which to us our just rights, heretofore
shanefllly violated-llear aboitnnists boldly pro-
clnirn TINT they will effect their object though hum
drels of thousands of helpless women and children
should wetcr in blood.-Lnnk at Ministers of the
Gospel whose errand should he, spence on earth and
good will to man. laying aside their holy vncati"n'
lerding the Bible and howlng down to iiighe law
and hear them urging on the ignorant to deeds of
murder anl of bouCshed. Mr.. Presidcnt, these nrc
no idle visions of the brnin--no fancy sketches but
facts-stubborn murderous facts. Then is it not the
part of wisdom for Virginia tn prepare for the coming
storm-to make it the interest of the Western States
to stand by her any difficulties that may and
to increase her population and resources as much as
possible
To shew how little good is TO be hoped Tor from
any Northern Wing in tho public councils, we pub
lsh the following letter from one of the new Wing
Senators elect from Vermont. 1t comes up fully 10
the Fusion and the Frcesoil standard
"OCTonER :, 1854
DEAR SIR cheerfully put paper my brief,
but unqualified and explicit answer to your inquiries
of me.
81 am utterly opposed to the Nebraska repeal of the
Missouri compromise. regard the repeal faithcss
breach of plighted public iah and that it hbsulves
the free States from an obligation TO any Of the COM
promises ever mnde e tho subject OF slavery since
tho adoption of the Constitution.
~ was ever opposed to any compromise by which
free territory should be opsned to slavery, and Al
ways so voted and insisted; particularly in speech
in the House of Representatives in July, 1873 lit
mny he found in the Congressional Giobc.l re-
taiiIcd aud expressed the same views i'll cabinet in
1919 und lSi!.
Il regard the fugitive slave lazy tpnr Of that COM
promsrl Inconsistent with t. rights al safety I'll
Dur free people, aud its Of summary proceed
inS violation of tho usual and proper course Of u-
dical procecdiug and that uacss essentially modified
by allowing jury trial in the place OF arrest it should
he Immediately and uncondtnnGly repealed.
,tR,su,CtI.y