Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-06-19
RAILROAD Convention.

Railroad Convention.
we see from our exchanges that the
subject Of The proposed Convention of the
friends of the Coyington g. Ohio Railroad,
TO be held at the White Sulphur Springs
early in August is beginning to attrac t
general attention. The Richmond Ex-
aminer has an able article in favor Of con-
venng large and influential meeting and
the Enquirer has storing article against
il. We think that the latter INDUCES IN
unnecessary and uppfovoked sharpness
against the friends Of the proposed meeting.
1t is nothing remarkable that the advo-
Gates of this great State enterprise, IN
which almost all of the other improvements
are deeply Interested and dependent for
their Success, should manifest disposition
10 confer together and see il there be any
means by which this all important work
can be completed without dangerous delay
The State for the last twenty years, las
adopted the settled policy OF connecting
the waters of the Chesapeake with those
Of the Ohio--frst by means Of the James
River aud Ohio Canal, which, at length,
proved to be too slow and expensive, and
afterwards, by means Of the Covington u
Ohio Railroad. Relying upon this settled
policy many of the other important pub
lie works Of the State were commenced
and have been located with view oil
connecting with it, directly or indirectly,
and whose success mainly depends upon
the completion of this great trunk line
The debt of the State has been chiefly
contracted in subscriptions to these works.
Seven per centum upon the State debt has
annually to be raised by taxation-six per
cent to be applied in paying interest, and
one per cent in sinking the debt. II was
confidently expected that when the great
line to the Ohio would be completed the
great tide of trade and travel which now
sweeps around the Western border of the
State to Northern States and cities, would
rush through our lower and easier chan
mel through the mountains and dllfuse IT.
self all over the various works, great and
small, South and East of the Allegheny
mountains, giving all ample employment,
that would yield dividend to the State
in the aggregate, equal al least to seven
per cent which would at once relieve the
people from their cneIous taxation, to
very large extent. And we verify believe
that the burdens Of the people will not be
materially diminished, for long time, I'M
less this connecting link is speedily made.
What the friends of this improvement
will do, when convened, we cannot tell
Tie great advantages which the Cef'nS-
ton g. Ohio Railroad has over all Others
constructed across the Allegheny noun
ta;ns, in point of grade, curvature, climate,
&C., are such that by changing the com
pany into joint stock enterprise there
might possibly be private capital obtained
to carry on the work The friends OF the
road should, however not lose confidence
in the purpose of the State to complete
the work. There can be no doubt that a
majority Of the last Legislature were in
favor of the immediate completion OF the
work, per Sc, but there were some OF that
majority, who were determined that the
merits Of this great work should carry
with it others less important, and BY their
action defeated the great enterprise
What the members of the present Legis-
lature would do, if again convened is ex-
tremely doubtful. One of two things
would be the result--either Coyington
g. Ohio Railroad bill would pass, with
crowd of other heavy appropriations, IN
yolying the State in still heavier debt, or
there would be no Gov. & O. Il. r. bill
passed at all. Rather than run the risk of
the former evil, we think it would be
much better not to have an extra session.
II tho county of Augusta desires to be
represented in the Convention at the
White Sulphur Springs. it is time steps
were taken to secure the appointment Of
delegates.