The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-08-29
SECOND DAY.

The Convention met ut half past 10 o'clock. The
committee of twenty one not being ready report
Captain MoaRrs of Richmond was called upon and
addressed the Convention in very able speech,
which on motion OF Mr.. BORIS Capt M. was re-
ouesed to place Ia the hands of the officers of the
Convention, with view to its publication in the
Manner best calculated to give it wide circulation.
Several gentlemen were called on to address the
Convention, among them Mr.. Boris, who for the
present declined He considered that there was
no necessity for speech from him until some re
piy to the argument of Capt. Morris should render
il necessary an event he thought quite improbable.
He did no. think any would undertake the Her.
cuIean labor of answering that speech.
Messrs Rives Smith (Ex- Governor Judge Bay.
ly. Crale, and others were called All seemed alb.
sent except Judge Bayly, who declined speaking.
Mr. E. w. McCoMAs, of Kanawha, moved that
Ex-Governor Smith be requested to address the
Convention.
On motion of Mr.. Boris, the resolution was
amended by adding to it the words ION the subjects
which this Convention assembled to consider" and
as amended the resolution adopted
Governor Smith was not In the house at the time.
and the convention was addressed by Dr. Thomas
Dunn English, of Logan, for some half hour or so
marked with some very humorous and witty pas
sages which afforded much pleasure to the audi.
ence. His portrait of an old foey especially
piquant The speech was at the same time not with
out it's substantial merits and forcbie arguments on
the subject of the Covington and Ohio Railroad
That go great a measure should be retarded by a
miserable quarrel about guage elected from the
Doctor some very pungent satire He alluded to a
conversation he had had with gentleman in his
county, and Initiating the style Of that gentleman
all who ever saw or heard him were convinced that
he could be none other than the representative OF
Logau-the almost inimiteble Mr. Boyle, who for
complainant pomposity was without rival in the
House of Delegates. 1t il known that Mr.. b. was
strangely opposed to the Covington and Ohio Rail
road. and made several valiant assaults upon it,
fDr. English is the author of the well known song
OF " Ben Bolt"l He was much applauded during
his brief speech.
When Dr. English concluded, the convention took
recess until half past three o'clock.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
When the convention met in the afternoon the
committee OF twenty one made report 10 part,
and asked leave to sit again, which was granted
The partial report of the committee consisted of
seven resolutions which were unanimously adop-
ted except the 9Th and 9th, which were adopted
with but one county in the negative, viz in Shcnan-
doah, whose vote was cast by General Meem The
resolutions are as follows:
/. RESOLVED, That the Covington and Ohio Railroad,
being part of the central improvement of the State
aud being the main stem OF commu ncation between
this internal improvements of Eastern Virginia and
those of Western Virginia. 10 great State work in.
ferior to none in importance, and ought to be com
plsted by the State with as little delay as possibe
2 Resofred. That in the opinion of this Convention
the faith of the State is pledged to the completion
OF that work.
S. Resired, That In opinion the construction of
said railroad will be useful and profitable State
and industrial interests by binding the Eastern and
Western parts of the State together by mutual trade
Of and ohep s s the
great domestic trade and travel which will be crea-
ted by the road; by opening for the first time con-
venient avenue tor trade and travel between Virginia
and the Western States and by its tendency to de-
veop our agricultural, mineral and commercial re-
s,urcss
T. Resoired. That the value of said Railroad is en-.
HANGED BY lis light and favorable grades and its con-
Railroad, the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, and
the Kanawha river and its tribu aries.
S. Resoired, That the James River C.nsl ought to
be extended to Covtngton as soon practicable, 80
to bring it to the Eastern terminus of the Covng-
ton a1d Ohio Railroad.
improved to the highest practicable point for
boat navigation.
7. Resoired. That while thi. Convention has been
assembled primarily with view 10 promct. the pro-
Gress of State work which will furnish a channel
through our borders for the commerce of the West
and Northwest to the great estuary which Nature has
provided our Eastern frontier, duly impressed
with the high importance OF those kindred public
works which are designed to attract trade and
from our sister States Of the South and southwesf
and it regards both these systems of Improvement,
together with the lines of INSTRUMENTATION,
tons of b, State with their respec Tvs al marts
tide-w ter, as equally embraced within the pur.
view of sound, comprehensive and paternal Legis-
lative policy.
After the adoption of the resolutions, Mr.. SEeAR
OF Elizabeth City was called out with great unan.
unity, and addressed the Convention in very able
speech. He avowed in the beginning his friendship
for all the works of improvements in the State and
alluded to the proofs he had afforded of bis zeal in
the great cause He especially adverted to his sup.
port of the South Side aud the Lynchburg and Ten
nessee Roads. He disavowed any untriendly feel
log whatever to the Lynchburg and Tennessee
Railroad and to the New River Branch of that
Road but as plan had been projected and found
support among some gentlemen of influence In the
Eastern part oil the State to substitute the New Ri
yer branch for the Covington and Ohio Railroad,
Mr.. s. proceeded to show that such substitution
would be In the last degree Injurious to the pros
perity OF the State while ii would utterly fail OF the
grand objects its advocates protested to have in
view. He conteuded that it could not command
the travel, and without travel 1t could not be main
tanned except by such high charges freight that
the freight, the produce OF the West would never
be commanded by 1t. He contrasted the grades OF
the Covington Road and OF the New River branch
the former only % feet the latter 60 feet to the
mile coming eastward-and showed the superior
capacity OF the Covington road for transportation
OF heavy produce.
Mr.. Sugar exhibited in very strong light the
importance of the James River Canal 10 the proc
perry OF Virginia, and the great advantage of that
une OF transportation of heavy tonnage which in
cinaed the Canal as part of its ronte He spoke
WIN great energy and ability. He commenced
win the assertion that the Coyinpton and Ohio and
central Roads constituted the great Railroad route
OF Virginia and his whole speech was intended 10
establish this proposition Incidentally Mr. SEGAR
mented Tunsta, and TO his connection with the In.
ternal Improvement cause of virginia