Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-04-13

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founded on wrong principles; that il i, as gen
eral rule unjust and impolitio for Government
10 build roads and canals, except for some high
political purpose Of self-defenco empire; that
when the object of these works il TO increase the
wealth of the community, they should, like all
other industrial enterprises, be left Ia prvaie
| energy and capital stimulated by individual in
tercsi: for money will usually, be most profita-
| bly, spent by those who make it; and the nggre-
gate wealth of the country will grow fastest,
when the citizen is permitted to employ his cap
tal and income, rs he thinks best. and tho gov
ernmcnt does not seize IL IN the form Of taxes, 10
invest at its pleasure for the advantage of elias.
SEES, sections or fayories. We believe that II
these principles had guided the State policy, the
community would now be richer and tho public
works nearer completion, and more judiciously
planned and economically executed than they are.
For no agency in such undertakings Is so ditto
ry, 80 expensive and thriftless rs that of Gov
ernment; none so vigorous, cheap and prudent
as private interest. These, sir, are still our
opinions on the original questions and we believe
that virginia will some day agree with US. But
we know that they cannot be strictly applied TO
present circumstances. The Commonwealth has,
or soon will have. under existing laws, more than
thirty millions of dollars invested in the stocks
aud bonds of internal improvement companies,
whose works are generally unfinished. They de-
pend for completion in part on State aid, Tor our
policy has discharged and driven off private cap
tal and until they completed, we cannot hope
for 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 to
come, To complete what we have begun, and
what is proiitess III its present eondtion-to n
void new undertakings and push ON with the CON
structon of the most important of these works,
holding out every indictment TO attract private
capital 10 engage in them--and throughout to
look forward to the period when we can safely
trust the system wholly to that great power
which has bridged the ocean with ships, and re-
deemed our continent from the Wilderness the
spirit of individual interest and enterprise Such,
sir, is the policy which the Underwater people
aud their delegates, thai used to be known
the anti-interna improvement party, are willing
and anxious to promote. Aud we would pursue
ii with an economical boldness. with vigor and
yet with prudence. speak only for myself and
the people have the honor to represent, but |
spenk what believe to be the sentiments of near
" all my colleagues from the same region.
Such were our feelings and opinions when we
met this winter but we found no efficient second
in the p eular friends of internal Improvement.
They had no system TO unite, no general princi
pies to net upon. Every nan seemed pushing to
get all he could from the treasury. without regard
to the common i sterest 1t was II scramble of To-
cal interests and corporations, which looked for
all you can. Our floor was about to become an
auction stand, where gentlemen sold their votes
To Tie party who would offer the largest appropria
tons in return. They said to each other give me
what ask; vote for my bills; and let me carry
bnok to my constituents share OF the public
money, and will vote for all you desire | care
not what may be the cost or the consequences to
tho State" The treasury was i'll market, and
the bidders were combining for the division
I ~, oh
nations had no interest to subserve but that
ithe State,no personal desires To crafty, but to
promote her welfare aud protect her honor. Nor
could | enter blndly ON any thing. | had been
assured that this Coyington road would cost only
five or six millions of dollars. But, though the
Bonrd Ind nearly n year To make the suryeys,we
could learn nothing of the results until the ses
sion was more than half ever, and even then three
fourthS of the line lett to conectural estimates
based upon what are confessed to be the imper
feet and unsatisfactory surveys of former times.
| could not ascertain the extent of the obligations
which this road might involve and great as was
the probable cost, did not much object to that
t. fhe fact that it was really indefinite and UNI
known. Nor could | see any disposition or OPP
portunii yto legisate, rs to preserve II proper
control over the expenditure of these large sums,
10 regulate the manner in which they were to be
raised orto wrest credit from the sole control
of foreign brokers.
Under such circumstances, what course was
possible for the gentlemen with whom had the
pleasure to act, but to appeal to the good sense
und patriotism of tho House to defeat these log
rolling combinations, and save the credit of the
Old Domnionl And the appeal has not been III
vain; good men and true have rallied from every
quarter to the rescue, and commanded pause,
until we can learn what we are doing, and place
proper safeguards around the expenditure of our
money and the management of our credit
Let us have full surveys and accurate esti-
mates Of this Coyington road, before we go far
Their whit To complete the Central line III
this direction will cost, | fear, at least fifteen
millions, perhaps more than twenty, and ii will
consume five or six years. VIII tho course OF
the Western trade await this long delay, and
will it not be irrevocably fixed in other channels
before complete the suhteranean miles
of this routel Can nothing better be found than
this Rder-g ground rail road Nothing more
ehcapy or quickly madel The engineer informs
Us that West of the mouth of Grecnbrier river,
the line is all above ground and Is comparative
! " cheap; the grades do not exceed 20 feet, ant
ii can be finished in two years. Well, sir, for
mer Legislature chartered branch of the Virgin
in and Tenn. Rail Road down New river TO this
very point, at the mouth of the Grecnbrier, an
it authorized State subscription to its stock
which is amongst our existing liabilities. | an
told that its grades not over 20 feet except
for few miles, where they do not exceed 90, ant
that it also can be built in two years, and without
tunnels. If these facts are true, we may have
continuous broad gaug line of road from Nor.
folk to the Ohio, with but few grades over 20
feet and none against the heavy trade over GO
and all completed in two years, and without any
new appropriations, except for the section West
of the mouth Of Greenbrier, and may thus
save the five or six millions, which the section
| between that point and Coyinrton, with its mn.