The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-05-15
THE DAILY DISPATCH
lame. River Canal.

James River Canal.
The more we reflect upon the subject OF 'n'e.a -
improvements, the more thoroughly are
WINGED that the extension Of the james nv. -
Ksuswha Canal to the Ohio 10 the improse"e
which virginia should steadily LOOK W.
chor of her salvation. The coinp'e''on " - ~.
uou,d NOT only repay all the expenses "
...-.-.,,.,,, h,, IN \ few years would, hke tne
"a. r.r.Y r.v ,he whole expenses Of the Sta'e
- s...,,,,,o, and entirely relieve the peo'
- h,rthen of taxation. II the Com
.-.s.,,h ,,,stsad of frittering away It's energies
- -, and conflicting schemes, had concentra-
"a =. r.sourees upon this great public work. the
,..n,. vouh at this moment be relieved from
,.xst,ou. and other improvements would have
fo,oved in their natural and necessary order
This James River Canal, extended to the onio'
oueh, to have been from the first regarded ~ tne
backbone of the whole system Of Virginia iui
provements. II should have held the same posi-
ton in the estimation Of our State that the Erie
Canal occupied In the policy of New York There
II was the canal frat and then the railroads-the
canal for trade and the railroads for traveso
instead Of the two conflicting, we find that New
York, which has the greatest canal on the cont.
nent has also the most and the best railroads.
We never cease to wonder at and deplore the
suicidal opposition which has been exhibited in
Virginia towards the construction and completion
of our canal 1t Is true, De Witt Clinton was
compelled to encounter similar spirit Of hostility
In New York his project was pronounced i'm
practicable; it was derisively termed in the New
York Legislature . ditch, a term which seems to
have been picked up from the cast-off epithets Of
the ntiClinton faction of New York, and applied
to our own magnificent enterprise. Butthe genius
Of Clinton triumphed; the canal vndicated itself
il carried the whole public burthens of New York
on Its mighty shoulders /; it made New York the
empire State, and its metropolis the empire city OF
America At this moment. its ancient enemies are
its warmest friends, and whilst sundry Solons and
Solomons In Virginia are pronouncing canals be.
hind the age. New York is expanding ten millions
upon the enlargement of her Erie CANAL
There is but one enterprise. the competition Of
which, with the great Erie Canal, ia at all feared
by New York. 1t is the extension of the James
River Canal to the Ohio. Her chief engineer, Nc
Alpine, has congratulated her upon the astounding
Indifference manifested by the Virginia Legislature
to this short cut between the Ohio valley and the
sea. The friends of the New York Canal do not
fear the multiplication of railroads or the con
struction of canals In other quarters. Here, in q
highway which nature has pointed out from the
Ohio to the sea, ascertaned by the highest eng
neering skill to be perfectly practicable, and pre-
senting avenue for the trade of the West, which
would make the vast valley of the Mississippi tri
butary to Virginia-here is a rivalry which New
York breads but which, we fear, will never be
made available, till new generation of Virgnianf
shall come upon the theatre of action.