Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-03-08

with courtiy grace 70 pay their gallant de-
voirs in beauty's bower. .-.
The Marine Band, under the able direction
Of Professor Scala, enlivened the scene by the
following ..
Overture. {" La Marseillaise"
Needy Quickstep. Don be angry mother
Cavatina. " La Figlia del Regimento.''
Polka. "BObbin Around"
Rustto, "Ernani" nd. ...
Terzetto,
Waltz =" Philadelphia
Casta Diva. Norma
Schottische. " Our Mary Ann
cot in the Silly night"
Finale. " Polka" and Yankee Doodle"
Well done, Virginia!-The Richmond DIS
patch of Thursday last, says:
"One of the most important improvements
which has passed the present Legislature, is
that authorizing the extension of the Rich.
mond, Frederick sburg and Potomac Railroad
to the Intersection of the Orange and Alexan-
dria Road at the Manassas Gap Railroad.
This extension effects a direct connection be.
tween Richmond and the Valley at Strasburg
by the main line of the Manassas Gap Rail.
road uniting at Shenandoah, Page and Rock.
ipgham with the metropolis of the State, and
by tho Loudoun branch, passing through
Loudoun county interesting the Winchester
and Potomac Railroad and the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad at Harper's Ferry. A direct
connection is thus created between Richmond
and the northern counties Of the Valley, and
also with the mighty Northeast, bringing coal
and produce to our own mats, and bringing
travel through our own territory to our own
State. This extension, of only twenty-seven
miles, will unite one-third Of tho whole terri
tory of the State with Richmond, and will
connect Richmond Immediately with the Ohio
river and Valley. This can all be accom-
plished in single year and at cost of less
than one million of dollars"
The Dispatch attributes the success of this
important measure to the Hon. George De
Neale, the State Senator from Rockingham.
Were we to confne our aspirations for the
continued and increased prosperity of the
section of Virginia Immediately adjacent to
Washington, We might caVil at this legisla.
ton. But the measure is one of vast import.
ance to the interests of the whole State,
which has made heavy Investments in the
network of internal improvements so graphic.
ally described by our Richmond cotem porary.
Pennsylvania enormously increased her taxes,
and, for time, bankrupted her State trea
sury by prosecuting a somewhat similar series
Of connecting improvements; and, at one
time, after spending vast sums in the execu
tion of the stupendous plan, it was seriously
proposed to leave it half completed. Wiser
counsels, however, prevailed; and it was duly
finished. The result is, that every acre Of
land within the limits of that Commonwealth
has increased in value, through the effect
of the construction of her roads and canals,
at least four fold; and much of her broad
territory much more. Every dollar of her
indebtedness payable to this time, according
to contract, has been duly paid.
We cannot comprehend the line of reason.
ing on which portion Of the public men Of
Virginia advocate the policy of stopping q
portion Of the works already commenced by
the help Of State subscriptions. Better, by
far, quadruple the State taxes than cease fol
a single season to prosecute with vigor the
construction of any one of them. If wise
counsels prevail in Richmond, every extra
dollar taken from the people of the State 70,
the development of its immense resources that
now lie useless, for industrial purposes, will
be returned to the pockets of those tb us ad.
vancins the money required, with tenfold in.
terest in ten years.
more Testimony. The following extract
from yesterdays New York Tribune tells its
own tale. The reader will doubtless intui.
lively contrast it with the asseyerations Of
Lord ciarendOn's speech concerning the en-.
tire innocence Of the officials of Britain in the
matter of violating our neutrality laws and
our rights Of sovereignty:
"Some time in March, 1855, the Hon. Josenb
Howe, Of New Brunswick, then in New York
as recruiting officer to the British govern
ment, entered into q negotiation with Capt.
B rownlow, Of the British barque Louisiana,
then in New York, to convoy three hundrsd
men from that city to Halifax, Nova Scotia.