The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-08-23
Dinner to the Excursionists on the Cen
trail Railroad. at
[REPoRrEp FOR rHE DAILY pIsrATcH /

lREPoRrED FOR THE DAILY DISPATCH
The following is the report Of . dinner given
to the excursionists on the Central Railroad Wed.
nesday, which wc we're forced to defer yesterday
from want Of space.l +
The dinner given to Coy. Wise and the othsr
guests Of the President and officers Of the Central
road st the Rockbridge Alum springs, took place
q 3 o'clock on Wednesday last, in the Ladies Orr
dinary At that place. As display Of the taste Of
the caterers, Messrs. Frazier & Co., Proprfe-
tors OF the Springs. II reflected the highest credit
on them; 40 an evidence of the liberal heartedneas
Of the President, Directors and Officers Of the Cen
trail Road, it will long be remembered with plea
sure by all present. In > word. so far ~ eating,
drinking or soclabity was concerned, 1t was all
that could be desired.
Col. MuAford was requested to take the head of
the table, Gov. Wise being on bis right, and the
other guests being ranged on either side After .
vigorous attack on the edibles, the cloth was re-
moved, and the order given by Col Munford to
charge classes" The President then announced
that Mr.. Hill had aletter from Col Fontaine which
he requested him to read. In the letter, Col Fon-
taine regrets that from indisposition he was una
BILE to be present; complimeuted bis substitute N B.
Hill, Esq, a. willing and able to do the honors Of
the occasion; and after alluding to the Governors
being strong advocate of Internal improvements
a friend of Railroads and Canals closed with the
following toast: sf9'
Governor WIse-His ardent desire to promote
the prosperity of Virginia is known to all may
bis fertile mind suggest some means of re-animatiug
our various works of Internal Improvement now
anguishing for want of funds for their completion
The reading Of the toast was followed by loud
calls for Wise. In responding, Mr.. Wise said -
"Mr. President and gentlemen: came up here
for pleasure. and did not expect to be set at hard
work" He however would confess himself caught
for once. After referring to Col Fontaines lettor
in which he aIludes to the Governors devotion to
the interests Of Virginia. he said that If it was q
weakness. it was his; II 1t was virtue, it his
The old Commonwealth then came in for an eule-
gy, which was couched In terms Of the most ar
dent devotion. When the amor patrie overcome
the amor lucri, then would Virginians arrive at a
right understanding of the immense resources Of
their own State. He quoted the lines,
"There is a land of every land the pride,
and said that the day would come when Virginians
would be proud to say of their own State,
"That land is my country, that spot my home"
He had taken much pleasure in examining the
work Of the road. The Importance of the work,
In developing resources, called for legislative
aid The company, without money or means, had
accomplished wonders in surmounting the barriers
Of Nature. Mountains had been pierced, ravines
and gulleys filed up. He had no doubt that the
energy displayed in pushing it on to speedy com.
pletion, without means, would win th g confidence
Of the tax payers and public mind of Virginia If
sustained and encouraged, as it should be, the
work would 60 in manner worthy of all the
trade west Of the Ohio, and they would get it
There were yet gorges to be filed, heights to be
scaled, mouptans to be tunneled.
Virginia was laid out by Natures God on such
grand SCALE that It took time to develope her re-
sources. Come and see the mountain waters flow,
and never again say, Virginia has springs to feed
her canals. The James River and Kanawha Ca
nal was spoken Of in high terms, and Mr. Wise
said that when that great work was completed, it
and all would look back at 1t with pride
Virginia had peopled every State Of the Con.
federacy, and yet she had 1,500 900 lsft When
her commerce reached 200, 900 town Inhabitants
"a portion Of which consisted of James river
hour-when her railroads were bringing the pro-
ducts of the west across the State, Virginia just
starting en- her career, could feed and clothe q
world Her present works of internal improve
ment were but dwarfsh pioneers to grander, ,nobler
works to follow. She would pass every rival
State faster than they have passed her in the last
fifty years He proceeded to show that his views
were not Utopian. He was no true Virginian who
did not believe it. 1t can be done. 1t shall be
done. To do It, however, she wanted statesmen
and enlarged views-statesmen. who would make
local sectionslism shrink away. He believed the
masses were willing to bear taxation to aid the
public works. Of they were not, they could not be
true Virginians. II we could not develope her re-
sources now in time of peace, what could We do 7
Virginia could not be driven to repudiate. Never,
while her hills stand. He did not wish 10 see the
of the people held to the grindstone of direct
taxation. Though Virginia. when she came into
the Union, parted with the right to raise imposts
yet there were other subjects for taxation. In al
luding to the riches of California, he said that he
would not swap Chesapeake Bay for that whole
State California robbed Of her riches was value
less. Chesapeake Bay robbed Of its riches would
return again, three fold, in three years He called
the oyster beds, the "Virginia golden goose" They
covered an extent of 1000 square miles He then
broached the subject of the fundum which afforded
the Yankees profitable source of revenue Al.
ter giving statistics of the amount derived from the
sale of our oysters, by the Yankees, he said while
we could not have oysters in tho mountains, they
and Mary landers could. Before he was yet done
with the subject the word 'fHndum," should be
heard and understood In the mountains .-
Give him power to collect the revenue, and be
would give S250,O0O for the privilege, and make
that amount besides. He would be in favor of Ap-
plying such revenue to subjects of Internal I'M
provement He then went on to show the advan.
tages to be derived from the State insurng its own
citizens Wisely used, 1t would yield $50oO00 Of
net revenue. This amount now went into the
pockets of Northern companies. The thing could
be done, and we would have to resort to come
such scheme, or hear the cry of direct taxation
He alluded to 1t as 3 financial measure, and said
the last Legislature had left the State In very
crippled condition. When the State revenue came
in, in few months he hoped to be able to pay
some of her bonds given in 1852, and to aid the
Central Railroad. His personal and official infiu.
ence should be exerted to do this He hoped for .
better day. The Virginia works between Gov
ington and Ohio shall not stop. He implored tho
private companies 10 60 on. Do what you can
without money. Once see the Ohio waters leaping
down, Virginia could sing song of victory. He did
not want the Canal to stop in the middle of farm.
Aidrwas wanted to extend the York River Rail-
road to join the Ohio and Covington Railroad -
Then the little hills would 90 about leapng for Joy
Again expressing his belief in the patriotism of4he
Virginia people, he concluded by offering the fol.
lowing sentiment: AZ ~
piyginia.- Her patriotic people are proud to bear
taxes TO promote her public works and sustain her
honor and credit her present enterprises are but the
pioneers OF the nobler works be tore her; and her
independent resources far beyond and above tho
powers and necessities of direct taxation MAY her
public men and votors find them out and apply them
without delay.
At the conclusion Of Gov. wise's speech, three
cheers were given for him. Col Munford being
called on, made few remarks, and offered the
following sentiment, which was received with loud
laughter: $50 81 -
The Central Raiiroad-Like wild horse; il any
man shall cry head that horse, may he receive the an
swer given BY the boy "He has got his head on II
be cries stop him. may the Legislature reply, az the
same boy did, II haint got narrer stopper"
Alex. Dudley, President Of the York River Rail-
road gave ls
Tie State efTi,giaia. g sg
Chastain White, Esq, excused him self from max.
ing speech, and gave
4, The speedy comptstion Of the Cosisotos and Ohio.
and YirsiHia Central Railroads, for ae sake Of the