Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1857-04-28
! AIex. Z. and ma llfoadI.

following letter from Hon. c.. j. faulkner:
MR EprToR ~ understand that d report i in CIR
citation in this community to thseffest that have
expressed myself as opposed to The construction OF
the Alexandria Eouaoun Rnd Hampshire Rail Road
This report is false, and without ashadowo of oun-
.dation in trutlH No one who has ever heard me in
public discussienI or in private conversation will
asonch any such gross Misrepresentation OF my
views. believe, andshaye uniformly so said, that
Hook upon It enterprise of the highest value
to this SECTION OF the State sits construction
viii develop the immense aud incalcu!able mineral
treasures of Hampshire, stimulate the agricultural
production ot.the fertile eoaaties through which il
isdesigned TO pass anim&te the prosperity Of
Winchester and afford enlarged basis for the com
mercial prosperity of Alexandria, enabling 1t to pc
come an important impo: ting city. There IS noth-
ing in my whole public career thar would show an
Indifference, far less hostility. 10 anticipated re-
suits IKE these. have expressed my earnestwi
to.see it completed at the earliest possible pegod-
have said that the State of Virginia should extend
to it that aid and assistance it is IN the haoit
of giving to the most udicious enterprises OF this
kind and thatih my opinion the subscription IN
this case would be more productive to her treasury
than nine tenths of the investments which she has
made in Rail Road stocks. havefurther expressed
a taxpayer, to paxps portion Of the general con-
| tribution.s-
NO jTestiyt contact With its sdyanta-
ges, could have heard " ith satisfaction than
did few days ago in Leesburg,-from the highest
and most reliable authority,-that the contract for
the completion of the road as far West Winches-
ter, by the LIST of June 1853, had been completed,
and further learned from the same high source,
that with some Fable aid from the State, and
of the Northern capitalists who are SO largely in-
terested in the coal fields of Hampshire, the road
would be made from Winchester 20 Piedmont with
out the necessity of orgaging it for one dollar of
the means necessary for its construction.
This important information the opposition editors
will doubtless be very slow to believe, or TO commu-
nicate to their readers,-for in that event much OF
Othellos occupation will be gone, and the agitation
and excitement which it is necessary TO keep alive
in this District the subject of the Public Lands
will cease to have any sufficient ,pabulum to feed
| upon.
1t is true have said and repeat it, that all ex-
pectation of aid from the Federal Government to-
| wards the construction of that road-whether your
represent tive be Democrat, a Wing, or an Amer
jean, is idle, vain and illusory. 1t is neither
nor less than trifing with the people interested to
hold ont any such absurd expectation TO them
aid that for ore moment believes it attainable. If
nv hostility to this enterprise is inferred from the
fact that declared in Romuey on the 9th of April
that vou Id not vote for the Bill which President
Mckenzie has given us notice he means TO press up
on the next Congress- it oRly shows how il ogically
partiznns may reason, when it suits their purpose
to do injustice political opponent. 1t would Oe
very easy for to show that Presldent Alchenzie'
in pressing suit on the absurd anu nnattainAole
scheme is showing himself more the enemy OIL the
road than have proved myself to be. The
Bill which he proposes could not obtain the
assent of Congress if the entire Virginia delegation
supported It: President Mckenzie, let me tell him
is in error that point-and it ought not to have
the npprovyl of Congress if every man, woman and
child in the district were in favor of it. 1t asks
grant of 100000 acres of laid of Congress- to aid
in the construction of the road in consideration of
mail service be lhefeatef rendered. Now, the fed
eral government is in the habit of paying for its
mail service in5money, not sfnd If the Bill not
| an application FOR gratdty donation in disguise
If it be an honest and bona .Fdr proposition for
payment for legal and constitutional service to
be rendered the CONVENIENTLY this company, why
not ask to be paid for that ervice as every other
Rail Road in the country is low paid for such
rice,-in money, not laud2 Surely National
Treasury is not far sunk in Bankruptcy, that it
need be called upon 10 pay Tor regular and consti-
tutlona service rendered it, in its wild and nnoc.
cupied lands, instead of motley. The bill is tn,
out precedent in the wholsegislation of Congress
What would you think of tie mail contractor be
tween Winchester and Stanton asking for his pay
in land instead of money? What would you think
Of the Government giving 10 the Baltimore and
Ohio Rail Road 10000 acres of land year. for its
transportation on their road of 400 miles at the
fixed price of $500 mile, the rate prescribed by
law, instead of the amount now received by it in
money! Does any man suppose that Congress has
the authority thus to trie with the public domain
Does any one doubt but Hat such course would
be gross violation of the trust which it has as
sumed for their proper administration But sup
pose the power existed IN Congre s. TO sanction
President McKenzie's policy. Ought they to exer.
else such right2 In whal State or territory North
or South does he propose to locate his magnificent
grant2 Is in Alabama or Missssippi-in Indiana
or Illinois? Have you any idea how much space is
covered by grant of 100000 acres? ! have no
statistics here to enable me to say preciSely,-but
would hazard the conjecture that it will cover the
space occupied by the-cohnties of Berkeley, Jefer-
son, Frederick, Clarke, Warren and Page-nearly
an entire Congressional District, and contain
ing not less than seventy thousand inhabitants on
its surface. Would our States, West or South, SUBJ
mi. to have such slice that cut out of her emf
nent DOMAIN, and vested in foreign corporation;
not amendhle to her laws and having interest or
sympathy in common With her people2 Ifitis right
under such circumstances to grant 100000 acres TO
sbe Alexandria, Loudoun and Hampshirs Rail Road,
with what Justice conld Syou refuse the me farGT
TO the Winchester and Potomac Rail Road? The
Manassas Gap Rail Road The sixteen other Rail
Roads in Virginia. Size ono hundred aud len Rail
Roads in New England2 The ffty-six in New York;
{ The thiFty-six in Pennss 1yaaia2 And CASA in
the United States And3at the same quantity TO
each Rail Road in the H1ited States, what do you
suppose would be the aggregate of the grants r.