Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-12-21

this point. BY following up the Ohio to the Kanawha,
Iand up that river to Greenbrier Bridge, we find a
route, all Of which but one hundred and eighteen
miles IL now, and the remainder may bo made
susceptible Of steamboat ma vigation. From Green
lbrier Bridge the line may be continued by using
the Coyingtou and Ohio Railway as n portage
track to Covington. or by canal, may be thought
best. Thence the route passes down the James
to Buchanan, to which point the canal is already
completed. and from which TO Norfolk runs com
pleted water line by river aud canal. Thus by this
union Of the waters Of the James and the Ohio.
GRAND CENTRAL WATER LINZ is established be-
tween the great Interior centre and the great
Atlantic centre before alluded to- which will afford
the trade concentrating at the former an outlet
upon the Atlantic through Virginia, shorter, safer
and cheaper than any that now exists or can ever
be established, and which will give to the WATER
LINE OF VIRGINIA as complete control Of the vast
country to which we have alluded. as the Erie Ca
nal has over the trade Of the Great Lakes-aud Civ
Jag us hack bonc line Of trade system, far more
certain. reliable and free from competition, than
that Of tho back bone line Of New York.
These proportions were all set forth in pam
Icompanicd by proof of the most convincing char
acter. To this pamphlet we have before frequent
lily alluded in terms Of strong endorsement Its
views have also been endorsed by over two hun
|drcd editorial notices from the leading press OF
the country, including that Of our Virginia cities
Memphis, Cairo St. Louis. Cincinnati, Ports
mouth tOhio) without-so far M we have seen
n single attempt to controyert the argument IN
whole or in part. But the most convincing proof
of all il the character Of the comments Of the lead
ling dailies of the city of New York. The Evening
Mirror speaksof the project worthy the attention
of every Virgnan. and says that 'once effected
every thing bulky would take this direction, and
Norfolk would become Of tho greatest ports OF
the Union" Another speaks of it NJ IA project
full of grandeur and Of consequence and says
that "by it Virginia could control the trnde of the
great West for at least five months of the year,
and much Of it the Uhole year" The " j. DdIy
Nsps speak- Of the pamphle, as strong appeal
for the completion Of the Virginia and Central
Water Line. which as is rigiHy coyectnrcd and
cieayiy demonstrated, will reach from Norfolk far
into Kansas. and eventually to the very bases Of
the Rocky Mountains, passing through the heart
Iof the Union and the great centres ri Western
and Interior trade. and ahordng to the country
lof the Upper Western rivers facilities far superior
Ito any that now exist or can be established.
The New York D,uiy Mo,lnag Express. in long
and comprehensive review Of the Pamphlet and
Its proposition, this significant language:
"In oldcn times, New York md Virginia had two
great AZ pnues Of the West and the Western tradr,
aud an outlet for that trade through the hnrbors
of New York and Norfolk" The Express then
saws ''the practical mind Of New York, under the
'inrpration of De Witt Clinton, FIRST took hold Of
the idea; and executed it in the Erie Canal. New
York thus--though by AN unnatural route, and IN
high Northern ATTITUDES first reached the West,
and for tho time being secured IL monopoly OF IL
mighty trade while Virginia, in st uthern cline"
where the frost only temporarily cougcals the
streams looked on and >lumlcrcd: and now the
result is. this mighty commcrr,ol metropolis, the
hive of million OF thrifty human beings, and
Norfolk with less trade than she had forty Years
ago, with slow increase II population" \ re
port of the Canal Commissioners If New y rk
comedies that Virginia mi ,ht be the most power
ful competitor for the western trade, as nature
has traced through the heart Of that State route
{, the Atlantic superior to any other 'omltrd-
Ter Flagg Of New York, admits in one Of his l,.
ports that Virginia might, if she chose 10 exercise
1.-THE power, take the trade of the West through her
own channels. Mr.. McAlpine of New York III
knowledged to be ut the head Of American Eng
ncering -makes even Il stronger admission in IA
vor Of our route. dues the celebrated Report of
tho Hon. Israel u. Andrews on the Lake aud
River trade of the United States"
1t is upon such admissions and the high char
acter and position of those making them. ana NJ =
on hundreds Of others, AZ well as the papable
facts and considerations which glance at our ma
tional map and study of the subject gives us.
that we again repeat our convictions that Virginia
may inaugurate system superior to that OF New
York. not only in its power 10 develop our resour-
oes, and concentrate our trade hut to grasp the
larger proportion Of the trade aud commerce Of
the West. and thus bind the gleat North est,
South West, West and Interior to us, our policy
and our interest, by bonds that can never be
broken.
1t is in this view, and for this reason, that we
call on the various counties of Virginia; interested
in her progress and development, to send no man
to the Legislature who will not aid in arrestnc
the present imperative or mischievous policy Of
Virginia, by inaugurating a system, having for
its foundation the earliest practicable completion
Of the WATER LINE OF VIRGINIA, and throu Il
that Of the CENTRAL WATER LINE OF THE UNION
We are aware that there persons, and per
haps Journals TINT do not agree with us upon this
: Question. All such we invite to n full and free
discussion upon its merits pro and con- We trus,
our contemporaries who agree with us, will assist
us in this effort to place most important consid