Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-10-19

Ricbmomo Gmqnirer,
BY RlTcHIE. DuNNAvaNr, TYLER & WISE.
TUESDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 10.
MIR. LETCHER AND INTERNAL IMPROVE
MENTS

TUESDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 10.
MIR. LETCHER AND INTERNAL IMPROVE
MENTS.
Our correspondent, "Juslice," TO day spasks out
for Mr. Lecber upon the sa5jsct of internal improve.
nents. Justice" informs US that Mr.. Letcher, if
elected would bend all his energies to the completion
of the James river and ksnawha canal, and the Co.
vugton and Ohio rosd-;hs. "ihe leading lines finish
ed, he advocates the construction of lateral improve.
msnts as necessary for the accommodation OF the
people, and as natural feeders and supporters OF the
main lines" This ia very well, but when The princi
pal advocates Of the anti internal improvement policy
are found strenuously urging hs nomination, the
friends of internal improvements cannot but look
with suspicion upon Mr.. Letcher. We believe that
many members of the Legislature who warred on the
internal improvements, last winter, are the ad
vocates of Mr.. Letchers nomination. And when We
sse Mr. Letcher 30 persisenty urged by the men who
opposed the internal improvement bills, and who,
when defeated those bills, resorted to the repu-
dating subterfuge Of tax on State bonds to cripple
the bills. cannot but fear that bis election would
transsr the power and prestige Of place to the anti
Internal improvement party. We prefer the nomi-
nation Of some man the anti-interpal improvement
party oppose, not they urge and expect to uss and
control.
Let The people OF Virginia look to this NATTER
Mr. Letcher has been thoroughly identified in politi-
cal eympathy and action with this anti internal ir-
provenent party; they. now urgs hia election. We
care not in what portion Of the State the men Of this
party are to be found, they are vocierorsly urging
Mr.. Letcher's nomination.
If We take the satised nteres; OF the North West,
with the improvements that section OF the State needs
completed, We shall find these an,i-intsrnal i'm
provement men urging Mr.. Lecher if We turn TO
Tide-Water, We fud hess same men for Mr..
Letcher; il the Men of ths Northern Neck are care
fully scrutinized Hnd anti internal improvement.
msn all crying out for Mr.. Leicher. Hsnce MIR.
Lstcher "a regarded with apprehension by the friends
oil internal improvements, because they fear bis par
ticulsr advocacy by the anti.interna Improvement
men covere purpose or design inimica TO he great
works Of the State. Any man who witnessed the
bitterness OF the contest in the last Legislature on
the internal improvement bills, must remember the
subteruges resorted 10 to defeat the completion or
farther prosecution of the State works.
After defeat was evident, these men reaored 10
in this by the extra eeasion the tax OIL State bonds
was the resort next fixed upon to cripple the bills
they had failed to defeat An opposition persistent
is now found urging the nomination of Mr.. Ls.cher.
Is it, then, surprising that apprehension should be felt
by the friends of The works il Mr. Letcher should be
elected Why should every prominent anti.internal
Improvement leader prefer Mr. Le:cher and not one be
found 10 urge sny other man, il there not soma
sympathy expected from him for their pocyl
So singular coincidence would, indeed, be re.
markable and unacoountable. We must, therefore,
tell Justice" that, Mr. Letcher is really an sdvo-
cate Of internal improvements, he cannot be tho
roughly understood ,y The men of the last Legisa-
ture who fought the session through to defeat every
measure that looked TO the farther prosecution OF
these works.
We wish Justice had gone farther and particu-
larized other lines favored by Mr.. Letcher than The
James River and Kanwha Canal, and the Covng,on
and Ohio Railroad. The situation Of Rock bridge
Immediately North Of the Canal and East of the
Railroad gives thst county local interest n both
improvements, while the North River Improvement
running through tho feart OF The county, may well
make Mr. Letoher favor these Two lines aud not look
with any especial fsvo- on any others. There are
other works Of essen.is Importance not yet compile.
ted, which will certainly require farther ali from
the State. The Richmond and York River, the vir-
ginia and Kentucky, tie Manassas Gap, and the
Alexandria, Loudoun snt Hampshire Railroads. all
are yet unfinished. Thess all "leading nes,"
and not "latera improvements" to either the Canal
the Covington Road Assnst all of these the efforts
Of the anti internal improvement party have been
Ievelled and will "Justics' inform us whether Dir.
Lstcher will "bend all hs'houghts and actions to the
accomplishment" Of their irspeedy completion!
We must add that the communication Of Justice
was delayed few days by our recent absence in
Fauquier-and he will acept this as the reason for
the delay In publishing hs communication.