Staunton vindicator. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1858, 1858-01-09
Extract from the Governors Message,
THE PUBLIC WORKS.

the superintendent OF pubic WORKS Will
show the details OF their expenditure and
progress, and Of their estimates for the flu
turc. My own general views are fully pre-
sented in the accompanying pamphlet, con-
tanning my correspondence with NJ. Lacou-
tire, on his proposition Of line Of steamers
with France. I have only to add GA she
general topic, that what have endeavored
to show respecting the law Of the centres q
trade, bears strongly on the policy Of expe-
diting the public works Of the common
wealth by all the means in her power. A
centre Of trade is indispensably necessary 10
save the cost Of exchange, though the bal
ance of trade be in our favor; and the cost
Of exchange is nothing compared with the
loss incident to the want of control over
the great monetary operations Of the coun-
try dependant upon central commercial
power That control is what can shut up
or open the banks, or contract or expand
the currency, over the whole country, at
pleasure 1t is that which plays a benefi-
cent or injurious, a conservative or destruc-
tive part, according to a good Or bad adj
ministration Of commercial or financial poll
CIV. 10 have that control as far as possible
at our own command, within the reach Of
our own laws, in our own limits, is vitality
essential. It would not, perhaps, be by
periodical TO say that the total want Of that
control will cost Virginia more in this one
year than would the completion Of the Gov
ington and Ohio rail road in the next five
wears to come. That control cannot be had
without centre of trade; and that centre
Of trade cannot be built up without public
works to bring back country to some point
of commerce This argument alone is suf-
fcicnt to maintain the whole policy Of state
Improvement upon which we have entered,
and from which we cannot now recede with
out loss Of capital and a loss of character
which would not be creditablc in any res
poet.
The greatest line Of Virginia, By far, is
her James River and Kanawha canal Its
probability. through the Allegheny chain
of mountains, no one doubts who has any
rretensions to science The able engineer
on the work would blush to give up the
problem; and no intelligent officer would
admit that it is any other question than one
merely of means and Of time. The history
Of the canal and of it's disasters, and Of its
cost to the State and to priveto stookhold-
ers. is too voluminous to enter upon here.
But in spite Of every obstacle and all oppo-
stion, and though it be now out Of funds
and out Of credit in its present incomplete
state, it may be fearlessly pronounced a sue
ccssful work, in the sense that its impor-
lance and its practicability are demonstrat-
ed. It would this year have paid the inter-
est upon its bonds. but for the unexampled
Of the two past winters. The re-
port Of its very able and efficient presiding
officer will show that its affairs have been
well managed; and the company have again
res ,lycd upon a means Of relief which they
call upon me to present to the Legislature.
With earncstness, and acting under strong
sense Ct iuetice to innocent stockholders,
who have sacrificed their whole interests for
the State, ] repeat the recommendation
which | made to the last session, to convert
the whole debt Of the company into stock,
for the State to take its portion Of the debt
il preferred stock, and to sell 20, coo shares
for further construction Of the work The
reason and justice Of this are set forth in
my previous message, and in the acconlpa
aying letter from the president Of the COM
pany.
The work next in primary Importance is
he Covington and Ohio railroad. | submit
! synopsis Of the progress Of the incomplete
work, prepared by its chief engineer Two
per amman can be economically APP
oiied to this work, and at that rate Of ex-
1enditure it viii take about four or five
years to complete it. To make that a.
mount Of appropriation now may be said to
e van, inasmueh as tie Lords Of Il e
State csnr9a be sid At pa~, and no mon
y cold be Yaised on them. In answer to
his it may be said, that if no money can be
'aised, none will be expended. Ii none be
appropriated, then none coAzd be expended
hough some might be raised And, if APP
are to be made and ought to be
made, they ought to be sufficient to meet
my fortunate contingency for raising and
the means to carry on tie work.
And bonds can be sold and the money rails
ID in part by taking State bonds issued pri-
u to 1852 from the contractors and credi-
;ors on the works, and sinking them at par,
IN condition, as heretofore, of the purchase
If new bonds at par from the State. This
viii make par to both the State and the pur-
chaser Of bonds, and will put money into
he treasury to pay the public creditor, and
make par all around. The accompanying
etter from the engineer will show how that
operation has aided this work. I therefore
recommend the appropriation Of at least one
million and a half Of dollars to carry on the
Of this work as speedily as pos
,ible. And, in view of the present 6nan-
;ial difficulties, hesitate about recommend
ng any ether appropriation to public works
1t the present time But we have reached
he Tennessee line with our Southwestern
and that work has every prospect
of profit and of being completed in the next
year to Memphis. And I call the attention
of the Legislature to the Importance Of
branch Of this great work through the Cum
oerland gap, oeapectiug the Kentucky works
and terminating on the Ohio at its mouth,
As illustrated by map and memorial touch
ing Kentucky city. at tic mouth Of the O.
bio river, and the reserve which Virginia
made when she ceded the territory of that
safe. The Memphis road completed thro'
Tennessee the Cumberland gap road bran
ching to the intermediate West; and the
Covington and Chic road finished to the