Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-03-19
SPEECH OF JAMES BARBOUR, ESQ.

Alexandria Railroad.
In TIE HOUSE OF DELEGATES, MARCH 4, 1853
fRsportsd for lhe Enquirer by P. Keaa
The pending question being on the passage of tie
BILL
Mr.. BARBOUR said: think, Mr.. Speaker, that
ths House will fully appreciate the disadvantages
der which enter upon this discussion al this period
in its progress, and will favorably consider tbs claims
which have upon their kindness, while am endea
vorng to perform my part in the interesting drama
which is now drawing to close.
The Orange and Alexandria Railroad Company
have submitted to the General Assembly of Virginia
q fair business proposition. The State entered as q
partner, investing threeths of the capital required
for the original enterprise for which that company
was created. The construction of the new road from
Charlottesville TO Lynchburg has been undertaken by
the company with view to the increased value which
will thereby be given to the original property of the
company. Others than the State have subscribed to
the new stock about four hundred thousand dollars.
dollar. As partner in the original enterprise she
will enjoy three fhs of the profits necessarily
ing to the stockholders in the road from Alexandria
to Qordonsville. The debt which the company has
contracted, to construct the new work, constitutes
an incumbrance upon the capital heretofore invested
by the State as we'll as that invested by individuals
and corporations. Until the road ia completed to
Lynchburg, there is not possibility that the State
can receive one dollar of dividends upon $SOO,0OO Of
stock invested by her in the road from Alexandria to
Gordonsvle. When the Lynohburg connection is
completed, every one conversant with rail road af
fars must conceds that she will receive returns upon
her original investment. As matter of justice. not
less than Of wise policy, we might claim from the
State subscription TO the new stock, bearing the
same proportion to the $4,000 subsoribed by others
10 tho new stock. which her original subscription
bore to the original subscriptions Of others than the
State Upon this bass we would have from the State
a subscription Of 5000, ,Oo0 But our proposition ls
far within these limits. The feebler associates in the
enterprise with resources nearly exhausted, approach
their more powerful partner, and propose TO surren.
der to her those terms Of equality upon which the
partnership was originally formed II she will make
even dsproportionate contribution for tue preser.
vation and enhancement Of the property in which all
are interested. II the State will consent to advance
$4D0 co. she is not required like other stockholders,
to await the completion Of the work for her returns.
The company guaranty to her Immediately 7per cent.
upon this new uvestmsnt-six per cent interest aud
one per cent. as sinking fund.- to replace the prin'
oipal.
Sir, is it not fair propositionl Have we com.
mttd I'll offence, sir in coming before this General
Assembly with a fair straightforward, merltorious
proposition like that2 And how has it been nett Why,
sir not in the calm, deliberate reasoning manner in
which men having knowledge Of business affairs
should meet business proposons but it has been met
by degree OF cla'nor and Juror in better keeping
with the peevishuess Of the child, or the peuance
Of the granny, than the calm reflection of grown up
men. Sir, the proposition is denounced; the gentle
men who introduced it are denounced; the company
ia denounced the management OF it's affsirs BY its
directory is denounced; and the Finance Committee,
constituting very respectable and intelligent por
ton of the members Of this body, have equally been
denounced, because they have dared in their official
character. to submit report which gentlemen have
considered to be favorable to the passage of this bill
ali this denunciationl Because they lack the strength
10 meet the proposition as it aught to be met. You
are invited 10 discredt the demand; to dscredit the
humble advocate who stands up for il: to di:credit
every gentleman on the Finance COMMITTEES who has
dared TO submit statement to this body that could
be- considered favorable to this bill. because the gen
tlemen who opposed it have not the power OF intel
ect to frame an argument which will carry with it
conviction to this House. The reason, the mind, and
the intellect must be dethroned, and wild, loose rein
must be given to all the passions and preudces that
may be excited in the bosoms OF gentlemen upon this
floor. But, sir. it is MY business TO meet these as-
sauts; and, if repel them; il show, that in some
instances they are founded in deporable degree OF
ignorance of the facts il, in other instances. show
that they are founded on but partial knowledge OF
the facts; il, in every instance, show that the
charges cast upon the psrsons connected with this
proposition, and the proposition itself are founded,
on Misunderstanding or ignorance oi iactei VIII
not have made some nroad upon the ground selected
by the gentlemen who are among the most violent
opponents that this bill has upon this hoori And all
this purpose to do.
When entered this body this winter, it pleased
the gentleman who filed the Chair, to assign to me,
as one of the duties that expected TO perform,
place upon the Finance Committee. was put there.
air, without one word OF communication with the
Speaker; no communication being held by me with
him upon this subject from the moment that he en-
tered this city. until this committee announced by
him from that Chair. Other gentlemen were assign.
I'd to the duties. l went there, cir, suppoeinR
that going there to perform duties, and to be
surrounded by men going there TO perform duties in
:he{epirt In which honorable men ought to assemble
around the board TO take care of the same inte.
rest. amagined that was sent there not to repre-
sent the internal improvement interest or the antrim
ernal Improvement interest; but to do my duty in the
manner in which honest man ought to do his duty.
| supposed that the other fourteen gentlemen went
there in the same spirit Sir, that committees, 6nan
cially the official organ of this House. When you
send that committee our, 1t goes charged under one
of your standing rnes to investigate your financial
affairs. It is impossible for every member on this
Hoor to make that Investigation himself; and there.
fore, you have assigned it to special committee
When you assign that duty to that committee, and
that duty is performed il forms basic for the action
of this House. Some faith must be placed in those
whom you officially trust; some presumption must be
allowed, thatmen who are put in places or ofhclai
trust are hones, are fair, are candid. That commit
tee with the exception Of myself, sir, was composed
of some of the ablest n this House; and the ma
iorty of them compare favorably with any equal
number Of men-still excepting myself-that could
be congregsted in the State of Virginia That com:
mitee, laboriousy, strenuouely earnestly performed
that duty, and have submitted report to this House
Il does not suit some gentlemen. We have no right
to expect that it would suit some gentlemen; but we
did have right to suppose. cir, that gentlemen slt-
ting around the same board for two months together,
when they came here to discuss the results OF their
different Judgments and their different views, they
would have met one another in spirit Of kindness
and fair play; and then there could be no hard feelings
il he who had the strongest arm might be the win.
ner. came in that spirit. made no assault on any
body. Sir, l have right to asss the positions of
gentlemen. had no personal unkindnesa towards
single member of that committee. ! came to this
discussion with no feelings Of unkndnes ranking in
nv breast. When I opened this discussion, con-
ceived myself entitled to do what always will do
when discuss q question before this or any other
body of gentlemen-eIpose unsound, attack aesaia.
BILE, and deride ridiculous positions Bot, while per-
forming that duty, will keep the ahaft from the per,
doing so without impairing the effect of the blow
which aim at hs argument. think the House will
bear ms witness, that my first remarks upon this bill
conformed to the rule which have just announced,
and 10 no degree justify the singular tone which has
been impaired to this discussion by the gentleman
from Harrison (Mr. JoHsToS,, aud nearly every one
who has participated in on the other side.
(Mr. JOHNSTON here made some remarks to chow
that neither Mr.. BARBOUR or any other member of
the Finance Committee had any right TO except to his
remarks. He contended that Mr.. BARBOUR had been
the first to give tone Of barshness to the discueson
Mr.. BARBOUR admitted that he had assaed and
derded the position announced by the gentleman but
had avoided any reference to bis motives or to his per-
sonal character He denied that there was anything in
his remarks which justified gentlemen to do more
than to sssai by fair argument and legitimate sarcasm
If they could, the position which he had occupied. 1t
has pleased some OF the gentlemen to overstep this
limit. do not complain. But while will endeavor
TO conduct this discussion with proper dscorum l
mean to walk along the line which gentlemen have
traced for me- While will not descend to mere per-
ponal issues with these gentlemen / mean to brush
away the obstacles bich they endeavor to put in my
path and with which they try to entangle my feet.
With the view of discredng the report of the ma
joriiy Of the Finance Committee, myself and seven
gentlemen, of as high mark as any in this common.
wealth, we're sssaed by the gentleman from Harrison
eI.imer with which il was accompanied, must have
been received by US as personally offensive. The
gentleman at the time disclaDsd any offensive pur
pose, and have no right to regard his IN any
other sense than that in which he announced II. But
it s not the lees incumbent upon me to regard s onsr