American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-03-19

nuliilE9 oo7iHsi % ygb al' 10 ID lts.
ed to do justice to my position here
! after, be il SO. Some person may do
justice to my memory when am dead;
! ifI should die under this ban, Laugh
ter. '37s .,'...''1 ~
1 The issue here is distinctly made. -
!, The discussion which has arisen upon
this bill, involves the whole question of
the internal Improvement policy of this
State. The combating hosts are fair
ly reused; the lines are drawn, the
leaders have drawn their steel; and
the battle has begun. On the one
hand. it j. question 9nsi O, progress; q
question of advancement; a question
that has forA it's object the deyelope-
ment of the resources of this State;
of placing Virginia where she ought
10 be-the proudest, as she now is,
the most energetic of all the States in
this Union. On THE other side of
this question, Mr.. Speaker, it is q
ques ton of ''lnasterly inactivity it
says t., the enterprise of the present
age, tha,t it must be stopped. Itspeaks
to CONNER. .ce, and says, Your sails must
be recfed. 1rt speaks to the manufac-
turing interests ofthe country, and says
you shall shut of steam, and seek to
bring back every old principle of a
former age which I lad thought was
obsolete in this Comm, onwealth. 1t
says we must hold to the ole princi-
pie, which was to bring a busSel of
wheatin one bag and large rock on
the other, to balance it. Naughter.)
/ propose to treat this subject as a
practical one, and shall now call the
attention of the House to few facts
which / shall offer to its consideration,
in support of the position which | oc-
cupy. L do not intend to occupy it's
time long with tho views which Shall
offer. auol raas sav mao7 se hsaiDg
The first proposition that / shall as
sumo, and which | intend to discuss, is
this: Are we able to continue the inn
proyements of the State that arc now
begun? That is grave, practical
question:. 1t is said that Virginia is
bankrupt; that her bonds are below par
in theaimarket; that the people will
rise up inrebellion, and that they are
not able to pay their taxes. / will
not undertake to speak for the con-
stituents Of the gentleman from Pres
ton, (Mr. Kemble,) in regard to this
matter; but / will undertake to speak
for my own. They will not rebel
against lawful authority; they are the
last people in the world that would
do it; and if they did, although [ es-
teem it an honor now to represent
them, it would be an honor under
such circumstances, which | would not
court. Is Virginia bankrupt? Is there
any danger of reputation? True, we
have been in temporary crisis; and
the gentleman from Preston says, that
crisis still exists. In morning pa
per to which my attention was called
this morning. / find that the money
markets of Europe are easier now than
they have been for the last twelve
months; and that the Banks ofIIolland,
and of England, and France, have re-
duced their rates of interest; and that
money in New York, Philadelphia, and
other large Northern cities, can be OBJ
tanned on better terms than hereto.
fore. 50 1aHi liH @ ua
Mr.. KEMBLE.--I would ask the
gentleman if no crisis exists, why is it
that our Banks are not paying spe-
Gle? r.H1 D 1ra ,nsog 794ig lIG . b.
| Mr.. DAVIS-I care not whether
they resume specie payment or not. -
] will tell the gentleman that the cred
/ it of Virginia is not depending upon
her banks. She has better resources
to sustain it in the wealth Of her soil
and the patriotism Of her sons. In
answering this question Of the ability
of the State to construct the improve
ment contemplated, ALLOW me to call
the attention Of this House briefly to
some facts which1 have gathered from
the statistics Of the country. 1aisH
The grain crop of Virginia last year
was nearly fifteen millions Of bushels,
! which, at the low price Of fifty cents a
bushel, would be worth seven millions
FIVE hundred thousand dollars; and yet
gentlemen talk about famine and bank.
ruptcy in the State. The increase
l Of our material wealth in Virginia for
i tic last ten years, has been, upon 0
fair average, at least one hundred mil
lions Of dollars; and the total amount
of assessed property in Virginia $780,.
100000. One fourth Of one per cent.
upon the whole for tbirty-four years