Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-03-05
LIZ lie E1Ini,rr,
,,,r1ypxr AND on,o RAIL KoAD.


V,;ytnian no, 10 lake d ep and abiding interest III
ir-r alfars, wherever he may BE-. Whatever eol
- rus her glory, her basuess Or her prosperity WV
cerus him. an not, therefor, surprised a. te nv
you take IN this subject or that Inc Puoo vi
una ID now apparently, looking at 'he que""'n
with new arinur | am only surprsed mat VIZ
y,uia has been 81 slow 10 sea THIS THING III ';n
ing at her past pocy-ju judging or inier,hs nei lo
from her conduct-it has seemed TO ms tna' lue
Of our State unwilling even To- thlnh GU - an
The trade and travel Of the great West MOI y s W.
the Lakes, or bound by land route 10 teH w
has 6cen from natural causes, in the power " ,au
riuia. Its transit to The Atlantic, by rail- roau' 'J'
necessarily through Virginia. .,,
Naitb-r Philadelphia or Baltimore couio y. Gnu
now adysntageously attract this business "llnou.
passing through our territory When QUO
rensd 10 Baltimore, as she did, the rlgnt u 10y WI!
through her territory by railroad 10 the onlo i,
dsnhia supposed she could attrac; and co'inr ~
sSysntnpe. this business Of the West, by conhhlpg
hsr road TO the Ohio exclusively within her own Ter
r;tory but her experience soon taught her lial sue
was mistaken and that she must have the 5'en: VI
WA, through Virginia, submit to many anu ssliou7
disadvantages. So we'll pursuaded %as Su na.g.
that aha decided she would have it, at oil hd1dTaS
righfuy if she could -wrongfuy j! she must D a
ti,nors from the beginning, knew that 10 Be' 'n''
Western business che must have the rgn' vi way ,oi
ber railroads to the Ohio through Virginia; ana oy
sr,fuly addressing herself to the Local y,
law in Virginia, on the line Of way, che succeeded
producing the impression on the too generous anu
oredulous mind of people, that she WIS NOT SUI
serving her own, but only this local Virginia lule
rest And not content with one access, 10 Tue oa'o
through Virginia, che had scarcely obtained the Fr@
hv obtaining from US a most liberal and magnificent
charter till she applied and obtained ny nsf oic eih
tegy of bringing up to her work Local virginia W
terest further and second qua" rgh' Oh way W Tue
Ohio at Parkersburg.
ties of Virginia from the Three Forks to Parkersourg;
and acting under the guise OF local charter ior Vr
ginia interest, stole march upon Inc great inter
ess of the great body Of the State and Drought her
self into a direct and most advantageous competitor
with Virginias own true and favorte route, by the
Valley OF the great Ksnswhs to the Oho-s route
almost cousecrated by the wisdom and forecast OF
Washington and other Virginia Observation-Disclosures"
,ch0 uere statesmen r.,
II ia papah,e that the trade and travel Of the grow
py and productive West cannot, adVantsgeousiy' 81
TO Philadelphia or Baltimore without passing through
Virginia Hence it is true, that the time TdS, when
Viz gna had this business-the control OF inns
businsss-in her own hands, and euoJect TO her own
power. And why should she not nave VINO eau
euipsay her right? And why should she not retain
III Why are her magnificent bays, harbors and
riyers-the great and bounteous gifts Of gracious
Proyidence-To BE THROWN AWAY
BELIEVING that al is not yet lost, was glad When
saw you turning public attention TO this, to u.s. VIA
snbisct-uo less one, than that OF bringing the pro
ducts and travel of the great West 10 our own flr
ona towns ports and harbors. Mr. Prestons mission
will accomplish much for us, II II snail % tpe otea
sion of bringing 10 where IRE staHd, ana Nirs
mia to SAGE Uhat she get has II Is useless 10 Draw ~
r.pn ships to our harbors and ports. If We nave no
thing for them to carry, nothing for them TO DO Whei
tbey pet there 1t is worse than useless IL VIII 70
veal our folly and our poverty.
But il is, an sure, not too late LOT Sheiula 10 70
trieve and maintain the rights and position, and
NAV add the condition God in his Providence gave
her. To accomplish it, however, she must be pru
dent and bold, wise and expansive IN her policy ant
her acts and firm to retain and maintain every rlgh
and advantage she has-guarding carefully agans
mere feeling and the gaudy, but empty chow OF be
ing thought liberal and generous.
Every day is demonstrating the superiority ant
contrasting power OF rail roads over progress ant
prosperity travel, business aud wealth. And every
where and 10 all ages national poverty Is natlona
DEGRADATION. 1t is one OF the weapons used by TIT
Almighty in Furnishing communities for their offences
These rail roads, located on the very margins OF grea
rivers are already more than successfully competing
with sail and steam vessels. And IN proportion, as VI
sse these rail roads proving their superiority and thei
mower to answer the wants and demands OF this IN
ightened and progressive age, we See art advancing
and showing us how obstacles, heretofore deemed in
yincible are to be overcome and great rivers 10 u
| psssed, as il were, il moment and almost regard
ess of time or tide; when II was but yesterday, W
had in making these crossings often TO wait for day
| IN the pleasure of the rain and the snow, the wine
and the weather, and under the most favorable cir
cumstances, 10 pass our persona and products wit
that snaillike motion which modern progress in IN
| nrde and power Of her movements, will lOIge
| tolerate. But the Ohio river cannot be crossed b.
| ,hess works of art without the chartered grant 4
Virginia and rail roads, which are without Them can
not compete with those which have them The Penn
sylvania rail road has as yet, except by bold an
lavlsss assumption. neither the right of way. or @
bridge: and why should che have either from Virginia
We think il would puzzle good head, which cares 70
Virginia, to prove it. Why are Ro 10 facilitate tn
improvements of other States, which are tbs rival
| and enemies of our onn improvements. lie 10 bu
| n novice who supposes that the Pennsylvania Gen
trail road is no. rival snf J}et9edsele PRanay
MIA s coptepding for the carrying of the travel an
produce of the West to her cities and harbors, an
| so ARE WE. or contending iOr c0mparativel
| nothing. The destination Of produce is hG; decide
when il gets to the Ohio river-it is decided when
leaves its location at st. Louis, Indianapolis, Cincil
natl Dayton, SC, DC. But il is sternIy true, ths
| the ease, the certainty and the tins in which tn
Ohio can be crossed will well have most controlliD
influence in deciding which route or road crossing III
| Ohio, shall be taken.
| And Baltimore has not yet the right OF bridging tn
Ohio and but partial and imperfect thence her pre-
sent efforts before the Legslaturel right of way
the Ohio, at Parkersburg. And why shall she hav
more, or better at our haudsi Or why shall We, i
auy way further increase her chartered powers al
facilities in Virginia. Surely there go bliuG
as not to see that the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Roa
is most dangerous enemy and rival 10 our o~n gret
way to the Ohio. and BALTIMORE city, to our Ow
towns sea ports and harbors Maryland and Bsltimor
| are nov boarding Virginia in her own capitol
Strange az it may seem, yet it is true, that many i
Greenbrier and the valley OF the grest Kanawha ar
beginning 10 look TO her; aud even on the very boz
| ders OF old Augusts. men are turning rather wis
| full ear 10 her plans and schemes. When Pennsylva
MIA has her favori,e bridge and rgi, OF way at an
across the Panhandle IA thing 30 cherished by her
that even her stad old Quakerlsm, has in the pursu
of IT, veutured to trampe on the sovereignty of Vii
gnia;) and when Baltimore is snugy seated and nee
| a., g a. -,
will the stock of our Virginia improvement
command the confidence of capital, or give Vii
| gna a remunersiive return, or ships bus
nessl Think Of Theses things And let me re
quest YOU in your thinking, not TO forget that Balt
more has already prcjected-lookinp 10 Kentucky &c
"a branch from some where near Weston 10 Guyail
! dotte, by way of Mud river and Pocatalico Tn
writer in ono Of hi. travels, within the last fe,
months, and while sesed in the cars heard this mat
| ter discussed and explained.
Check these foreign scheInes at once, and once 70
ALL aud say to them further shalt thou GO and you
great way 10 the Ohio and 10 the West will command
confidence, and the ships in your hArbors nnd bust
ness But give to penDsy lvania and to Maryland, I,
Baltimore and to Philadelphia what they are asking
| nay almost demanding of you, and your greatness
and your chance for the trade and travel of the Yves
is gone-and gone never 10 return. This is true, o
else the laws ofrade and OF the monrykng false
YORK TOWN.
-sSs -
INTERESTING LETTER.
RICHMOND, March l, 1858.
Dear Strive, the Ladies of the Mount Vernon
Associations tender to you thanks for the graceful
and eloquent manner in which you presented on on
behalf, tbe sacred relics OF Washington TO the Hon
EDWARD EVERETT and the Hon. WILLIAa l.. YAS
ctY.
From all the facts which We have learned, since
tn. I'D of February in reference TO the conditions at
;ached by you 10 our free gift to Mr.. EVERETT, We
repeat that you exonerasd from all censure. anC
We deeply regret that any Misrepresentation should
have been connected with Il.
We have the honor to be, yours, cir,
With sentiments Of the highest esteem,
PREslDEET Of the
Mount Vernon Association of the Union.
PREsIDEkT Of the
Mount Vernon State Committee Of Virginia.
To Col. G. w. MUSFoRD.
LATER FROM kIADEIRA-VIOLENT STORM
SHIPWRECkS.
FAYAL, Jan. 2O.-This place hsa been visited by