Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-01-20
Loo AL 1T T. N s

is doubt whether the Virginia Legislature
will appropriate, at its present session, for
the continuation Of this now most important
improvement under construction in the Uni
ted States. We confess to skeptlcism as to
the possibility that the State OF Virginia will
deliberately sacrifice her previous heavy 10
yestments in this improvement, after having
pushed it to point wnen, with a compare
lively very small additional investment she
can evidently make the whole perhaps more
profitable than any other such investment
made By her own or any other American
State Legislature.
The work in question is the only link re
mainiug to be constructed to atfjrd coutinu-
Gus railway connection between this city and
the Mississippi at Memphis with many di-
vergences by rail running through different
portions of Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama
aud Louisiana TO the Gulf coast ana North,
through different portions Of Tennessee, Ken
tucky, Indiana and Illinois, to the shores OF
the great lakes.
Wien completed the line will afford not
only much shorter means OF passing from
east u west. and from east to north and
southwest than other line Of railroad now
open, bot through on almost virgin coun-
try, po>sessinga far more agreeable climate
than any other traversed by any line Of rail
road in the United States. Indeed it cannot
be that the Legislature Of Virginia will fail
TO secure for the people OF the region OF the
State the road IS to pass through the profits
Of the immense passenger trade that cannot
fail - accrue u the finished improvement.
1t is destined to be greater even than that OF
the Baltimore and OhiO work or the great
Pennsylvania line from Philadelphia to Pitts.
burg. It's incidental drippings into the
pockets Of the NIrgIniaus a considerable
portion Of which must 20 into the Old D.
minlOu's (,tlte) treasury, will be worth al
immense sum annually. Should the Legs
luture tail to d. It's best to secure the compl,-
ton Of the work at the earliest possible
moment, under existing circumstances its
members will richly deserve to be "cut for
the simpIe," on returning to their constltu-
ents.- jtaSh. Star.
ALEXANDRIA AND WASHINGTON RAILROAD.
- nc IOIiUHIuS Olll LOS UCSu lCpOibob w
the Committee of Roads, in the Senate Of
this ) ate:
Be It enacted by the General Assembly of
Virginia, That 50 much of the act rncorpo-
ratiu. TIE Alexandria and WASHINGTON Rail
road Company, passed February 9th, 1854,
as restricts the construction aud operation OF
said road u Any particular plan, be repealed,
and the Company are hereby authorized to
construct aud operate their road az they
shall deem best, aud also to decrease their
capital stock not exceeding two hundred
thousand dollars, with power to borrow mt
ney, and issue Coupon Bonds fer the same,
bearing an interest Of not more than eight
per cent. per annum, payable semi-annualiy,
secured by mortgage on the road to an
amount not exceeding one hundred thousand
dollars. And be it lurtIer enacted. That 1t
shall not be lawful for the Alexandria and
Washington Railroad Company, to sell, trans
fer or dispose OF the rights, franchises and
privileges, secured 10 them by the act lncUI-
porittng said Company, or this act, to any IL
cLrpOratcd Company or corporation beyond
the limits OF the State of Virginia.
This act shall be 10 force from its passage.
LETTER or GOVERNOR WISE TO THE MAYOR
OF ruIs CITY, on PUBLIC THANKSGIVING AND
PRAYER.-Ihe following is Governor Wise's
letter to W. d. Massey, esq, Mayor of this
city, which accompanied the Governors Me-
sage 10 the Legislature:
RICHMOND, Va, November G, 1857.
SIR:-In reply to yours of,Ic 4tn instant,
received tuis morning, | inform you that it
is not my purpose to recommend any day in
the current year as q day Of thanksgiving
throughout the State. have no power
Whatever, officially or otherwise, to exercise
such authority. 1t is an ecclesiastical con
Germ entirely, and ought to he left to the re-
spectlve churches, with which the State has
no connection, and no right of Interference,
except II protect each and alln their freedom
OF conscience and Of religious worship, in
the mode they may sCveralIy adopt. The
government OF Virginia recognizes chrlStaL-
ily in all it, forms. Il enilins "all to prac-
tee christian iurbcarance, love and charity
towards each other" IL acknowledges rel
giUn or the duty we owe 10 our Greater" bur
It leaves the manner Of di,charging that duty
t be directed only by reason md cunyIctUn,'
according to the dictates Of conscience and Il
has abolished entirely all Church establish
ment." and all connection Of Church and
State. /, therefore, conclude that the "clyil
authority vested in me as Governor ul the
Commonwealth, must not presume to NEEDLE
with the appointment OF any day, at any time,
for Thanksgiving TO God. Our people are
perfectly free, thanks to God, to make their
n,Vu apn,Intmrnls of the kind for thrmsel yes