Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-08-30
vc,sation on Friday evening at his residence,
and cannot be controvertcd by himself or
from the Kanawha Valley star!
joseph sEGAR. ESQ.

INN
Pal Road. This able and patriotic letter merits
tho attentive reading and careful consideration
of every citizen of the Commonwealth. In
avery sentence it breathes IN ardor and patriot
;s,u and an unsclfsh and courageous devotion
TO principle which merits the admiration oil
orcrv true Virginian Mr. Segar has risen
above the low and grovelling position oil inc
mere politician and time-server, and the iocai
and selfish prcjudices OF his section, to the ele
waited and dignitied position OF true virginia
statesman He has cvinccd bold anu manly
craftsmanship, worthy Of the highest common
datiOn.
We hope Mr.. Segar will find il convenient
tn visit, not only Putnam, but kanawha ana
other counties on the line Of the Covlngton
and Ohio Rail Road, before the meeting oil the
next Legislature; and We trust the people oil
orr section will extend to him that enlarged
hospitality and attention which he so richly
merits at their hands. The bold, manly ana
unsciti>h course of Mr.. Scgar should endear
him. not only to the people OF the Centrai
West. bn; to every man everywhere, VINO de-
sircs the elevation and advancement OF our
GOOD old Commonwealth He has shown hinl-
self to he most able, worthy and efficient any
Of our distinguished and patriotic Governor, III
the cause of internal improvement and pro-
erosion. Let the West unite with Mr.. Scsar
in one more effort for the speedy construction
nc thr Coyincton and Ohio Rail Road. Let
the people Of each county hold meetings. Let
lis have conventions. and agree upon some plan
by which the friends of this great Improvement
can &C; in unity and concert:
EosELANp, Elizabeth City Co..
June IL, 1879
Nv Dear S;r-N our valued favor of the 3oth
ult, written, You premise, n: the solicitation oil
numerous friends in Putnam county, who have
thought fit to admire my representative
course on the subject OF the internal improve
mcnt of the State, was duly received.
I'VE desire you say to make some cXhibl'
ton Of our gratitude TO you for your past SER
vices IN our behalf in the Legislature, and We
want to hear and see the man who has so ably
and clo.rlcntly advocated the Covington and
Ohio Rairoad;' and you do me the honor to
invite me ITO make 4 visit 10 your county be-
fore the next meeting Of the General Assem-
bly,
BE pleased my dear sir, to present to my icl-
low citizens nf Putnam my cordial acknow-
Judgements for this their kind appreciation Of
nv humble services in their behalf Of this
demonstration of their kindly remembrance and
regard am most proud; and it comes the more
grateful 10 me at this time when am just out
of hard fought battle for the internal improve
mrnt Cause of our State, all covered with the
dust and sweat of the battlefield, and victor
ONLY by nc.ll'S length, having been returned
by the mca.rc majority of three. But that nEl-
iorty. thank God. is 4 fixed FACT and nlhc
will be arain the honor of standing along side
the Statesmen, of the Old Dominion, who rccog-
Mise in the Coyincton and Ohio Railroad, the
great back bone Of our internal improvement
system. and public work ir'li>solubly connec-
ted with the future prosperity, and grandeur
and power OF their State
return To the Legislature ain happy and
proud To say, without Shachlc upon Inc, so
ilr rs the subject of internal improvement Is
concerned distinctly raised the internal I'M.
provcmcnt issue, repuiiatinga diSdalnlng all
F. compromise whatsoever. and Solcmnly av0wlns
to the voters of the district. that no human
consideration could induce Inc to reverse 4
course demanded of me by every consideration
ofpa,roti>m. duty, honor and pride, and which
with the deepest convictions Of right, | had
been for near Il quarter Of century pursuing.
And the generous and enlightened con>tltucn-
CIV who have so long left me free to do, in this
regard. whatever thought best FOR the com
mon veal haze left me free still. With the
blessing of tod. shall most certainly avail
myself of the glorious freedom whcrcwlth aln
endowed shall support railroad canal, plank
road and turnpike and every class and form OF
Improvement, in just such degree as shall
consider the public interests to require Tn
no other condition would hold 4 seat in the
Legislative halls.
/ cannot Of course, tprcsec what is To be the
fate Of the Covington and Ohio Railroad at the
next session of the Legislature but 1t will he
the most misguided and unfortunate oil coun-
sc!s. if the representatives Of Virginia shall
not. next winter, put this great enterprise be-
yond contingency Its absolutely certain conf
rle,ion should be an absolutely liked Fact IN
the policy Of the State, for the moment this
question is settled, public credit, under the in
spring assurance of the sure contamination oil
! tins grand scheme 81 material development,
will revive, and the great work will progress
not only more rapidly, but far more economl-
cally than i, can under any system of contln-
gent and stintcd appropriation Millions, in
| decd vii! he saved in the cost OF the work.
and wears of time be gained in lis roaStruc-
ton, By placing it on permanent and secure
basis.
Onc thing is ccrtain-and it is cheering in
,cllscnce for every patriotic Nirsinan-thc
finances of the State are III the most suspicious
condition for the prosecution Of this great line
! Of Improvement. Under the operation OF the
present tax law. hcpcl on as it is by the crea-
tive agency of our internal improvements there
is. and will continue to he a sufficient surplus
in the treasury 10 complete all our public works
without the imposition OF - solitary dollar OF
increased taxation upon the people. That sur
plus, after paying all the floating debt Of the
| commonwealth, and meeting every deinand on
account of the public debt and the civil list, is
more than half million. And, what Is sweet
cr solace still. this existing surplus is destined
To an annual progressive increase until we shall
( not only have the most abundant means for lin
ishinc all our improvements, but eventually get
back every dollar OF their cost, and have our
taxes GRADUALLY reduced from their present high
rate to almost Il nominal amount.
| The proposition is a. obvious rs the Sun.--
! A. orr improvements shall lac raniticd through
o,lr broad domain, increased value, and largely
| increased value. will he impaired TO orr lands.
For example, III the short space Of six years,
| between the assessment of 1850 and that oil
! Isji. the augmented value Of lands in eleven
counties Of Southwestern Virginia penetrated
bv the virginia and Tennessee Rail R0ad, rose
| from six 10 twenty six millions Of dollars; so
that by constructing the Virginia and Tennes-
zee Raj! Road, costing but a few millions, the
Commonwealth collects 4 revenue on twenty
six millions, instead Of six. And what should
cheer. and even make proud every one who
has stood firmly by the improvement policy,
the neop!e are far ADLER TO bear the twenty
million than they were before the six million
tax.
And so Of the general assessment. In the
same six years the total increase in the value
of the lands Of the Commonwealth reaches =
hundred millions So that the State, in the
brief period of half dozen years, and owing
almost exclusively 10 the operation of our Rail
! Doads Canals and Turnpikcs, gathers into her