Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-03-30
VOLUME LVI.-NUMBER g.

elegant residences adorn the streets; We have
two ncwSpapcrs-wc are lighted with gas, and
the magnificent Hotel, which we all regard with
pride and pleasure has no superior anywhere:
far and ncsr its character is known. and the
epcure fingers with 4 pardonabc fondness
at the rich ieasts which greet his vision and
tempt his palate am satisfied, Mr.. Sneaker
every member upon this floor would vote for
my Dill, had the power TO seat them at one
OF the sumptuous entertainments furnished bv
mine host of the Grafton House. Ii is no vain
boast to say that there is not another town in
Western Virginia with more of the elements
oil success than Grafton. She has water powcr
III abundance; the surrounding hills are rich
in mineral wealth; her valleys arccoyered with
valuable timber; she has Touring and saw mills
and every branch Of industry is enarcine IFS
operations. Give us some aid and We will con.
tlnue to grow and prosper, and soon the Chi.
cago OF Western Virginia, as Grafton is called
Will pour. into your treasury largely increased
amount OF revenue | hone, Mr.. Speaker we
Will soon be able to avail ourselves of the libe.
raj bank charter granted lis by the General
Assembly, and thereby increase our facilities
Tor trade and commerce. The growing busi.
ness OF our people demand 4 larger amount Of
capital than We can now command, and the L.
glSlature has enabled us to supply the def
cheney.
Alr. Speaker, ! have cnticayorcd 10 show
that there Is all urgent necessity for the con-
Structlon Of this road. have demonstrated
that Grafton is an important market to the
people OF several counties, and have told this
House that there Is nct single road LEADING
into II. With all these facts before YOU, am l.
unreasonable in my request Would the lc-
slSiaturc do more than its duty TO grant mv
people the small favor ask and would il not
he derellct TO refuse: have heard members
upon this tioor appeal in behalf Of Virginia
towns and lrsna improvements; but. sir, in all
they have SAID, not one, in my humble iuds-
mcnt, has presented stronger claims to the
Just and liberal consideration Of this body than
have advanced in behalf Of the bill before us.
There is no section Of the State that has i'm.
proved more rapidly than Grafton and its vi
cInity. Why, sir, 4 stranger could scarce be
made to believe that where now stands bcan
tiiIil and enterprising town, of three or lou-
thousand inhabitants, in the mountains of
Western Virginia, five years ago was an un.
broken forest, its silence disturbed only by the
snort OF the iron horse, Us il dashed swiftly hy
" i'il hSh, hI .HtcskcT, ] lSk is Il tllaltcr
OF right and justice Millions have been voted
to works Of internal improvements in other
parts of the State, and ! consider II nothing
more than sheer justice that my constituents
should receive L few of the crumbs that drop
from the table Give us turnplkrS, and we
will pay increased revenue into the
treasury of the State; our lands will
be enhanced in value, emigration will
flow into us, and we will become richer and
stronger, and we will bc enabled 10 paw easily
the taxes we have always paid chcrrtIlly-
Deny them to lis, and we have no incentive to
renewed energy, and it will be II hard struggle
for us 10 raise our proportion of the largely in.
creased taxation inflicted! upon us by arpro.
priations to works in other parts Of the State
nave been aStoni>hcd and sreycd, Mr. Speak
cr, To see members who have voted away large
sums to large improvements refuse to vote for
small appropriations To turnpikcs. ! hope this
illibcral course will not continue longer We
should foster turnpikeS aS well as works Of
greater magnitude. Wherever you build Il
turnpike the lands are settled and the county
increases in population and as tue country fills
up, our taxes become lighter.
Mr. Speaker hope it will be the pleasure
Of the House to pass this bill. BY reference to
the map it will he seen that but few lurnplkes
are traced upon it in my section Of the State
! ask what is due us, nothing more.