Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-02-14

Speech Of e. III. 11a.ruder, OF Albcinarlc.
The following is the substance of the speech Of
B. H. MACHuDER, Of Abcmarlc in tic House
Of Delegates, on the passage Of the bill Az
thorizng Il loan of $500 GuQ for the compile
tion oi the Virginia Central Railroad, Fchru
ary I'd. 1860
Tie bill being on its passage. Mr.. MAcrrprr
said: Mr.. SPEAKER, | do not occupy the
position Of the peculiar patron of TINS BILL that
post belongs to the member from Augusta, and
my friend from Aleghany, but from the TX.
cess ormodcsty Of the one, and the temporary
indispositon Of the Other, have been called
upon 10 explain and urge its merits and claims
upon the favorable consideration OF this House;
Il task chcerully undertake. bacausc Of my
earnest conviction, that the passage Of this bill
is required upon every ground o(jnsticc, public
interest, and prudent economy. Mr.. SPEAKER:
in the exercise Of that wisdom, justice and
sound policy, which trust will ever character.
ize the action of this body, we on yesterday
passed bill (thc Covington and Ohio,) which
ensures the regular and onward progress OF
that great State work. to its terminus on the
Ohio By that act, we have put a period to
that sickness Of heart from hope deferred
so feelinsly and cloquently described By my
friend from kanawha (Mr. SMITH, under
which he and his people have so long labored,
and both by the amount Of the appropriation
and the vote by which it WAS granted (l07) we
have furnished confirmation strong as proof
from holy writ" that ere long the CovingtDn
and Ohio road will he completed TO the banks
Of that beautiful rirer--an event, upon which,
in advance. must in the fullncss Of my heart
congratulate you Of the West and ourselves Of
the &lst-lor it is materially important and in
tercsting to both. For it will make you our
fellow .ctizcns-our brethren Of the Wcst-al
ready one with us in feting and patriotic dcvo.
ton to Eirginia--one with us likewise, in social
and commercial intercourse. Already have
those mountain barriers, which so oft have
made
-"cneu,Ics OF nations which else
Like kindred drops, had mingled into one"
been, not hrwn down, It's true, but penetra-
ted, not by the wand Of oriental magic, but BY
the more potent agencies Of modern ciyiliza
tion-thc pickaxc and the crowbar in the
hands Of Stalwart men, guided by the lights Of
science and cxpcricncc-and, ere long. our
Western border will be bound to our Atlantic
coast by the iron rail. and in the language Of
my old friend, Gen. GoEpoS) soon the steam
horse will snuff the ocean breczcat early dawn,
and on the set Of sun will hathe his weared
limbs in the pcllucid waters of the Ohio. So
mote it he!
But Mr. SrEAKEn, for the attainment Of this
''consunmation so dcvoutly to be wished" it
is indispensably necessary that the Western
terminus of the Central should be connected
with the Eastern terminus Of the Covington
and Ohio. There is 4 gap-a hiatus Of ten
oh, 1,n tail ArIn ff,
the uninterrupted and continuous flow Of that
mighty sfftam Of travel and transportation
about to be gathered on the Covngton and
Ohio in rs onward course from the West to
Alexandria, Richmond, Petersburg and Nor.
folk-crowding our marts with busy tralfck-
ers and our ports with sails to and from every
cline. That there will be this immense vol.
umc Of travel and produce on this great Cen.
tra line, no one can doubt who listened with
candor to the imprcgnable array Of facts and
arguments presented by the members from
Monroe, (Messrs.' CHAPMAN and CAPEETHN,l J
and my friend from Kauawha, (Mr. SMITH
And for this connection, SO necessary to the
highest interests Of the State, the bill now un-
der consideration makes provision And re.
joicc, Mr.. SPEAKER, in saying it makes c1tcM-
al provision for the entire completion Of the
Central, without drawing dollar from your
treaSury-wthout imposing the aceight Of q
tsather in the way of burden, by taxation, on
our people. This sir. is strong and plain Ian
guage, but mean what say, and if do not
demonstrate the truth Of the pvsiti'ni {" this
House, beyond doubt or cavil, then Mr.. CLERK,
record my vote against this bill.
This bill authorizes 4 loan to the Central OF
5000, ,000-rcquircs of the Central first, mort
gage upon its entire line. property and rev.
cnues, for the payment OF principal. the pune
tlal payment every six months Of the interest
the State pays upon its loans, and the one per
cent to the sinking fund. Now is the security
rendered by the company ample and abundant
for these purposes: What are the facts. Its
line is already l9+ miles long and. will be,
when completed, 204 mlcs-trarersng 4 coun-
try Of whose wealth, productircnesS and re
sources, it is unnecessary ~ speak-with rail,
road connections as feeders, branching ont in
all directions, pouring their tribute from New
Orleans, Memphis, Washington, Alexandria
and ere long from the whole Western and
NORTH. Western region through the Covington
and Ohio company whose line and property has
cost already $500, 900
sum Of coo, 900
now asked for, is expended S5.902,9 goo
'Tis true the company owes debts
amountingto 10 Sl,52S,93 j
Which deduct from the cost ofthe
work leaves STILL S4,4339 93U
rs the cost Of the work and property Of the
q.