Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-06-25

1T llaH tae Ctase can. ~ tiit road is CccMct
to servicesbc in a commercial sense, think II i
is the duty Of the companies to construct it, acc
not deYolve that duty upon the State, which 4
N already too heavily burthened
b. MIR. JorSsoS.-lf the construction Of thi:
10 road will COS. :he State $75 900 or Sle0, COO
ID how much more viii the State have to pay by
I'd continuing The present mode Ct transports.
is ton?
le Mr.. BKrcg-lt is no, State matter; il is n
lc matter for the consideration If the Confederate
'e States. lit is purely a commercial enterprise,
the company alone Is interested. II We 20 on
l. building every road that is SAID to be military
i necessity. IN The State OF Virginia, we shall Do
5. absolutely bankrupt in 80 days.
4 hope the ordinance will not be adopted. 7
c think that the best course to adopt with it no%
o IL TO recolnmlt it, as c:ored by the gentleman
from Bedford.
e Mr.. MoRR,s --ASregards the obi scton Of the
C gentleman from Redmond. in ie pect TO the
Il. damages Shou!! this road be transferred TO q
t, company by the State ct the close Of the var,
;. would state that the whole amount Of dana.
a ges would not exceed $50, 600, and this take
: It, would hardly operate as 4 serious obstacle
I 10 this work, even were it to be constructed as
purely commercial work. There can oe 10
doubt as to the necessity for this road; and, as
q matter OF economy, tho State should at once
proceed 10 construct It II will spare the thou.
sands that are now expended for transpor;a.
ton, according to the present imperfect 81.
rangement.
My friend from Amelia (Mr UAgvrr,) thinks
, it is the duty Of the Confederate authorities
to build this road. should like to knos
! what authority the President Of tho Cori, &c.
rate States has TO build read in Virginia.
undertake to say that he can only 10 so by
consent Of Congress, which does not mcc, ua.
Ill the Goth Of July--a period LOO remote il
view Of the pressing need for such facilities r1
this road would furnish, and rs are now ree
Quired. have no doubt if the Confederate
authorities could give their attention 10 til.
matter, and were made aware Of its necessity,
they would readily advance to Virginia sul.
ic!ent AMOUNT Of their bonds 10 meet the ex-
pense Of Its construction The reason why it
was thought lat the State should make this
connection was because We considered that The
State was the only authority having any pow
| er 10 construct II.
My friend from Amelia regards this connc,,.
tlon as very desirable thing for the rail road
companies. These connections are Of no beDe.
| tt 70 one Of the roads during the continuance ct
the war; The Richmond, fredericksburg aui
Potomac Rail Road Company, i is knuwH,
has no connection with the North at this time
and will not have, at least during the cuntin;-
ance Of the war. The only benefit that car
accrue to them from the connection will be IN
the transportation of troops from the Soulh.
As regards the building Of these connections
BY the Companies themselves, that is out @:
the question, inasmuch as they Arc wi;hon,
the necessary means to construct them. Ther
would prefer waiting until better times should
come when their bonds would be likely 10
command higher prices than they would nos
command.
Mr.. HArMoSD.-Wili the gentleman aiow
me to ask him question?
Mr.. MoRRls Rls-Certainly, sir.
Mr. HAYMoSD.-The first and second sections
OF the ordinance ere mandatory upon the Gov
ernor. They require him to construct this
road It S auhSrzts Xiii e and the other SEQ
,rac, with these rail road companies if they
sec ft TO do it. upon the terms prescribed.
Suppose these raj! road companies shoclt
decline, for there is nothing here to bind them,
to enter into this contract, will not the Gov
cvnor be bound to have this road constructed
Mr MoRRIs. i ,hink not sir
Mr. HAraosD.-lf the gentleman vii! allow
the will read the section.
"De it ordained, That the Governor be, md
he is hereby authorized and instructed to causc
to be constructed, as speedily as possible, atlne
expense Of the Commonwealth, out OF nry mo-
ney not other wise appropriated, connections be
tween the Richmond, fredericksburg and P.;.
tomac, and Richmond and Petersburg raj!
roads through Richmond, and between the
Richmond und Petersburg. and Petersburg
and Weldon rail roads on the terms proposed
by the said ra;l road companies, that IS 10
say" &C..
Now, understand the 0rst part Of that or.
dnance is mandatory upon the Governor
hfr MoERIs s-Cpou the terms proposed
not otherwise.
Mr.. HAYacNp. there il nothing in the o..
dnance 81 ! IL. t.is:aEd il, obligatory uron
the co,nptm;cS
Mr.. Mog, - ,lY understanding Of tho or.
dnaace is. 49,: the Governor has no power to
build the cgnnaction, except upon the terns
proposed ~ this company. If the companies
10 not build them npon these terms, no obl;.
CATION rcsis Irr" Ire Governor 10 construct
the road
/ will Stale il regard 10 suggestion made
on the QUESTION Of rccotnnitment, that these
connections arc entirely independent Of any
other roads terminating at Richmond. Invita-.
tons we're given to the superlntendents Of the
Central rail road and the York River rail road
to attend meeting Of the Committee, but
they replied that they had no interest in this
matter anG id not therefore deem it necessary
to attend. | intend however, 10 invite them
again, so as 10 obtain all the information we
can on this subject
Mr. BRANCH i am perfectly satisfied, af:ef
the argument Of tho gentleman from H,lllax,
(Mr. BRUcg,) and Of the gentleman from Ame-
liza, (Mr. HAEvlE,) that the ordinance ought tc
be recommitted.
will take occasion 10 say that the gentle
man from Caroline, (Mr. MoRRrs) made mis-
take wher he said the State bonds we're "orth
more than the bonds of these rail roads inter.
estel 10 tl, connection The bonds Of these
companies are worth great deal more than
the bonds vi The State.
1t is proposed to build this connection or
State account. would say il it is to be bull!
hy The Sta:e al all, it should be built as Mi.
itary road so that when you come to settle
with the Confederate States you may bring i.
in as charge against the Confederate go"err.
rleHc-
you build it as State work you will haYo
no claim against the Confederate States for l.:
For thn. rcasoD alone it is necessary to recomni,
the ordinance; but independent Of that thare are
other multtud;nous ones which shall no:
waste ,ru.c Eo# BY referring TO.
Mr. TAHvlE-I was willing yesterday to
embar. Inc State if need be in perlec:iug the
necessary means within this Sta:e On State
authority to carry on this var; and at the end
Of the war 10 nave AT account made ont for settle
ment by TIE Confederate authorities Blu:
since We have become incorporated in the Con.
federate Government. am utterly opposed
to involving the State in any obligations for ths
prosecution of this war that the other States
are uot involved in aud will consent TO incur:
ring 10 further expense without having iuil
guarantee for its reimbursement. DOUBT
very much whether we can settle our accoua: