Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-06-20

or $3.50. 900. have great doubts whether
the road ought to be made at all; whether the
right of construction should be given, after the
agitation and discussion which took place in
the Legislature during the last two years. Ger.
tainly, I shall not vote for it, unless Gen. Lee
tells me that it is a military necessity. Then
I will, if necessary, vote five hundred thousand
dollars 80,
Those who have been in the Legislature are
familiar with this mode of constructing rail.
roads which has been proposed. We may pay
out our funds and take mortgages without end,
but the idea Of getting our money back is ell
moonshine in nine cases out of ten; and it will
bs all moonsaine in this. Ii you vote away
one hundred and fifty thousand dollars now,
you need have no expectation Of Seeing a return.
If you do, 1t will be a rare instance Of success
among the many roads constructed in Vir.
GINA. Ny " constituents are not in n con-
dition to expend their money for such
purposes, unless it be with the sanction Of
the COMMANDMENT. Chief. for the defence Of
the State, when they will cheerfully make
their contribution.
Mr.. CoNRAD.-AS a new ground of opposi.
ton has been started BY my friend from Lou.
doun, | must say a word in reply. 1t is one
which | indicated when this subject was first
introduced. | then remarked that if there WAS
any opposition to the ordinance, it would be
because it was u subject Of controversy in the
Legislature of the State; and as the gentleman
has referred to it in that connection, | beg
leave to state that in the two winters when it
was before that body, the House Of Delegates
in each instance passed 4 bill authorizing, by
a large minority, the construction Of the road.
The bill, however, was rejected in the Senate
by a combination of local interests. | never
believed and do not now believe that there was
any rational foundation at any time for the op.
position to the construction Of this road, grow
ing out Of the commercial necessity Of the
State Of Virginia; but I do not wish to revive
that controversy.
Mr. CAgrER-The Manassas Gap company
| represented hat it was q commercial necessity
| which induced them to oppose It,
Mr.. CoNRAD.-lt was the commercial inter
est Of u rival company, and by a process famil:
iarly known as log-rolling, which led 10 It's re-
lection. But, as | said before, | d. not wish
to revive this question. | base III present
argument upon the ground. which is impreg'
nable, that il is necessary rs l measure for the
military defence Of the State. The gentleman
saws that if the Commanding General shall
voluntarily coulc forward and say it is o militia
~ necessity, he will then vote Coz an appropri'
ton of even five hundred thousand dollars. Sir,
no appropriation is .asked for, but simply n loan
Of one hundred and twenty-five thousand dol
lars, upoa any security which the Governor
and Council shall require. The road itSeli
will certainly be sufficient for that. But
more than tins. The condition which the
gentleman has named, has actually been CON-
piled with. The Commanding General has said,
and it is reported by the Governor to til,
Convention, that It is amilitary necessity.
"A claim Of Ei@ard C.. Marshall, President
Of Manassas Gap railroad company, was pre-
sen,ed, made payablet to j. a. Smith, Cashie!
Of Farmers Bank Of Virginia, by direction o
Edward q. Marshall, amounting to thirtee:
thousand FIVE hundred dollars, TO pay dutie.
for railroad iron purchased for laying railroad
track from Strasburg to Winchester, saiG~coat
being declared by Major General Lee to be ne
crsssry for the transportation Of troops ant
munitions Of war, and Tho sa,ue ordered To b.
allowed"
That was on Thursday, Nay 9th, 1861, ant
is taken from the journal of the Execuliv,
Council.
have Only to add, that if the necessity ex
listed IN the 9Th of May, or at any time p~rtriou;
to that, for the construction Of this road, i
exists now in u ten fold degree; fer unless thi
road is constructed, it will be utterly lTnpossi
bic TO transport reinforcements with ~Sutfiaien
rapidity to Winchester, which is threatened b.
a force four or five times larger than our own
The railroad now running TO StrasbGrg con
veys troops at the rate Of two or three thOus
and a day they so from there with sue!
means of transportation as can be found alon;
an ordinary turnpike road, and they are oblig
ed 20 march seventeen miles on foot An,
gentleman can see what al impeachment this il
10 q rapid reinforcement Of our forces 1T tina
point. submit to the Convention, whethe
in its opinion there ought to be any hesitation
in making proper provision for our troops
even though it should require an appropria
ton Of five hundred thousand dollars. Tn,
ordinance was reported 10 the Convention a
modified by Mr.. SLAUGHTER, the words :"
sum not exceeding one hundred and twenty
five thousand dollars, including the sum ad
vanced to pay the duties on the iron," bein
substituted in lieu of the words mot exceed
ing fourteen thousand dollars"
Mr.. MoSTAGUE.-I desire to make a singl
remark. The gentleman who has just take
his seat read an extract, said to be printed vii,
the Governors message, which seemed TO b
in conflict with what | stated. / have no re
collection that General Lee ever expressed hi
opinion, that this road was d matter Of gcca
military necessity.
To counteract that impression, the gentle
man has read an extract not FROM the journs
Of tho Executive Council, but FROM the journs
Of the Auditing Board Of Claims. You ma
read every word in the proceedings Of the E,
ecu,ire Council without 6niing that Geuers
Lee has said one word indicating his dcslr
that this road should DO built.
Mr.. BRANcH.-If | can be satisfied that thi
road is necessary for military purposes, | sha1
most heartily concur in the proposition TO cor
struct it;but there is no good evidence rs get tha
it is required. The very wsighty remarks of tn
gentleman from Loudoun Mr.. CAKTER] ought
1t seems to me, to weigh upon every metabe
Of this Convention. AS he has stated, tn
town Of Winchester last year proposed to bull
the road without asking a single dollar fror
the State. Now we have the Manassas Ga
Company also asking that it should be bull
Both interests are doubtless contending for it
construction, and both uoT want money frou
the State. must confess that | do not see tn
necessity for it. therefore move that the sub
jsct be laid upon the table.
Mc. CoSnAD.-Upon this question | ask til
yeas and nays.
The call being sustained, the vote was take
with the following result-yeas 81, nays OF.
The following are the names OF the gentle
tnen who voted in the affirmative.
Yz.s-MeHrs. Amber, Aston. James Barbour; EIos
Branch, Bruce, Carter, Cecil, Chapman. james Il. Coz
Deskln,, Forbes, Fugate, Grsyely, Gregory, Garnet, L. :
Hall, Hull, Isbell. Kilby, Kindred, Lake, hacfa5'ane
Charles X Mallory, Narye, Montague, Se5lett, Pakt
sharp, daughter, Speed, A. II Il. Stuart, ~Tredway, AM
Wsller-8i
The following gentlemen voted in the mega
tive:
NAYs-Messr,. Baldwin. Baylor, Berlin, Biaeey, Bni
CoGman, Conn, 9. y Conrad, Robert !. Conrad, CrIiche'
Gusts, Dorman. Fisher, G!lletpie, Gogg'n. John Goode, Jr
Addison Hall, Cyrus Hall, Raymond, HolcoIa6e. hhrnH
i. Mallory. Miller, Mefstt, Morris, Morton, Moore, Ne!
Son, Preston, Price, Pugh, Rrves, Saunders, Robert L
SCOTT, shes1y, sou.hall' staples !. Strange ran. = Sh Sn.n n So 10y