Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-01-30

q {" influence upon the Governors mnd' MI
t" PE1RPoISr's position is a delicate one, and by
a. many is viewed with anything but friendly
" ewes. l find it difficult TO believe that Mr.
.. PE1RPoINT will oppose the canal, and for what
ain what interest If Mr.. PEIRPOINT has any
9. objection TO make, let him speak. We are
% ready to answer. Is our honor doubted
&" We are shielded from any such attack. The
" moral endorsement ofour government should
"prove victorious reply to any attack"
,s The moral recommendation of any govern
&c ment, particularly in business matters, is al
ways an eloquent act, not to be disputed
" How much stronger is it when given by a
% great and powerful country like France,
.swhose loyalty has never been called in ques-
q ton. The French Minister in Washington
90 wrote you that it was not lightly, and with
out taking all necessary information, that the
=. French Government did this, and that such
g. an act testified TO the well-merited confidence
Il" in those at the head of the canal scheme
g Independent of these recommendations from
" the Government, the French Consul in Rich
' mond holds in his hands the warmeSt letters,
''not only from persons of high position
% throughout France, but the highest author-
{" ties in our department and city have written
&" to him. Now, for those who understand the
"reserve with which such things are done in
Nance (quite the reverse of what obtains in
{" England and America), the fact is very sig
G.
placed, have ever, in France, given written
recommendations to any one on matters of
90 business of such Importance, and that
abroad. Such things are not done for every
"body."
He combats, at great length and with much
warmth, the idea that his company has not the
necessary capital, and asks, if this were SO,
would they have unremittingly, for seven years,
bestowed great labor, expense and study upon
this subject He alleges that they can raise
one two or three hundred millions, or more, if
necessary, for this project. Speaking of the
Governor, in connection with rival companies,
he saws: "He loses his time If he patronizes
" such people. We defy them to raise one hun
:. dred thousand dollars" He denies the right
of West Virginia to take any action Subversive
of the contract saying that the Federal Courts
would sweep away all pretensionS, If the in
tervegtion OF West Virginia shall be means Of
cancellation and simplifcatOn of Difficult
ties, he will make no objection, but if other
wise, he will object. He says ave maintain
. above all our contract and the charter, partic-
&c ularly the first We claim its execution, and
90 refuse acknowledgment to anything affecting
" its validity We demand to be allowed TO re-
{" sumo our position whenthe rule ofmartial law,
" which is state ofwar, ceases, but with the de-
" duction of the twelve days which elapsed be-
tween the PRONUNCIATION of the charter and the
8. commencement ofthe war;" He requests Col
onel ELLIS toocall meeting of the stockhold-
ers and to ask of them a renewal of the con-
tract. Should intrigues prevail in this meet
ing. he asks that another meeting be held a
month or six weeks after. Should this second
meeting not ratify the contract, he declares
that he will then appeal to the Federal Courts.
He indicates distinctly in this letter the modi-
fcations he desires shall be made in the charter,
SAYING, eve ask simply for two corrections
first, that the words, and 4 number of
" shares sufficient to represent the interest of
- the capital for construction pending the exc
g. cution of the work. shall be added or inter-
" polated in article 2, chapter 2, under the
9, head of capital-and the sum of $4,000 shares
:. increased by as much. The justice OfthiS
% demand is evident. All companies take into
9" account the interest of the capital pending
90 construction this is always done for every
&" public work or factory-and it is evidently
% an omission.
Secondly-We ask simply the suppression
" of the first two sentences lin the first four
:. lines and a-halO of article 2, chapter I =.
" The annual net profits of the company pro-
g ceeding from all sources shall never exceed
" fifteen per centum upon their capital stock,
" &C., &C. We ask this, because it is condi-
:, ton in contradiction TO that of our contract,
&" and because, though we should be perfectly
satisfied with fifteen per cent. clear, 1t is not
necessary to insist upon clause which can
only disgust the public. We do not, how
60 ever, for the moment, insist upon the numer-
90 ous notifications we desire in the charter
{. We do not even insist upon the two just
" pointed out pray you will set this ques
q ton of rectfcatiOn aside, should you think it
&" will cause the least difficulty with the Vir-
g ginia Legislature in the ratification, renewal
or recognition of the charter. Though it
q certainly would be better to grant us all the
"rectifcations called for, particularly the two
mentioned, We are anxious, above all things,
.. to avoid all irritating queStionS-all that may
stand in the way of an amicable understand
ing. Should they prove so unreasonable as
90 not to accept, without discussion, our just
requirement for these two notifications, we
s'accept the charter such as it is, looking for
better times, when we will be better under
stood. We believe, unless the Legislature be
:. clearly favorable, it is better to strip the
question for the moment of everything that
may cause difficulty, or furnish an excuse to
our enemies to give career to incorporate
language. We doubt not that when calm is
restored, the Legislature will accord all that
we claim from its justice and good sense"
He adds: " reiterate all my assurances of
:. good will for your great work, for your
country and yourself. Among the projects
depending on the canal, which we will push
:. with energy, is the improvement, or rather
the canalization of New river, work of in
% calculable advantage to the State and to the
canal. We wish to improve the Kanawha on
sc a large scale; also to canalize the Mononga-
8. hela, and progressively, all the important
E. rivers of the State, East aud West, as also
the Ohio. Without these Improvements, the
affair of the canal is not, by a great deal, so
80 important or so advantageous. To enable us
=. to do this, we ask but two things-respect to
conventions, and abstinence from foolish and
q dishonest opposition"
Under date of London, November, 1865, he
acknowledges, with much apparent pleasure,
the receipt, through the French Consul, Of the
Richmond Wing, of 2lst October, containing
the proceedings of the general meeting of the
canal stockholders, in which, by unanimous
l,,F, fla