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

. - commencing SuCn NOrk during SuCH d val
60 and in such a country. Such eX
" actions, such incredible pretensions would
90 be the climax of folly. By what right can II
80 be said that we have not complied with our
50 engagements, or failed in our promises we
"a have done a thousand times more than the
80 mere sticking together of rock and mortar
IS We have been necessarily engaged, in ma
50 teral and moral way, sOt easily described
9. with the pen. We have done an hundred
90 times more for the destiny, the amellora'lon
SO and general good OF the State OF Virginia oy
9. our labors, BY our expenditures, by our de-
Q. voted and indefatigable exertions to make
e. known and popularize your country ana the
s canal, than could have been hoped lor OF
s. expected and this labor will prove useiul
Sc and productive to the canal, if Virginia land
" we doubt it not) acts Loyalty with US
Virginia would dishonor herself-she would
g. e,r in the esteem of America and Europe
9. were she TO resort to subterfuges so unworthy
..of her. 1t would be shameful, an ignoble
9. snoIiation-a stain, which would blot ont the
g. trigbtest pages of the history Of which she is
e.. so Justly proud. The material and moral
q. effects of such an act would be incalculable
ct would admit of neither palliation nor eX-
&c tenuation, and it would be recorded in his
9, tory as an act of dishonor pregnant with ag-
.. gravating circumstances, and it would have
60 the most Observation-Disclosures upon the country
50 and canal
Here a new element for the first time de-
yelopes itself to his view-the division of Viz
rinia. 1t evidently disconcerts and discourages
him. He, however, meets it promptly at the
threshold. He SAYS The President and the
Sc Supreme Court Of tine United States, and the
g Governor of Virginia, It is said, recognize
9. that new State has been formed within the
G, jurisdiction of this State, called West Viz
So cinia,' comprising several of the counties
9. through which the James River and ka-
8. nawha Improvement paSseS-so that l pre-
q. sumo it will be necessary that the charter of
g. the Virginia Canal Company, heretofore
8. granted, shall be revised by the General
q. Assembly of West Virginia, as well as that OF
IS Virginia will open a correspondence with
" the Governor of West Virginia" &C.
90 Our right is still with us, and
80 would remain intact, were Virginia parcelled
Q. into four, or any number of fractions. Our
.. right is anterior, and superior to all this; and
o it would be a singular and unjustifable doc
8, trine-a doctrine without precedent, as it
8. would be contrary to all law, legal, moral,
g. reasonable, Just or equitable, which would
.. pretend that an act posterior to the division
3, of a State-eyen were that division perfectly
" legal, constitutional and beyond criticism
.. could destroy or even weaken the effects Of
8. law passed by the State. in its double
" quality of private proprietor and sovereign
d" capacity"
Again, says he" Our right is one and in
divisible." "The stockholders, be they who
e. they may, OF Eastern or Western Virginia,
are bound by the contract. = By what
8. right does State, old or new, insinuate
9. itself into conventions eminently Of private
" charactcr?" He thus speaks Of any attempt
that may be made to set aside his CONTRACT If
&C this iniquity were accomplished, it would
o arrest for centuries the material progress OF
=. your country, and for long time the finish
.. ing of the canal; for those who attack us
"a are far from suSpecting the indomitable
q energy with which we are endowed, or the
9. value and strength of our means of defence.
=. We would raise a storm about them that
8. they could not quiet. Such an act
.. would put your country under the ban OF
s.. Europe, in financial point Of view, and on
9. the score OF emigration"
81 To attempt to check us now, would be an
s. act ofpohtical and commercial insanity. 1t
5. wouldprove the ruin otthe work, and the stop
5. page of that material progress so necessary to
Virginia to repair the sad effects of the war.
5. The clearest wisdom counsels the avoid
ance of irritating and public discussion on
, the subject of the Virginia Canal. The
J.. more clearly the superiority Of the Virginia
Is work is proved, the more thoroughly you
B. arouse the active hoStilities of all parties
interested in rival works and corporations
E. against the Canal and against the State. On
5. this question we entertain our own opinions
90 we condemn all commercial jealousies-
8. The competition in the greatest number OF
Sc cases is more apparent than real; but your
telow-citizens generally, particularly those
6. ofthe North and East, are not familiar with
Is these economical truths-and the superiority
of the Canal once demonstrated, their sec
5. tsnal as well as commercial hostility will be
aroused, though there would be in truth no
ground for the latter. That which at the
5. North and the East constitutes the industrial,
b, commercial and financial power, was and IS
B. firmly convinced of the superiority of the
5. Virginia line. This power, from ignorance
70 of the true principles of political economy,
5. would be welded against the Canal rather
s, than for it, by the benevolent expenditure OF
sc immense sums tor its achievement. With
5. these false notions of political economy, the
s.. fate Of the Canal might be doubtful but we
% come in with our claim of right-and we
b. doubt not that we will crush out any at
. tempt at the formation of a company which
. would attempt, by an odious act Of spolia-
. ton, to defraud us of our rights. 1t is Of
8. small importance that the attention and envy
B. of certain Spectators has been aroused by
. the value which they SET upon the Canal
b. We prefer, for their honor, to believe that
/. they are ignorant of our legal and moral
% rights.
Upon our representations, the doors of the
B. stock exchange would be closed on any COM
j.. pany presenting itself under the conditions
&. of the company to which we allude. At the
same time, we would make the most vigorous
5. defence OF our rights before the Federal
courts, and several European powers would
5. make vigorous diplomatic remOnstranceS.
% We would apply for a cayeat upon the canal,
aud take all the legal steps that may be
s.. necessary"
He SAYS: Sc If had ever thought our right
could be questioned, l tell you frankly that
q we would never have undertaken the work,
. H.. NJ tho ,,oint IN which We have advanced