Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-01-31

lUG Importance hl tue NutI'hA Mtlt'tt Ais-' ~
cupied our leading columns for the last two
days makes the space we devote to II mat
ter Of no consideration whatever. IL every
journal and every pupiic rru in the State
were to give all their alienation and energies L"
this matter, until all impediU"uts were re
moved, all difficulties smootneC away, the con-
tract with the French Company cO.SCmmated
and its execution entered upon, i, would bc ia
Dor and time well applied. With this couvic-
ton, and as a proper sequel 10 what has al
ready appeared in the WING, We present this
morning a summary Ofthc " Report ofthe Com
mittee Of Roads and Internal Navigation, oil
the expediency Of rcyiyins the Charter OF the
Virginia Canal Company" which Is the latest
action OF the Legislature bearing ON the queS-
ton and presents the subject TO tine reader M
its present status. The Committee, N Ian
guage which none will consider overwroushtr
say, in the preface 10 their report: "Thc com
.. pletion of the water line to the Ohio River,
" ON the plan proposed by the Virginia Cana.
q Company, would more than realize the AN
9. ticipations OF the original projectors and
q friends Of this great Improvement. 1t would
take rank with the chief sources q:
wealth OF the State, even in time o'
greatest prosperity but at present, when the
:, finances Of the State are exhausted by de-
&c olating war, when her agricultural resources
are depressed by the sudden overthrow OF
her industrial system, and her internal i'm
provements are incomplete and UnprOduc-
tive, this enterprise, by the Introduction o
foreign capital and labor, willintuSe new life
into every department OF industry. During
90 its progress il would be OF incstimablc adj
{. vantage and its final completiouwould restore
Virginia to her original prosperity, and en-
able her to resume her position as one of the
first States OF the Union in wealth and iuilu-
' ence."
President ELLIS, at the request OF the COM
mittee, appeared before them, and submitted
such documents, and made such explanations
as they desired To have. The first document
submitted was a copy OF the Executory Agree
ment, the stipulations of which were presented
in our issue Of Monday. Ancr this document
was read, Mr.. L. submitted letter from h. DE-
BELLor DEs MNIERgs, bearing date, Paris
February 9th, 1861, in which, after adyertin-
to the American crisis aud the dillicultie,
which it threw in his way, ne says;
AS told you IN my preceding letter, am not
discouraged by the many obstacles which thu, ARISE
without my being able o. prevent them. do not
draw back from any sacrifice ui Tune OF money, o.
trouble from any effort necessary tu reconstruct
that which had been 50 carefully built up and So
fully prepared, and which the present troubles iaN,
entirely Oyerthrown. have established a nunbe'
OF relations which, no matter Wuat the result IN THIS
connection are and will De excessively useful % the
canal as well as 10 Virginia, and even % the entlr
South. have formed aud sign to-day, with MI
James Fay, the most important parsonage m swift
Zerland 1.-THE country peculiarly OF emlgrdtOn,) and
one OF the most influential politician, OF Europe,
treaty providing for company ui emigration auu
colonization 10 people aud clear the west of Nlr
GINA. Here Is an immense service, can say. reu
lered 10 Virginia. Switzerland Will sCud Us
many honest and labOuOuS emigrJutS We wish.
and at a small expense. Nr. James FdZy Is the Pre-
sdent Of the Bank Oi Switzerland q powerful estdh-
lishmeut formed upon the has, OF the Bank %.
France lie is, moreover, the president OF The
council of state OF ms nation. THIS Is a great
financial power. lie Is real acquisition % the ca-
nal and u Virginia He brings with him uumb',
of influential persons and establishments.
81 have obtained also the alliance and the pro
mise of help OF the most powerful man u England.
Let not this word England m.-.cJd YOU. SIZE
moves only with France and alter France. hut
when France and England are united success alone
aud not failure, can eusue.
II am 10 have an audience with the Prince Napo-
icon, the sOn-in-law Of the h,ug ut Italy, the day
after tomorrow the subject OF tlc canal and the
Pacific railroad. Here is another powerful couuet-
ton which will be OF great assistance, aud which
il storm ever breaks out over the south, Will 0e
able 20 turn aside its effects. No puuCe IA Europe
after the Emperor, can accomplish more, owing 10
his personal and political influence, and that OF the
men who follow him.
N,rs sf.t tf
ing through the mmenSe u.ilrU,ue~, political and
financial which the American cr.Si, crrateS. The
formation OF this company ui cEt grafton, 70 which
we contribute part OF cur western lands, makes u-
adhere more than eveC 90 -Ir Lpiylpu OF the cd
nal without which we We, know Ne -2l never non
der productive wood, our i,un g'.t 'Ur coal In
terest then plainly guarantees the sincerity aud en-
ergy Of our efforts.
I'VE may as wei! remark here, a' PaSSud,
for the information Of those who are curious 20
know the cause of the great interest mani
tested by these Freuchmcu in the completion
Of our Virginia canal, that a sufficient cxplana-
ton is found IN the allu,iou here made to
western lands, +" ''wool, ..iron " aud "coal, ~
it being understood thai they are the proprie-
tors of immense bodies of such lands in the
Kanawha Valley.l
Inc next uOtulAtul NAa'uAlAlfA ~ lut htlblA
of the Committee on Roads and Internal
Navigation, at the eStra-ScSSion OF lS6O-Gl, in
response to a resolution asking for proof of the
ability of McsSrS. BELLoT DIS MINIEEES,
BROTHERS & COMPANY to execute the con-
tract. The committee say
1.-THE testimony which has been alduced before
the committees, consists OF an extensive cOrresp'h
rb and
a brief biographical sketch OF the several persons
connected interest or IN influence tI lAo>e Nuo
!. propose " undertake the completion oil The eu'e'
prise IN question. IL exhibits combined power ''
capital, OF commercial connection, OF pOAtc'
strength aud governmental sympathy, rarely formed
and rAnincatiOn with other great works OF inter
nal Improvement, bringing the master spirits wh'
control those works, 10 aid IN the construction oil
the one here proposed aud eyinr.us disposition {,
concentrate their energies .ul,f,. tb, particular
scheme which renders II certain of acrompls hment
If once undertaken
Your committees have no hesitation in eXpreSs
ing their belief that but ior tue political and imam
riaI crisis which impeuds over tho Nr,erir.,.
Union, the contracting parties in France youIl b,y,
been ready by this time O. enter ygorOus upou tL
prosecution OF the canal.
The house OF Bellot 1es Minieres, Brothers an,
Company and their associates IN Europe, constitute
one of the most powerful financial organizations d
the present day-abuudantly able, u would appeal
IN complete the Virginia water line on the gran
scale projected by them, and also "a establish an
,naintain steam and sail lines between its Ocea
teTIniuus and foreign port>-thus giving promise
realizing in the fullest manner and IN the shorie
time the SPLENDID result, long anticipated 10y q
many friends and advocates OF tins great state u
provement'
One item Of evidence, and very importa
one. on which the committee based their OPT
ION. was the following letter from the Ohe
French Minister at Washington
WASHINGTON, January 81, lS6l.
0SIR-In reply 70 the letter which you did me {
hanOr 70 address 20 me under date OF the 18th
slant take pleasure in informing you that my 90
ornment has instructed me 20 lend as much MOI
snnDort as Is compatible with the reserve imposed
mn official position, 70 the canal scheme proposed
~ house OF Bellot des Mineres, Brothers and Coz
nanV. which is now before the legislature Of Virgin
~ ~ sanction. This is proof sir, not only Of {
interest felt By my government IN the realization
+bis enterprise, but Of the confidence with which
a-sons who control the measure inspire IT, in eve
P-set. otherwise, the government would certain
Iend a support which it Is not in the habit
~, for light and trivial reasons.
a. PsnI the French consul at Richmond viii
.hia 70 Law before you documents which viii sh'
aDiC ~ has taken this step Wlth0