Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-01-30

Railroad Meeting.

Railroad Meeting.
A meeting was held, by the citizens of Au-
gusta County, at the Court House, on Monday,
(Court Day. January 22nd, for the purpose OF
expressing their desire that the Legislature
would grant Charter for the construction OF
Railroad from Winchester to Salem, and tor the
completion of the CovingtOn & Ohio Railroad.
On motion of H. NJ Bell, Esq, Hon. A. ID.
H. Stuart, was called to tbs Chair, and on mo-
ton of Bolivar Christian, Esq, Messrs r. Maui
zy, w. III. H. Lynn, and A. NJ. CARRIER, Jr.,
were appointed Secretaries :,
Mr.. Stuart, on taking the Chair, explained
the object Of the meeting, and, in speech,
vast interests the citizens OF this great Valley
have i'm the construction and completion OF the
proposed Railroads.
On motion of Bolivar Christian, ESD, the
Chair appointed Committee to prepare reso-
lutions expressive of the sense of the meeting.
The Chair appointed the following gentlemen
to constitute that Committee.
Bolivar Christian H. w. Shefey, H. NJ Bell,
Absalom Koyner, David Fultz, H. l.. Gallaher
and j. NJ. McCue.
Mr.. Sheffey requested Mr. Fultz to address
the meeting during the retirement OF the Com
mittee.
Mr. Fultz delivered a practical speech in ia
vor Of granting the charter for the construction
of Railroad up the Valley, and denounced IN
strong terms the narrow, contracted policy which
had governed our Legislature in the past.
Maj. John B. Watts then proceeded to adj
dress the meeting, and suspended his remarks
when the Committee, through their Chairman,
announced their readiness to report,
The Committee submitted the following pre-
amble and resolutions:
The people of Augusta, in sympathy with
the people of the whole Valley, SO long the high
way of contending armies, and regarding 1t as
vital to our interest, in order to rebuild our ru
ined homes and restore our desOlated lands,
(1st) to introduce foreign capital, for want OF
which we are utterly crippled; (2nd) to induce
immigration with the means to purchase our
surplus lands and the labor to develop our yet
INFESTED resources, and (3d) in order to do this,
to construct railroads to connect us with the
teeming traffic of the West and North; to in
troduce from the plaster deposits OF the South
west that fertilizer SO necessary to restore the
waste of our limestone lands; and Eastward to
give our products the cheapest and speedieSt
access to the markets of our seabOard cities:
But while thus inviting capital from abroad
we so appreciate the exhaustless value OF the
resources of our Valley as to hold it but right to
require of this capital as a recompense, such
terms and conditions of it's investment here as
will prevent any invidious discrimination against
Virginia interests but will leave our local traffic
and travel free to go wherever interest or atfec-
ton may invite:
And remembering that thirty years ago, when
foreign capital tempted the Valley with the
magnificent proffer of railways throughout all
her limits to the Ohio and Tennessee lines, not
only without any taxation, but with actually a
perpetual bonus to the State Treasury for the
privilege, the people of the Valley. in spirit
of patriotism, postponed their private interest
to an appeal from Eastern Virginia to await for
facilities to better markets in Virginia" We
have waited in vain until generation has passed
away, and many Of our most enterprlslng cltl-
zens in despair have sought more favored lands
but now that the Virginia treasury and tax
payers are so hopelessly unable to provide us
the facilities so indispensable to our resuscita-
tion-we ask, in simple justice, to be permitted
to look elsewhere for that aid so needed to drive
the genius of despair from the ashes OF our des-
plated homes. Therefore,
Resolved, |. That the construction OF rail-
road under a continuous charter, or by the ex-
tension and connection of existing improve
ments, throughout the Valley of Virginia from
Winchester to Salem is Of vital importance to
the people of the Valley
2. That the development of the resources of
this bounteous Valley is to that extent the de-
velopment of the resources of Virginia, and we
repudiate the policy which opposes all improve
ments that do not point to some particular Sec
ton regardless of the interests of other sections
as policy which prostrates the energies of the
people, dwarfs the resources and in the end re-
tards the development of the whole Common
wealth.
8. That the completion of the Covington and
Ohio Railroad to the Ohio River, is work of
incalculable and indispensable importance to the
interests of the whole Commonwealth.
4. That we claim the right to demand the
privilege of having these great Improvements
promptly undertaken, and completed as they
may now be, without cost or charge to the pub
lie treasury, and that our Representatives in the
General Assembly are hereby requested to use
every exertion to secure the construction of
these improvements
Nh. Fultz offered the following substitute for
the report of the Committee:
1t is only by contrasting our condition after,
with what it was before the war, that we can
fully realize the extent of our losses. Then our
farms were well stocked and in a fine state of
cultivation and with well organized system of
labor we were blessed with abundant harvests :;
now they are dilapidated the enclosures, and,
in many instances, the buildings are destroyed !;
and with deranged system of labor which
promises but little, if any, surplus products
Then we had sound convertible currency; now
what little money we have is deprecated and
distrusted. Then we were in high credit now
what little remains is about to be swept from us
by the policy Of the stay law. Then lighter
taxation never rested upon a free people; now
its accumulated weight, National and State,
threatens to crush us to the dust. Then, in
short, we were prosperous and happy now the
ravages of a most desolating war are scattered
all around us.
But amidst the gloom that hangs over us we
cannot afford to despair. There is hidden mer-
cy behind every dark cloud. Let us then re-
turn to first principles and rigidly practising in
dustry and economy, our energies will revive,
and we will find ourselves again on our feet in
the road to prosperity and happiness.