The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-08-01
The Great Virginia Route.

It is to be regretted that the county
Court of Augusta at its last term deemed i
oroner to nostpone the vote OF the county
upon subscription of s25o,Oo0 to the pre-
ferred stock of the Chesapeake and ONO
railroad. The people Of the county, rs VIZ
believe, were ready for the suoscrlp'ion'
and would have voted it by decided poi''
What the motive for the postponcment was
we cannot say; but trust that 1t was h''
one of hostility. For although we are
satisaed now that the people VIII aec,ae -
favor of the subscription, we spoutu o'
gratifed to see the court concnrr'hs ~ 'h'i'
wishes on the subject.
The delay of the vote is In some degree
detrimental to the great work. 1t would
have been placed under contract the mo-
meut Augusta subscribed to the stock. The
postponement Of her subscription makes
the postponement of the contracts unavoid-
able under the company's charter, whicn
REQUIRES that certain amount of stock shall
be subscribed before the work is begun.
Augusta is deeply interested in tins ran
road to the Ohio-far more than she is IN
any other enterprise at this time projected.
Without meaning any opposition to the Val
ley railroad, we may with truth say It's
benefits for Staunton cannot compare with
those to be conferred upon that town by the
Chesapeake and Ohio railroad-a Virginia
road that will be operated in the interests
of Virginia. This latter road Will supply
the manufacturing population OF Augusta
.ond Stanton with coal and iron and TIM
her. From manufacturing enterprise must
come their greatest wealth and popula-
t;on-that kind of enterprise will ada TO
their numbers multitudes of operatives and
mechanics, who will become consumers
and rive to the farmers the market for their
produce at their very doors. The Valley
railroad when it is extended southwardly
will give transportation for the wares anu
machines of the Augusta manufactures "
new markets, and that is the best service
that road may be expected to render that
country. But the Chesapeake and Ono
road gives also transportation to these
fabrics besides affording the raw material
for their manufacture.
But there is no hostility between these
roads. We draw this comparison only 10
present the claims Of the great western line
upon the solid people of Augusta, who are
20 deeply interested in it.
If Augusta county is vitality interested IN
this road, not less concerned should be the
noble county Of Albemarlc. We believe that
VIRGINIA is to become the TEACHER OF THE
UNION. The genius of her people, lnfiu-
cuced and modelled by their climate ana
the intangible causes which exist IN the
mir. and the waters, and the earth of Vlr-
rinia. alapts them especiallyto this relation
towards the Union, which will find It's
peace and security and its endurance best
promoted by the influence that Virginia
may exert through her liberal principles,
her elevated virtues, and her pure
philosophy, which is alike free from
fanaticism and sectional prcjudiccs. But
10 enable her to become the teacher she
must have free and rapid intercourse
with all sections of the Union. With the
West she has no such intercourse. The
Chesapeake and Ohio road Will give 1t to
her. And we believe that in ten years after
that communication is established, the Uni
rersity of Virginia will have from five
to six thousand students. If that instl-
tuition had six hundred students be-
fore there was q railroad to Chariottes-
vile, would it be extravaganza TO assume
that direct road thence to the Missis-
sippi Valley added to those that town
already has, will give ten students for one
when stages were the only means Of travel
thither? We believe not. What flourish
ing town would Charlottesville become, and
what n home market would the farmers OF
Albemarle then have for their produce
The Mississippi valley is to afford to the
University its greatest support, as 1t Will
afford to Virginia commerce its greatest
prosperity. We do trust that the leading
men of Albemarle and Augusta will appre-
ciate fully the immense advantages this
grand connecting line between the Chesa-
peake and the Ohio offers for their noble
region of the State, and 60 ardently to
work to help it. Their counties now stand
almost alone all the other counties save
one have nobly contributed their shares to
the cause; and yet Augusta and Albemarle
are more extensively and vitality interested
in the completion of the road than any
others. If they would promptly subscribe,
the work would be at once begun, and it
would never stop until finished. Then
would be manifested new heaven and a
new earth in the industry, the enterprise,
the commerce, and the general prosperity
of Virginia. If one railroad has built Bal
timore, what may we not expect from our
great road to the Ohio2
IT
Misgovernment can but result in para