The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-01-24


with splendid gold headed cane, as q
testimonial of their high appreciation OF
Captain Williamson as a gentleman and
of their good will towards his boat.
The cane was presented on behalf of the
citizens of Powba,an, by DR.. T. Fl. Arm
strong, who said:
Captain T. III. Williamson of the Steamer
Hope:
SIR-The citizens of Powhatan and
vicinity who are friendly to you and the
boat which you command, have met
You ia. day for the purpose of express
ing their appreciation Of an enterprise
in which you are engaged and in the
success Of which we believe we all have
an interest. 1t has been custom from
time immemmorial for the friends of
any enterprise, and especially one which
is believed to be of public utility and
the success Of which will be promotive of
tine public benefit, to express their
sympathy Herewith by gifts or NOM
MORALS accompanied with suitable pub
lie demonstrations. la harmony with
this time hsnored custom and as an ex-
preston Of our sympathy and good feel
ing toward yon and your efforts to es
tabish an independent trade between
the ports of Wheeling and Matamoras,
your friends have assembled to-day.
While we are thus desirous to tender to
you slight testimony of our good will
and sympathy, we are actuated by no
motive of jealousy and by no unkind
feelings towards your opponents, but on
the other hand we do so in full recogni-
ton of their equal right with that of
yourself to run their boats, and to con-
tend honorably for patronage.
| We, however, also recognize the fact
that the Ohio river is free, aud that all
who choose have right to navigate it.
1t is owned by no individuals, com.
panies, or corporations, but is the mag
nificent gift of nature to all, and for the
use and benefit OF all.
The great valley which it waters-its
numerous tributary valleys, and the
adjacent upland country, stretching
for many miles from each shore, have
become the homes of an immense popu-
lation, all of whom have an interest in
the great thoroughfars which is their
outlet. 1t is not surprising, then, that
a people thus situated, and thus inter
ested should look with some degree of
jealousy upon all efforts to fouHd me.
nopolies, and to drive from the river in
dependent lines of transportation.
Monopoiies have ever been found in
imical to the interests of the people,
and transportation monopolies are es
pecially go to an Agricultural and man
ufacturing people. Any enterprise hsv-
ing for its object the establishment Of
portation, whether on land or by water,
must, sooner or later, receive the sup.
port of people who are awake to their
interests. When your boat came in
here, many of our people quickly appre
hended the advantage of encouraging
and sustaining you, and have conse-
quently watched with friendly inter
est your progress in establishing o
trade. We have also been exceedingly
grati6ed with the honorable and just
manner with which you are won't to
eonduot your business, and your gentle.
manly aud forbearing department to-
wards your competitors, has been such
as to command their respect, and awaken
the sympathies of disinterested specta-
tors in your behalf.
While We still disclaim any unfriendly
feelings towards your opponents, we are
free to confess that that the motives
which seem to actuato them in running
the steamer Science against you, aud
the manner in which they have treated
you-which has at times assumed some.
thing of an air of upercilliousness-
have not been such as to commend them
to the lovers of equity and fair dealing
1t would seem that their object is not
50 much to establish trade for their own
boat, as it is to drive you from this part
of the river. Aud if they succeed in
this, the people have no assurance that
the Science will continue to run. III
this be their sole object, we cannot
sympathize with them. While we will
not deny their right to run their boat
for this object, We claim for the Hope q
right to run fer higher object, and for
the people right to extend to her their
sympathy and patronage. We will not
leave you ignorant of the fact that, in
addition to the natural sympathy we
have for your enterprise, the magnanim-
| ity Of your course in the late proposed
contest between the steamers Science
and Hope for the possession of the cane
presented by the Presbyterian Sabbath
School of this place, has had no small
share in discriminating the action which
your friends are taking to-day. The
friends of the Hope neither expected
nor desired you to engage in contest
which was, by so many boats uniting
against you, virtually decided before it
began; aud your conduct in declining
that contest before the voting COM
menced, on the ground of its manifest
inequality has been unanimously ap.
proved by your friends. Your liberal
donation of the money you had raised,
for the promotion OF good cause, has
also met with universal approval. Had
you contested for and won that cane,
the value of the moral effect of the tri-
umph would have been small in COM
parison with that of the friendship and
sympathy woa for you by the course
you pursued on that occasion.
However, it is not my words alone,
that we propose to express our symps-
thy and good will to-day, but in cor
roboraton of our words, it becomes my
agreeable duty in behalf of our numer-
Gus friends of Powhatan and Vicinity,
to present to you this cane, which we
beg you to accept as more substantial
testimony ofour kindly feelings towards
you.
Receive it as an evidence of our in
dorsement Of the independent and hon
cradle course you have hitherto pur-
sued in your efforts to establish busi-
ness for your boat, and as q proof of our
commentator of your enterprise, and
the fairness with which you have con-
tended for patronage. Receive it as an
expression of our appreciation of the
forbearance with which you have met,
what has beeu at times ungenerous and
unfriendly competition, and of our ap-
probation of the hospitable aud urbane
treatment which we have uniformly
received when passengers on board your
boat; and also of the integrity and
promptness on your part, which has at
all times characterized your business re-
lations with Us. May this memorial,
| which il q oratefRl trihnta In nArsever-