The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-02-15

4. 49,
she came forward with prodigality worthy
iof oil. praise In substantial aid for the sHfs
tering and bereaved. Again, at FincastIet;
and later, when the State was devastated
oy tne Hood, we find her ministering to the
want Oh our unfortunate people. All these
acts do. not show that hostility that some
seem 20 think preynils in that city toward
. our ssate. ! do not think we should hesi-
tate long as to which city we prefer if we
!. are forced into the support of cornora-
, ton whose primesobject is to build one Of
the Two cities mentioned. have no hesi-
tation in declaring my preference for tha.
whose favors we have received and whose
, generosity we have shared.
:. NOT CONTEST BETWEEN II wo FOREIGN CITIES
But the question does not present itself
TO my mind as n contest between Balti-
more, Philadelphia, or New York. It isa
contest prosecuted by the Pennsylvania
Central on the one hand for the possession
OF road that viii ill an important gap in
tue connection with other lines South, and
defended by the Richmond, Fredericks-
ourgand Potomac Company upon the same
principles and for the same reason that
MEN EVERYWHERE DEFEND THAT WHICH IS
THslk OWN, AND WHICH IS SOUGHT TO BE
WREsTED FEoK THEM.
Ahere is no nlenber Of THIS General AS
sembly who desires more earnestly than
myself to see the waste places Of Virginia
built up-to see the mines of wealth hidden
IN her bosom brought forth to gladden. the
vision OF our people. desire to see those
portions of our State that now chills the
soul by the stillness-the solitude that
relgns supreme IN them busy with enter.
prise and thrift. 1 viii extend cordial
welcome to all men, from every section,
who come to our aid with their industry,
enterprise, and capital. woulu offer
!, every inducement for building railroads in
. every part OF the State. If foreigners want
, 10 come here and increase our facilities for
trade and invest capital in our midst. SUBJ
; Ject to State laws and State taxation,
would encourage them to do SO but when
IL THIS GIGANTIC COLOSSUS,
! teat strides across the continent like old
, Napoleon in Europe, disposing of roads
, and States and places wherever it's fancy or
, interest directs, comes to US and asks US to
: give to them and put under their control
] one of our State roads that is we'll managed
and directed in the interest of the State,
| the case is entirely different, and I for one
: will never give it my sanction. l earnestly
i urge gentlemen to reflect we'll before they
! surrender to this foreign corporation an in.
$ terest that will give them a footing here to
be used with crushing effect upon us in the
F future. Lost rights and liberties are seldom
eyerregained, land any people who surrender
t them without some consideration in return
" are unworthy to regain their forfeited
J. treasure.
E. MIR. THURMAN said that, in the few re-
n marks he proposed to submit, he did moi
n propose to enter into the wide field of dis
Is cusslGn upon tue general merits or de-
It merits of this bill, which had been tra
It Versed by most Of the gentlemen who had
e spoken on the other side of the question
d and who are so full Of fire they remind NE
. OF some raw troops have seen, who fire
p their big guns at the first cloud of dust
they see, and do not wait for the enemy tc
make his appearance.
But propose to speak only to the ques
tion now before the House, and in reply tt
, | what has been said in opposition to wna
,, , has already been said by myself on thi
. question, and will say to these anticipatiye
gentlemen that when the proper tim,
), comes I have no doubt they will find anon!
. the opponents of this bill
i "FoEMEN WORTHY OF THEIR STEEL"
v who will essay to break lance in righ
v knightly style, in defence of this olt
Commonwealth, with the picked cham
d plons of any foreign monopoly. But
have said that I stand here on behalf o
n this State, and am ready to say to al
monopolieS, foreign or domestic, "A
1 plague on both your houses" so far as the,
conflict with the rights and interests of thi
= old Commonwealth. And this amendment
E proposes merely that this foreign company
q which asks this General Assembly tt
! grant to 1t franchise, the exercise
. of which must necessarily destroy the
= interest Of the State in one oj
her railroads, to indemnify and save
harmless the State from this destruc.
. tion of her property, and am to be toId
that
THIS interest OF THE STATE MUST BE JEoP.
ARD1zED
because it may hazard the bill upon its
! passage, or, in other words, that we, the
= representatives Of the people of this State,
! are to subordinate her interest to the inter.
est of foreign railroad company? Is this
=, the position in which gentlemen place them
selves before this General Assembly and be-
fore the country? And yet this is precisely
the question they raise by the amendment
of the member from Loudoun, and upon
: which they ask you to cast your vote
: against the State and for a foreign monop-
;, oly. But it has been said that have said
: that if my amendment is adopted without
= the amendment of the member from Lou
= doun, it will require constitutional vote
to pass this bill. have said no such thing,
and have at no time expressed an opinion
upon that subject, because regarded 1t as
= wholly foreign to this question in its present
shape.
sHoo FLY.
Mr.. Woop: Does the gentleman from
Bedford now say that il his amendment is
= adopted without the amendment OF the
: member from Loudoun, it will not require
q constitutional vote to pass the bill?
ROUGH AND READY.
e MIR. THURMAN: / have said that have
r expressed no opinion upon that subject
L. or lia Hnnoa hI1t liz