The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-01-16
Our Great Water Line.
WASHINGTON, January II.


TO The Editor of the State Journal:
This morning the committee of com
merce of the House of Representatives
considered the bill reported by General
Negley proposing an appropriation of
$S,000,000, for the James River and
Kanawha canal, and heard Colonel Car
rington, the president of the company,
in explanation of the great scheme, and in
Congress. Colonel Darlington made an in
of the history, merits, prospects, and
scope of this great continental water line
highway, which evidently arrested the at
tention of the committee, and favorably inn
pressed it.
Among the Virginia gentlemen present
and evidently taking deep interest in the
subject, were the Hon. Messrs. Braxton,
Plat, Critcher, Harris, Duke and Stowell,
members of Congress from Virginia; Hon.
Daniel O. Dejarnette, Hon. Joseph Segar
and Governor McMullen, ex-members of
Congress; Colonel r. w. Hughes and
several prominent gentlemen from West
Virginia, who are in full sympathy with
the advocates Of the great enterprise.
A special meeting of the committee will
gentlemen on the subject, when probably
Colonel Ro. W. Hughes, who is among the
best posted men on the philosophy Of ca
nails and railroads in the United States, will
address the committee; perhaps, Others.
General Negley, representative from the
Pittsburg, (Pa.) district, gentleman of en-
larged views, is jealous advocate of the
measure, and before the subject shall be
disposed of, will lay the people of Virginia
under high obligation for his service TO this
important interest Of hers.
The consideration of this subject by Con-
gress brings up some curious "reminiscences
and interesting reflections.
Long years before the late war Virginia,
through her representatives, state and ma
tional, bitterly repudiated all federal APP
preparations even for her own improve
ments. The resolutions of '9S were the
supreme law of her politics, and a supreme
rule to her public men. She would not
accept dollar from Congress or an acre of
the public lands to build railroad or
canal, or remove bar from the channels
of her rivers. The resolutions of 1913 were
ever and anon in the way.
But now we behold the politicians of
Virginia, and Democratic politicians, too,
uniting with their Republican adversaries
in throwing overheard the resolutions of
'9S, and taking practical, common.sense
views of the interests of their own state and
of the nation!
This precious result is the work of the
late rebellion. If it has done no other
good it has demolished political platform
which never bore the constitution, and
on which the workers for rebellion and
treason have stood from the foundation Of
the government to the end of the late civil
war.
Verify, we breathe freer and are becom-
ing more sensible people
OF course there should be no politics in
this matter of supreme concern, but it is
worthy of note that the first practical legis-
lation looking to federal aid in furtherance
of the James River and Kanawha canal,
emanated from a radicai-yea, from car
pet-bagger. While from the foundation of
the government to 1870 not a representa-
tive of Virginia ever submitted a PROPOSE
ton in Congress for aid to this or any Vir-
ginia improvement, that high honor and
mark of practical craftsmanship was re-
served for northern man, the Hon. Mr.
Plat. 1t would be we'll for the state if she
had, or could get a few more of the same
sort.u
The mastery exposition made by Colonel
Darlington has had the effect, beyond ques-
ton, of consigning to the tomb the propo-
sition of Governor Walker to localize and
denationalize this continental enterprise by
turning it over to company. ReQuiese@
IN pace And sleep it will until the glori-
GUS morn of its completion by the nations
means shall be ushered in, and proclaim to
all the land the commingling of the floods of
the Ohio and the James.
Whether General Negley's bill will be
passed this session or not, is doubtful, but
now that Democrats and Republicans have
joined hands to propel the general enter
prise, its ultimate success is well assured
as any future event can be. G.