The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-03-16
The Canal Lease.

tW
Tho sena,e,s committee has Just reported
.tte canal-lease bill precisely as it came from
the House. Now we hope the Senate Will pnss
IL speedily, and let the lessees get to WORK.
what viii the tail-piece senators dol 1t Is
wei. remembered by the public and the lie
r;slature that at the last session certain OF
the more jealous OF them said they prefer
red the canal extension, but it could not
be made. Some OF them were elected on
the caual-extension issue. But, though tue
House passed bill for completing tue
canal, The tail-piecers convinced the sen
sta that n railroad was the only practi-
cable scheme OF completing the work.
threw ou. the canal bill, passed their own,
o,d hu,lied the House into acceptinSlt. AZ
the end OF a wear it turns out that they nave
nisled the Legislature: that not one OF 'hei'
PROMISES has been kept; that their scheme
nlan is too good name for it-has ohiy re-
suited in a lawsuit, which they VIII lose
and in tho bold dash at making rairoao
thirty miles long through a mountainous
country, with force OF ten hands, ENDS put
sham and failure!
Still the projectors OF this scheme say the!
want connection. Are they in earnest!
win they vote for the plan which, after full
elaboration, the House has given them, ana
which their own committee has reported;
or will they fight it? They know now that
their tail-piece is dead beyond resurrection !;
that the only alternative left Is TO aoopt the
n,an OF lease whose provisions secure the
State against loss, ensure the dismissal OF the
suit, and offer prospect OF completion, en-
dorsed by a decided majority OF the Legis-
la,ure; or, defeating this pian' to lease the
cana, in statu QUO, let it be sold out for nom
nayrent of interest, let its dock and water
mower fall into the hands Of the bondhold-
ers. and let its channel and tow-path go to
rain. Is this latter what the leading oppo-
nents OF the lease want? II not, why should
they be fighting on their backs like "gone
coons?"
Suppose the policy Of Mr.. HAYES should
banpen to take the direction indicated by
Senator ALLAN the other day. Suppose he
should recognize the fact that he cannot con-
ciliate the South by few ofhces-Whlcn
could only debauch few men-but that be
might do it by wise system which should
link the South and West by great transpor'
.tation policy-by such policy as was SO
eloqrcntly urged by the President OF the ca
nal before he was persuaded to destroy, &C.
cordins to his own admission, the interest
he was elected to preserve. Suppose that
piece of craftsmanship determined on-and
stranger things have happened-how is that
policy to be met with the canals outlet IN
the grip OF the bondholders, itself gone
down, and the tail-piece "a far advanced
to meet this grand policy as it can
be taken by ten hands VIII wise
and dispassionate legislation reduce the
State to such pitiable extremity? Not
wisdom, but passion; not tirmness, but OBJ
stinacy, would mark such course. And
they who take it will merit the rebuke OF
an injured people. But we deprecate this
We want union; we need harmony to re.
new the strength Of the State. Discord and
wrangling can but help the rings. We
hope sincerely that there will be no i'm.
practicables now.