Year: 1859

RICHMOND, Va, Jan. 81, 1859
The Pwehdse g Crtc-Hov Virginia Stands uron the


Qucticn-7he Wigs and the TnriC-Defeat of the Don-


rite Railroad Extension, de- dc.


The purchase Of Cuba chief topic Of d,scnsso
here at present. Theequvoca positions assumed BY both
OF our Senators in Congress in reference proposed
appropriation Of thirty million of dollars as basis Of
negotiation for the purchase has given to the subject
peculiar interest in Virginia. As the policy impolicy
Of this melsurc in the Virginia view of it, involves an ap-
prova or dapprova OF the action OF both Senator's
with reference TO it, the question Of the purchase is dis
cused in all its political and commercial bearings With
the friends OF these gentlemen the governing motive
to be Justification Of their in the Senatorial
caucus. To that end they maintain the inexpedicncy of
the proposed movement in view Of the empty the
treasury and the manifest unwilingness the part
Spain to sell Cuba meanwhile concedng The policy Of tn
purchase under more propitious circumstances. Est-
mating the value OF these arguments by the motive
which dictate them, regard them utterly worthless
beng nothing more than mechanical reproduction of tn
sentiments Of those in whose justification thew ar
onered. Take away this motive, and few if
any, would be found in Virginia intimating even a
eoubt OF the policy OF this measure. No State
probaDy IN the Union has larger the acauisi-
ton OF cuba than the Old Dominion The chief iupor no.
cesstes Of that she emnenty capable Of sup
plying Instead OF seekng market in Brazil at extraord-
expense and risk is the case for her great
EXPORT staple, -four, she would have her door IN the
event oil the acquisition Of Cuba, market presenting
greater advantages in the matter of price alone ipde
pendent Of the other considerations involved in





she has still greater advantages prospectvely Under
impulse Of increased demand for the rnanv essential
elements OF material developementiron, for instance
which would follow under the auspices of American enter
prise, corresponding activity would take place in her
mining Operations, which being facilitated by q
magnificent network OF railroads and canals And vet
we have the strange spectacle of both Senator's inter-
posing to prevent this grand contamination Think Won
that Virginia approves of policy detrimental to her
best nteresS venture to assert that, apart from the
motve Of Justification to which have referred not one
democrat could be found in Virginia to dispute e wisdom
spd nrrr


AS matter OF course the wings opposed to H. not
however, upon any grounds of national State policy
Wy, but merely because it is a democratic measure.
They 90 not pretend to doubt the beneficial
merely argue that is contrved like the Pacific Railroad
scheme to create necessity for protective tariff This
prospect dsneaT,enng TO them for as understand,
believing that the adoption of PLATFORM based principal.
y upon protective tariff, would them an ascen-
dancy in ls6o provided, however, they could effect
coalition with the black republicans upon any fair grounds
is probable that in any event they will revive this
principle seeing that under the growing auspcious neces
sites TOR an increased it will become popular
They are exceedingly jealous of the prospect Of
with inconsistency &c. if the tariff rates Of former
years were applicable under all the phases modiHca
tons incident to country Of such marvellous growth and
developement In this connection might well be said
"tempora mutanttr, " mutanur in tHis" But it is
argued by those who favor the purchase Cuba the
great advantages which would result to our trade
from its acquisition would more than counterbaiance any
disadvantages from increase of the tar,c-admit-
tlng sucn necessity sn0uld follow And setting aside
this consideration, and regarding the subject in merely
political point of view, they hold the purchase fully
Justnabe IN the teeth Of any such contingency ex
istng critical state Of relations with foreign Powers
So that you will perceive Senators are not sustained
in the attitude Of equvoca support negative opposition
which they have assumed with reference to this Cuban
question.


measure Of considerable Importance to the interests
OF TINS city was recently defeated in the North Carolina
legislature. The Richmond and Danvile Railroad Com
pany recently applied TO that body for the right of way
from Danvie, the present terminus Of their road TO
Greensboro, distance Of thirty five miles The
object Of this extension to with the North Caro-
lima Central Railroad at the latter point whence direct
communication would be had with the grea. Southern
lines running through Charlotte the Of the Mecke
burg Declaration Of Independence TO Columbia South
Carolina, and thence to Augusta where il would strike
the main Southern line The defeat this application
was mainly effected through the influence of the Weldon
and Petersburg Railroad interests and those the CITY OF
Petersburg both Of which would be materially affected by
the proposed connection The trade travel now passing
over the Southern route to Raleigh and thence by the
Raleigh Weldon and Petersburg road would in the event
CT this connection be drawn Off Greensboro and car
ried by much shorter and direct route through
Danvle to this city. With this gap Of thirty five miles
from Danville to Greensboro completed we would have
direct railroad communication with New Orleans shorter
by some hundreds Of miles tnan any yet established It
would have material advantage the Virginia
and Tennessee road and its Southern connections in ha.
respect