Constitutional Whig

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT

NAVIGATION OF THE SHENANDOAH.

At a meeting of the land-holders of Jefferson county, and others interested in the improvement of the navigation of the Shenandoah River, held at the court-house in Charlestown, on Saturday the 22d January, 1831, Col. James Hite was called to the chair, and Robert T. Brown was appointed secretary.

The object of the meeting was explained by Thomas Griggs, jun. who thereupon offered the following preamble and resolutions, which were unanimously adopted:

Whereas, the adoption of some adequate plan of internal improvement, whereby the productions of the fertile valley of the Shenandoah may be more cheaply and expeditiously conveyed to market, and returns received, has been long an object of anxious solicitude to the industrious and intelligent part of its population: and whereas, the present moment seems to be particularly auspicious to the undertaking, and successful accomplishment of a work which we have reason to believe would be comparatively easy in its execution, and which we certainly know would confer the most signal advantages on this and every other portion of the state; and whereas, to neglect longer the benefits to be derived from our local position, and to remain supine, whilst, under the benign spirit of improvement, our fellow-citizens in other states, and in every other part of our own state, are stirring around us, would evince a culpable indifference to our true and permanent interests, and be, perhaps, the means of preventing us from participating in the aid and patronage which we are induced to hope our own Legislature is disposed to extend to those who are willing to help themselves--Therefore, actuated by these motives, and without undervaluing the importance of other improvements, to which we heartily wish success--

1st. Resolved, That in our opinion, the construction of a Rail Road from Harpers-Ferry to Staunton, in the direction of the Shenandoah River, or the improvement of the navigation of that river by Locks and Dams, or the construction of a canal along its shore, is an object of the highest interest to the people of the Valley--of great importance to the State at large, and well worthy individual effort and public patronage.

2d. Resolved, That a committee be appointed, whose duty shall be, forthwith, to prepare a memorial, in the name of this meeting, directed to the Legislature of Virginia, now in session, inviting its attention to this great work, and praying it, as a preparatory measure to the incorporation of a new company, or the enlarging the powers and increasing the stock of the present Shenandoah company, or otherwise, to cause immediate surveys to be made, together with estimates of the cost of improving the navigation of the river, by Locks and Dams, or a canal, or of constructing a Rail Road from Harpers-Ferry to Staunton, shewing particularly, the probable expense of each mode of improvement, and its comparative advantages and disadvantages.

3d. Resolved, That a committee be appointed to open a correspondence with the President and Directors of the Shenandoah company, in order to ascertain how far, and on what terms, they are willing to unite in a more effectual and perfect improvement of the river, and to ascertain, generally, their views on this subject.

4th. Resolved, That a committee be appointed to correspond with committees which may be appointed by other counties of the Valley, and that our fellow citizens of Frederick, Shenandoah, Rockingham, Augusta, and all others interested, be, and they are hereby earnestly invited to meet & concert measures with us for the speedy attainment of the objects set forth in these resolutions.

5th. Resolved, That the editors of the Valley be requested to insert these resolutions in their respective papers.

6th. Resolved, That when this meeting adjourn, it adjourn to the third Monday in February next, at the court House in Charlestown, at 12 o'clock.

Upon motion--The chair appointed the following named persons, to compose the committees prescribed in the foregoing resolutions:

Committee of the second resolution, to prepare the Memorial to the Legislature--Messrs Thomas Griggs, Jun. Judge Richard E. Parker, Andrew Kennedy, Joseph T. Daugherty, and Andrew Hunter.

Committee to correspond with the President and Directors of the Shenandoah Company, in pursuance of the third resolution--Messrs Braxton Davenport, Bushrod C. Washington, John Yates, Gerard B. Wager, John H. Lewis.

Committee to correspond with the citizens of Frederick, Shenandoah, Rockingham, Augusta, and all others interested, according to the fourth resolution--Messrs. Henry S. Turner, Matthew Ranson, Thomas Briscoe, Humphrey Keyes; and John A. Washington.

Upon motion--It was resolved, that the committee appointed to prepare the Memorial, in pursuance of the second resolution, do prepare and present it to the meeting at this time:--And thereupon, the committee retired, and after a short time, returned, and laid before the meeting the following memorial--which being read, was adopted without division.

To the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia--The Memorial of a Public Meeting of the citizens of the county of Jefferson, and others, held in Charlestown, on the 22d day of Jan. 1831

Your memorialists have learned, with great satisfaction, that the subject of what is commonly called "Internal Improvement," is likely to be taken up in good earnest, during the present session of the Legislature. It is indeed time the energy, the intelligence, and the resources of this State, should be directed towards this important object. Our neighbors to the North and the West, are engaged in the construction of Roads and canals, with a rapidity and an energy unparallelled in any age or country: Ohio and Pennsylvania, and Maryland, are expending millions of dollars in the construction of works which constitute the broad and deep foundations of their prosperity and greatness. One of them is draining us of our population, and all of them are diverting trade and travel from our borders. If we look much longer, with our accustomed indifference, on the progress of the great works in the neighboring States, it is much to be apprehended that we shall have lost, forever, the chance of overtaking our vigorous rivals in the race of wealth and greatness. It is a trite remark, that, in such a race, not to advance rapidly is to recede. But it is a remark, the truth and importance of which are forcibly impressed on your memorialists by the actual and relative condition of Virginia and the neighboring states.

Your memorialists hope and believe, that they will not be considered obtrusive, if they earnestly invite the attention of the Legislature to a subject in which they, in common with the inhabitants of many of the neighboring counties, are deeply interested. They allude to the improvement of the Shenandoah River, either by a canal, or by locks and dams, as to the wisdom of the Legislature shall seem best; or to the construction of a Rail Road, if that shall seem most advisable. The counties of Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Frederick, and Jefferson, which are immediately and most deeply interested in the prosecution of this work, contain nearly a tenth part of the population of the commonwealth and the largest district of fertile land to be found within its borders. Nothing is wanting to the prosperity of this great section of the state, but the facilities which either of the proposed works would afford for the transportation to market of its agricultural productions. The want of those facilities has hitherto prevented, as it must forever prevent, the accumulation of capital and wealth in this fertile valley. It has not the means of effecting, without the aid of the commonwealth, the improvement of the noble river which flows through it from Augusta to the Potomac. That aid, your memorialists now earnestly invoke.

It is not for them to prescribe the mode in which this aid shall be given--whether by the extension of the powers and augmentation of the capital stock of the company already incorporated for the improvement of the river, or by the creation of a new company in which the old one shall be merged, with its own consent and on equitable terms of remuneration for expenditures heretofore made, or by the incorporation of a company for the construction of a Rail Road. That the present company, with its present capital, is totally inadequate to the purpose of its creation, is too clear to be disputed, and that no company, without liberal aid from the commonwealth, can effect the object, is equally certain. Of the preliminary steps which will be necessary, if this important enterprise should attract the favorable regard of the legislative bodies, your memorialists do not consider it necessary to speak further.

The whole subject is respectfully submitted to the wisdom and patriotism of the legislature

And your memorialists, &c.

Signed, in behalf of the meeting, by the President and Secretary

JAMES HITE Chairman,

ROBERT T. BROWN, Sec'ry.

Resolved, That the Secretary transmit to the Senator of this District, a copy, and to the Delegates of this county, in the legislature, a copy of these proceedings, in order to an application to the Legislature of Virginia, now in session, invoking its attention to the object of this meeting

Resolved, That these proceedings be signed by the chairman, and secretary, and that the editors of newspapers in the Valley be requested to give them an insertion in their respective papers.

JAMES HITE, Chairman,

ROBERT T. BROWN. Sec'y.