Bristol News

GEN. MAHONE'S SPEECH.
In a few days we will issue to our
readers, in an extra, the speech of
Gen. Mahone before the Senate com-
mittee on the proposition to charter
free rail roads throughout the Com-
monwealth. The subject is han-
dled with an ability which will be
accepted by the reading community.
as it has been by the legislature, as
comprehensive of the subject. The fact
that it would at once place the sub-
ject beyond the control of the peo
ple of Virginia is forcibly illustra.
ted by the allusion to the funding
bill. The fact that it would give
to a mighty and corrupt corporation
the power to so envelope this state
in its powerful coils that all of its
power would be utterly inadequate
to disengage it therefrom is fully
shown. The fact that it would
lead to the destruction of property
for those who have done much for
Virginia, by those who have as yet
done nothing and would never do
anything for her development is made
plain. But the most powerful idea
in the speech is the downright de
monstration that it would thoroughly paralyze the internal improve-
ment interests of the commonwealth.
It would ignore the policy of pro-
tection and inaugurate that of de
struction. As well might this fed-
eral government withdraw its pro-
hibition upon free trade, which
would immediately crush out those
American manufactures which have
made our country independent of
the world. Our fathers having
planted and ourselves watered, shall
Pennsylvania reap? But these
mighty reasons for the strangulation of this impudent intruder are
perhaps less patent than another
we shall mention. The Lancaster.
Pa., Intelligencer is our witness
that the Pennsylvanians have made
one honest admission, viz: that they
aim at the monopoly and control of
the through business. That journal states that numbers of their
passenger trains thunder through
that town without stopping at all
and their citizens can only travel on
those trains which they choose to
call local trains. Are Virginians
prepared for this thing? We think
not.