The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-12-01
ENQUIRER
RICHMOND 4:
SATURDAY, DECEMBER I, 1904
PROGRESS or IMpRovEMINT.
No. ".

Nc. ~.
Before the improy cment of country has ne.
netratcd AS far back as the tide-water of its ri.
veTS extends, its cultivation and its commerce
are equally prorretive. The induhry Of the
merchants and oftbe farmers is equally employ.
ed in decorating and cheering each dieani lintl-
fcape; and wherever the induGrious plough is
ieen retiring from the COATS of the ocean, there
alto may we behold the ipreaCiny Fails of an in
dehtgahle commerce, and the clufered hsbita-
tonS OF the merchant and mechanic. Agric1l-
ture is employed iii Gathering her fruitful germs
over new and dnant ioils, and commerce every
where accompanies Der fooifteps, accunrulates
An active capital and exhibits Der contienfed DO.
puahon. Wherever the country is cleared and
enriched BY the honorable hand of the cult
vator, the productions OF the earth and the COM
modies of commerce are proportionally aug
mented: new merchants appear, who derive an
abundant profit from the transportation of this
rcrealng produce: and new fcites are fcleCfed
on the banks of the navigable rivers, where the
exports OF the country are carefully depofited,
whence they are tranfported 70 other conn
tries in veiiels of fufncent burthen and whittier
the exchaneeable produce of other nations is
defined TO be conveyed. Theft dimnutive fet
Elements, which may AT hrit be regarded as 70
many commercial colonies, become, in the pro.
grefS OF time, the centers OF an increafing popu-
iation, and the nuclei of rich and RouriNine
towns. An area of ground which at firft exhi
hlted 70 more than few fcattered granarics
and few retail flores. NAV at length be fortu
nate enough 10 contain REGULAR itreets, commo-
dious houies, and numerous and ditiimilar DO
pulation. Many are invited nv the PROTECTS
of gain, who have never devoted their capital
and time to any of the frhemes of commerce :;
and many who have no regular buinefs TO pur
In will all II ,,,b; 81: L., r..
opportunity of extracting fome endowment from
a revenue which they receive without iabour.
II is there that the humble mechanic is general
ly fcen to ply his favourite art the man OF H.
terary cait. of profefiional purflits, is found
to ieie6t fcene which is 70 congenial TO his
feelings, or fo favourable TO his occupation and
the wealthy landlord or the independent ftock-
holder have too many inducements to refort to
iituation, where the re6nements of tafe. or
the refources ofluxury, are continually exciting
iome new want, or gratifying fomc new caprice
1t is in this manner, that agricultere, as II az
ceHds the confines of the navgabie rivers, occa-
iionS the Election OF nezv places of depoGt, and
the eitabliihment of new towns and it is for
this reafon, that IN every civilized country 70 ma
M towns may be traced on the map Of its navi-
gable rivers. In proportion as the towns al
cend the banks of the river, the commerce and
population OF thofc which are Gtuated nearer
to its mouth, are a,Tcited and perhaps d.
miniihed. Some new place OF dcpo6t is
ielected from its contiguity to iome neighbour
ing diitrif Of cultivated country. The ex
pence OF transportation being confequcnt,y d.
minihed; certain proportion of the COM
merce, which formerly enriched the lower town
IS now directed 10 this riing fetticment, and
this give, way in its turn to fone more elevated
ftuation, which commands greater extent of
The back country. i rs regular ilcccfiion is IL
niformly exhibited in every cultivated country :;
it: agriculture continually retiring into the into
nor diftri0s, and the capital and improvements
of towns continually attending the navieable
rivers; until the merchant has reached the
higheft navigable point. At this point the falls
on the river may fometimes arren the proerefs
or the tide-water, and the afcent of vefIels of
comfortable burthen: or fometimes the natu-
raj ihaIlownefs of its channel prefents fmilar
impeachment TO the ufuai Courie OF navigation.
1t is then, that new modes of communication
mutt neceilarily be employed: it is then, that
commerce allumes new and original character :;
and the peculiar advantages of city, Gtuated
at the foot of the falls, or at the higheft point
OF deep navigation, are now exhibited i'll all the
fplendour of their detail.
The productions of all that diitritf of back
country, which is contiguous or near to the RI
yer, cannot now be conveyed to the foreign or
diftant market without pafling through and con-
tributing to nourilh and enrich this favourcd CT
ty. Should the produce be conveyed down the
rizer, IT cannot be embarked on vefiels of fluff
Gent burthen to encounter the hair-breadth acct
dents of a tempefuous Tea. Beats and batteaux
can be the only vehicles of communication on
the river: and thefe NUT arrive with their
freight at this lower town. 1t thus becomes
the emporium of all the exports of the upper
dftricts of country; and of courfe of all the va
luable imports, which it receives from diGant
markets. Other towns may indeed be
erected on more elevated fcites on the river
perhaps there is not tributary ftream which
pes not behold upon its banks fome new
and profpering place of depofit; and yet thefe
will icarcely be able to injure or affect the grow
ing PROPERTY of the lower fettlement. When
nature checquered the channel of the river with
impaiable rocks, or arrehed the progrefs of the
tide, 1t waslhe whoere6teditinto an emporium of
commerce, and decreed TO it an independent &
fruitful fource of population and riches IT was
then too that fhe drew the wide line of difcri-
minatoH which will forever fnbfR between
that and all the other towns which had been E.
rected on the banks Of the river, and between
that diitrict of country and all the rcft which
are between il and the mouth Of the river At
leaf this iingular difference will fubi forever,
unlels the art of man fhall employ its wonted
power, mould clear the bed of the river from
its natural obfructiona, OF ihould open a com
municaton by a canal into the interior coun-
try, which ihall be equally accefIibe with the
mott capacioss channel of the river.