Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-08-11
TO
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
or
TIE Commonwealth Of Virginia.

/
viewed the establishments of the Bank Of
Virginia with sincere pleasure, and with
-sang1ine and well founded expectations OF
its b4nehclai effects upon tae Financial,
.commercial and agricultural interests ct she
state. The wisdom OF the Legislature has
5 insilyperceived, that withouy referencetro
the long agifated question of tho general
and abstract xF,sdiencv of Banks, existing
circumstances had imposed tiaa necess'tv,
and demonstrated she utility OF adpptias u =
system in this Commonwealth. TIE prin-
ciplesswhich dictated thisneasuse as one Of
necessity and expediency, in spect TO the
state at large, in her reldtion to the other
states of the q aion, would enforce theJas-
tice of extending the positive advantages
and the defensive operation Of the system co
every important section Of this Common
wealth. The great extent of our territory;
the various local interests, circumstances
and advantages peculiar to each OF the prln-
eipal sections into which nature has appor-
toned it; must require, for its immense
and diverse products, various domestic
markets, frequently too farapars TO eacted
on by common principle, or to be regn-
lated by & mutual competition. Their dis
lance from each other, and the difficulties
Of portage must, In many instances, rem
der it impracticable that one should be- a.
bandoned by that section OF country imme-
'diately connected with it, foraay other Of
fering equal advantages; it is therefore OBJ
vions that particular institutions may sensi-
/ bly, and bene6cially act upon certain mar
kets and certain portions OF, the state, while
Others may remain exempt from the effects
and destitute of the benefits resulting from
the practical operation Of the SYSTEM
Your Wemorialists are confident thata par
tial or un equal distribution Of benefits and
advantages, SO far from beng intended,
would be no sooner perceived than correct
ed by the wisdom and the jusllce of the
Legislature. Actuated by this confidence,
they have presumed to solicit the attention
of the General Assemblyto circumstances
which are likely to produce papable IN
stance of inequality in the participation Of
the benefits that may result from the insti.
tuition of the Bank Of Virginia; al me
quality that must prove Of great compare
tive disadvantage to an extensive, fertile
and popplous portion of the state.
The counties borderingon the Potomac,
both 10 the westward and eastward of the
Blue Ridge, are too well known to require,
on this occasion, a representation OF their
great and continually increasing importance,
the extentof country they embrace, the terli-
lily of the soil, the improved and Improving
state of agriculture, and their immense
products of the staple commodities for ex-
portation, and for domestic manufacture
and consumption. Almost the whole of
those counties 70 the westward Of the Blue
Ridge, and by far the most populous and
productive ofthose to the eastward Of it,
are debaFred, by their situations, from re-
sorting to any market, the least competent
to their purpose, IN the middle or more
sonthern parts of the state. They must seek
on the shores of Potomac, on tide water,
Tor the natural and proper emporium, where
the agriculturalist and the manufacturer,
may supply the exporting merchant. If
the market afforded them in that quarter
should prove deficient in the essential re-
quisltes, they must suffer the disadvantage,
either OF bringing their commodities TO one.
incompetent to Offer demand and furnish
q capital commeasu*a 9 vi h The. suPply;or
they must counter the risk and incurthe an
requited expence of conveying to a neigh
boring stateaffording greater facility Of ac-
cess than the distant markets situated IN
the interior Of their own state. 1t isare
tnarkabie and notorious fact that the South
er',sshore ofthe Potomac has never afford
/ ed bat one market, IN any degree possessing
the requisites to form an emporium for the