Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-02-24

ferior TO none in the world A country r;cblv
wooded, salabrous and productive, and aarlica.
Bile TO all purposes of agriculture and extensive
improvement watered with small
creeks and rivu!ets-snd bounded or intcrsectcd
by nayigabie rivers. which bring commerce to
every mans door-Where, in fine, lands uiay be
purchased at one twentieth part OF the price of
those ola similar quality AMI convenience in the
eastern states.--Where
New woods aspiring, clot,ie their hills with
green, ~
Smooth slope the lawns, the grey rock pesos
between
Relenting nature gives her hand to Taste.
And health and beauty crown tie laurhipa-
waste 49,"
A single individual cultivating farm in this
country, taken from the hand of nature. ;ncre.s,
es its value from two to three hundred per cen.
per annum. 1t obviously follows then. that Win
the probable progressive population, the period
IS not far distant, when this country VIII became
the seat OF luxury and refinement. and sn.rlle
among the brightest consultations of the Voc.
tern hemisphere.
Important as this subject is to the public in
general and more particularly to those sections
OF uie United states whose population has grown
beyond the productions of the soil. YOU Cannot
but be sensible of the difficulty of dong it Jus.
tice without exaggeration and of encouraging
emigration without deception. The nconrr,l.
Gus mass OF materials, yet to be amaipamsi,.l
the uncertainty ofrelyng upon general inE,rma.
ton, and the tediousness of untried experip,rut
present obstacles to the undertaking OF no small
magnitude. You are aware. of these from the
information already before you, and will wal,
with patience for the slow process of NV invest !.
cations.
Inc most interesting point of view, in which
the western country presents itself, has not been
sufficiently attended to by Iiourists. Their re.
searches have been better adapted to speculation
and to crafty the curious, than to instruct the
farmer, the merchant, the mechanic, and the pro.
fessional character in the local advantages which
il Possesses. A description of cave. mound
or an account of an Indian tribe now almost ex.
tinct, may, indeed, interest the philosopher and
antiquarian but is poor stuff to feed the labori-
Gus part OF mankind on long at time Such.
however IS the nature of the greatest number Of
those publications. entitled Travels IL, .qu,er;.
ca "-teeming with exaggerations, misrepre.
Sentations, and the marvellous--and treating
win total neglect or At least with indifference
the important subjects of agriculture and com.
metce. 1t is deplorable, but an undepiable
iact that travellers throughout the United States
nave been actuated by motives which could he
Justlhed neither by moral nor physical principles
they have become the creatures of Land jobbers.
employed to panegyrise the country in the most
hypereollcal strains, in order TO procure the sale
VI or else the product.
ION OF foreigners, hired for political purposes To
destroy, POSSIBLE, the last refuge of oppressed
humanity. And even the geographers of our
own country, either from the want of diligence.
or the means condemnation, have imposed state.
ments on the public, inaccurate and unbeconnp
the dignity of trath ard science.
Do not consider me in these remarks either as
selhsh or acrimonions-or of wishing by derogat.
ing from the opinions of others, to impose on
your Judgment the credence ofmy own-ralse
hood and exaggeration can never answer rational
or lasting purposes they may indeed, contribute
Ior moment to heighten our vanity and TO i'm.
pose on the credulous; but their ultimate ten.
dency is never failing humility and remorse.
In this letter, my dear H".s's, Proposed on.
~ 10 give you general view of the subjects of
our future correspondence, with some idea of the
importance aud difficulty of the investigation
In my next, shall eudeavor to clear away the
rubbish that envelopes it, and if possible com
pensate you Tor the pain which the long sus
pense mnst have occasioued.
Till then.-Adieu.