Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1828-07-19

with each othertle opinions which preyailin thei
respective districtS, and Of submitting the result
Their consultations to those to whom Vrgnissha
con6ded her government
/ 1t is scarcely possible to turn our attention /,
this interesting shbjectwhout adverting % its in
fuence on the prosperity Of nations In almos
every part OF the civilized world. internal improve
ments have produced or have been the oiIsprine
Of civilization and wealth They have most u,u
ally been the hafbingefs of all increased degree
OF power and greatEcssjto society, and of comfort
10 the individuals WIN compose it. We canno,
turn our eyes towards Europe without pcrceiyinp
the advantages in every country which has applied
its means tostbcr attssninent In Great Britain
and in Holland especially. the benefits derived
from these sources almok bid defiance to calcula
ton. In France they have been very great: and
late Emperor, who meditated the useful a,
We'll al ,4!fe rand ard ragnificent, had formed
VAST Pians3o Internal Improvement which Welded
only to that all deyouriHs ambition of which he
was at length the victim. ~
III national power and wealth. or tho Happiness,
and Comfort Of individuals Produced by successful
industry, be the legitimate objects of government
tnd experience OF other countries shows how much
these objects are promoted by tho iudicious and
Persevering application of national and individual
wealth to roads and canals--cmphatica termed
the veins and arteries ofthe body polite.
III we turn our eyes from other countries to our
own, we find ample evidence Of that important
truth which has been so fully disclosed and de-
monstrated by the experience of Europe. A sister
state, whose original advanta yes were undoubred-
~ great, has multiplied those advantages to an a.
mount already exceeding any previous estimate ;
ana IS advancing SD rapidly to Justify the belief
that the produce accommodating for TRANSPORTATION
through her canals, will be limited only by the ca
pacity OF those channels Of communication To con-
Vey II to ITS appropriate market. The great canal
oi New York has not only given most powerful
impetus to the commerce and agriculture of that
state but has attracted to its metropolis a large
portion OF the commerce the West Other States
stimulated by the imposing example, are endeav-
curing to improve their natural advantages. and to
turn them to the best account. Virginia does not
behold the exertions Of others without maxine anv
for herself She does not remain the passive spec.
tator of the activity of her sister states She cam
not consent to De stationary while they are adj
rancIng. She cannot look on unmoved while her
neighbors are securing not only that commerce
which belongs naturally to them, but that which
ought to seek the markets Of Virginia 1t is not
her policy to compel her citizens to abandon her
markets, and seek for connexions el.cwhere.-
Such IS not her antiens policy. The legislature
tsrssiibg subject among The first "a commence
internal Improvements The upper navigation of
the James and Potomac rivers wa. suggested and
recommended by the wisest of her sons; by those
whose Intelligent patriotism she may long contem-
plate with satisfaction and with pride
Neither the knowledge nor the resources of the
country justified, at thattime the attempt to exc
cute those great works on scale that would be
productive of all tho advantages that ought to be
derived from them. Increased knowledge and
enlarged resources extended our plans of improve
ment. Virginia entered upon this course with
eagerness, and pursued it for sometime with ami
H.
sisted from the pursuit and, if she has not aban
doned, has at least suspended the execution Of her
greatest work-that from which the most impor.
tant advantages were anticipated. Will true wis
dom justify the continuance of this policy?
We have only to cast our eyes OH the map Of the
United States to be assured that the natural adyan
tages OF Virginia are very great The Chesa-
peake one OF the noblest bays of the world receives
her magnificent rivers and pours them into the
Atlantic. Independent of other valuable streams
her northern frontier is washed by the Potomac
her southern by the Roanoke, and her centre is
pierced by the James. These great rivers pene.
trate the Allegheny Mountains, and afford the
shortest channel ofwater communication with sew
eral OF the western states. They pass through &
country rich in mineral and vegetable productions
which the tabour and ingenuity Of man could no
fail tc turn to valuable account if those means O
transportation were afforded himwhich these waters
-. 80 iu'Pio'Cu ototO, WOuiG UnQueStIOnaDIV Iur
nish. Why then is Virginia less popuIous and CD
uient than many OF her sister statesl Why is tn,
ftrade OF the Chesapeake transferred entirely to
neighbour
Perhaps even tho number Of our rivers NAV bay.
had some tendency to prevent the accumulation
oil capital at any one place and perhaps the poll
cy oil our predecessors may have contributed I,
give trade direction into other channels. Blu
without vainy repining at the past, il is the par
oftruc wisdom to adopt and pursue that system
which is best for the present and the future.
What then is the course which is most adyisa
Ole Tor Virginia? Does sound policy, does Judi
cIous survey of our situation. in all its aspects re
commend the total Abandonment or even rnrthe
suspension Of those plans of improvement which
are now in progress, especially that of our mos
important river or does it recommend an mmodi
ate resumption of them, modified perhaps by tina
instruction which our experience has furnished?
| The advantages of an improved navigation o
our rivers are too obvious, and too universally ad
mtted, to require that they should be shown or en-
forced by argument That this improvement is il
itself positive gosd, the acquisition Of which
greatly to be desired is truth which all acknow