Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-07-24
THURSDAY, JULY "a, 1928.


mortal ofthe Convention assembled at Charlottes-
Vile, on the subject ofInternal Improvement, most
respectfully represents
That the immense importance of facilitating
the transportation OF the produce Of the soil 10
the market, and Of improving the means Of in
tercourse between those parts OF the state
which have natural connexion with each o.
iher, have impressed themselves SO deeply on
the minds Of many Of their fellow citizens os to
produce spontaneous effort in several coun-
ties 10 communicate their sentiments and feel
,ings to the legislature Of their country in
more solemn manner than could be effected by
'ihe expression Of individual opinions. For
this purpose
counties, and the towns Of Norfolk, Williams
sbnrgh, Petersburg, Fredericksburg and Lynch
burg, have deputed your memoras,s 10 meet
In Charlottesville, for the purpose OF in'er>
changing with ea,h other the opinions which
pre-, all in their respective districts, and OF SUBJ
Uniting the result Of their consultations TO
those to whom Virginia has con6ded her gov
eminent.
Its scarcely possible TO turn our attention
to this interesting subject without adverting to
its influence on the prosperity of nations.-in
almost every part Of the civilized world, in,er-
nal improvements have produced or have been
the offs prlng of fertilization aud wealth. They
have most usually been the harbingers Of an
Increased degree of power and greatness to So
ciety, and of comfort TO the individuals who
compose il. We cannotturn our eyes towards
Europe without perceiving the advantages IN
every country which has applied its means to
their attainment. In Great Britain and IN
Holland especially, the benefits derived from
these sources almost bid defiance to calculation
In France they have been very great, and her
late .Empe, or, who med,a'ed the useful as well
as the grand and nagDi6, ent, bad formed vast
plans for internal improvement which yielded
only to that all deyouring ambition Of which
he was at length the victim.
Irrational power and wealth, or the happi.
ness and comfor; Of individuals produced by
successful industry be .he legitimate object OF
government. the experience Of ether countries
shows how much these objects arc promoted
by the iudirious and persevering application Of
national and individual wealth TO roads and ca
nals-emphaically termed the veins aud arle-
ries Of the body poliric.
five turn our eyes from other countries to
our own, we fad ample evidence OF taa, i'm
por, ant truth witch has been SO fully disclosed
and demonstrated by the experience Of Europe.
A sister state, whose original advantages were
undoubtedly great, has multiplied toe adj
MANAGES TO an amount already exceeding anv
previous estimate; and is advancing rapidly
as 20 justify the belief that the produce acCu-
mulaIirg for transportation through her canals
will b. limited only by the capacity Of those
channels Of communication 10 convey il 10 its
appropriate MAI ket.--The great canal of New
York has not oniv given most powerful inn
petus 10 the commerce and agriculture Of that
safe, but has attracted TO its metropolis
large portion OF the commerce Of the West
O'h'r states stimulated by Tho Imposing exam
pie are endeavouring 10 improve their natural
advantages, aud TO turn them to the best ac>
count. Virginia does not behold the exertions
OF others without making any for herself She
does not remain the passive spectator OF the
ACTIVITY OF her sister staes She Cannot con-
ssnt 10 be stationary while they are advancing.
She capnat look on unmoved while her neigh
bors are securing no, only that commerce which
belongs naturally % them, bu, that which ought
TO seek the markets Of Virginia /, is not he:
policy to compe, her cilizcns to abandon her
markets, ard seek for connection elsewhere.
Such is not her ancient policy. The legisla>
ture Of Virginia was among the first to take up
this in,ere sting subject, among the first TO com
mence internal Improvements. The upper
navigation Of the James and Potomac rivers
was suggested and rec commended by the wisea
of her sons; by those whose intelligent patriot
ism she may long conte mplale with satisfaction
and win pride.
NeitLer The knowledge nor the resources Of
the country justi6sd al that time the a,tcmp,
10 execute thos' great works on a scale tha'
would be productive Of all the advantages that
ought TO be derived from them. Increased
knowledge and enlarged resources extended
our plans 81 improvement. Virginia entered
upon this couse with eagsroess, and pursued
il for sometime with animation She has
howevtr in sUme measure de,is,ed from the
pursuit; and, II she has not abandoned, has at
leasI suspended the execution Of ner ereatrs'
work-that from which the most importan,
advantages were anticipated. Will ,rue wis
dom Justify the continuance OF this policy!
We have only to cas-, our eyes or the map Of
the Crited StaIes tn te assured that the natu>
raj advantages of Virginia are very great,
The Chesapeake, one of he noblrst BAYS Of
thr world, receives her m4gni6cpn, rivers ard
pours them into the Atlantic, dependent of
oiher valuable Streams, her northern frontier is
Wa d by the Potomac, her southern by the