Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1830-09-02
INTERESTING LETTER.
From the Natisna! hteligeneer.
FROM A FRIEND 10 FRIEND.
Du.b IS1u
July 18Th, 1880.

along the s,age-rouIe, and again higher up, aud
neaIe, the nntains. will trouble you with
some of my observations, which have corrected
some mistakes On my part. aud may, perhaps,
be OF use To others.
| will take the Potomac as my southern boun.
dary from this river TO the 81. Mary's a dis
lance Of siI or seven hundred miles, The coast
is uniformly fiat aud sandy, with occasional
portions OF rich s~ampy land, especially near
the mouths of the rivers. bn, IL is excee DINGHY
sickly, especially where rice Is cultivated but
by far the greater part of this sea coast consists
of very poor flat pine woods. dreary and UNIV
habited. Tue second belt, or region, extends
IN like manner across the whole otthe Southern
States aud. with The first, occupies breadth OF
little less than two hundred miles; it is n region
of pine woods, spotted with some good tracts
of land but compared 10 the amount Of pine
land, very insignificant. This immense pine
wood belt extends even across Alabama, Misss.
sIppi, and Louisiana, TO the Sabine. People
of the Northern aud Western States. can form
but little idea Of the Immense proportion OF poor
and scarcely habiiable land in this immense
zone, extending from the Potomac 10 the Pro-
vince of Texas. In other parts OF the United
States, the different quailles oil soil are much
interm,xei !; rich land, second rate, and poor
are found in different portions but mill ons al
acres of poor pine laud are constantly met with
10 unbroken tracts. This must. Of course have
a prodig ious influence on the population in
stead OF farmers or yeomen, instead oftowps
aud villages. those lands must long renaiG with
out popu alton, unless the culture OF The grape,
or the rearing OF the silk worm, or SOME other
profitable pursuits be discovered, and 10y these
means rescue il from its present destiny. Tar
and turpen,ine, aud The lumber trade, all of
"a ~. I.., aIh i.,.,
ses OF which the tariff. assure you, is entire
y innocent, (allhough Il Will not do, ~ this
country to say that II is possible for the odi0aS
tariff to be innocent OF any thing,) have hitherto
Iorme t'he chief depen ienee ol lns region. The
THIRD Region is entirely different from The
other wo III is that which extends from the
falls of the rivers and the mountains aud may
be estimated at one hundred miles in width
The pine tree disappears, and with II the gene
raj surface of sterlIity. The county IL hlly,
| or diversified susceptible OF Continued and con
tiguous population IS likely 10 abound in villa-
ges and towns, and Win farmers instead Of plan
ters.' II is healthy, well watered abounds ia
IRON aud other ore. aud in mills and mIil seats,
and in time will have manufactures. Ii you
will look AT the map Of the United States, you
will see that the Appalachian mountains. as
they run south, leave wider space towards
the sea coast mus afiording room for the piney
regions, aud al the ssne time for tract along
the foot ofihe mnuatains, aud ,neIr sp aces.
equal to that OF Maryland or the northern part
of Virginia.
From tins geological view oil the Southern
States it will be seen, that each Stale presents,
on a smaller scale. the great features winch
characterize the whole terrlior, OF the Conied-
eracy that IS, we find in South Carolina and
Georgia an eastern or sea coast district, n md
die reg.ca. and resierH country and, IN my
opinion, the permanent interests OF these diiteT
cut sections, will be as dIfticul, to reconcile, as
are the different sections OF the Union. Then
soil aud climate. their population, aud their
pursuits, aud public and private economy, mus
differ essentially. The western portions Of
these States are highly 6odrishng the settle
ments may almost date from our reyolulionar J
war while tna seaboard has been gradually
declining since that period. from causes winch
their statesmen might trace out, II they chose
instead Of giving n rein TO passion, aud with a
want Of deep discrimination winch 10 truly
surprising, laying the blame to the tarlh-a
cause as little capable OF producing the prodi-
sious effects ascribed TO ii, as the blowing oil a
whale TO produce West India hurricane. II
this letter does not grow too long, Will poin,
out some OF thu causes.
where il is occupied by planting, is generally
in the hands oil very wealthy planters, who
cultivate on large scale.-AmDng the rice
planters, especially, it is DOT uncommon TO own
from 100 to 1910 slaves. Tne policy Of one of
those planters,i IS to pursue, IN relation TO The
economy his plantatlon, system Of entire
Independence OF the adjacent or contiguous
couHiry. lie endeavors 10 secure every thing
within bimselt-his mechanics are bis own
property, and instead Of going TO neighbor>
ing town Tor occasional supplies, lbs policy is
10 ship his crop to some dis ant country, aud
lay in his supplies once year So far from
desiring neshbors, especially poor white
neighbors. he purchases up large bodies Of
inferior lands, and condemns them TO remain
deserts, But for his political, or municipal
ZION, with the rest oi the country ,he might
rs well occupy an island an hundred miles from
the coast. WHAT eau he have 10 do with inter
nal Improvements. with internal trade, or with
the encouragement OF domestic manufactures
He is governed by his interest, precisely as the
inhabilant of the interior rs influenced, when he
desires a good road TO the sea coast, or feels
the benefit Of a come on with countries still
farther in the interior. As you are much nearer
the fountains OF correct knowledge than | am,
! will ask you for an explanation OF what APP
pears TO the aoth little singular: The opponents
to the tdrili, and the internal trade and INDUS
Try are, Grs, the great ship-owners and ship
pug merchants Of the North next, British
factors, agents tor the Sale OF British goods :;
and, lastly, Inc great Planters Of Soath-how
does 1t happen, that these concur IN opinion.
although 50 remotely ltuated from each otner'
This must be interest, aud not sectional feeling
10 the ship>owner, his ship is his country TO
the great planter, his plantation is his connt,y
| can SEE no other mode OF accounting for this
comcidence-n natural they consult their
true interest, and have the ssgacIty to discern
il and have had the address 10 induce others 10
believe, that their interest is the same. But
this oplnon is by no means universal found
in the western parts OF the Southern States ma
ny Intelligent individuals. who entertained the
same views OF policy as the people oil the Md
die and Western States.
Judge Tucker IN one of his notes to Black =