Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-03-25

oendous agent is carrying inlund COM
nerce unparaleledin the history OF the world.
But let me ask you lift, for moment, that vlei
which separates the present from the future and
cooking forward some ftiy or a hundred years hence.
tell me what Is then to oe the condition of that cOun
try' aud what the extent OF ITS commerce, should 1T
please Divlue Providence long to preserve To us
the blessings of FREQ institutions. Contemplate,
ior moment, the period when those state, now but
INFANT grants, shall have become flied up with
free, industrious and enterprisug population Their
numbers will then have been more than quaIrup-
ied;-new sources of wealth Will have been disco
Vered, and further improvements III tho application
OF steam power TO locomotive purposes, will have
been made. By the followers Of Fulton and Perkins
Already has the poetic prophecy of Darwin been
nearly realized.
"Soon shall thy ann, unconqucr'd steam, atar
Drag the slow barge, drive the rapid car;
Or on wide waving wings expanded, hear
The flying chariot through the fields Of air"
w neither we regard the present. prospective ad-
Vautages of connection with this fertile region,
oy Al easy and open communication, never were
stronger considerations presented 10 the mind of
man, than those which press themselves upon us.
VIII 1t be said that Improvement can secure 70
virginia the benefits of that commerce.? Let us
briefly examine that position; one VIII oh know I'M
fortunately to have been assumed by many OF those
who have much at heart the interest of the state
but which, am sure, must br abandoned upon full
inquiry into the relative advantages which enjoy.
Commerce will always seer the shortest and most
direct rout market, when eqGu facilities are af-
forded, and Will always select that direction which
furnishes choice of market. When intended for
foreign exporta'ion, that port Will invariably be pre-
ferred which supplies the most constant and regu-
Tar means of trans-shpnlents. Taking New York,
Philadelphia. New Orleans, and Norfolk, as the
four points the Sea Coast, standing as rivals for
the trade of the west. let ascertain the relative
claims OF each ia reach the city OF New York the
productions of much The most extensive portion of
the -nlontane states must necessarily traverse
the whole length Of the Ohio Canal. To Cleveland a
distance OF 3O7 nles there they must encounter the
treque0tly bolster"us navigation of Lake Erie and
beyond 1t. en;er the New-York Canal which they
must descend for S63 miles, and then pass bv the
North River 10 the city of New York. Nearly the
whole extent of this lue hes nnrtlerB latitude
and very daable portion Of Is now closed by
ice, upon an average of near four months in the year
As to tie interruptions Of the Erie Canal, We have
the test OF experience. In relation to those which
VIII Gccur upon The ONO Canal, we can fern a
pretty accurate e4n4'e Tor the climate of the north
part OF OHIO is lnc cnCnt that of New York
Here, then, are these lwo great divisions of this
communici ION, firm ny together a distance of 67U
miles, thus liable to thus ssrons delay and uconve-
nience. and separated from each other by that GREAT
in and sca, Lake Erie the navigation Of Nhci. is of
ten pc !0uS tina; of he ocean. The use of he
North River from Albany 10 New York is subject
tn the same Interruptions with those of the Canal
1t will be recooced too, tha' st ppage o any
part OF the line is for he time being, an obstruction
of the whole.
Produce intended for PHILADELPHIA, must ascend
the OHIO River to Pittsburg, from which place it
will be transported partly by Canal and artlv bv
Slack-waer Navlga ion, to Columbia, ana thence a
distance OF 30 miles, by Rail Road Upon nor
ton Of lie Ohio River. and the whole water com
munic4ion through Pennsy Ivania, the same difficult
tics vii! occur with those described as belonoIno O
the line leading New-Yorz. Add TO thes,. the
almost total suspension of business on the Ucper
Osi", dur ny the Ircater part Of the summer be-
"ausc OF the impraclicabLy of Steamboat navIpa.ion
and the fact that the DeagdrS River itself 10 ire
qn-utIy CLOSED by ice during the win rr: thus 2utiinn
OF The means Of foreign eXpor' alton and you have
the aciiItIfs and the inducements intended to con-
DUCT the trade Q! the mighty west to the city Of PHI
ladephia
The objections to downward commerce with Neu,
oreahs are OF character different from those which
attach TO an intercourse with the cities OF the north
but upon examination, will be found even more serios
and insuperabie In that direction there is but ono
markes-New Orleans itself There is no choice. and
consequently no competition. The farmer from the
upper country carries his produce there ALWAYS with
great uncertainty as to the price which he is to obtain
tor IT. Should he be fortunate enough to arrive when
mere are but few cargoeS in port, he is amply
geo iof ms long VOYAGE but If as is not unrequently
the case, he finds feet of Hat boats bnckadine the
quay, his produce must either upon his hands mr.
be disposed of for song. 1t is impossible that non
uiaton OF 49,4o7, can consume the produce of the
immense country above it, and the unhea Ithv climate
of that city, together with IFS unfortunate position for
purposes OF foreign commerce, ever prevent its
becoming large and populous place. or the outlet of
the traoe OF Tue western states. Although situated
streams flowing INTO it, bearing the tibute of almost
every cImate, yet nature unalterab!y TO have
6xed the destiny of Orleans in the impure AT,
moSpheTe by which is surrounded and the Derilous
navigation by which is approached from the ocean
IL 10 located upon soil saturated with water which
may be discovered at the depth Of two feet below the
surface, and ercomp7ssed by s.amps and norasses,
whose civilizations are more dsleerous than those nj
the Pontine Marshes. 1t the grave of thousands,
who have been lured there by the prospect of gain
Is always visited With apprehension and would be very
X nsValy avoided, we're ohe, and less objectionable
markets opened, to the people of the west
fbsrs are many causes which do, and must contiu.
ne to operate against Orleans as an exporting civ
Fhe hpst rs to be found in its heated arr as unfsnI
to the soundness and preservation of the general ar
Giles OF commerce of that country as IT fatal to hui
mao life. Bread StuGS, beef pork and all that class
OF peTIshable produce, which will constitute the nrn
cpai exports OF the upper vaes of the and
OHIO, can never, With safety, be shipped from that
point. In an atmosphere producing decomposition
sometimes within few hours the necessary DELAYS of
and traus-shipments, cannot be encounter
ed, This does not apply to the sugar and cotton of
the lower country. The second objection, is the
want OF tree and ready access from the sea- which
aPphes to every species of produce intended for a
foreign market or to be coaswise TO any of our
Own cities The dangers of the Gulph Stream
ana the FLORIDA Reefs, such nature has inerDn
sst, and Which the efforts os feeble man can never re-
move. BESIDES, is the home of tempests and lorna
I-z