Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-01-21
VOL. XNVRHu.---No. 20.

among the nations.
Virginia, with a delightful cline, a fertile soil. and tina
choicest blessings oil nature showered in bounteous profu-
sion on her land, presented at one time the happy specta-
Gle OF a people possessing private independence, and re-
loicing in the contemplation of their country's greatness.
But Virginia discontinued her exertions. Arrived at n
certain point of Improvement, all her energy seems to have
torsaken her, while the other states OF this hemisphere,
redoubhng their efforts to press onward in the career of
wealth and power, have left her far, far behind them.
Aware OF the true sources of political power and of indi-
vidual wealth, our wiser sisters of the North have spared
no pains in giving TO the industry of their people every
facility in the production and transportation of commodi-
ties, which the wonderful. science of The age has uroy;Jod
As surely as water finds its level, will capital and enter
Prise seek those points of attraction at which they can most
6eneticially operate. Thus, the great system of Public
improvement acts and reacts upon itself, with a still in
creasing ratio Of tertilising influence. The facilities afford
ed 10 the transportation of products, add to the wealth and
comfort oil every member OF the community; while tho
capital and industry, which they attract and create, exert
their viviiyinga and enriching influence upon every class
and every occupation in the State.
In this contrast, we behold the certain and abundant
source oil the most grievous ills that afllict Virginia. The
poverty oil her citizens, and the decay of her political in
.huence, may clearly be traced to the strange and unac-
refusal of her Government to march with the
progress oil the age, to its perverse determination to stand
sun while the whole world is moving onward.
The patrons and advocates of the policy which has so
scended to %enlighten the public mind with an exposition of
the arguments upon which their system may be justified.
Iheir most efficient tcedpOnS, however, consist of innam-
matory and deceptive representations of the evils of a pub
lie debt, and the burdens of the increased taxation that
viii be required TO keep down the interest of the debt.
itlC TcIlcCuOll must, L thlnk, convince the most nreiudi-
Ceu' 'hat ulese threatened evils are imaginary; and that
the burdens, which the adoption ofthe most liberal and en-
tensive system OF Internal Improvements would impose
upon the people, would be too light to be seriously felt, and
would speedily be forgotten in the endowment of the in
calculable benefits which must flow from such a system.
10 every portion, and every member of the community.
Ithas been even said, and not without some appearanco
OF piausiblhity, that a public debt is a public blessing
lhough tins proposition is certainly incorrect, yet tbs
equally certain that the sudden diffusion ola large borrowed
capital throughout a community must produce the most
admirable effects. a powerful impetus is thus given 10
The productive capacities of a country, the influence Of
which does not soon cease TO be felt. Mr.. McDufie has
exhibited this efectof government disbursements in a We
ry strong light. In his Speech on the Tariff delivered in
Congress in 1881, he uses the following language:
81 believe any State, Pennsylvania for example, would
ma II an advantageous pecuniary speculation, TO pay a
million of dollars to the Federal Treasury, annually. upon
the condition that the Federal Government should annual
y dlsburse two millions of dollars among the people of
that State, in the purchase of grain, iron, manufactures.
and such other productions as are there made for market.
Its obvious that a new demand would be annually crea.
ted for amiliion Of dollars worth of the productions OF Penn
sylvania, and a new value thereby given to those produc-
tons. Ii would, OF course, give the highest possible si-
inulus 10 productive industry, and at the end of the wear
the aggregate wealth of the State would be increased mora
than it would be diminished, by this fiscal operation of
paying one million in taxes, and receiving two millions in
disbursements The most striking example of the influ-
ence of government disbursements, of which history has
kept any record, and that which first drew my attention
TO the subject, is that exhibited by Great Britain in tho
war against the French Republic and the French EN-
pirc. The extraordinary financial resources of G.. Bri-
tain in that eventtul struggle, have excited the wonder
and admiration of the world, scarcely less than the lunar
alleled military achievements and extensive conouests of
the Emperor Napoleon. The spectacle of a nadan ann,
ally expanding some two hundred millions of dollars. and
yet tiourishing almost beyond any former example, SEEM
ed almost TO battle the proioundest speculations of politi-
cal philosophy. But the mystery is completely unravel-
ed when we advert to the fact, that she annually borrowed
during fifteen years, one hundred millions of dollars. By
this operation alone, the annual disbursements of the Co
vernment were made TO exceed the annual amount of the
taxes, very nearly one hundred milliens."
The mere expenditure of the capital employed in the
construction oil The New York canal has built up, at con-
the influence of which upon the individual and political
wealth of the State, WILDE felt to the remotest generation.
Though the benelicent influence of such an expenditure
in Virginia would be felt by all classes and by every in
terest, yetin no way would its effects be more signally be-
nehci9l than in giving value to some of the unproductve
slave labor OF the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth
| am almost tempted to believe thatthe remarkable timuIus
thus afforded to the productive capacities off nation, is eoui-
vaient, or nearly so, to the whole value of the capital
expended in the construction of great and extensive
works Of Internal improvement. But, without exappe-
rating the amount of this source of profit and advantage.
it will at least be seen, from this view of the subject
That the benehcent influence of such undertakings upon
the industry of tho country is neither remote nor contn-
gent. It's not postponed until the completion of the whole
or any part OF the work, but commences with the incep-
tion ofthe enterprise, and with the imposition of those
burdens which are so much dreaded.
In the instance ofGreat Britain, cited by Mr.. McDuf-
fe in the above extract, a terrible reaction subsequent
" occurred. Upon the restoration of peace, the stimulus
That occasiCned her wonderful prosperity was suddenly
withdrawn, while the weight of taxation continued undi-
f minished. But in the case of Great Britain, the whole
amount expended was wasted, i'm what political eco
hOulsts term UhTTOdUcirc consumption. This i'm
mense capital was utterly destroyed; was withdrawn
forever from the actual capital of the country. Not
so in the expenditure Of borrowed capital, in produc-
hUe consumption, such as works of Internal Improve
ment. The entire value thus expended, continues TO ex-
ist as a part OF the fixed capital of the community in a
less p%erishable and more productive form than before
But this is not all. The actual capital expended is not
merely Reproduced in another form, as a portion of the
public wealth, but n Reic Udiue is created, in comparison
with which, the original Investment is utterly insight
meant. In most instances, the mere toll derived from an
important Public improvement, is equal TO the interest OF
the money expended in It's construction. In such cases,
the toll dlonc constitutes a fjT and complete equiualent
for the tchOie capital invested in the work. But the toll
upon a public work does not represent either rent or pro.
fits. II IS rather in The nature Of a mere tnr upon the
/ Udiuc IF the improvement. The productive capacity OF
the work itself in stimulating industry and enterprise, In
attracting and accumuating capital, and in adding 10 the
comforts and resources Of every class and every occupa-
ion, is the nctC UofUe created by the original expenditures
This value becomes the free and common property OF the
n community, and through all time will continue TO exercise
its wonderful agency in promoting the general prosperity,
This subject will be continued. A VIRGfNIAN.
nRNAMENTAL HEADS OF HAIR.-The sub
~ scribcr having made arranc oments TO visit Rich.
/ mOnd on or about the 10th inst, viii offer for sale. an ex.
| tcnsve assortment Of WtCs and ToUPETs, ali of his own
a. nan.F..F.. - L.-.. a. 49,. 49,