Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-01-05

STlIc,
ronagc; while the Virginia works proposed the Govern
ment OF the u States for its fostering assistance and
which with the aid of the Ohio Canal, might have turned
the trade of the Lakes into the Chesapeake Bay has been
passed codly by IL our have since determined
TO sink the interests OF Virginia in the Constitutional pn-
opes which they have proclaimed, this previous gid
neglect Will scarcely find apology in their subsequent
course, or reconcile the inequality, il not injustice which
has been practiscd
II is not however, in the application Of the public lands
70 inc formation OF lines of and Of intercourse
in other States, TO the neglect Of Virginia, that the Com
monweah has most scnsbly felt the abuse of the
which She contdcd 10 the Government of the United
States i'll the ccssion which she made. In constituting
Congress the great land holder of the West OBJ
servoon must have pointed out the runous
which would follow 10 the whole remaining landed estates
Of the Commonwealth and the inevitable dcpopulaion of
Der earlier settled districts, by offering the United States
lands In market in extensive districts and very reduced
prices And entire confidence must have been reposed
IN the General Government, that disastrous
would not be adopted; yet subsequent events show
inns confidence TO have been equally misplaced Pre-
vioSy TO the opening OF the land Offices Of the
Ohio, the fine lands bordering that river and on the
Kanawha and other principal western streams rated at
from six TO nine dollars per General Washington
had contracted for the sale of his various large
those waters, at eight dollars per acre; land in the other
quarters oil the Commonwealth, commanded prices equally
favorable and the population and wealth of the State
rapidly increasing The ascendancy which the ". States
had acquired vendor of lands however, placed as be-
e remarked every estate within the influence of her c-
glsaon and hut short time elapsed before the effects
oil her policy were seriously fell. When the Government
adopted two dollars the general price per acre rescrvnc
lew sections in each township for higher price rs the
country filled up, Virginia estates experienced fall as
rapid and great if the bosom of destruction had p,ss
Gu over thcm General ashngton's lands returned up
on the hands of his representatives and i, believed
would not now bring the amount for which they then Sold
With' 1.-THE Improvements and amcioations which they
have since received Those lands have been referred TO-
as Illustrative OF the general effect produced upon the
community and not because of any peculiar depreciation
wmch hcy underwent. Lands where were affect
ed in price, from the Atlantic the Western border
ho consequent transfer of population equally rapid;
the reduced price of the public lands operated as boun
would of and
become members of the States; and under the nllu
enco oil thoe Inducements combined much of the skill
he capital and the enterprise of Virginia, sought new
theatres OF action, and great numbers of her people left
her territories, never 10 return.
The effect OF the two dollar system was more potcn,
man the power OF PETER THE GREAT, and tranfcrrcd
to the Western states and towns greater multitude of per-
than tho Car of all the Russias was able IN
trate at his tavorite metropolis.
The experiment, however, did stop here; other and
farther means deemed necessary TO invite the re-
naming inhabitants of the Atlantic States to unite tbcir
desnles with their brethren who had gone before them
the public domain therefore offered one dollar and
centyhce cents per acre and attempts still annual
~ making TO give homes and farms for little norc than the
ancient pepper co'1, to all who will add to the strength
the wealth. and the influence OF the Western States ami
territories How far this delecrious be follow
eu' or 10 Wha lengths II may be carried, vet in the
womb OF time; but the perseverance with which is mr.
sued and the countenancc which it receives even from
Virginia statesmen, may we'll warrant tue most serious
apprchenSions 10 the future
The relative decline of Virginia, in common with the
other Southern States although eierabc, in very con-
siderable degree 10 the which have been adcrted
to- ~ not attributable to their effects alone
The course OF the commerce of the United States cam
not he examined without perceiving the full share which
Its direction has had in elevatng the Northern and de-
pressing the Southern Satcs and in none have its inu
Gus cndencies been felt more seriously than in Virginia
fsw facts will render this conclusion evident TO the most
superficial enquirer For the purpose presenting them
more distinctly the Southern line of Penn extended west
ward and known as ifdson and Dirou's linz 10 til,
separating the Southern and Western States from those
OF the Northern and Eastern division of the Union In
inc year I90 the population North of this line 96s
The exports of the Northern division between the LIST
OF Oct l19l and the Both of September 1892 amounted
TO $lO,S9i 693-those of the South to SlOIl3975 The
tonnage engaged in commerce and the fisheries between
the first of October 1889, and the 3Oh September 1890
amounted to 1921 tons in the North, and 900 tons
In the South-presenting remarkable equality in num-
bers exports and navga,on and though no official data
are at hand showing the importation by the several Gates
at that period, il is believed that any important dr
once then existed, in the amount of foreign goods received
Since that PERIOD Louisiana and the Foridas have been
incorporated with the republic and added greatly to the
commerce and navigation OF the south; western and
southwestern States have covered the Msssspp with
their products yet what is the contrast now presented
Notwithstanding the rapid settlement of the new States
mas swollen the population south Of Mason and Dixons
line, 10 7,2SS ia souls while the northern division con-
'ans but 5,567 sos, the of the noah gave en-
poyment between the ls of October 1928 and the 3Oth
OF September 1920, to 2S7O75 Of shipping while
that OF the south employed only 79i,422 TONS including
22l 0i tons of shipping which entered and denorted from
NEW Orleans Even this approximation the northern
tonnage, is occasioned in great degree by the necessity
which northern importing ships under of seeking out
the south, will become obvious by comparing the pre-
sent exports and imports OF those great divisions
country.
From the LIST of October 1928 the 30h of Septembcr
ioZ9 the value OF southern exports ncluding the Mssis
sppi trade $37, 1896, 1914 while the north exported
IN vaiue during the same period, 1874 96l 907 Within
the same period, the mporatons the north amounted 10
SoOopl, 99l while those Of the south arc returned at
Si4iSV,oo0 his disparity, however appalling NAV be
seems TO be still increasing the Treasury
inform us that tho duties for the present year will exceed
fhTy m'ons OF which the customs received at the city
OF New ork alone, will produce upwards of t,rey mil
lions! '5 ~
If Northern imporatons for Southern CONSUMPTION had
no other effect than TO give employment their shipping
and reasonable mercantile profit on the goods imported
the South would feel but slightly the perncous tcuden
cics OF the monopoly which has een created in compar
son WIN the influence which it exercises bit an exani-
naon OF our revenue system, and of the practices under
II, VIII show, that those the least of the ADVANTAGES
gained over us and the smallest Of the streams of cop
ouuom winch the South is daily making Northern az
graDdzemcnt. "a
IL VIII be borne in mind, that general credit Is eivcn
by aw Tor the duties on imported goods, averaging from
ten 10 twelve months and that by the regular course of
,he Northern packets goods may be received from Eng
land within two months, most sevenyye davs from
the time at which they ordered The duty bonds are
Then executed and with the aid of the auconeers and
loh-hotscs, the importer, in few DAYS if not few hours
converts his Importation, with costs CHARGES duties and
prots into the notes of purchasers payable at te Ranks
at short periods. This operation enables him n hold c
amount OF the duties capital trade free of interest
from the receipt OF the Of sales until his own
bonds become due, and by repetition of the process of
importation and sale, TO provide for his liabilities TO the Go
ycrnmen as they arrive at maturity and thus accomno
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