Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1838-03-08

~ "unt are we 10 attribute this vast increase
IN W number Of visitors and the consequent
value OF the property2 Is il no, mainly al.
tr'outeo 10 The increased facilities of access 10
them which have been afforded by the con
slruclIon OF better roads ? Sir, lie, not gen
,iemen underyalue this illustration. Virgil
MIA would have been paid four fold for the
construction OF this road, if il never yielded
her dollar IN The form OF "A dividend. II
has added millions 10 the value Of her real
property, and IL has increased the quantity OF
every kind oilaXable property. believe |
would hazard little ia saying that the taxes
on the licenses taverns and stores which
have been called iaio existence by the con
Slruc'ion OF this road, would pay two per cent
on lis cost But il has done more-it has
epened to Virginia trade, which is one day
TO lee source Of immense wealth 10 her. Sir.
gentlemen may talk of the tobacco trade, and
The Hour trade, and the cotton trade of Vir-
gInia, but, sir, | am very much mistak en-. If
the day ia far distant when the SULPHUR
WATER Trade is TO yield as large bal>
ance IN their favour as either of them And
sir, II is u trade which must benefit every
portion al the State, and dilliuse IFS sdvaata-
ges through all classes Of society, from the
weslty merchant of Richmond, to the hum
But, sir, let me ask gentlemen, il they are
correct in centining their views of the profits
on works of Internal Improvement 10 the
present time and the existing condition OF
things Let them remember that our State
is comparatively in its infancy lis popula-
ton is spare and its productions are extremes
~ limited. There are, therefore. few pee-
pie TO travel on our roads, and little produce
TO be transported from pluce 10 place Blu,
when population shall have become more
dense-when the latent resources of the
Country shall have been called into action
when production shall have been stimulated
to IFS utmost limits, is il not easy to see tha,
the travel and transportation must increase,
aud with them the profits ON the roads?
But, sir, passing on To the report Of the
wha, are 10 be the effects of the
works which they recommend on the trade
IN your coal, iron, lead, gypsum and salt
Sir, was there heart in tins Assembly
which did not throb with emotion The other
day, when we listened tc the glowing aud
eloquent descriptions Of the mineral resour-
Ces Ot Virginia, which we received from our
accomplished geUlogisl? Was there man
who did not feel lnipelled by a solemn sense
OF duty to contribute his aid 10 bring them
into use
Sir, without entering into any investiga-
ton of the extent or value of these resources,
or their present condition, and .he effects
which we might anticipate from their tho>
rough developmeBt-all Of hich are themes
worthy OF the Statesman and the Patriot, let
me call the attention of the House 10 one sin
gle fact, which presents the necessity OF In
ternai improvements in the strongest posi-
BILE point of view. IL is this-W hist we
possess ineXhaustible mines OF iron ore, and
endless strata ofcOal, and boundless forests Of
timber, within 100 miles Of the City Of Rich
mond, owing to the want of access 10 them,
the manufacturers OF iron in this place are
compelled 10 send TO Maryland and Penn
sylvania for large quantity of the raw ma>
terlal, which IS manufactured here, and in
many instances il is sent back in its new form,
and sold at profit What q commentary
does this single fact present upon the apathy
OF Virginia on The subject of Internal I'm
proyement! Letgentemep also remember,
that, in the prosecution OF judicious system
OF Internal improvement, every additional
work odds to The value of those already con
structed. BY way ofiIiuSIralion, let us sup
pose the case of a cana! fifty miles in lengIh,
which yields five per cent on lis coSt.-Let
VS. then imagine this canal 10 be extended
hIiy miles further, and that the transpuIIa-
ton upon il will also yield fire per CENTS
1t not easy toperceive tina, il the tonnage oil
the second section passes through The 6Isi
section, the profits al the first will he doub-
led and il you make oDother extension OF
fifty miles, the profits will be Is per cent or
the first section, 10 per cent on the second
and per cent on the third
u, -, q. i
cious system Of improvement, as experience
has demonSirated-an hence the necessity
of having long and continued lines of com,
muHicatiun, instead OF short local works
which present no inducements 10 the public
10 use them for the purpose OF travel or tran
spOrtaIion. But gentlemen say these works
are for the benefit OF the West, and il i.
wrong that The East should be taxed to max
them. Sir, there never was more unioun
ded idea than this. These improvements
belong neither To the East nor TO the West
The benefits resulting from them, are com
mon 10 both sections. They facilitate The
intercourse between The two divisions of III,
State, and they enable both TO profit by iht
exchange OF their surplus product. Sir, w
OF the West, send you our agricultural pro
duclIOns and our stock and WI receive in ex
eu""Eo )Oul manufactures ahu your neI
| chandlze. Both parties are benefited b,
the exchange, and every thing which di
mnlshes the cost Of transportation, must in
crease the ability Of both 10 purchase more q
the productions Of the other Sir, you nigh
as well conteBd that the artery which sup
plies one OF the members OF the human franz
with the vital fluid, was intended for the be
nett OF that member alone, as that road c
canal penetrating into particular region
operated exclusively for the advantage
that particular sectional interest Sir, lh
\ GOULD -