Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1838-11-01

nheeht snare oil tho fch products oil western com
mcrcc.
Ii is well known that the New York, Pcnnsylsa-
MIA and Ohio canals, are closed AT least tour
months in each year by the ice. And the stoppagc
o transportation which thus occurs IL AT the time
most unlayorablc To tho Western merchant. IL not
untreQuenily happens that his fall purchases de
tanned by the low waters OF that season. are entirely
arrested in their progress by the ice. Aud every
year the spring purchases are subject TO dcien-
ton of from three months account Of ice.
For II mus, be remembered that the breaking up oil
the winter is not the signal for the immediate for
warding of all the commodities which had been
stopped in their course, The accumulation OF goods
Tor four months along the line of those Improvements
can only be gradually worked OIL and the still repeat
ed acccssions To the amount to be transported, oil
ten occasions delay of one aud two months after
the breaking up OF the ice, before tho whole OF the
commodities purchased before that time can be
tcighted from Pittsburgh aud other Northwestern
ports. And IT thus frequently happens that the sea
son ior sales has passed, when the merchant has on
~ received IN divided portions. about one hall OF his
goods, These cmbafrass,nents 10 the trade with
the North are the subjects OF constant annoyance
and Of serious losses to the Western merchants.
How different, aud how much more advantageous
would be tho condition Of trade between the West
and East. conducted through n line of intercourse
ascending the James rvcr and connecting with the
great highway of the West AT the mouth OF the
Great kanawha None Of tho cmharrassmcnts
which 80 materially inluic that trade IN its northern
channels would occur To impede II on this route
An interruption OF three weeks from ice ~ as much
as could ever happen IN the sevc,es season. An IN
spcCton OF series OF meteorological tables very
carefully Aadc and preserved by Col. David Run
nef OF kanawha county, exhibits the important fact
that the average period for the last twenty years, in
which the kanawha river has been closed by ice. is
only two and n half days Tor each year. This s,rik
ing, and most important advantage OF the Virginia
line of improvement, would AT compel
matter oi necessity the transit OF NJ least one bali
East and West, upon this line. This result would
occur at once, and without effort Every western
merchant who made his purchases in The eastern
market, nj any period between the commence ncnt
of low IN The upper Ohio aud the re-opening
of active intercourse in the following spring, would
perceive the decided advantage in regard to certain
ty expedition and cheapncss Of shipping his goods !
through the Virginia route, and he would OF
course select that route. This simple fact, indie
pendent of all It's ultimate and natural consequences.
~ all that has generally been inquired into or relied
upon by the special friends OF the James River and
kanawha improvement, because the certainty Of
tins fact assured tho profitable investment of the
capital employed in the undertaking. II was suifi
cient for the inteies, Of the members OF The Compa
nv charged with the execution of that work. that
the tolls would certainly yield "A handsome dividend
upon the stock composing the capital OF the compa-
ny.
But this is an exceedingly narrow and insufficient
view Of the benefcent results of this great enter
Prise. We have that the very limited demand
capital TO be employed in the foreign trnde OF the
countya t any OF the Virginia o the Southern
ports is not sufficient to enable any OF them to
compete with New Nork in the enjoyment OF that
trade. And great is this advantage to the latter
city over all the rest, that even the and charges
OF reshlpment,ircght, &c.& added the profits up
on the importation paldthe New ork merchant up
on tho small quantity OF commodities consumed IN aud
around each o the Southern porlsdo not enable our
own merchants to perform the foreign operation,
except 10 very limited extent. But 1t will be II
very different matter, whom one half, or even one
third OF the materials ofthe commerce Of the mighty
West passes through one OF the Virginia ports,
burdencd with this additional, and, as II will soon
appear, most unnec essary tax. The serious amount
of that upon SO vast quantity Of goods. will at
once excite attention and enquiry. All minds will
be directed to the means OF its removal;
and, happily, those means ara not remote, nor will
the object be difficult Of accomplishment. di-
rect import aud export trade Al Norfolk, for which
the natural facilities are great as nj New York,
at once the difficulty and takes of the bur
den. In other words, demand will thus be created
at Norfolk, for the employment OF an immense
capital amply sufficient TO compete with that OF
New York. in the foreign import mud export trade of
the country. 1t has been already shown, that by an
invariabc law of political economy, this demand will
certainly and very promptly be answered by cor
responding supply. and thus, and thus only, her
legitimate share OF The direct foreign commerce of
the u. States be restored TO Virginia Tins is the
only solution OF the important aud difficult problem
which the Commercial Convention was called to
work out for the people, and for the legislature of
Virginia
have referred exclusively to the central improve
ment 10 the illustration OF our true policy not be-
cause do not regard other Improvements Us Of very
great importance, deserving the liberal patronage
OF the legislature and OF the people, and rs very
efficient auxilianes in accomplishing the great
result. But IL is as auxliaries only To this great
and commanding enterprise that all the others should
be regarded. The influence OF all other improve
mens added to the results of the central line, will
tend to swell our commerce and TO extend our re-
sources. Each will operate efficiently in producing
the great result. But while the central work re-
mains unfinished all the rest would produce but an
incorsderabc effect. The reason this IS obvious
Although each one of the improvements referred 10
may penet.a very rich and extensive district of
country. and attract the trade ii that district to one
of our Virginia towns, ye the only effect of the i'm
proyemen will 5eto make that town point in the
channe, ofiGtercourse between such district aud
.urlhGrn port. The mighty stream Of Western
commerce will still flow to NJ York, and continue
the demand for the concentration there of that i'm
monsc capital which dcfes and bears down all com
petition. But the Instant that Virginia connects one
of her seaports with the Ohio river, she invite,
and TO large extent command the almost entire
commerce of the West. The Ohio river is the great,
the common highway of all the Western States.-
Upon its bosom floats nearly The whole commerce of
this mighty region. When you have reached the
Ohio river, YOU have, at the same moment reached |
every other point of the great Mississippi Valley
All are made at once accessible to you, and all will
gladly seek, through your improvement, outlet to
the Atlantic.
Thus at least think our neighbors TO the North |
and to tho South Of u.s. OF what consequence does
IL. Il. IL. 1