Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1840-12-08
ANNUAL MESSAGE
THE
GOVERNOR OF TIE COMMONWEALTH.

acknowledge With humble gratitude. the blessings ,
winch have been d'spcns.d our cngn non wealth y
he supreme ruler OF cNcns The instructions of q.
periencc designed teach nations the oi
iirm r,lianre on ham IN whose hand- all human
tcsiniesi and pease have ever had more abunJ
AM cause io be thaf'ktci hsn ourselves While many
portions Uf tic ear.h. and some parts of -ur own coun
Try, have teli the FaSages ef and pesiencc the
yc0r ~ Hbou; ~ clo~e with N. Us a commenced IN
peace ami security. Our Gel,is have yielde their n
eus'cmrd haryes;s to the dusity of the husb0nsna
the skill uT the Mechanic. md the enterprise OF the
mere hani. have enlarge the sphere Of their
aud their reward, and every citizen has repsDs.d IN
confidence under the mild bat protection OF our
laws. II we have sometimes hal occasion To lameRt
the mpeiccions of the best nnJ the vses OF bo.asa
institutions comparison Of our condI,inn with that
the most favored otonr wslnpt fail 10 inspire
with conicnimeni, and io CRAFTY our national pride
Though We have recently witnessed perai ofeI;ra-
ordinary cXciiSncni. nm aware OF any instance
IA which the laws have failed to protect The Injured
or TO punish the offending u cannot oiherwise
long rs orr social ghts and oblgaiioss sanctioned
by eulighI.Sicd Popular will and sustained by
ih"se simple. yet stern stcos which the iirspen-
sable elements offree government.
Though agriculture Is the predominant interest Of
OUT state possesses almost Gncquallcd Advantages
Iis climate il geographical position its cara, BAYS
aSd river, ITS mineral productions and It's supplies OF
water rover for commerce and manufactures The
success vhich under the di-sc vantag~ of huctua,-
ing population, and imperfect sysr,n of husbanIrv
leaves no doubt that when art shall have brd still
farther IN the dey ,lupcmeni Of fral resources
our commonwealth Will more than realize he vivid
conceptions of national wealth and grandeur which
animated lis early settlers Our energies are recover
ing rapidly from the effects OF those large coniribu-
iuiIs IA population, wealth and enterprise which we
have made 90 the sialcs, and while our own CHI
find IL better rensin and improve their na.
tive SOIL European emigrluts, and citizens OF other
states, seeking hoRcs in fertile western forests
or filling mp the places uf those who have le us too
often under tie delnsive hnPo al improving their
dliiOn. The indications of agricultural mprov emeni
are decided and cheering particularly in many of our
counties below tide water; and the astonishing Increase
in population and wealth. which is exhibited hy our
whole irans-ANeghany country Us, TINT tho
we have given mure than western empire 10 the
Union. yet, like the E.msn father We are rot iIupoy.
crished by oar generosity. but much remains
rs before. The multiplication Of agricultural -ocie-
es and the well directed efforts of agricultural
journals. improving the old system OF cultivation,
and adding active nndpowcrfnl smulanIs 10 the
GIGS of proluc ION
IL IS 10 be regretted that the Of acquiring
curae statistical information with regard TO the COM
prehensye interests of STATE saisac-
tory. Such information would all times lie useful
To the legislature, and frey nenily important other
departments Of the government. Cur commerce seeks
such diversified channels along the whole line of the
Chesapeake, through ports. those Of the Dis
frtd e. CdtHH6sa and the stale Of Mar yia nd, and
the waters Of the OHIO IN the west. that difficult
10 form any correct csiImaIsof ts iuial value. Tho
the regulation Gifts external Interests has been rond
ed 10 the fede raj government, is nevertheless our
d1ry watch ard fIeT tuse domestic resources
which supply the foreign market ard thar they
receive Just protcciion. Iy2uuld therefore. call
your stcniion 10 the oppressive and uneSnmpc bus
dens & Much of prnciTalsiapes has bcrn long
subjected, md submit, whether Is evpsdieu
Er You, through reprcseE Iaton in congress
Orce the just claims of tobacco planters,
ductInn ni the duties iClTosed tobacco,
hy most EaroP"on governments. Ia instance,
fsese duties eNcPe IiSsUsasd dJllars The hogs
hcLd while iuruTirs frpu the imposing them
are admitted INTO the niteG States duty free, and 40
II Is dilIio alt conceive. why an article
which ranks second ia the exports oi the L. States
snd which enters largely into tho consumption of
civilized and savage m0n s'Uuld have been selected
the subject of such system OF tayaon Wig the
injurious effects Of these duties have been urged
ia more emphatic mairarr the consideration OF
foreign governments IL has been stated by those
who were we'll acquainted with the subject, that the
different European governments Interested land many
of them deeply in the tobacco trade derive an annual
re senue, by Henns of impo-is American tobacco,
larger than the whole revenue of the United
STATES. The beneficial consequences al n reduction ct
these SIXTIES. would soon be felt ia an increased de-
mond aad better prices for ihs valuable product Of
our sol.
The great perfection attained by our millers in the
manufacture of -four. has given brands the high
eat TcI" atIou ~ country ard ~ foreign
kels. The manufacture of cheap c0s,sn clt.ilIs of
iron, paper salt glass. &C. in onrsine. has rnpidly
tended. aud already reached "a point al which 81 NAV
be considered having established successful com.
petition with the best articles manufactured elsewhere
The cities of Richmond md Wheeling, 10 we'll as Pc.
iersJurg and Lynchhgrg and sevcro other cities are
employing very 4rse uuUunis of.caTIal in ranulnc-
lures, aud displaying an energy winch will soon
cnie Virginia to a high rank among the maGuiactur-
ing states.
Our imports like those Of al the states. have been
affected by tho frequent fluctuations cf general COM
within the last few years. but hey Indicate
progressive Improvement, which encourages HE belief
that distant periUd our foreign trade viii flow
~ direct and natural channels than these IN
which habit rather than eXpcdIenry has long
fined T. The mt Of our exports exhibits n sirik-
Iuc contrast with impDriaO5s, and shows beyond
doubt that possess abundant means for susianing
that credit abroad, which will enable W. To derive
lhoso advantages from foreign commerce which
enjoyed chiefly by others. The application OF
team tn marine navigation While il brings distant ma
hons ~ closer with each other will probably
render useless many Of th complicated agencies
th oJsh which the products ofone rcgio have sought
market IN another aud the result nf better ac-
Guaintance between different countries viii establish
less artificial and direct system OF uregn credit
The mDnOlolies Of the carrying trade and Of establish
Ell commercial depots, we'll ~ the "a ns which
governments impose trnde- will probably be
brought under the SOLITARY influence Of fair cum.
petition by this sysicm Of Improy the great
hgh~ay Of nations. Experience, however. has shcvr
that commerce. ike the tides Of the Occan is rcrul1
tel by Us own laws and that neither the q sofn nor
the power af ccssve generations will suffice 10
prescribe iis permanent course of Us limits While
wc may lspk with confidence 10 The sure results of
time. ID is Nd within the compass Of stale leg station
suddenly 90 Charge the csfattshed order uf things
with regard 10 the foreign trade 81 the staple states
fHc exports II Richmond Tor the year $50. amounted
81 JTI 32B Y, lille the Of fnnuorfs
only S36l 2j4 The imports and exports Of our whUle
state. for some years past, VIII probably bear Wards
each olher nearly the same relation. while n well
regulated system Of domestic Crcdt ~ill doubtless
greatly lcfitsto better and equal freign trade
B. nccess1r, also 10 command hat credit abroad
'o which Der e. ports e1uiic Us. and ans happy y
learn Chat 0Hr ouierprisng mcrt hauis adopting
1--we u~ssufss iJ oricud ls,T lIai1nce. and oslI-
'ie1 mIfc direct intercourse wiil foreign cOunfics