Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1841-11-15

arise on every hand, and crowd themselves upon III,
mind. Yet they canno, iarbear TO suggest II th'
General Assembly some OF the more imnoitant lacl.
and considerations which tend 10 the adoption
Of the project.
II il the Southwest that asks this boon-a sec lion
Of country rich han any other part OF The State
in it's resources OF every kind-but, abundant as
these resources ar. they are rendered OF bul
lille comparative value BY the deslitutlon OF
commercial facilities. Remote from the markets
Of the country, and denied by Nature those easy
and cheap channels Of intercourse which else
where exist. the PRODUCES uf a soil teem'ng with
fertility, il cultivated beyond the limit oil our own
wants. ,nust rot uron our farms, and our une-
ouaed mineral wealth be confined 10 lis circulation.
and 10 its use, TO the extent oi dliheuH anu ex-
pensiyc land transportation.
The soil OF the South western counties Is naioii-
ously rich aud possessing eli ae favorable TO
,ls growth of almost every article "hirh tan be
.tiyated in The STATE, the only hml 10 Is Iroduc-
lion is the want Of keis; aud NOW hslandng the
distance of those points winch seek The and Of
the Gene raj Assembly 10 reach, many Of those pru-
duets nigh, be p,oflaby cultivated, even IN that
remote quarter.
There is. perhaps, no part Of the Uucd States
which comprises. withn small compass, much
mineral wealth, as few Of the Southwestern coun-
ties.
an extensive adj lining dlsttiu IN tie State Of Ten
nnesssee, abound in ore, Of The icbrst qualify
and afiordlng iron equal 10 any w''aieSer.-Nu-
mesous manufacturers ot ihis metal exist, which
produce quantity sufficient for he supply OF the
country around, and furnish 10 the distant South
western States a small amount by the ptecaiious
means OF the winter lteshets.
The salt OF Washington and Smyth c unties, IS
equal TO any in the word. The water from winch
il is made is saturated with that mineral; and
recent search has asceralncd The fact, that flows
from thick deposite of rock salt. Upwards OF
,nn hns hpls naUP INN nl
which is sent off on the winter floods 10 East Ten
nessee.
The lead mines in the county OF Wy,he, are ca
pable Of supplying the demand ion hat II etal 10 al
most any extent; and though the manufacture OF II
now ngulshes account OF the low prlce IN mar
kei, and the high price OF transportation, upwards
oC 400 tons annually made.
But the most valuable Of the minerals of that
region is the gypsum, which Is found 10 Washing
Ton and Smylh counles Extending over a liact OF
country not less han IL miles in e' 9Th, and xst-
inc in beds of immense thickness, II may be SAID to
ne inc xhaus,ible. This mineral is the more vaua-
bic. from its grea purny-rs quality beng far So
per,or to that brought from abroad.
Al, these substances exist 10 such abundance,
tina, any quantity can be produced which the market
might require.
eft that must result from afording to all these IN
teress some facility for the conveyance OF such a
bundant agricultural and minera, products TO mar
ket. To develUpe to Their full extent such r. sour
ces-to imp TT activity and euergyto an extensive ~
rich section OF the Std,e-,o give wealth aud COZ
,nercia pro- peIity hitherto neg ected par oil our
common conntry,-are surely objects, the attain
ment Of which may be just, deemed the duty Of
our Government.
But the benefi s which must result from the con
,empls,ed improvement, would not be fned
the Southwest. We seek, through thus measure.
10 enlarge a commerce now small, with the Eastern
,,,, fbo, malt nm
River, together with The county around them, can
not fail to reap harvest from II, rich in proportion
10 the degree of facility afforded The proposed
work cannot fail. in our view, to have further ten
deucy in the highest degree desirable. The mer-
chand r. for the cousumpaon ofihe South wtsl, IN
GLIDING large part Of East Tennessee, IS purcllas-
ed generally 10 the cites Nuith Of Virginia. The
construction OF The proposed Road, together with
the James River Canal, would make that the line
only If transport, but OF travel Tor those iner'
chants; aud look with confidence 10 the
result, that before long, that purchasing trade
would stop 10 The prime pal towns OF our own
State, the merchants Of which will not permit
commerce So valuable 10 pass by them 10 more dis
tant points beyond our border.
To the James RIVER improvement, which is
garded the grea, work OF the State, its effect
mus, he particularly Advantageous. Terminating
nj point high up on that river, the stimulus thus
afforded to Southwestern commerce, would pour
mo that canal greatly increased quaniiy oi ton
mage. Indeed, your memora|isis look upon the
PROF. cted Road The most valuable auxiliary thai
Can be devised to that work and to be essential
full development Of Its great utility. thai II
should rather be regarded necessary pant OF tina,
magnificent undertaking.
Nor is This subject 10 be regarded with \ view
10 The commerce vi Southwestern Virginia only.
The broad aud rich valley OF the lloiston extends
into East Tennessee, here It's character tor Ter
tiy and productveness IS maintained aud The
same facilities which will stimulate, aud throw
into Eastern Virginia, the trade Of the South
western counties, will draw along the same chan
NEIL and 10 The same points, the commerce vi AN
extensive and nch portion Il the State OF Tennes-
oee.
The proposed Road becomes of greater impor-
lance, " hen it is recoecled, that the State Of
Tennessee is prosecuting the Improvements Of her
own territory with vigor which promises the best
results. A Rail Road, extending from Charleston.
10 South Carolina, by Augusta, 10 Georgia, Is No"
under construction IL the border Of Tennessee; and
that State is actively prosecuting the contnuat,on
OF The Road wuhin her own territory TO III" town Of
knoxville. There Is, moreover. strong assurance
gwen TO US, that Tennessee will extend, from the
Virginia line, whatever work may be constructed to
tina, point on oy,r part, AT least TO knoxvle--per-
haps To Nashville; large fund IS now 10 her hands,
which there Is strong reason To believe wall be APP
Piled 10 this OF ject The completion Of these pans
will form long and highly important line OF ON
munlcalion between the untry North and East OF
Abingdon and the St"tes South aud West oil that
pont Constituting Of The most valuable and use
iul channels, boIh OF commerce and Iravel, the
United States. The General Assembly Cannot fat
to perceive The danger, that the vauAbe aud rich
trade Of The Southwest may seek a Southern out.
let, and be wholly diverted from our own laIe nm