Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-02-07
RICH MOND:
MONDAY MORNING.. FkBRuAay =.
COAL AND IRON INTEREST.

II
| The powerful speech of MIR Hudson has no,
been without effect, upon the public mind Of Viz
gnia. We have lete's from many quarters, cor
Tossing that s unsnswerabie facts have opened the
eyes OF the WRITER'S and satisfied them, th,t Virginia
has heretofore mistaken her true policy that che
is as deeply Interested in Taft as any o,he,
State in the Union, and that without such law
her mighty resources can not bc developed. In &C.
'pect to Iron and Coal, in particular. her intsrc.
70 OF ransecndan; Importance. A duty on these
) two articles alone wonlj augment her wealth to an
incalculoLle amount. The benefits would no, be
confined to those, engaged directly in the produe
ton and manufacture of these articles. they would
communicate themselves to every section and every
interest in the State. II the mountains were poo
Piled with n large number Of industrious opera
tives,-if immense iron manufactures were es;ab
lshed from Richmond to the Tennessee line new
and important market would he opened for all the
products Of the Agrieuturisis We should at once
create hone demand FOR all we could prosuec.
The corn OF Eastern Virginia, which now seeks a
precarous market in the northern cities, would be
consumed, and At hugh prices, within eur own
limits. The Wheat and Tobacco would share the
same fate. portion OF the Ct p,al aud abour OF
the country would he divesied from Agricultural
pursuits TO new chaunels-and the profits of those
pursuits would thereby DC enhanced. The openips
of the James River Canal to Lynchburg has made
that town as good market as Richmond for the
oysters, fish aa1 fowl OF lower Virginia. With
every mile Of that Canal, and with every new
mouih-tanda prosperous coal and iron trade
would make ,hous inds) The demand Cor lhcs. deli .
cacies would be enlarged 10 the infinite prof, of the
| favoured region in which they abound.
II is very common TO hear people say, that
Tariff is runous to the Sou'h. This is ono Of those
stale ipss diriis of the Richie School, which peo
pie have given into without closely investga,in,
| IL is not sustained by experience. On the other
hand it is ai,ly eoa,radc;od by The entire history
OF the country. What nigh. be the Effects Of real
free trade. c. free trade on both sdes-the in.
reduction into foreign countries of our pro lucts
free of duty, and the admission of theirs ON N,
same terms, is very iferent matter. Itm,v he
that such SYSTEM nigh, be beneficial TO US. Bu,
such system has no, exsied-joes not exist. AMI
there is not the remotest probability, that j, ever
will exist. The free trade is all agains, us now.
and it will continue We admi, Enelsh md
Fl, nch Goods ire, Of duty-and the reward W.
reap for it, is duty pun,iug Amos, to pro,ib.
ton upon our Flour ard robicco, with tho addition
tuatons and commissions of the old world
We have never yet seen a man, who could nom,
out solitary evil, which would result to virginia
from high Tariff. Ii there DC one, we should he
obliged to him for the information. We con see
many and important benefits TO N protection. rb,
Coal and Iron-the two great sources of nation,l
wealth and straightforward now lie doruln, in our
mountains would, under the heslthlul influences Of
protection, give new life to the entire western por.
ton Of the State and, 10y furnishing market for
the products Of the East, enrich the whole.
a portion OF our tzens, alive 70 the true inter
esls Of the Commonw cath, some time duriny the
past month, held meeting in this City, and adopt.
cd the following resolutions
Meeting offae C3al and Iroa Wlr'.-s
At a meeting Of the Golfers and Icon masters Of
this vicinity and others interested tho domestic
Coal and Iron trade, held At the Columbian HoleI
IN Richmond, on Saturday evening, the sth of Jnu
airy, 1872
Abraham S. Woodbridge, Esq, was called TO the
Chair, and Francis B. Deano was appointed Secre.
tary.
On motion of Mr. John j. werh, tho following
preamble and resolutions were adopted:
The individuals composing this meeting, view
with deep concern the anguishins condition Of he
domestic Iron and Co,l Trade, and look with f.s,.
iul apprehension on the contamination of the present
Tariff Law, (famililrly known as the Compron1is.
ing Act) as threatening the entire destruction OF
those interests.
Entering, as these articles do. into all the pur
poses OF comfort and Of domcs,i. economy: n,d
emnentlY important as they 10 the deiences of
the country, It seems 10 us that they present a
peclniariy strong claim upon the notice and foster
ing care OF the Federal Government. Whatever
may be the general policy of the Government, as
regards the numerous branches of domestic indus
try, II is not unreasonable TO ask OF that Govern
ment, TO take into serious considerations whether the
ar nf hat
indispensable as they are conceded by nil to be- 10
the defence Of lis own Territory and the integrity
of lis own institutions does not present in the pre-
sent unsettled condition OF our foreign relations a
case OF absolute necessity, which will Justify de-
pnrture from any general system whatever In !
consideration OF these premises be 1t therefore
st. Resoissd, That a Committee of six be np. |
pointed to prepare a memorial to the present Con.
gress, on behalf OF the Domestic Coal and Iron
Trade, setting forth the Importance OF those inter.
esis-ihe extent OF their present depression-the |
causes which have contributed TO that depres- |
sion, and asking for such mod alton Of the |
present Tariff as will secure reasonable proiec |
ton of those important branches of domestic in
terest
I'd. R.sOlu,d, That the same Committee delegate
some one or more Of their number, or some other |
suitable person or persons, to proceed to Washing.
ton for the purpose of forwarding the objects OF the
Meeting.
And Holden Rhodes, A S. Woodbridge. Fr,nci, |
b. Deane, ST., Jesse Snend II. y. Huxall, and |
Jonn. Werth, were appointed on that committee. |
On motion of J. Anderson, Esqr, it was fur.
thor
ResOirsd, That the people of every section of the
Commonwealth interested IN tn. sale or mlnuflc. /
turo OF coal and iron, be invited TO hold similar
meetings with view of publishing their own con
victions of the duty Of the Government to foster
those interests, and Of urging the subject upon the
attention Of their Representatives in Congress.
On motion Of Thomas NJ. Randolph
Resoiusd, That for the purpose Of exhibiting to |
the agricultural and other interests OF the country
the extent which they affected by the operation
OF these branches of industry, the Committee up.
pointed under the first resouiion, be requested TO
ascertain as near as may be, aud embody in their
memorial, the number Of laborers employed by |
the Coal and Iron Companies of the State and the |
probhbe quantity of Agricultural products con /
sumed in their operations.
On motion, Il was
Rssoivsd, That the Richmond papers, and the /
Independent and National Intcgencer, n nd Lynch
burg Virginian be requested 70 publish the proceed
ings of this mseting-and the meeting adjourned.
A. S. WOODBRIDGE, Chairman,
F. y. DEASE, Jun, Secretary.
Gen. J.9NES HIlITLTON and the Janes Riuer
and Knndwha Company.