Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-02-03

Your committee TO whom was referred
so much of the Governors message as re-
lated TO geological survey, present the
Following RrpoRT.
Your committee, in the examination of
that portion of the Governors message
which was referred to them, have had it
for their object TO investigate the argu-
ments by which the truth of his Excellen-
cy's assumption, "that a geological survey
has connection with the internal prosperl-
ty of the State" is demonstrated.
The investigation, into which the com
mittee has been enabled to enter, Las. as
will be perceived, convinced them that
this connection is not only an intimate,
but necessary one. 1t must be apparent
to every rehecting mind, that while Yer
mont, for the last ten years, has done much
to sustain aud to elevate her reputation for
moral and intellectual power, her compar
alive, physical and political strength has
been silently and constantly decreasing.
Already has this decrease, in comparative
numbers, lost us one of our delegation in
Congress, and upon the present order OF
things, another apportionment bids fair TO
be productive of like result.
Some of the towns in the State have, in
the last ten years, greatly decreased in pop
ulation and in many instances of increase,
it is believed the result is occasioned by
the desire for the enjoyment Of the privi-
leges of villages, resulting more in the DIS
sipation than in the accumulation of
wealth.
The deserted dwellings upon many
hillside attest, that the State has lost, and
is losing, much of its hardy and invaluable
industry. The "laying of farm to farm"
and turning the whole into wide sheep
walks, would induce the belief, that the
fear that we shall become a pastoral in
stead of an agricultural people, is not with
out foundation.
The rage for western emigration has
been, doubtless, the main cause ofthe fore
going evils. Emigration has not only ia
ken the talents and hardy industry of the
State TO level forests, to build up cities,
and to lay the foundations of empire, in
the west, but every wave of its progress
has carried with it the accumulated avails
OF whole generations of labor,
The effects of this emigration are no
more apparent than its cause. 1t is, we
respectfully submit, the following
Tie knolcn resources Of The State are in
adequate 10 the support Of lis natire popu-
lation.
1t should appear, then, flat the only
way of avoiding this constant drain, and
the necessity which is its cause, is by
greatly stimulated and increased produc.
ton. Any thing short of this will leave
US constantly sinking lower and lower in
the scale of the States, and transform our
State, in the end, into vast school, in
which citizens are to be educated in all
learning, only in the end to be driven by
necessity to carry their powers into the SER
vice of those whose interests are antagon-
istical to our own.
In the opinion of your committee, this
stimulated and increased production will
be secured in two ways by geological
survey first, by the discovery of mineral
deposits second, by full and ample de-
velopement Of the laws of agriculture, and
of the chemical and agricultural nature of
our soils.
l. The discovery Of mineral deposits.
1t is believed that no geological fact is
better established, than, that while the
precious metals, so called, are found only
at few localities, the mineral substances
which contribute most largely to supply
the absolute necessities of man, are found
comparatively equally distributed over the
whole earth. To detect the exact spot of
their location is the province of the scen-
tfc geologist. This is done by observing
the connection between the several sub
stances. The presence Of one determines
the presence or absence of another.
We should look in vain for coal in the
primitive granite of Windham County, or
for any Of the ores of iron in the aluvial
deposits Of Windsor County. The same
Developments of rocks are observable in
very many portions of this State, which
have been found, in all parts of the world,
rich in mineral wealth. That Vermont
shares largely in valuable ores, the iron
mines Of Bennington, SALISBURY, Bran
don, Piltsford and Plymouth, the manga
nese of some of these places, the copper
and copperas of Stafford, the shell mari
Of Albany, Peacham and Vergennes, are
conclusive proofs. Many of these are
largely worked, yet it is respectfully sug-
gested that many other places can be poin-
ted out which may be presumed quite as
rich in mineral treasure as those from
which industry now draws so large re-
ward for its labor. The many varieties of
marble aud oil serpentine, it is believed,
are imperiectly understood, and more i'm
perfectly wrought. The owners of lands
on which the outcrossings of valuable rocks
occur, are often unaware of their import
ance, and are oftener disheartened by at
tempts at quarrying, which the want of
proper knowledge makes unavailing. Very