Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-12-11

which she is annually giving up TO the
power of others, she must so direct The
administration of her government as t.
make ii their interest, as far as it can be
done, to remain where they are. Alliha
is necessary 10 accomplish this purpose
cannot indeed be done by the Govern.
ment, but what can be done, ought to be
done. The emigration which is enfeebl-
ing and wasting US TO vital degree, must,
if possible, be stopped, and this, so far as
that emigration depends upon internal
causes, and therefore within the reach Of
positive control, the Government can CO.
operate, and is bound to cooperate in Ell
fecting. And that it is within the reach,
10 most available extent, of such con-
troll, is evident from the fact, that the eau
ses which generally Cypress the condi-
ton Of people and drive them from their
native land to some other, as a necessary
process Of national or personal relief, have
scarcely even conceivable existence or
operation here. We have no territory in
capable of further settlement or subdivis-
ion-no population pressing on the limits
of subsistence, mo capital and business
so concentrated in few hands as to place
the great body Of society under their COM
mand we have none of these causes Of
hardship, dependence or poverty for which
emigration offers, wherever they are found,
the common and etfectual remedy. On
the contrary. it's known to all. tina. if our
population were several times greater than
it is, it could be maintained and employ
ed, not only without the slightest burden
upon our capabilities, but with the most
obvious and decided benefit to their de-
velopement and activity. Still our peo-
pie abandon US. Some to withdraw from
slavehelding community: some to make
moro profitable application Of their slave
labor TO the staple products of other states:
some to avoid associations which time and
changes have rendered painful: some to
retrieve, upon new theatre, their losses
in business, and others that they may rush
to the newest and most stirring scenes
and prosecute the purposes of life in the
midst Of excitement, enterprise and ad.
venture. These make up movable class
Of people whose emigration is but little
dependant upon the policy of the State,
and whom, therefore, we may not by any
change in that policy expect to retain.
But there Is another and very numer-
Gus class, who are influenced by none Of
the considerations suggested: hard.
working, provident and valuable class,
who are attached TO their homes, and to
all the usages, laws and associations which
surround them, but who are obliged, ne
vertheless, to abandon them all under the
stern requirements of duty to themselves
and their families. Without any ade.
quate market near them, and without any
distant one to which they have a cheap
and suitable access, the whole products
of their labor are so absorbed in the ex-
pense of exchanging them, and the ex-
pense itself is SO irreducible by any e.
economy or prudence of theirs, that the
only alternative left them is to toll on in
comparative poverty, or to 60 elsewhere,
where their eXertions can be turned 10
wiser and better account. However nat
ural and proper for citizens thus situated
to do this, it is neither the one nor the
other for the State passively TO allow it.
She is the final sufferer of every loss which
emigration can involve, and she, too. is
the final and rightful party 10 prevent the
loss, whenever il arises from general OBJ
structions TO labor, which private means
are not adapted nor sufficient to remove.
Let the distractions which have already
operated so disastrously-which have pa.
ralyzed the labor, disturbed the peace,
prevented the education, interdicted the
intercourse, lowered the moral and social
advantages of SO large portion of our
peope--let them but continue, and the
runous process of depopulation and inn
poyerishment, now at work. will go on
with accommodating force until the Com
monwealth will be rendered powerless
for the vigorous measures which her res
toration will require. Unless Virginia,
therefore, is ready to submit herself TO the
unmitigated evil Of such result, and,
forgetting alike her security and her re-
nown, is willing to drag on a downward
career of languishment and decay, let her
put forth her power and remove at once
the distractions which are so overwhelm-
ing TO her people, and thus enable the
great mass Of them TO find as eligible a
home within their native borders as any
where beyond them. She cannot, in
deed by any exertion or policy of hers,
take from other States any advantages Of
residence which are peculiar TO them, but
she can check the emigrating spirit and
movement of her people, by raising up
kindred and equivalent advantages of her
own. To this end. and as one of the sur
est and most indispensable of all the
means of obtaining it, let the Legislature
revise, amend and enlarge the systems of
Education and Internal Improvement.
In relation to the first ofthese subjects.
as nothing need be said upon the general
question of its importance, ! will submit
in addition to what has been said in former
communications, remark or two only
upon some Of its other aspects: And,
frst it Is obviously important that the Leg
islature should settle de6nitively upon the
ground on which this subject is TO be treat
ed--whether as private affair or State
affair. II. in its judgment, il should be
treated as private business, which ought
to be left, like the requirement of proper