Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-11-08
TO TuE PGofLE OF VIRGINIA.
NJ. H..

The question which attention IL now soecisl,y
invited, ~ Can We cict efficient scheme of Internal
Improvement in virginia." The impoItaace of thu, oues
lion must he readily perceived; Ter, upon decision w
manly depend the action Ol e STATE and the popciy Of
that action II lie ability n ho Stale be demonstrated She
will hardly hesitate TO undertake the cnrprize: If th,t
ability be not demonstrated, mag be safely asserted that
abe will IL - the p,Ugr-wheIheT noe are abb, Ia Of
feet such ene,pnzeha constitutes the principal OBJ
tiaeie ADOPTION and tue ground OF uposii,on
To H. Aud surely II Le demonstrated that means sIe
ample, and ability than sufficient: people So en-
lightened those OF Virginia will hesitate 10 undertake
enterprzs loudly demanded by rle public erseE -
and the spirit o the age. quesJ IN - important l., wor
thy OF n simple consideration.
Tho remaIS which will naturally be suggested
upon the eohsde at.G Vt this question: Is why can we no.
effect the desired schemci Other Safcs-sume of them
greatly interiors IN population, anj all u them Ia sten,
O territory, have effected efficient schemes Of Improve
ment Aud Why cannot we do likewisc2 New York has
effected such scheme FeuDs ylyania has effected it,
Mass ehnse has ell scNd -Lte Maryland has eject
cd IL; and, with lluabs enerpriz9, she now suppca
ting Virginia lor the privilege Of accomplishing for her
w1k which she has been willing 10 undertake for
| herself.
What there that renders Vrgaaas in capable Of doing
what the people Of New York have dJnc3 and ia. peon m
Pennsylvania ol MLssachu'eis7 and OF Mar,lndl Ar,
inferior Of Oanais1 Has the Great God do
which he has conferred upon favored brethren of
those Satesl Or there any thing physical charsc
ter oi our country that ncapaC inhabitants for the
exercise OF the same energies w other Peep DOES the
Sun deny the genial warmth with which he shine. %,
the people Of New York; Does our soil refuse 20 Weld H.
the increase, VIII eli the beak hills 81 Massachusetts
deny not 10 IL Industrious inhabiants1 O5de. any bpf
or mIldew fall upon hill sides and our plains from br
the td0orcd regions e1empt-that lie several do
the North p,el IL none nj these things be
why can We not effect what ihe people OF those States have
eiectedf Arguments drawn from experience haze been
always esteemed Of we ght For it has been ever he Id
" that what man has done, ~ rnIa can b. done ~
Nor can We escape from tue wcghty influence or
this argument, but by the huniLafing pl,a that ire
| are not IT suleef5 Of sompIri,oH with our No,,b
ern brethren II then, we may DO serg.iiteJ TO as
sumo that the Yrginans inferior race con-
cesson at etch doubt not the prids Of Virr mans will
revolt nor Virginia inferior IN physical character We shall
ind ~ the improvements effected By the States alluded In
an argument conclusive OF the question under condea-
lon But reasoning Of 80 general character will scarce
w satisfy the domandI VI the pubic respecting gussgn
on which - much doubt entertained. REASONING Of
more specific and conclusive nature will be required by
people as 1epfrcdi Of hsD p0DeT Vrg1an- how much
soeNer Their national pride aud vanity may be moved Ly
that winch has been already advanced.
ihs enquiry will therefore be prosecuted sull farther
and somewhat more closely In Considering tho sbity OF
State 10 elect enterprise, IL will be conceded that
an enquiry into tho following points, il amongst the mos,
material the Of finances tho amount Of ~ ,o,
llIon aud the extent aud character Of its Territory
" we auenyely consider Yirgnil in al these fe,ues,s
we shall entertain. but little doubt appfehoud that she
can accomplish something for the great cause Of In
lefnnl Improvement than she mas already done Few n any
liberal and enlightened minds would entertain fears of
state binkruptcy tho should invest The amount
OF nine millions, ~ scheme ~ Internal Improvement
The moro especially, that were ~ ndiciousy er
pended as Ia De ssuTee Of the State instead u
being ehgrge Di0g heJ Tfcisufy.
virginia has outstanding debt Of itIe es. than .lt
mlhon' Sno has population of a million md q auitter
Her territory embraces $1,000 square --on area larger
tian Than that n England and Wacs. The advantages oG
h'f s0ii ana climate are distinguished. And her rlisstoI
resources are unsurpassed. n unparalleled AppJfion
hef d'" among. her population and anouuts Ia the
very small sum e" rr dsiirs 10 the head. Appprion tho
'"of's' on HAT debt uppus'ng that interest ~ be an an
hn'l charge on her treasury, which shall presently show
Hn"' ue case ~ tie shIc Of W and " amounts
10 me Timg snm Of freHfg ,,ght ceaf- a. tlie head
ma inst We may sec how very rina ~ tho indrbteJoess
81 Virginia, let ~ compare her debt with that u severn, OF
hcf sister Sinics Let us take Mo. Sta'r nf Indiana N,.
sacbuseits, fcnn-yyauia, Michigan Illinois Al,b,m,
Maryland aud bHus'aua In the ottimntc about Il, ,o
stated, s'achnsct' s clofged with the cost Of te B
ton Albany Rail Road, ~ millions. which b. n rl,,,,c
AGAINST her clcn7, not directly against her tfca-u,v
And a. lust ~ an extraordinary work has been ront
eied hn Ne cost may be fairly taken into the present e
nsic The relative Indebtedness Of these States will sp
| Uu the 4 i.autf.y 81.