Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-12-11


law ofour political unitysuch the necessary re
OF all neighborhooC dependencies upon and rea
lions with each other, that part Of State cou
be Kept PROSTATE without inficting proportional
weakness on the whole, and that the Justice ant
relief which suffering sections required, could il
} no case be extended without common benefit
nor denied without a common disadvantage.
Notwithstanding, however, the force of thes,
very obvious considerations, the extension o
this policy TO distant and necessitous portions o
the State has frequently been resisted, upon tn,
ground, that as these portions paid into tie CON
mon treasury not more than one dollar i'm every
three which then Improvement required, it would
De unequal and unjust to tax the residue upon O
ther portions, for their benefit. IL this objection
is IA sound one, hen the true rule for disbursnu
The public revenue, when unequay contributed
ny different sections, would be to expend il be-
tween the contributors in the ratio of their con.
tri3ution, and that without any regard to their
respective wants. In this case, should the larues,
contributor have no want TO which the public
money need to be applied, then as it would be
! folly TO waste 1t upon IL, and unjust accordinp
10 the objection, to apply it to the wants of the
other, it would follow, as a final consequence.
that the sectional suiferings which exist must
continue, and that Virginia must set herself oui-
city and powerlessly down end see her people
dwindle away, and many Of her great interests
! wlther around her, because there is no principle
OF political expediency or justice upon which She
is authorized TO exert her own undivided eneroies
Tor her own preservation! Such is the monstrous
result OF admitting in any way the idea of dis
linct interests under the same Government, in
stead OF looking to that Government, as founded
upon common sense of dependence and wants,
and, therefore, as a compact amongst all of its
parties for mutual benef, and assistance
L, was not, however, to the theoretical obec-
lions which have been raised upon the unequal
payments spoken of, that would direct your al
tention, but 10 the practical and demonstrab,e
truth, that there are no means by which that inc
quality can be removed, and the consequent bur-
den OF taxation be dlilused so certainly speedily
and eieciually, rs by the construction Of Judi
cious system OF commercial highways through
out Western Virginia. And, so far from the fact
that Eastern Virginia, being the largest property
holder, would have TO pay the most towards the
execution oil this purpose, constituting, on its
part, any sound argument against il, it consti-
tntes on the other hand, and that upon the strict
est calculations Of economy and ultimate advan-
tage, an argument in its behalf. Let thinus re-
main as they are-let the mineral, manufacturing
and agricultural treasures of the Western part of
the stare continue to be locked up and kept out
OF use as they have been, and Eastern Virginia,
instead OF dividing her existing burdens with a
powerful partner, Will have TO bear them as they
are Tor an indefinite period TO come. Situated as
1t is, refusal &c apply its means to the improve
ments suggested, and thus TO create new sources
oil wealth and OF public revenue, is simply and
to all practical eRds refusal TO be relieved a
refusal 10 part FROM burden which ia retained at
the double expense of disseminating itself aud
expressing others.
There are other p'ints Of much interest in this
subject, such as its Ultimate connection with COM
mon educailon--wih the Introduction and estab-
llshment OF manufactures, and with an effective
system OF military defence, which need not be
presented at large, but which the Legislature
can never overlook, when consulting upon the
best modes Of securing the greatest good to the
STATE. In some po'lions OF the thinly settled
districts OF the Stale, education of any kind is
not possible; in other portions. it is possible
ohiy 10 limited extent; whilst throughout the |
whole OF them successful eiior. for it can ever
be made, until neigdborhoods shall be brought !
closer together, by having the means of inter- |
course with each other, and the power of num- |
bers and combination thereby secured. In This |
respect, and for This end, roads are amongst the
very surest and best Of all the practical reiormers
OF our social condition. They are, also, amongst
the best and surest means by which to encourage
the establishment and growth of local manufac-
lures; AN interest which has, in The ex,raordi-
nary union within our own borders of all the ele-
ments necessary 10 1t, basis for formation and
development uneqnalled, perhaps, in any other
State OF the UnIoI. Indeed, it is hardly posi-
Bile to look at our minerals and water power and
cheap labor and supple agriculture, struggling TO
MAINTAIN Itself ulon profits almost constantly
diminishing, without seeing how certain is the
importance 10 with this interest must grow, and
how largely it is calculated at some day, to add
to our internal prosperity.
The conneXion, also, between this subject and
the military deieice of the Slate, always appa-
rent and always felt, has become stronger and
more admonioryby far since the successful in
PRODUCTION OF steam vessels upon the sea; an e.
vent which is destined to affect the warfare more
radically than the commerce of nations, and one
winch 1t is important for and all others to con-
slider and provide Tor, who have a maritime Dor
der to be defended. Happily for Virginia. in
this matter OF defence, she is invulnerable ex-
cept from the sea. Perfectly secure on the side
OF the Allegheny against all the world, and
scarcely less SO on the right and left through the
power OF contiguous States, the Chesapeake and
lis estuary waters are the only inlets by which a
foreign enemy can ever approach her. Here,
then, on these, and on the margin of these. are
TO be found her batte-Gelds. Unassaiable bv
any but a naval power, should that power be
Great Britain, with her North American posses
sions as places from which she could descend
upon us with all the certainty, as to time of ex-
act calculation, she would no doubt RELY upon
| her war steamers as her engines of assault, and
WIN these could effect so rapid concentration
OF her force upon our ocean border, as to COMPEL
us TO be always provided with an army in garri-
son adequate TO any emergency, unless we had
an inland power OF concentration for our own
forces which was equal TO hers. Such power
would well arranged and connected system Of
internal Improvement become. With such sys-
| tenn pervading the State, and accessible at all
points Tor every description Of necessary supply,
The Stale itself would become, in effect, an ex-
! tended military camp, with the faculty of mme-
dIately combining her whole disposabe power of
men and means wherever and whenever her pur-
poses Of defence might require. Looking at this
as one OF The trlumphant and Conservative results