Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-02-12
LETTER TO Hon. VIM. c. RIvEs, OF VIRGINIA.
DosroN. January Z. 1916.

- oc'oNs 4, AofO.
My Dear Sir when you were with Us las
summer, more than half promised to make yo
y snort Visit In February, and have not yet yiv
n en- up entirely the long anticipated pleasure O
doing so.
have notNforgotten our CONVERSATION on tn
= condition Of our'counry generally, and more par
= uculariy the strong desire manifested by Won Il
Improve the condition of the people of your ow,
Sta,e' nave always entertained feelings o
high regard for the Ancient Dominion, Arising
PROBABLY from the intimate Revolutionary associ
alton between her and our "Old Bay State" as
well as from my having looked upon her as tn,
mother OF many of the greatest States, men, and
purest Patriots, which our country has produced
: am not surprised that you Of Virginia should
ccsire 10 do something by which the matchess
natural resources OF your native State should oe
ueVeioped. have thought that the State of Vir-
g'hia, win Its temperate cimate--variety and
excellence OF soil, exhaustless water power and
exuberant mineral wealth, contains within her.
sell more that is valuable for the uses of man
.'nd' IN these modern days, than any other State
in the Union.
need not say to you, that these gifts of Prov
ldence are OF little consequence TO your people.
or 10 our common country, unless developed and
! improved, Tor the purposes for which they were
Intended. When the Constitution of the United
states was adopted, Virginia contained double
Inc population of New York, and now, New
YORK contains double the number of peope in
virginia. l do not propose to enquire into the
causes mat nave produced such mighty change
IN the relative numerical condition of these two
states. L do propose, however, to state TO YOU
some OF The reasons why you should now set
ABOUT doing something TO bring back that pros
perty, which many Of your people believe is
forever lost.
The truth is not to be denied, that Nature
mas oeen Proiuse IN her gifts, in behalf OF your
! people, and you have done but little for your-
nd a.
resources OF the Western country, have brought
INTO existence an active and eflec,ua compeli-
non with your people in the great staples of YOUR
Agricultural products. viz Wheat, Indian Corn
and Tobacco. Maryland and North Carolina,
IKE yourselves, are essentially affected by COM
petition from the same quarter; from Ohio, Ken
lucky, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Michigan,
wisconsin and Iowa. The great West is now
supplying largely the New England and other
STATES, which are consumers of these Agricultu-
.ai staPies' In quantity and value, 10 greater
extent !han all the foreign world besides. The
internal improvements of the country already
finished, have brought Boston, by Steam, within
the distance OF four days travel of Cincinnati by
way OF buffalo and contemplated Railroad
from burlington, Vermont, 10 Ogdensburg, New
ORR VIII bring us practically yet nearer 10 those
ieruie regions OF the West. The EXPENSE of
transportation is essentially reduced wherever
Railroads or Canals have been constructed. and
even the Mississippi herself bears down upon
her bosom the products of the West, at less than
nan the freight that was charged few years
ago.
Ihir'y years since, few Small schoonefs yete
suihcif1t to carry on the commerce between this
city and New Orleans now, within the last
| year, we have had one hundred and sixty-fve ar
rivals from New Orleans at this port, and MANY
| OF the vessels are Of the largest class ships
from 500 to 700 tons burden. They have brought
us Tobacco, Indian Corn, Flour, Cotton Beef
I x Lar Loo I-a az.
gate to many millions of dollars.-Of the first
three OF these articles, which now come to us in
SUCH quantities from New Orleans, our importa-
lions, In former times, were almost exclusively
from Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland.
Ian you expect 10 compete successfully with
The Western regions Of our country, where with
out much labor, the soil produces double, and
sometimes even more, TO the acre than the ave.
rage crops OF the last mentioned States This
competition will increase, and it appears TO me
that the remedy for its inauspicious effects upon
your welfare, Is to create market at home for
your surplus agricultural products; by establish.
ing such Manufactures as may be adapted to the
peculiar condition Of your labor. There are two
classes OF labor, intelligent and unintelicent
Inc former Is that kind OF labor which requires
considerable amour. Of mental culture, with
active physical power. This combination is ca
pao'e oil applying Science to Art, and of produ-
eng results that are difficult, and otenmes COM
pllcated. The latter description of labor. is of
That character which depends principally on
! physical strength: this quality of labor YOU have
In abundance; and hope you are not without a
'olerable supply Of the higher class. You NAV.
Without doubt, commence the manufacture of al
most every description of articles, reuuripu but
little skill, and prosecute the work with success
Manufactures Of such articles as Iron Hemp
WOOL, Cotton, Leather, &C., wrought into the
coarser and more common articles, would sue
coed.
You Will find, very soon after regular sys-
tenn OF the division OF labor shall have been intro
duced, that desire for knowledge will be crea.
Ted; more education, more intellectual cuIijva.
ton, Will be desired by those engaged in the me.
chanlcal departments, and with this eaperness
for knowledge will follow skill and clcveTness in
the use OF tools, and then will follow the inven-
! tive power, for which our people have become 81
distinguished In the estimation of the world
You cannot do any thing in Virginia. that will
so completely promote the introduction of Rail.
roads, as the placing of manufacturing establish
ments on your beautiful water falls. The water
power on the James River at Richmond, is I'M
rlyalled; and 1t seems great waste of natural
wealth to permit 1t 10 run into the sea having hard
~ touched water wheel. If the prominent men
of Virginia, of both political parties, will give M
their party warfare, and resolve themselves into
"Committee Of the Whole on the Common.
wealth, to improve the state Of Agriculture" by
; making Two blades of grass grow, where there is
now but one; will establish manufactures: and
; carry on well adjusted system of internal i'm
provemenls, they will then have done sometime
that will be substantial, abiding which will
stand as memorials Of their patriotic devotion TO
The interests OF the people, through all time Let
= your common school system 90 hand in hand
with the employment OF your people; you NAV
be quite certain that the adoption of these sys.
TENS at once, will aid each other.
; You cannot, | should suppose, expect to de.
VelCDe a