The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-09-01
WeHfern yirRinia

Western Virginia
The RlchmOn, Virginia, Republican, Of late
date, contained an article on Western Virginia,
in which that noble portion Of the Ole Domin-
ion is spoken Of very appropriately, and in terms
Of high praise. The superior natural resources
Of that wide and beautiful extent Of country
are commented on, and its extrzo rdinsry at
fractions and advantages indicated. The eli
mate is delightful, the scenery lie bold and
grand, the public sentiment Is elevated, and it,
mineral treasures are very rich and abundant.
And yet Western Virginia is passed over and
its stsactiveness is disregarded by emigrants
VINO press forward TO the country lying farther
toward the setting sun. And, worse than this,
thousands ana tens Of thousands Of the most
vigorous, spirited, and enterPrising o. VirgInias
own sons turn away from all the grandeur,
beauty, fertility, and promise of that region,
and join that immense throng Of persons who
are each day in each year finding homes in
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin,
The Republican says very truly:
mo one can visit Western Virginia, look up
on its majestic mountains and beautiful valleys;
its enormous forest growth and its fertile fields
its uDbOunded agricultural and mineral trea-
sures; its capacity to support millions Of the hu-
man race, and yet the sparseness Of Its present
PoPuldtiOn-nS one can view, ard mediate up
on these things, without asking the question:
Hhy haze FirgfRians euer ensigrated from their
STATE 10 settle in other Iands2'
That lie most interesting and pregnant in
CURRY. Why should Virginians prefer the land
in other States 10 that which lies within the
borders Of their own motherland7 The land
lying in the States north Of the Ohio and west
Of the Mississippi, to which the sons and dsught-
ers Of Virginia immigrste in large numbers
every year, is not better adapted TO the wants Of
the agriculturist than that which lies in the
counties Of Western Virginia. Ii is not cheap
erin price-it does not lie nearer to good mar
kets-it is not more blest Of heaven by geniali-
~ Of climate or beauty Of scene. Then why
should il be preferred1 Is il because IT has
lacked works Of internal Improvement The
Republican in hunting about for answer to
it's own question, suggests that the reason why
Nirginians neglect the inducements extended to
immigrants by the Western counties Of that
State, is to be found In the fact that there was
no internal improvements there. Alas, that is
not the only answer. Bat why Is there no pub
lie improvements Why should such eoun-
try lsnguish, why should its vast and incalcu-
liable advantages be overlooked, for the want
Of internal improvements, for the want Of
railroads and canals and good turnpikes7-I
Do we find in any Of the New England States,
or any Of the other non-slsyeholding States,
such a country as Western Virginia disregarded
because there are no public improvements7-
How has it happened that Western New York
has become extremely POPulous and one Of the
most fertile regions that the sun smiles ont Is
it not because thirty years ago the statesmen of
that Commonwealth, perceiving the necessity
Of works Of internal Improvement to the de-
velOPment Of that portion Of their State, pro-
Jected, and by the enterprise Of their people,
executed magnificent canal which has borne
on it's bosom hzndreds Of millions Of dollars
worth Of prOduce1 And have not railroads
siGee that period also been projected and exc
euted; and have they not also greatly contri-
buted TO the wealth, comfort and prosperity of
the PeOPtei Why lie it that Virginia has been
content for quarter Of a century to look ON
the growing greatness OF New York, without
initiating the example Of the Empire State, a
State which at the beginning Of the present CEN
tury was far behind Virginia In wealth and
population
Does apJJ One suppose that, If Virginia had
Oeer, free State, she would now be far in the
rear Of New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio In
all the elements Of national greatness7 Had
she been a free State would her magnificent
harbors on the coast now be shipIess and almost
destitute OF commerce.. Would her cities be
very far excelIed by many towns which have
sprsng up within the past ten years7 Would
that very superior and beautiful portion Of her
territory, lying west Of the Blue Ridge, have
been passed over by hundreds Of thousands of
Virginia's own children and millions of the ma
tives Of other States, who have sought in the
wide and untrodden wilderness Of the distant
West homes for themselves and their children,
If Virginia had been free from the curse Of her
system Of bOndsge7 Let sophistical Fishers
say what they may, there is not a man Of sense
and intelligence in Virginia who do not believe
that If that ancient Commonwealth had thrown
of her system Of slavery, az her Washington
and Wythe and Henry and Madison and JEFF
fersOn and other wise and patriotic statesmen
were anxious she should do, she would now be
immensely richer and more prospsrous than
she Is. Her eastern counties would not have
been deserted, neither would her western coun-
ties have remained as they came from the hand
o. nature had she been free from the "plsgu d