Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-12-23
VIRGINIA.



It is to be hoped that The ncxi Legislature
viii devote itself with a single eye to the in
terest Of Virginia. The State may be made
an empire, if true spirit of enterprise be dis
played By her legislatures. And ifareyival
OF public energy be not exhibited under the
new order Of things. we know not when we
shall look for IT, The natural advantages Of
Virginia are familiar to all her own people,
and when We refer to them here, 1t Is not tor
the information Of Virginians, but to attract
the attention of the people Of other States
In manufactures. the central position and
proximity Of Virginia to country which pro-
duces cotton, and, at the same time, presents
d fine market for manufactures, give her great
advantages over the Northern manufacturing
towns, which suffer from the expense and de-
lay of the double transportation Of the raw
material to the North and the manufactured
fabric to the South Richmond, it has often
been remarked, ought to be the greatest man
ufactaring city 10 the Union. Her water
power is inexhaustible, and so are the inn
mensc supplies Of zeal and iron, which arc
found in her immediate neighburhood All
Virginia, indeed, is peculiarly adapted for
manufactures. the water being generally diff
fused over her territory, and SO rarely closed
by ice as to present no serious interruption
even in winter to the operation Of machinery.
Her mountain pastures ard her climate are
generally well adapted for the raising Of sheep.
In Vermont, and other wool growing regions
of the North, the focks must be fed half the
year, whilst here, almost throughout the
whole year, the sheep can find abundant
means of subsistence fer themselves. The
commercial advantages of Virginia are as
great as her manufacturing. She presents
the most direct route fer the trade of the
West to the seaboard. The water Of her ca
nals and rivers are rarely closed by ice, whilst
those of the North remain Theoretically sealed
for four and five months of every year. The
her Western borders whilst she has sea
coast, not equailed by that Of any Of her sis
ter States, and whose bays, inlets and creeks,
running deeply into her shores. present every
facility for navigation. The James. the Po-
tomac, and other na7igable rivers, rise in her
mountains, and wind their way in all direc-
tons through her territory. Her ogrieui-
ural resources are unbounded. Her soil
brings forth every variety Of production es-
sential to the wants and comfort Of man.
Wheat corn, tobacco, fax, hemp, rye, oats
patatous, flourish mere IN perfection. Lumber
OF the best quality. aud incxhaustible in
quantity. is found in her forests Her min
erdl treasures are unequalled by those of any
other State. Coal iron, lead, salt, gold, cop
per- gypsum, and every variety of minerals,
are found to an extent not approached by
any other Commonwealth in the Union
Her climate is more healthful than that Of
any Northern State. The mountain aud val
ley region Of Virginia are the bealthicst por-
tons Of the American continent. And whilst,
in some portions Of the lowlands, the mias.
matte influences cause sickness during the
fall months, yet these influences arc confined
to particular localities, and are not general in
their character. Richmond, itself, is the
most salubrious city on the Atlantic coast,
as it is shown BY statistical tables. Her eli
mate seems to agree particularly well with
citizens who come here from the Middle and
New England States. These facts should
arrest the attention of enterprising men who
leave the old States for the far West, and I'M
willingly pass By much more desirable field
of enterprise and comfort at their own doors.
-Richmond Dispatch.