Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1852-12-08

Few sections Of our widely extended country. |
and surely no part Of Virginia. offer equal in.
ducements TO the farmer. to permanent loca. |
tIon with our own; fact none can feel know |
aud appreciate so well as the traveller who
has witnessed the disadvantages and aepriva. |
tons endured by less favored places. and COM
pared or rather contrasted them With the hap.
py auspices under which be lives at home In
a country ike ours. What, Mr.. Editor. can
be more disconraging to the laborious, the
toll worn farmer who earns bis living by
the sweat of bis brow, and has nothing to M /
demnify him for these sacrifices the loss Of time
trouble and expense, but the prodnc. az mn |
inferior soil, than remoteness from market
ne facilities for trade, low prices. aud consa-
queutly scarcity OF money. Such il the
present condition, and ever will be- to great
extent, Of the interior and distant parts of 4
! Virginia, True the construction Of Railroads
and Canals viii afford them, as wei: as us,
the means Of communicating with the sea.
board yet the additional cost consequent
upon the disparity of distance in the trans
portation viii ever be an insuperaole barrier
to their successful competition with us. Yet
happy and prosperous as our county is, she
has not progressed half way in the broad road
that leads to the high destiny that awaits her.
When the time shall arrive which is not Ear
off when she can boast of population Of rs
or 10000 busy enterprising people. engaged
10 all the varied and various pursuits Of life
Berkeley viii indeed he great county, al
most ''nation within herself" Nor is this
an imaginary freak. oridle prediction, every
| thing justifies it, the rapid strides she has
made in the last ten years confirms the sup
/ position that cur highest anticipations of
| Berkeley will be fully realized And Mar
tinsburg our beautiful capitol, who that has
| travelled in other parts of Virginia, par.icu-
| larly the interior and Southern portions, has
not been struck with the disagreeable con
trast their dilapidated, auiiquated and neg
leeted towns present to the gay, sprightly
renovated and progressive appearance Of our
county seat. Next to Winchester she is the
second town Of the valley, and when her re-
sources are fully developed. her vast water
power thoroughly occupied for manufacture
ing purposes she viii undoubtedly be the
first in the valley, and among the foremost in
the State
The location of your town, Mr.. Editor, is
certainly conspicuous, sufficiently elevated
and handsome; your public square spacious,
regular and beautiful, your public buildings,
Market house and Clerk Office, ample and
creeitable, and your Court House, that Queer
relic Of antiquity that strange remnant Of by
/ gone days and past and forgotten generations.
that proud monument of the County the
power the grandeur Of Great Britains most
prosperous days, that comical structure whose
IL 1,ufl l.. 4 -
some Of Virginia's best eloquence, have been
graced and adorned with the majestic presence
Of many of the "Old Dominion's chosen ones.
of Industrious revolutionary warriors states.
men and orators. the Washingtons the Pen
dletons, the Marshalls, the Randolphs and a
host of others, characters renowned in the
annals of the State. of the whole country and
civilized world. that curious specimen of an
Gent architecture, has at long. long last been
doomed to destruction by the ruthless pro-
grcssive spirit of the present generation -
Well MIR. Miller we will not say that Berke
: ley does not need more modern and commo-
dious Court House one better adapted to the
wants and nect ssities Of grea. and growing
population; but we will say to .thc powers
that be, Oh. spare the Old Court House. Law
NV WY SaciHegiouS BduIs upon the WORKS
and doings and memorials of your fathers,
your grand and great grand sires. Oh, lay
not your VIOLENT hands upon their monuments.
aud save the country from war, pest!cnce and
famine. Let it stand as a memento of the
past, nor prostitute it to any servile purpose,
preserve It'll all the purity and holiness Of its
antiquity and let Virginia eloquence still re-
echo in its dying halls, let the memory Of the
brave, patriotic and virtuous dead still be
cherished by you, their descendants as you
would wish to be remembered by your sue
cessors and erect the new structure elsc-
ichere The vacant corner of the public
square presents an admirable site for the pur-
pose, and should be occupied for that or some
other purpose, as il greatly disfigures the
otherwise beautiful appearance of the square
and town and prevents them from making a
display equal to any in the valley.
d. II. i. III.