Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-12-31

stand IL.
VIRGINIA anterior 10 the Revolution and up the adoption
of the Federal Constitution contained more wealth and
arper population than other States Of this Concderacy-
Much OF this superiority attributed TO her foreign CON-
merce Since the adoption of the Federal Constitution
after has brought down her comparative poll
ca power and exhibited her physical greatness in
slant relative decline. That the partiuty OF The Federal
Government for Northern enterprises has effected much in
stimulating commerce. manufactures and internal improve
mens particular sections of the Union there can De on'
little doubt Sill however il is not TO be denied mat great
efforts have been made by individuals and States wce me
largest amount of wealth. and Of population appear 10 exist
Good local positions without their aoVah'as' ee
10 individuals or Stales but however favorable hey can
deyeopc no very great results In The hanos Oh Pesos
either canno, or will not appreciate and improve them
1f enquire into the natural local advantages oil The
,hern States over those of the Southern, VIC snail una
little else than shor,e, water line 10 the commercial ports
IS Erone While the Colonies subject TO the conf
nercial regulation of Great Britain, and the shipping was
mainly owned in the mother country, Virginia enjoyed
~ ,,oo FOREIGN commerce Than any Northern State
;,, ar M regard was had the difference in distance IL
occurred to the English merchant that he could snip
III, ooods 10 Boston or New York. and then re-sp them
10 fill orders in Norfolk or Charleston win more
s,sty or expedition ut less cost than by drcc clear
ance 10 one Of those ports. Nor did u enef lh'o uc
PHILOSOPHY of colonial shipper OF produce 'hal II
would be more advantageous to him 10 ship ms produce 10
New York or Boston, and there sell II tor reshpmen' 10
Eurupe In those days there was very hrm oee eSs'e'
all the Atlantic colonies and indeed IN inc noher couh
,r onp the best merchants that direct trade between
each colony and the mother country was inc anu
baa austen for producers both sides OF
The waer But since we have census taken every zen
years and each State the control of her own enterprises
hi, of ade has been changed The tables OF the
establish the fact that the Southern States produce
the principa means OF between this conederacy
and the balance OF the world Northern sagacY (smua
ed BY an avarice unknown TO the Soulh saw mis- great
prze al an early day. and ii has been pursued
70 ,h nresent moment with that secpes vigilance when
ehuructerizes oil Northern enterprises. Ne" e'"'n'
notions ha We been constantly pressed upon 'e "oa' w
not without success A centr"hzine po"cSi ~ oo'e'
md manufactures has constantly maintained IN al
-, movements of the Northern States and statesinen.-
r; ,r has The effect of cquaizng between the COM
,, STATES of the North, and the producing States OF
h so,b the annual productions of slave labor To ne
mplish this object, ii readily oreseen by statesmen Oh
the North that if cenalizing system could DC esaosata
in the commerce of the United States, and inc 1oca point u
that system planted down al Boston, ne" fo'H o. M
denha the slave States and their productions would ne
cessary become tributary this great moral engine hosc
cities aud the States which they belong nave never aoa
P"'PoSO'
,ono and painful competition for ascendancy, New l'rS
NAV be considered as having succeeded. And what are
me effects upon the Southern States? Painful to say
,r commerce. instead of being carried upon direct line
hs,ween the points of destination, must pass through
NewYork Virginia -four for example, destined LOT Eu
one Sou,h America the West Indies or California mns
go to New ! ork
If citizen of Virginia desires 10 remove TO Texas Gait
fornia or Oregon, he necessarily go BY way o. Nc"
Work The ports his State inaccessible TO hose
f every other part of the world except through ana oy Tue
focal point of the Northern commercial monopoly. eu'!
additional charges for shipments commissions ana pros
reconseauent upon The transaction OF business tfonsh
tho medium of this monopoly Il is double operation
Tho ou,hern peope are shaved both ways They are taxed
mo, tho incoming trade and the going produce Every
thing of foreign growth and manufacture maze 10 coh
bue 10 these enormous charges while the means OF pay
ment are subjected TO the grosses specua1ons. ASH o
crn pocans why these things should be as ihey afe anu
like Richard in accepting the crown we are informed 'a
i; ,ov. ,ce ,cM hace Il SOL This is too true! We have
suffered the greatest commercial desraaauoh' "ihout
asipe finger To prevent avert III We have done nothing
- snc,prare foreign trade but much divert ii from our
shores.
If we look to the effects of centrazing in the
Norh VIC NAV plainly that our destiny s that OF op
preston We can best be but little better Than colonial
suh,c,s Already we submit in passive obedience 10
con,se Of traffic which given The little State oil Nassa
chnses an aggregate wealth exceeding that OF virginia oy
more than one hundred and tweny-sx millions oil uoHafs
State TOO which incapable OF subslsting It's nnaoiahs
from the production of its SOIL And in New Ok, "hich
no. "a n,uch below Massachusetts, the adoption oil the
Federal Constitution in wealth and power as the latter was
below Virginia. exceeds the wealth OF BOTH WINE le
aporeeate wealth of New York, in 1885, amounted 10
81 Og 800 PIG that Of Virginia s436 52-a diier
IL favor Of the former of s643 60s 1874 The unwought
mineral wealth of Virginia exceeds that OF NJ York Inc ell
and soil are back country with equal improve
n,cns would contribute as much But no liked ana defer
mined policy OF cen,razng commerce in Virginia. nus nee"
adopted since the revolution Pennsylvania ota'e "'c"
was also inferior Virginia in wealth and poPuato SINCE
the revolution abaed her exeons 10 cchl'azc
trade in her chief city Though not crowned with en'e
success as rival New York she commands very urge
trade and enjoys great advantages as
Virginia. has been endeared TO Pennsylvania and contributed
- ber wealth In thousand ways since the revolution; and
we now find that aggregate wealth exceeds ours by more
than two hundred and eighty five millions of dollars Sr
ono from being first in point of wealth and political power
~s come down 10 the fifth the former and the fourth IN
the atte.. New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and
Ohio e,and above her wealth. and ALL but Massachusetts,
in population and political power. Three OF these STATES
literally chequercd with Toll roads and canals and
the fourth Massachusetts, with rail roaos Snne.
Bu when find that the population VI the single city oil
New York and its envons exceeds the whole Tree popua
tion of Eastern Virginia and the valley between the Blue
Ridge and Allegheny have TO feel deeply io our
situation Philadelphia herself contains popniauon iai
oreaer than the whole free population Of Eastern Virginia
IT, instead Of contributing The SURPRISES OF our iarms (aer
returning scanty subsistencc TO the building up OF
these great cities had adopted policy similar TO 'he'ts
md improved our foreign trade built up our own seaport
owns and pushed our improvements - iro The vest ana
Sonb We should have had large Cities foreign commerce.
manufactures and more than double prescn, wealth and
population Vii gina ought now TO be second, II not hfs
in poin, OF wealth. population and political power But we
have left 10 others advantages which ourselves onshito
have enioycd and become question how far We may
safely struggle regain the true position which we s'u'
occupy as a ST ate and people.
Embarrassed with conflicting sectional interests; win
half made Internal improvements considerable puOtc
dh, and newly organized government, the subject oil
rehng our position with regard TO foreign commerce Is
rendered doubly difficult. The way Is open before US. II
need not be misunderstood, indeed viii II DC.
wise energetic and udcous system for the speedy eSccu