The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-10-18
Prosperity of Virginia


7, recent article on the restoration Oh
.v;rcinia prosperity we alluded briefly to some
.f The causes which had contributed to her
decline. There are other and prominent
ones. to which we had not space to refer, ana
which we will mention now, for they nave
not altogether ceased to operate, and, unless
removed, will act as a continued clog, II not
on enf;re hindrance TO every effort for the
elevation of the State.
One of these drawbacks has been the de-
xo.;on of Virginia TO federal politics to the
naclaet of State concerns. With marvel
Ions inconsistency. which wedo not know how
IN explain, her sons, burning with State pride,
and protesting to believe that Virginia is the
gem of the confederaey the; greatest, no
blest and best o. all earthly Commonwealths;
the garden spot of the Universe, have with
one consent turned their backs upon her to
seek their fortunes upon federal arena
Ever since the American Union was formed,
federal politics have been the absorbing
topic upon the hUstings and in the social cir
Gle, Of every town, county and neighborhoed
in this Commonwealth. We have been en-
gagged in regulating the affairs of the nation
in making and unmaking Presidents, and
have left Virginia interests to take care of
themselves. The young men Of the Coma
monwealth have grown up with their tongues
overrunning with the glory of Virginia ana
their hearts fun of the prospective be&n-
tudes of federal distinction. The heroic
&c ~ ~ differed
the Chevaliers of the middle ages IN making
the field of craftsmanship, instead OF the
tournament, their theatre of action, but they
had the same high souled disdain for the lg-
noble pursuits of commerce, trade and the
Industrial arts. Indeed, it would be difficult
to find even inthe pages efCervantes a more
uuixotic piece of knight errantry than the
past history of Virginia has displayedin con-
stituting herself the chief champion of rights
and redresser of wrongs in the federal Union,
whilst the affairs of her own household have
been permitted to goto decay and ruin. 1t
is true that she has given TO the federal gov
eminent its brightest lights; that its Execu-
tive, its Judiciary, its Congress are emilia
Zored with the names Of her sons, and that
her soldiers have illustrated With mperishable
honor every battle field in which the u. S. flag
has been unfurled. But, in the meantime,
her own natural resources were neglected,
her fields worn out, and her population di
minished by steady stream OF emigration to
States which offered some inducements TO en-
terpri8e and industry. This state of things
as we have said before, has changed, because
Virginians have at last discovered that the
pursuits OF domestic industry, that trade and
commerce and internal improvements are |
essential to the prosperity of Il Common
wealth, and that the lahorers in these pur-
suits are the real architects OF the greatness
OF Stats. working on, humbly and obscure
ly, yet, like the coral insects beneath the |
wave, laying the foundation OF structure
which shall one day resist the fury Of tine tide,
and be crowned with verdme and musical |
with the hum Of life.
We rejoice to see that the minds OF the |
Virginia people are becoming every day |
more interested in State concerns. They are
nsuseated with the everlasting twaddle of
federal politics, and are going hereafter to
look for their rights, not in the halls Of Con
gress, but in the bowels of the earth, of the |
mine and the sea. Their principal orator
hereafter will be Steam, and the railroad, the |
factory, and the river their fields ofdebate-
A load Of marl guano or barn yard manure |
will hereafter be considered Of more practi- |
cal value to Virginia prosperity than the
greatest Grafton, however profound in phi
losophy, spicy in invention, and fragrant with
flowers of rhetoric, ever delivered in defence
Of Southern Rights
There is another danger however to which
our efforts for the restoration of the State are
exposed, and that is to be found in sectional
and local divisions The welfare Of the Com
monwealth, without regard 10 sections or To-
ealities, should be the principle upon which
all our improvements are made. There is no
cause for that senseless jealousy which has
hitherto existed between various sections and
towns in Virginia The interests of country
and town, of East and West, are indissolubly
united AS for our Virginia cities, there is
room enough for them all to prosper, and all
will prosper, if they vie with each other in
q generous rivalry for the common good, in
stead Of endeavoring to build up one town
upon the rufus of another.