The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-05-26

| Like that city In the Arabian tale, the peo-
pie of which, have having been spoil bound in
enchantment, are suddenly restored to ANNA
ton and industry, Virginia seems awake in
earnest. Her people are adopting new pur-
suits. and evincing energies that must soon
restore her original position in the sovereign
sistefhood.
1t has been usual for orators to speak Of her
exhausted soil and unemployed mineral re-
sources as a cause of decline. But the bane of
her prosperity has been the dormant or mis-
applied mind and muscle of her people. There
has never been so much want of capacity or
Of disposition as of occupation. Her statesmen
have occupied themselves rather in devising
political than material remedies for the mis-
chief For want of practical Legislation the
people were unable to make the natural advan-
tages of the country available. They had ample
ports without trade-water power without
capital or staple, and capital without facilities
for manufacturing. or for distributing the fabric
when manufactured These means of inter-
course among themselves and with others, which
alone stimulate the enterprise of people,
were wanting.
But the experience of other States has en-
couraged the introduction of measures of i'm
provement which have succeeded 80 we'll else
where, and the prejudices against innovations
are fast yielding to demonstration of their
error The locomotive has gone upon his mis-
sion, and converted skeptics follow in his train.
Gulleys yield to guano, coal and granite awake
| from the sleep of centuries and are turned over
by agents hitherto as indolent as themselves,
asthmatc little engines break the stern silence
of primeval forests, and the monarch oak who
has reigned in inaccessible majesty finds himself
in twinklng flooring bridge, or making a
tour of the West in tobacco-box. Idle young
men, who have been given over by desPalrng
relations to the proverbial alternatives of hang
| ing or drowning, abandon the care of their
riding horse and whiskers, give up bluff and
the fiddle. to watch the progress of a cut or
embankment, or roll saw-logs like a Mohawk
| lumberman. The effect of such a social re-
voluiion is already manifest. 1t will establish
the prosperity OF Virginia.
Amongst the influences which have operated
most potently to produce this effect may be
| mentioned the recent change of the State con-
stitution. The old system of Legislative APP
pointment to the most honorable offices has
been superseded by popular election. The
balance of power has moreover passed from
| those sections which were averse to employ
the public credit for the construction of i'm
provements. Politicians, therefore, w no aspire
to fill the higher honors of the State are under
| going that gradual change of opinion which a
| popular atmosphere invariably occasions. Can
didates and incumbents manifest a laudable
alacrity in acknowledging their errors of opinion,
and avow determination to atore by proper
1 - 1,,- e Il
State manfests gratifying harmony Of action
upon this subject.
The influence of the general ticket system is
particularly visible in the change of opinion
which it has wrought in the Democratic nomi-
nee for the appointment of Commissioner Of
| Public Works for the southwestern district.
| That gentleman, citizen and representative
| from a county which presented uncUmprom-
sing hostility to every State approprla ton, has
undergone modification of his opinions, and
now claims lucrative appointment over Dem
ocrats who have labored for years in the cause
| of improvement.
Amongst other results of increased facili-
ties Of Intercourse with the world, the in
terror of Virginia has attracted the atten-
ton of those distinguished professors of the
fine arts, whose vocation 1t is to display
Tor the improvement of society those wonder
! endowed them.
Madame BISHOP, having delighted the mu-
steal circles of London and Vienna, having
charmed the elite at the Metropolitan and M
Bios, and effected the safe transports ton of
BocHsA and his harp to the city of the Aztecs,
| felt that her fame was Incomplete without the
| approval of the provinces. She therefore penc-
trated the interior of Virginia, and bestowed
upon the city of Lynchburg series of con-
certs-I was about to say sin character" but
| will substitution costume.
| Wealth, foreign education, and travel had
| organized musical circle which possessed
very excellent vocal and instrumental skill
| with very good musical taste 80 that Madame
BISHOP met with the usual acceptaton. Some
thought she was beantiful-others said she
was un peu paSsee; some thought her notes
divine-others considered her voice, like that
Of the actress in Hamlet, somewhat cracked
i the ring" The papers of course criticised
with the usual profusion of musical terms;
whilst correspondents corrected the editors. and,
| in tho abundance of their know ledge kindly
explained the difference between mezzo soprano
and mezzo into Upon the whole, the recep-
ton of the distinguished pair correspondent very
| we'll in circumstances and results with what
might have been expected in any community
of good sense and good taste. Madame BISHOP
| was not tnOugnt 10 sing as well as LIND or
| ALBoNI. SoSrAa or STETFANoNI, or as she
had done herself; whilst public opinion was as
usual in suspense whether BocHsA was a
greater humbug or harpist.
But the enterprising Madame proposed to
subject the musical taste of the city to another
test. The price of the tickets was doubled or
trebled. This pressure to the square inch was
rather too much for popular credulity. There
had been very liberal patronage, but the au-
dience had no idea Of paying double price for
second hand melodies. SO it happened that
the increase of duties resulted as usual unfa-
vorably upon the revenues. The opera-glasses
and kids of course stood the rise, but the "citi-
zens generally" declined. Ii SO happened that
near the conoert-roo was the marble-y yard of
a mortuary artist, who, to afford every facility
to his patrons to quit the world. kept constantly
on hand a stock of tombstones. On the first
evening small outside audience had listened
from this point to the splendid strains Of the
artist; but after the advance of prices it in
creased greatly; each cherubim and seraphim
bore an admiriug listener, whilst lambs and
lachrymal urns were crowded. Finding that
| even the people of the interior thouoh WILLING