Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-01-04
virxinia rmprovements--Her Agriculture

Virginia lmprovements--def Agriculture.
Il has been remarked by some one, that the
character of nations roads is an index to their
progress in social and civil advancement. As
general proposition, the observation is truthful
and original. Only as a people become more en-
ivhtened and refined. do we observe improved
facilities Of INSTRUMENTATION obtain among
them. To such test, however, we should have
to plead the benefit of an exception in behalf OF
Virginia. If it had been applied to her few
years ago. even during the glorious era OF JET
ferson and Madison-her people could have been
classed simply as well-clad Cbalmues; whilst
to-day, with the gigantic Improvements commen-
ced within the last four five years, they would be
recognized, through the same medium, as only
decent christians, advanced to the second or third
degree of civilization
In fact, If we except the spirit for improvement
evinced duriiss s.S r-;@i jnst mentioned. and
which has been directed almost entirely to the
subject Of roads, ii would be impossible to find in
the history of any enlightened people, more utter
and entire disregard of the elements of material
greatness spread around them than has charae
terzed the action of Virginia. Than hers no
people certainly have been more nbundantly bles-
sed with all those elements-mneral and agrcnl-
ating and converting them into wealth. But, un-
fortunately, they have been abundantly blessed
with another-a self-deyeloping element, whose
exceeding value in the shambles at Washington,
served effectualy to eclipse tho utility of all
others. The supply of this fungus is however
now rejected in market--and what do we find
the profits of the speculation The story is
soon tod--The Old Dominion has given a quar-
ter score of Presidents to the Republic; has
profoundly discussed and solemny "resolved" for
and against federal abstraction of every hue and
color, and fairly won the pettieoat of "the moth
or Of statesmen and of States'-in consideration
whereof, she sends 10 England for iron to
build iron roads iron mountains and instead
ofusing her own,goes to Liverpool for salt to Nova
Scotia for plaster, to Pennsylvania for coal, to
Maryland for lime and to New York and Mas
sachusetts for clothing and cheese-axe-heves,
wheelbarrows and horse carts. And we find,
further, that she has barteied away her strength;
and that fromth first she has become the fourth
State in population, and reduced the aggregate
value of her commerce, her export and import
trade to less than il was sixty years ago. Such
is the hattering enumeration.
But the negligence and errors of the past nre
not altogether pro6tess when they serve as bea-
cons to direct more wisely conduct in the flu
ture. By such lights the annals of Virginia
Legislation well illustrated. They exhibit
scarcely an act, other than for road charters di-
rectly promotive of commerce and domestic in
dustry, whilst trade at home and abroad, agricul-
ture and manufactures, and the application to
them Of art and science, which have elsewhere rev.
olut onze these pursuits have been left private
enterprise or their sefdevelopng capacity
Bat 10 10 s.atirying 10 know, however, thur
Virgirna, within the last few years has been in a
measure aroused to of her former ethargy
With an energy adequate to the emergency she
has turned TO the work of improyement-he
mountain Businesses about being unlocked,
and splendid avenues of steam communication
opened between the Atlantic Ocean and the Val
ley OF the Ohio d the Mississippi. What mighty
impulse these improvements will give to the
wealth and prosperity of the State we can well
infer from their present tendencies without refer
ence TO the effects Of such works in other States
But 1t is mistake to suppose that there is no
other interest properly demanding Legislative as
sistance, in system of improvements than that
embraced in the construction of roads and
Canals. There is another to which the opening
of railways is butsecondary and subsidiary, al
though from 1t the fostering hand of government
has been as yet sedulousy withheld. We allude
to the department of Agriculture. As a sub
ject for Legislative assistance its claims are
certainly indsputable. 1t belongs to no section
or class-but to the State at large whilst it em-
braces interests which more nearly than any 9th
ers affect the lives, health, wealth and prosperity
of all 1t is the source not only of the daily bread
of the people, but of taxation and the vitality of
the State. Impair or arrest its productiveness
andithe shock is felt by every interest and by
every individual of society, whilst in its promo
ton abundance and prosperity are at once as gen
orally dIffused. How then, even in Virginia, when
science and art have elsewhere added so many
millions to the productive capacity of agricultur-
al labor, an interest so important and universal
an its Character has eluded legislative considera-
ton, is justly matter of surprise II may be
said, perhaps, that the people have not pressed
the subject forward for Legislative patronage
but this would be no sufficient apology. The
people delegate with the power of legislation the
duty fprotection TO their nterests--and he who
cannot appreciate that duty is unfit for Legislative
station The physician is scarcely entitled to the
dignity of mountebank whom the patient has
to instruct both as to his disease and the rama
dy to be applied.
The subject has, however, been constantly
urged upon the attention of the legislature since
the session OF 1878. Gov. johnson ably pre-
scented 1t in his first, he has also done in his
message. His views, coinciding with those of
the Executive Committee of the State Aericultnr-
bav hoo,