The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-16

Meeting In Virginia on the Commercial Policy
of that State.
myeeEsTMG REPORT AND RESOLUTIONS,
no., &C.. 10.
PUBLIC MEETING IN BucKISanAm.

PUBLIC MEETING IN BUCKINGHAM.
lfron the Richm I'd Enquirer, July IA
At public meeting held In Buckingham cour
house on July court day, the 10th inst, agreeably
70 public notice. TO take into consideration the con-
eets, ON motion, Col. Thomas N. Bondurant wa
elected President, and R. s. Ellis and John s. Mere
dith Secretaries.
The object of the meeting having been explained
by II. w. HUBBARD, he then moved that the Prcsi-
dent appoint q committee OF ten persons to con-
slider the subjects brought before the meeting.
and report such action as they might deem adj
The President thereupon appointed f. W. HUBBARD
George A. Lancaster, C,l Jos Fuqna, George W.
Kyle, DR.. VIM. 2. Moseley. Jas, NJ Patteson, r. L.
Patteson. Robert Shaw Wm Shepard, Col. w. A.
Ford, to act on said committee
Il was moved by DR.. VIM. z. Moseey, and second.
ed, that the president and secretaries OF the meet
log be added to the committee.
Upon motion, the meeting adjourned for short
time.
Ia the evening the president again called the
meeting to order, and f. w. Hubbard, as chairman
OF the committee offered the following report and
resolutions, which, upon modon being made, were
seversly read by the secretaries and adopted by
the meetiDg:-
REPORT.
Whereas, This State has undertaken and partly
perect cd tie greater portion of her extensive sys
tenn q internal improve neht. In 1858 we had In
operation GA miles Of railroad, and Clio miles
unfinished, are Of great value and extent.
These improvements were not projected with
view elouc of affordiug facilities in getting our
own productions to market. or Of inviting within
our borders the productions OF neighb0ring
States. But the great controlling motives were to
evelope the resources Of the State to enlarge our
commerce, and to increase our shipping, by aug
menting our exports ana imports. Thus our system
of improvements was designed to advance all tho
great interests Of the State. The development Of
our agricultural and mineral wealth has heretofore
been our chief consideration. Bnt our commercial
and shipping interests OF equal importance, and
our improvements are 80 fur advanced that 1t now
becomes us to use our best efforts to give an i'm
pulse to them. The internal improvements Of the
State, when completed, ii they attract the full
share of trade and travel that we have been in
duced to expect, yet, without our commercial and
navigating classes promptly avail themselves OF
these anticipated advantages and speedily augment
dormant enterprise and capital Of our citizens and
diverting large portion OF each into commercial
enterprise, we will, in fact, have gained moiety
only the Dement'S tnss ought 70 nov IRON ;'1 our
and canals. Should We fail to enlarge our direct
trade with Europe, II we continue to go North for
imported merchandise. will doom the State to an
inferior position, by transferring to distant local.
Ass what legtmateiy belongs to Virginia To pierce
Virginia with so many great lines of improvement.
to make her mere conduit through which tho trade
spend some twenty or thirty millions Of dollars to
facilitate our productions, as well as those from
some Of the Southern ana Western States. In going
through to Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and
State into magnificent oollender through which
TO strain the fat Of the land into the lap Of those
cities reserving the cracklings only as our share
Whenever circumstances will permit, each State
should carry on its own foreign trade Nothing
exerts more powerful influence upon the destiny
Of communities than commerce. Each State. as Q
me ber Of our federal Union, should encourage an
exchange Of productions between her sister States
Our internal trade exerts happy influences, and
should be fostered by all. But as an independent
State. it is equally proper and wise, whenever we
have local or other advantages hvoring direct com.
insrce with foreign basions, that we should exert
ourselves TO turn them to good account The slave
States have been relying too long upon agriculture
alone The Northern States, on the contrary, wisely
threw very large proportion Of their energy, capt
tai. and enterprise upon commerce. Our land, are
more productive than theirs, but they, at an early
period. turned their attention to trade and manuac
lures They possessed no more local adyanta se',
favoring commerce, than we enjoyed. The slave
States, producing the great staples OF export, hal
not only equal but superior, because substantial.
elements o. commerce in their favor. Bat the &C
tion OF the federal government. in Locating tho Bank
of the United States in Philadelphia, and snbse-
auenty the passage of several protective tariffs by
Congress, combined with our negligence'nd apathy
"a regards all great commercial enterprises, soon
gave the Northern States the control Of the COM
metce Of the Union. The slave States, in COMPARE
with the Northern have fallen. by the force Of
the causes just enumerated, into the position Of
what we farmers CALL quarter plantations; while the
Northern have risen to the wealth and dignity OF
homesteads. Thus, we have been laboring for years
fully "a much to aggraRdize the Northern States as
to advance our own interests We till the earth
and encounter all their abuse about slavery, and
furnish the staples for them to export and then are
go deficient in what is due to our own welfare and
dignity. as to 60 north in quest of our supplies;
thus making State tributary to others, and
placing her in the condition Of dependent pro
vince.
Az illustrative of the enriching tendency Of com.
meroe, we need not point abroad and hold up to
view the history Of all great commercial emporums
hut nv tn no IA Ia ken
from the last census returns. The average cash
value per of the farming lands, including both
improved and unimproved, In nine leading COM
mefcial States ia estimated as follows