Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-07-24

rsa.i, Of produce from the ohio to Norfolk you give
that city attractive power upon the business OF the
Ohio valley aud Of the whole Of Western Virginia. which
will increase continually, there will be the point oil con-
pectlon aud interchange between our home and foreign
business No city, except Il be situated upon such h.r
Dor as Norfolk and almost upon the Atlantic, aud having
the advantages OF extensive foreign commerce can exert
this influence upon the domestic trade OF the Interior aud
reflect the interior cities the advantages oil foreign
commerce THIS results In great measure from the fact
that railways and light dait steamers are now so much
superior small sail crafts for bringing the trade Of the
country great msrs Of trade convenient Tor large ocean
Now Il Il neces~ry 70 tell the people Of vrgnia thai,
Richmond has and never can have sufficient depth OF
water to make her a great mart OF foreign commerce.
What then the obvious policy to be pursued by those
who would consult the true prosperity Of the state!
SHOULD impede trade to Norfolk, our grand seaport
by Jocking up our main artery Of trade with the Ohio
valley and deprive her OF that aimeh which would
soon give her commercial power and greatness aud
BILE her 10 send back through every vein Of tho State
sroug aud vigorus pulsatons which would rc-aomato
every portion OF the Old Dominion.
Shall We, say, thus check the natural and hcahfnl
commercial senuey The directors to the policy sdvo
cate why let the main to the West pass
through Richmondg The answer is at haud-becsuse,
first the distance Is greater than Norfolk. Second,
the grades less favorable this northern
Thirdly the unobsructed route from the Ohio to Norfolk
would very much economise and facilitate the througi,
transit oil trade whereas the break OF gauge at the mouth
OF the Greenbrer, tho round about throug.
Rchmoad AMI the transhipment there Ethan,
would countervai their advantages most materially
~
against Il main to the West, is liable to the
objection that under the attractions OF Baltimore.
which strong enough to divert large proportion OF the
trade passing from the ports OF Virginia, aud you
thereby nvert the natural OF trade and plant the
commercial magnet Baltimore, whereas If this Western
trade directed aud facilitated to Norfolk, should
be- you would plant the magnet there and thus
the whole trade TO that point aud ere long make even
baltimore itself own the supremacy Of Norfolk.
Is there thing in this view OF the that should
offend Richmond Rather is the very view which,
her To continue the illustrations the
nsgoet of commerce being at Norfolk vastly greater
amount OF trade would concentrate at Richmond om all
the interior surrounding country than the magnet
at Baltimore where the attraction would he agana, Rich
inoud. The same reasoning would apply 10 Alexandra,
Fredericksburg and Petersburg, the truth is Norfolk
the seaport for all the Virginia and cities END
is for their interest build ii up. Their Interests
are mutual and they will be stunted in their growth
I'll they see and feel this great Tath. The reflective n
duences OF Nofok upon them all would be bentieSli
while that OF baltimore would rather be like the Horse
isceh cry give" give without rejecting back CORES,
ponding advantages Who will for zone moment nsiltiu
that baltimore is the proper por: through which TO i'm
port goods CoSington Western Virginia i! tie great
Nori9is aud Ohio road were opened AMI who does no
that mportations direct through Norfolk would hu
less buened than IL they were carried around through
Baltimore
Is IL to stunt the growth of Richmond that we NAV
damage the commercial prosperity Of Norfolk
IL it better that commercial mart the Capital Of IT.
GINA should he second baltimore rather than % Nor
folk II Legislature would ccDscit the dignity OF
Virginia they would lay aside all local ealousies aud iavo
rather than retard the growth of Norfolk and they wouJ
thus give hcalthul tone to the whole state ami
vast trade commerce which would release her from
her present position of commercial humiliation and make
Norfolk what her great natural advantages should make
her the commercial centrc. not only OF Virginia but q!
the whole and southwest portions OF the Union,
especially would overy city, aud hamlet upon the
tiers OF the Chesapeake become auxiliary her trade anu
share in her commercial prosperity; and the GOOD
people oil Virginia this and sc according
y; One would suppose almost from the tenor of the
late meetings the that they have lost sight entire
ly of these considerations aud that it was matter OF no
consequence whether there nterposei a break OF
gauge not upon this great OF trade; whether
such break OF gauge would teud TO throw their trade
TO Norfolk Baltimore. If they have reference
to the great interest Of the State connected with
this subject, their preference should surely uO: be
in favor of Baltimore. Taey really 10 *
their magnificent harbor without considering
that this great trunk line he opened Norfolk they
would have market just much better Tor them than
Baltimore, a. would pay the charges from Baltimore
the mouth Of the Chesapeake This would be strictly
true IL the distance TO Norfolk aud Baltimore the
same. But perhaps good friends OF Charlrstown
along the rich valley OF the Kanawha will notice the to2c
oi this suggestion and will be ready what have
to do with this break Of guage, hundred miles
US How can this affect our business: Iet us The
greater the trade passing over this Norfolk aud lo Ee
through tue State, the cheaper will u the transit
aud the valuable will be every of land along
the route. This general truth cannot be denied aud
this being admitted have the people Of Kanawha nothing
to do with this break Of gauge: Now, little sober
cond thought will convince any rejecting mind that
only will the trade OF Kanawhi aud OF the whole western
part OF Virginia be subjected greater charges by having
this break OF gauge blocking the route Norfolk, bus
that the OF trade passing the road will
less than If the avenue open direct Norfolk
free from all obstruction. Really there should be
OF gauge west OF Covingon The line should be uniform
in gauge from Ohio to Norfolk by the way OF Lynchbur.
ana time shold be lost in constructing it with five
feet gauges aud as soon thereafter be doae with
out bu'thensome alton, the gauge should De cx
tended TO the head of the Canal line
1t may. This ia the view Of the case, feel as
will commend itself every ref cting mind To
trade this would give every facility and to travel would
ofe no mpedilnent, comparatively rome. Agriculture
products, Coal Salt, lron Lumber, aud other heavy
ces OF traffic, might thus be taken the canal then vol
Richmond and Norfolk, while travel would suffer 10 in.
convenience III passing from the broader the narrower
gauge at that plIce-the terminus OF the water
line. This IS the very policy, that while would
pose the slightest unnecessary burden upon the Western
trade, would at the time greatly increase the trade
OF Richmond by causing larger Of traffic de-
scend the CANAL Norfolk at the time could not be
preudced by such policy for the more trade can be
brought TO Richmond by the canal, the is Norfolk
benefited as the forming of the connection between the
navigation OF the upper AID lower James (the tide
connection as 1t IL generally caled in point Of fact ex
tends the canal Norfolk In every true view of the
case the interest Of Norfolk aud Richmond identical
In one word make Norfolk the principal seaport and her
commanding location would draw much larger amount
oil trade from the Ohio through Virginia than Bal
timore could do. aud To Richmond would be a pont
of accumulation for the trade of the back country
on It's way TO Norfolk and place ,raushipmet both
20 and from Norfolk for the produce as well of the
'mportatons Tor the same country Ga tho other band
make Baltimore the seaport OF western Virginia and the
commercial terminus Of the central railroad through Vir
GINA; and ONLY will less business be drawn over the
Virginia lire from the Ohio, but also will Richmond ret
lees business and she viii derive much less reflected CON
mercai advantage from Baltimore, than there would be
from Norfolk. While therefore would hid Blliuorc
Godspeed in her noble efforts for the trade Of the grra,
vest by means OF her magnificent road, we would
ray 10 her hands off-irOm Virginia line aud
would call upon tue patriotism Of every Virguian 6,
mako the great aSenue from the unobsruct.d
line 70 our own nobe Hcaput and thus make what
tare seems to have designed it. and what every ygniiu
should glory in seeing IT, the rcal emporium not
only OF Virginia but also OF the whole west and south.
vest portions Of the Union
AN EASTERN vIRGINIAN.
THI FoBEIds PoPULAtoS--By the census of 1850
appears that the white population OF the United States
then 9ug to l9,56305s, there born in foreign
couniriea 22.O52J porsous-naneiy, males 28g i3I
females OOl Gi. Those ascerainei 10 have been born
IN the United States >moGnted TO l7,27a 87b and 81
etS we're reported unkn'"h eI to their nativity IL thu.
$50, nearly eight "a the Ehole United States
II should be observed that since lie census Of 1850
IL III. .tu las