The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-03-23
THE WEEKLY DISPATCH.

The weekly Diepatcn OIL tnis Hneihos ~
Interesting news IRON California and the n
Grandc an account of the outrage on the h'oo
do: aetsils of the news by late foreign a'''.
byin.ipc the news of the death oil the 'Zs, |
ticuIafs ofthe Terrible Explosion at tne
m fo.l pits Chesterfield Officers OF tue
n xnents; q vast amount OF genera
STATE and National; Correspondence ""N
,aneous Reading: Editorials OF 'A'i'"S 'a
!. Wi, n enort of the Markets, carefully cor
r.,,,.a .nd the very capital story OF "Ce! QadSe
r-,...r,ioy p,asiarsed by Dickens 10 bis House
s,,a words." from Lamar's BLACKSMITH oil the
Mountain Pass" located in Georgia, and published
In THE country seine fourteen years SINCE p'."
ems has brushed 1t up, elaborated it. and 'ooa'e' |"
Ina Aassach asstts. Those who want a hearty A"s"
may have II by reading Col. ouags ooh'e's'o.
Price of single copy, THREE cENrs--Suo''''p-
ton, per annum, only ONE DOLLAR
THr Nrxr LE6lsLATURE.-Wew would once
more invoke the attention OF the people oil
Virginia to the vital Importance OF sending
to the next Legislature their very best and
ahlest men. Wewould again express the hope
that both of the political parties will put forth
the most efficient and influential men in their
ranks. AS for our own city, Richmond, has
been, of late years, SO set upon such gene
raj war has been made upon her and her IN
terests; such incesssnt and persevering Ell
forts are used, not only to prevent her future
growth, but to strip her of the trade she al
ready enjoys, to reduce her to city OF de-
serted habitation and grass grown streets
that the future legislation and policy OF the
State, upon the subject of internal improve
ments, has become to her matter OF the
most vital and overshadowing Importance.
But ii is not to Richmond alone that this
subject is, in the highest degree, interesting.
To the whole State, and especially to the
great West, it is the subject with which their
future prosperity and power are bound up
The last session of tire Legislature was worse
than barren and profitless. 1t laid palsying
hand upon every great work OF the State,
and compelled it to stop for two years. In
the midst of the pushing forward of rail
roads and canals on all sides of us; in the
midst of the fercest competition of all the
great Atlantic States to command the mighty
trade of the Ohio and Mississippi valley, the
last Legislature of Virginia compelled the
old State, whose progress had been slow
enough before, to stand still for two whole
years, which, in this age of lightning like
progress, is equal to what half a century
would have been in former times. 1t left
nearly all our great enterprises broken of In
the middle; it left fragments of unfinished
railroads all over the State; it did not leave
one single plan consummated for uniting
Virginia with the Western trade, and it adj
journed, well satisfied no doubt, that it had
not been in session but ninety days.
We have no desire to cast improper re-
Elections upon the last Legislature. We can
see no propriety in arraigning a whole body
for the sins of portion, and by speaking
generally, involve the deserving in the same
condemnation with the indolent and inefi-
cient. We may, however, observe that
there was in the last General Assembly, an
unusually large proportion of inexperienc-
ed legislators, and that the time to which the
session was restricted was too short to allow
them to become properly familiar with their
duties and with each other. But whatever
the cause the result is one which every one
interested III the prosperity of Virginia must
deplore. Hence we are with all our great
improvements arrested, our hopes deferred
and the certain prospect of losing the whole
of the Western trade, if our next Legisla
ture shall not be composed of men able to
seize drowning State by the locks, and
place her once more on solid earth.
We therefore implore the people of Vir-
ginia, by their pride in the old State, by their
solicitude for her progress and prosperity, by
their regard for her domestic institutions, the
only reliable guarantee of which is to be
found in the development of her materia
wealth, to send to the next Legislature thu
very ablest of their citizens And let the
frst-rate men of the Commonwealth consent
to accept, at least for one session, seat in
the legislative halls, that they may bear the
State in safety and in triumph through the
great crisis which awaits her. We appeal to
the West-to the West, with whom the ques
ton of internal improvements is question of
life and death-to send to Richmond next
winter the flower of her wisdom and experi-
ence. Let US have here such men as SAMUEL.
PRICE Of Greenbrier-that tower of strength
to the Internal Improvement party; that
wise, temperate, judicious, energetic man,
whom Greenbrier, if she value her own in
terests and the welfare of the State at LARGE
should compel to represent her in the next
House of Delegates; let us have such men
from the West as Price-plain, practical, pa
tsiotic men-working bees-acting, not talk
ing men-men of strong common sense, in.
dustri0us habits, and broad, wbole.sorlod.
comprehensive patriotism. With such ms :.
terisls in the next legislative body, Old Vir.
ginia will be put once more in the right chan.
mel, and move forward once more on an
even keel, with colors flying and auspicious
gales.
The LADIES FAIR.-Remember the La
dies Fair at Corinthian Hall, that grand and
noble enterprise for the relief of the poor
and suffering in our midst. Every humane
and generous soul should reioice in this ola