The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-12-04

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!. PRICE ONE CENT =
nan ~. !, !. nos @ abandon TIE hak anished seher.
prompt and faifhfui diseharcs - ~ sos IN he
prcss Il onward 10 It's Anai consr,s..ssys ~
render these improvements prufatshfs s.a 10 70
our people TO compete successfully Win ~
terpriang northern ncighbofs. ne bsneats arii me-
rom the import and export tradc should be sec1re
to them, and the burden growing ont Of the en-
wise trsnsportion IN search of An outlet ought 10
be removed constituting II Il does an onerous
drawback against our own and southern interest,
ana enurng directly to the benefit Of the northern
route and tho northern merchant
1t may be painful but nevertheless profitable In
rccur occasionally to the history of the past 70
listen to the adnonitions Of experience ana learn
lessons Of wisdom from the efforts and actions Of
those who have preceded rs in the drama of lfec =
The records Of former days show that at period
not very remote, Virginia stood pro-eminently tho
nrsf commercial state in the Union-when her
commerce exceeded in amount that Of all the New
England states combined-when the city Of Nor
Iotk owned more than one hundred trading Ships
and nsr direct foreign trade exceeded thar of The
cry OF Now York now the centre Of trade and {ba
great emporium Of North America
AT the period of tho war Of independence, the
commerce OF Virginia was four times larger thar,
tnat OF New York In 1853, the impofts of th..
iaster amounted to the enormous sum of one bpr
dred and eighty millions nearly while those of W.
s.n,a tha.. wers not $4,000 And during that year
mere were cleared from her ports $50 vessels to
foreign ports while from Virginia during the - ,,s
PERIOD, ~ and the amount Of goods imported yv.s
less than four millions OF dollars, showing concln.
sively tnat ner commerce has dwinded down into
SonParauve 1nslgnftcance. But win persue the
Illuminating comparison no further. but rather an.
qure Tor tho cause which has thus deprived Virui.
ma OF ner supremacy, enriched the north buit m
ss eines and thrown within its grasp the almost
Of and =
commerce Of the country ~"
None viii attempt to ascribe it to superior natu.
raj advantages. Virginia has greatly the adyan-
tage over any portion Of the north in all the ELI
ments requisite to constitute a commercial and
prosperous community; but like the unfaithfnl
servant, she has failed to improve the talent in
trusted to her care and has failed to reap the re-
ward. , ass s-s4stss's = - s'79 -
to overreach us, but we have aided it by actual
contributions of millions annually 'to the building
up of their stronghold" and that too at the ex.
Pense OF the dearest rights of own citizens and
the southern people generally; and moreover when
we shall have expended some twenty or thirty
millions in the construction of our great thorough
fare and completed the inland system termina ting
on the bay shore, the inevitable consequence will
De to cast additional millions gratuitously at the
disposal of northern merchants and SPECTATORS
Facts and figures show conclusiyely the truth of
this proposition
In former communication to the legislature, I
briefly adyerted to some Of the advantages result
ing from the establishment Of such direct commI
nication with foreign countries as well as the ne
cessity of having the business transacted in YES
sells owned and manned by our own citizens I
also showed, a. think conclusively, that upon the
completion of the system now in progress of ron
structiOn, the trade at the seaboard would be am
ply sufficient TO support line Of steamers and the
only doubt resting upon my mind then was in re-
gard to the time when we should embark in that
enterprise, and whether it should be executed by.
public or private means.
Since then. however, the relations existing be-
tween the northern and southern states have so
changed that every yestige Of doubt has been tss;
pated in regard to the policy and mperious duty Of
Virginia. - - r. 80. ~ y
During the present year, the term of office Of
works for the second district, expired, and under
the act of 9th March, 1e53 An election was held to
supply the vacancy, which resulted in the choice
of Alexander X Holiday. "A proclamation was
day has qualified as one of the members of the
Board of public works. q Il. sss3Fr-rF 80
In the several communications heretofore made
to the general assembly. earnestly invited their
attention to the long neglected but all important
agricultural interest of the state; Among the sug-
gestons then submitted was the appointment of q
competent state agricultural chemist, whose duty it
should be to visit the different portions of the state
analyze the soil ascertain the elementary bodies of
which it is composed, point out the substances ne
cessary to fertilze, and mpart information calcula
ted to instruct and enigbten tine farmer in all the
important relations appertaining to his occupation
and thereby infuse spirit of enquiry and invcsti
CATION throughput the community, essentiaIto
the proper cultivation of the earth, and of such
paramount Importance to the general welfare
The history of the past added TO tho experience of
the observing farmer afford abundant evidence of
the radical change and beneficial effects produced
by the recent introduction of science and skill In
the agricultural, mechanical aud manufacturing
departments. 1t is believed by many in other
states that property is deteriorating in Virginia,
and that our country is becoming depopulated.-
The statistics of the past would have justified such
conclusion; but it affords pleasure TO say that
the reverse is the fact at this time II is true that
land in the tide water district deterorated in value
during the twenty years preceding 1888, to the
startling amount of ten millions of, doliars that
other interests deprecated in similar ratio; that
many of our entcrprisng young men reluctantly
abandoned their fatheriand and all the endeafments
and associations which cluster around their native
home,. and in search of better land were seen
vending their way to the alluring west The old
fields thus abandoned were growing up In pine, and
seemed rapidly returning TO primeval solitude
But it is equally true that the late assessment
shows an increase in the value of the same lands.
in the short period of twelve years, exceeding So
venteen millions of dollars, with improved crops.
the annual increase of which has moro than dou
bled within the same period 5a ~
The same may be said OF the entire state Eve.
ry interest furnishes evidence OF prosperity and
increasing wealth, and our people have every rea-
son to be contented and happy 81
!. We are thus furnished, within our own state,
with the evidence of the beneficial effects growing
out of the application of science to agricultural pur
poses Its pracsical advantages and lasting bene-
fits are too palpable to have escaped the notice of
the most casual observer 1t has accomplished more
to improve the SOIL augment the crops elevate the
lsborng class in the rural districts. prevent emil
grafton and make glad the heart Of the husband
man. than all other appliances which have been
employed in the last century. These desirable
changes have it ia true been effected without the
aid of the officer whose appointment recommend;
vet all will admit that they 10 be ascribed to the
occasional efforts of few scientific gentlemen,
who have magnanimously devoted portion Of
their time and money to the chemical analysis of
the soil, the discovery of caIcareous and compost
manures, and the judieious application Of these to
the growth of vegetables For this they are enti
tied to our gratitude and favorable acknowledg-
inents But how much greater Improvements might
be accomplished by the untiring and well directed
efforts of q practical chemist furnished with the
lights of science, with medern improvements, and
with the necessary apparatus to apply his know
ledge TO the best advantage.
S,uch has been effected too by the State aprieul-