Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-07-10
VIRGINIA AND MASSACHUSETTS.
ri,rir Pu,t, Present and Future.

million and halt, tlut Of Masaachusets one million.
of agricultural articles OF food, including potatoes
with grain, Virginia produces annually sixy-one mil
lions of fbuslics; Massachusetts seven and half mil
lions. Each nhabitant OF Virginia, dividing this
food equally, would have for his share forty bushels;
each inhabant Of Massachusetts only seven bushels.
In animal food the relative productions Of the two
Suites docs not differ widely from that of agricultural
products. The proportions must generally bo ulikc
because animals reared agricultural products
After feeding her cattle, horses and other stock Mas
sachusetts would not have more left than four mil
lions of bushels of agricultural products that il four
bushels Of Irish potatoes year for each inhabltnnt
for she makes but thirty.oue thousand bushels of
Wheat, two million three hundred and forty-fivc thou
sand bushels of Indian Corn, and three millions hFe
hundred and cightyiive thousand bushels OF IRISH p"
tatoos. Now the horses and working oxen must nave
grain; men can live on potatoes. Her Whole pro"c
ton of grain would not feed her live stock. -Four
millions bushels of Irish potatoes would Iced her pop
ulation two mouths, allowing each two bushels I"
month"; which would barely support lie. For ''"
months in the year she would have to rely on gram
from abroad. We repeat, examine closely her stats
tcs aud her agricultural products, after feeding hcf
live stock will not support her people more than Two
months q year.
The large quantity of Irish potatoes reared and
the small quantity of grain produced, added to the
notorious fact that the horses and cutie arc graifed'
induce the SUSPICION that tho potato is becoming, Hs
in Ireland, the principal food Of large portion ol
her population. Still Massachusetts, is prosperous ana
apparently rich. In truth, the State is very poor nn'
is the present residence Of rich merchants bankers
and man ufacturers, who find it convenient iocao"
from whence to trade with and make large proi's
from other sections. The immense capital now owned
and wielded in Massachusetts,, would instantly take
wing md fy TO other regions, if other regions offer
halter nrospects of gain. No necessity retains 1t
there, II i. not part and parcel Of the State.
change in the course Of trade, political revolutions at
home or abroad, prohibtury Legislation by other
States or countries, the very caprlces OF fashion,
might destroy her commerce, and take away the mar
| kots for her manufactures. Then her capital would
bs yulueess ut home and of would seek other
localities. The mass Of the population left at home
would have no means of support. Grain is an exotic
| in Massachusetts; and without commerce and manu-
features the people would not have the meuns with
which to buy grain and other food. This situation OF
things will never arrive, but will often approximate
Her people ure too sagacous, too adventurous, too
full OF resources ever to starve, whilst there is spot
of the world in which to make living The mass
will never starve but always be hungry. Attach
ment to home will bring them down, has brought
many down. TO potatoes and to short allowance of
them. But they will not wait, like the Irish, for the
potatoes to rot. They farsightcd providcnt nnd
energetic and il ever famine approaches will find ali
Egypt and get admission to her granares
| Were the Union dissolved, Massachusetts might
lind new channels for her trade, markets for her
| manufactures; yet the experiment would be hazard
GUS aud tho suffering and privaton Intense whilst
even successful experiment progressing. Were
slavery abolished at the South, size would be eec
tuuy excluded from that trade with US, which now
supports her. US she would be by dissolution o: the
Union Her advantages OF situation, her grent cap.
tai, her manufacturing aud commercial skill, will
cure to her continued prosperity so long she cu
Yates friendly relations with the South.
If she were wise and prudent now, in days of
yore, she would adapt her conduct to the exigeuces
Of her stuation not provoke contests in which success
would be ruin. All her policy should be directed
by lively and practical appreciation OF the fac that
her porcrty is indigenous, Ter ~ealh .cosmopoian-
Let her not aggravutc her poverty by frightening
| away her wealth.
Virginia is as remarkable for her natural wealth
Massachusetts, is for the want Of it. The State is rich
and the people not poor. So far from being depen-
dent OH trade with other countries for the support of
her citizens, it is probable tina, her wealth would be
increased many fold if she were excluded from all in
tercourse with other people-for then, mighty man
uacturimg interests would arise and new and vari-
~.
wealth much moro than exclusive agriculture But
such exclusion would bo attended with many ntole-
rabc evils and is not needed for an increase Of
wealth. Virginia will gradually develop all her re-
sources. 1t WAS natural aud proper that agriculture
should have precedence because her climate and soil
invited to it, and because it is the most useful
and independent pursuit OF men and of nations.-
Allowing twenty bushels of grain enough for each
nhabtant and for the necessary 1.-Two stock and Fir-
ginia will have for sale an annual surplus Of ten mil
lions of bushels. Make the same allowance in Mas
sachuseis, and her deficiency of home made grain is
thirteen millions of bushels annually. Does she stint
herself, exc out with pumpkin pies and turnip tops
or buy from abroad this mighty deficit!
Virginia has begun in good earnest to encourage
and cngage in other pursuits than agriculture. She
is constructing internal improvements, engaging III
commerce and manufactures opening her mines I'M
proving and increasing the number of her schools
and colleges thus attracting and fostering capital and
skill, and adding artificial to natural wealth. No ca
price of fashion, change of times, no foreign war
no disruption of the Union can ever drive the manu
facturer tho merchant the miner, the capitalist,
from Virgiuin-because his customers are here. Our
natural wealth will retain our artificial wealth. We
shall have no cosmopolitan mionarcs.
No country in the world of the same extent posses
ses 80 many and 30 rich clements of independent exls'
tence and separate nationality, the State of 'ir'
Cina. Few countries are so destitute Of them as
Massachusetts. Yet she would quarrel with the
hand that feeds her
Probably the most valuable and neIhaustble
source of Virginia wealth has been generally over
looked or entirely underratcd. The fish and oysters
in our rivers, which require no cultivation and will
endure as long as the occun's brine, would alone
suffice to sustain population greater than all OF
ours.
The Baltimore trade in oysters, we have seen II
stated, is greater than her grain trade. We might
carry on ten times large trade without diminish
ing the value of our oyster beds. Our herring she-
res are equal or superior to any in tue world. Our
fields of Coal, and mines of Iron, Gypsum Lead and
Copper are numerous, extensive and exceedingly
rich. Our numerous mineral springs, situated in
beautiful mountain region, will! by their attractive
ness, furnish great source Of wealth, soon as our
railroads to the West are completed. Our soil in the
East is good, and reposes on bed of mari which will
renew its fertility when exhausted. In the Valley and
in the West, tho soil is originally of better quality
and may be preserved at its present state Of fertility
nv the cultivation of grasses for which it admra
bly adapted. No country has better or more water
mower and river navigation. With all these advan'
taces II is often asked by Northern and by Southern