American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1856-07-19


hearth and altar have been dcmoralized and csranged|
by the alurcments of foreign adventure and kind of
social aposacy to home and country has poisoned the
public sentiment The ytiatng influences of this per.
petual abstraction ofthe best elements of society are
and in every department. of the public welfare
fhc crucation -tiic inorasthe piety the manners;
the agrlculture--the manufactures-the commerce
the arts-the sciences principle and agency Of
the pubic welfare, has been impaired and depressed
lf the talents and skill wealth and industry of Virgin
ans, expended in building up other States had been
bestowed upon their own, old commonwealth would
have remained pre-cminent.
4 But why should Virgnians emigrate? Why should
they abandon their native soil? What is to be gained
by this unpatrotic exodus? What is there to Justify
this tremendous invasion of the western wilderness
There is room enough yet at home. The number Of
lnhabltants to the square mile in Virginia, does not
exceed 25 while the stony hills of Massachusetts, con
tain populations well fed clothed and educated as
any in the world, of 127 to the square mile Mary
land has % inhabitants to the square NILE There is
no redundancy OF inhabitants in Virginia. There are
upwards of five millions of acres of unimproved lands
belonging to those farms partly cultivated besides those
lands wholly unoccupied. There are minerals and
manufacturing facilities sufficient give profitable en-
3poyment to all the skill and Capital of the Union
There is more territory in Virginia than In England
and greater natural elements of wealth than are CON
tanned in the United Kingdom Of Great Britain and
Ireland. a
ltmight not be mavailing to make more partic,,-
lar survey of the claims Of Virginia to the considera-
1ioh VI ieI HillNe w e can hardly
a young man nowadays, without a map of Iowa, or
Minnesota or California And doubt not that there
are many who are more familiar with the geography
OF Kansas Territory than they with their native
Estate. Allow me, therefore TO solicit rapid review
the internal resources and geographical advantages
I of Virginia.
4 Excepting Texas, California and Missouri Virginia
contains larger of territory thanay other State
I'm the Union. Including thatportion of Ler surface
within her exterior limits covered by water she en-
sN@oes ss 900 sanare iles. Then aeine her eastern
Iboundary-was at first, by heAtlantic OCEAN
then by the Chesapeake Bay-and finally by the Po-
tomac River capable Of floating vessels of large bur
i dento Washington city. From this magnificent basis
commerce with all the world observe her noble ry
ers extending back into the interior ready built by
the munficont hand of nature TO carry down to the
sea-board the productions of the rich auvia lands
through which they flow. The James River. 500 miles
in length navgabe 120 miles for sloops and for boats
still farther. The Rappahannock, naygable for sloops
Dllo mes-Gork River navigablc 46 miles for ships
/ The Appotomax, and other minor streams, bringing
the Chesapeake Bay, and the Ocean, and the world to
the doors OF large portion of the Commonwealth
Behold likewise the western boundary of the State-
The beautiful Ohio, finding its principal source among
own green hills and forest clad mountains as if re-
grettng it's departure from our borders wheels short
around and hastens back to greet soil again and
from the Northern extremity of the State to the Ken
lucky me hugs our shores for 200 miles or more re-
ceying INTO It's bosom the tributary streams Of thirty
or forty counties bearing away without toll or tribute
their surplus staples to the Gulf of Mexico
And which of the States has mineral resources eoua
Ito those of Virginia? We may not, indeed boast of
such gold deposites glitter in the quartz mountains
and sparkle in the streams Of California But even in
this respect we are not wholly deficient. We have our
gold belt commencing in the county of Spottsylyania
and extending southwest into North Carolina Wei
nave our veins OF copper, and our lead mines We
have our marble quafries: innu1norable limestone
strata ntermnabe and incxhaustble our salt springs
and salt wells. But above all, we abound in rich
MN nj ftrny, a,,1b b,oo I'll ar. Il
lone constitute source of wealth actually exceeding
the tabled N Dorado~-elements Of commercial and
manufacturing power rich enough and large enough to
make the world bring tribute to our shores.
Nor has the benefcent hand of nature been satisfied
with scattering abroad through our borders these raw
materials. She has been equally prodgal in the be-
stowment of the instrumental means of manufacturing
them There is water power in Virginia sufficient to
propel all the machinery in operation in the Uni
ted States. The water of the James River alone at
the Rapids at Richmond City, fetng and foaning a.
mong the breakers, if indignant at the long neglect
OF man. fpropcry applied would turn every spindle in
New England And all the perennial streams of the
Blue Ridge, and tho Allegheny mountains, and the
dark waters OF our Cheat river, and the leapne
current OF the Tygarts Valley, and the Kanawhas,
and hundred other streams awaiting the march
OF Improvement and entcrprize contribute their long
wasted but inexhaustblo power in promoting che pro-
gross, happiness and glory of tic Commonwealth.
Ihere also, are our great fisheries and oyster clds
all along the Chesapeake and Potomac. They are
sufficient not only to supply own citizens but even
now the tables OF almost every northern and western
city and hamlet are smoking with the Injuries Of these
rich shores.