Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-02-04
On, Local Policy

and the intermediate country of Nirginia-not
10 look to the wider limits Of the country
beyond-will be completed. To the intelligent
and enierpiising citizens of Lynchburg, we ad.
dress the enquiry whether they are acting with
the enterprise and intelligence for which they
have credit, in anticipation of important an
event fit is to operate adversely to their inter
ests, are they preparing to avert the evil con.
sequences If, on the contrary. il is 10 be the
commencement Of an era of increased prosperity.
are they preparing to secure the harvest
We will not undertake seriously TO put the
question whether it is to produce good or
evil consequences. I'VE have never imagined
that upon the completion of the railway there
would he turned upon lis track a stream of pros
perity Us LONG. a broad and deep the Ia
Their Of Waters;-tbat 60 instaRti there would be
established a connection between so inexhausti.
bic reservoir and the pockets OF each par,cu-
lar inhab,snt along its margin, and especially
the good people of this city-who should there
after have nothing 10 do but to sit still and be
enriched until the end of time. taking care only
to raise levee for their protection from the
stream, with nothing TO fear save an occasional
inunda,ion from a crevasse-
On the other hand we indulge ia no Cassan.
dra-like vaccinations, no gloomy fcrebodngs
as TO our future. We % got fancy that the shrill
whistle of the engine is ike the hootngs Of
bird of evil omen. but TO our ear. ii not musical,
it has an animating sound And when the steam
King shall first come forth from the unaccusiom-
ed bills and valleys os Tennessee. on his iron
steed. his coming will not recall the image of
Death upon his Pale Horse. but that, rather, of
"a Warrior bounding on his barb" We do not
imagine that be WI bring, TO this corporation the
sextoa and the undertaken. If we did, adj
v ice 60 every body would be forthwith to strike
their tents and 60 TO swell the throng who are
turning their faces aud their footsteps to Kansas.
TO solve the issue there 70 be decided. But we
give no ear TO the gloomy predictions Of those
whose digestion, we fear, is not good, -wbo seem
to anticipate nothing, bat disaster, and even that
this noted Barg, after bavpg 5us, been meta
tnorphosed by the creative act Of Legislative
omnipoteDce from the "Lynchburg Town, famed
in Ethiopian Mns,relsy into bona fde City.
is to parade in pantale,s but a single hour, and
after cutting one highland fling, is to disappear
from the stage and to be essentially degraded
and ignored.
We do not pretend to have foreseea the event
exactly as il has happened We confess that
the realization of our hopes has been postponed,
but not otherwise disappointed. Still, our
hope is mistaken and we concur rather in what
we cannot but regard the soundor views of the
early and steadfast friends of this greut improve.
men,, who thought that while il would tend to
enrich the whole State, it would afford to the
community which was instrumental in setting it
on foot, and which put forth great effort TO
do So opportunities which, by the means of in
tegence and energy itmight improve.
If any one ever dreamed that Lynchburg was to
be the destination Of the boundess products and
countless passengers TO be transported over this
improvement, nothing could be more idle. An
improvement which stretches its arms into tho
fertile regions of production, aud to the grent
cities of States, on the one side, must stretch
them to the deep waters of the sea, to supply
the demands of States on the other. Such is the
plain. inevitable law of commerce we do not wish
to reverse it;-and we rejoice that it is at last
about to raise our cities on tho tidewater to
the rank which by nature they were destined to
enjoy.
At the same time, If we occupy position in
the State nearly central on one line, and quite
eligible on the other; five are surrounded by u
country Of which this is the natural centre, which
has'been capable in its present unmproved state,
OF sustaining town of considerable Importance,
and which is at this time entering upon state
OF rapid Improvement, and is capable of being SO
improvedas to sustain a place three times as
large IF railways and other improvements con-
verge here, by which minerals, grain and other
rawmaterials. may be brought to thisT ONT land by
WHICH they may be carried to the markets of the
world. after their forms and uses have been
varied by the labor which may be here bestowed
upon ,hem if we have streams flowing near, which
may be made ITO perform the labor of a thousand
hands," If we-ean command the labor of men
and the capital, skill and energy to do these
things: if we have all these, then is not the op
portunity eetbefore us,--if we will bat be tru,
to ourselves,--if not of making this a great city
at least of considerably increasing its present
population and prosperity, and improving it,
condition in every respect, without detractine
any thing from that which any other city is just
3y entitled to.
Thesiabor. the capital and the amount Of raw
material which tho business of manufacturing
Tobacco has attracted to this place from point,
apparently beyond the sphere Gifts attraction
the local and international commerce, the wealth
the greatness. which Norfolk. seated at the fines
harbor on the continent, has far cast off by he
apathy, are examples Of what energy can acquire
or apathy lose. With these examples and thess
facts before them. we repeat tho enquiry will
which we commenced: Are the intelligent ant
enterprising citizens of Lynchburg preparing 10
the final opening of their great Improvement
Ordinarily. i is enough for practicnl men AM