Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-05-29
For the Enquirer.
ANOTHER INTERESTING LETTER ABOUT
VIRGINIA AFFAIRS.
New YORK, May S. 1857.
Hon. RoBT. B. BRADFORD:

Hon. RoBT. B. BRADFORD:
Dear Sir:-The favorable reception Of my former
letter by that calm and digni6ed organ of Virginia
Democracy, the Richmond Enquirer, encourages me
To submit through you some additional thoughts on
the progress and prosperity OF our ancient home
Besides general and fres banking law, and an in.
crease of the rate of interest to invite foreign capital
which is but the eIpedient lately adopted by both
france and England under similar circumstances, it
seema to me that Virginia needs increase of pro-
ductlve labor to render her more independent of the
Northern States Nearly fifteen thousand European
la6orers and five million dollars in gold are now pour.
cd monthly into this city from Europe aud California,
seeking homes and investment. MANY of these men.
are ingenious artsans, mechanics and manufacturer
of every imaginable kind, and adding immensely
TO the power Of this State and OF the Western States
and how short-sighted would be that misnamed Anne.
rlcan poiicy which would exclude this accession to
our national greatness But, if this State, with a
populatioo OF eighty to The square me Is strengthen
ed by such an emigration what would be its effect
upon Virginia with less than oue-third that density of
populationl | know that many citizens of Virginia
would prefer to enlarge her la6oring power by in
crsasing the number of slaves if it were possible-
Butss was we'll said recently by Mr.. Peabody the high
aud constantly increasing price of cotton which is
now king OF American exports, must absorb other in.
terests aud rapidly attract the slave labor Of Virginia
to the cottongrowing States II We look at the past
when the present demand for cotton and anything like
the present prices were wholly unknown. we shall
find that slave labor has been for the last forty years.
constantly diminishing in its ratio to free labor in the
State Of Virginia Take the following statistics of
at their lesson:
1870. 1910. 1880. 1850.
Whites 44a,lI5 55l,534 694, 800 syl sUu
Slaves, og3,427 392,5ls 469,7s7 Az 52s
It will be seen that during the first period OF TWEEN.
ty years the slave increase thrtyfour per cent.
While the increase Of whites only twenty four
per cent. During the next twenty years, after Con-
gress had abolished the foreign slave trade the in.
of saves fell to less than twenty per cent and
the ratio of the whites rose 10 nearly twenysiI per
cent And the last double decade shows advance Of
the slave increase of less that three thousand with the
remarkable white accession of more than two hun.
dred thousand. Nor can there be any reasonable
doubt that th, change from the course OF the great
cotton movement, will be still more decided during
the present decade. Looking, then, at past and pass
ing events, the sovereignty Of cotton and the laws
OF population, can there be question that the stream
of immigration and of gold now setting into this city,
if turned into Norfolk or any of the other excellent
harbors Of Virginia, would coon double the assess
ment value of that State put her numerous and well
planned railroads on dividend paying basis, raise
their stock to nearly par value make the payment
of taxes comparatively easy, build up arts, manutac
tures and commerce, develope those most wonderful
mineral resources, and soon render the State
quite independent of all Yankeedom! And this
establishment Of arts and manufactures would
be equally favorable to agricultural improve.
ment, for all experience shows that purely
farming country by the constant export O It's coarse
products thereby losing the benefit Of those
which would result from home consumption, crea
ted by domestic manufactures, must inevitably de-
cline in fertility and productive power. Here is d
plan of Improvement easily attanable and altogether
unlike the mpracticable scheme of distribution Ct
the proceeds of the public lands. 1t the press of Yr
gns would take hold of tnis matter, induce the next
Legislature to favor the movement by granting q
charter for company, to establish lines Of steam.
boats from the ports of the State to this city, create
en- agency here for the purpose Of turning the tide Of
immigration now going TO the far West to the nesr.
er and desirable and accessible region, and
genial climate of the Sunny South and, perhaps send
agents to Europe with information as to the real ad.
vsntages Of that truly great State-grsat in extent
great in its natural re.ou.cos agricultural mineral
manufacturing and commercal-the work would
speedily be effected. The mountains of Virginia
would become what they should be, the greatest
woogrowing portion Of the earth. Her neglected
valleys aud hill sides would smile in plenteous beauty
Her hitherto undisturbed waterfalls would be drown
cd by the ringing Of the forge and the music of the
spindle; and you and I, Doctor, would then bs iu-
clined to leave this cold climate and turn steps
again towards that sunny land, and to lay our bones
in their last resting place, within that glorious old
State, distinguished for her unswerving Democra.
cy for her revolutionary heroes and statesmen, and
for her unparalleled historic fame.