Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-12-21
Our naxt Leeisiature-Who shall Com
No. A. and In what view 6electedP

oar nexf Leeislature-Who shall Com
pnee n and In what view 6electedr
We rspsat oar saggsstion of a few weeks since
In rssrsncs 70 the importance Of judie'ous seiee
lion By TIE various counties, Of the members OF the
nsxt Leeislaturs, in reference to the future Inter-
~ Inpssvsnsat system Of the State 1t is APP
psrsat = ~ most casual observer that we have
suw - svsan worthy the title. tits true that VIC
AaxsA pars sf . canal. and several railroads. the
eonsarus1iea Of which has cost some scores oil mil
Rona. Hat thsss roads and canal. in the present
soniikion Il things constitute no sysfem. The
49, svv1sn. implies q series Of public works,
ksrrlou;sus d their engagement and objects
Tbsss sa5scts should b the general development
Of The ninessl. manufacturing and agricultural
rssparsss n ~ Sase; and the concentration Of its
trsde, end shat Of ~ many Of the contiguous
'Statss ~ Il can control, upon common centre or
line Of centres, in view of that commercial and
financial prosperity which such concentration
o.ly ean establish. New York has such system
-ous that haa fally brought out her industrial re-
sources, and concentrated her trade, and that Of
the mighty Yves: upon common oentre-the
city Of New York; making it the might'est CITY,
and he Stale the wealthiest commonwealth on tho
Western Continent But our roads and canal
have neither the powers Of development or con-
oentraEion. Acting singly or antagonistically to
each oshsr. they have sigualy disappointed tho
public - to their ability to dere'ep by cheap
TRANSPORTATION. Their influence in concentrating
trade is worse than nothing-on the contrary their
tendency 10 rather to scatter and diause what IL
already too widely scattered and didnsed Any
system tending 70 concentration would necessarily
commence near the borders, and dcbouch upon
some central line which would carry it to a focal
trade point But our roads commence where they
happen 70, and debouch upon dozen points,
scarcely any tive of them meeting upon point In
common. For instnnce, one road debouoaes upon
this city. enc on Ridgwny in North Carolina, two
upon Petersburg, ono upon City Point four upon
Richmond, one upon West Point, two upon Alex.
andria, one upon Harpsrs Ferry, and one upon
Parksrsburg. Thus do these roads take the trade
rather from, than TO line Of central trade points,
and scatter IL upon every direction Of the COM
pass. Nor do they even work peaceably in this
work Of scasterasion, but by species OF skill, as
remarkable As il 10 unfortunate, ono half seem
built ior the express purpose Of cutting the tront
OF the other half although the State is almost tho
sole owner Of the whole Is it any matter of sur
prise that under such circumstances rs these our
railroads opposing rather than assisting each 9TH
er-should b Of little service in the matter Of de-
velopment, and q dead weight in that Of revenue,
while the trade Of the State, which, if conccntra-
ted upon one point, would build up large o""''
mercial emporium; in its present distracted state
merely enables dozen places to maintain sort
of respectable dependence upon our Northern
commercial rivals. Even the James River Canal,
which cost % much money, and which under
proper circumstances ought to have been great
arm Of both development and concentration, is of
no practical value in either; for such has been tho
policy Of the company controlling that work, that
up to . very late period the united tolls and
transportation en- tho canal have been scarcely less
than the cost Of transportation during the print
tive days Of road Wagons and batteaux.
We have said that the public works of New
York constituted system. harmonious, thorough
end comprehensive. The grand central limo Of
that system was the Erie Canal which, extending
through the State from Buffalo to Albany. and
: thence via the Hudson river to New York, formed
the backbone of the entire policy. Connected
with this central line were branch canals, each of
which contributed its quota to the trade Of the
main line, and assisted to swell its bulk, as the
branches Of Q river contribute to its tide. When
Railroads were afterward started, they too have
been directed to the same common centre and OBJ
jsct. The whole Of these have from the first, and
now form, system in the highest degree concen-
trstive and developing. Under the operation Of
their cheap transport the resources Of New York
have been thoroughly brought out and not only
has the trade Of the State been gathered to COM
mon point, bat that also Of the great West; simply
because by these lines New York could bring the
trade Of the West to her main seaport, in greater
masses, with more certainty and at cheaper rates
than the same could be brought to the seaport OF
sny other State, with the same advantage in send
ing merchandise to the interior. II is to this pol
icy Of through lines cheaper than any other lines
convsrging 10 . common point and subscrving
connoa object, that has enabled New York to
command her own trade aud that Of the West; ID
build up the overwhelming commercial and fnan.
cal importance Of the city, aud to effect an aggre
gate enhancement Of her common wealth to the
enormous extent Of two Thousand millions of del.
lars m the short space Of third Of century!
The question now arises ~ to whether Virginia
has it in hsr power 10 inaugarate similar systeml
Has che On opportunity Of establishing central
line. which shall by cheap transportation bring al
her resources. mineral. manufacturing and agri
eulsaral, 70 the same thorough development tina
has enriched New York, and which shall not onl,
control her own trade. but that of the greater por
tlon ct the great West and Interior, and by gath
sring 1t as common point on our sea-coast, bull
mp within her borders a commercial emporium