Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-04-27
For. The Eaquirrr.
TOT NE IIN4HITfT.
LETTERS,
oNTHE RESO URGES IMPROVEMENTS AND CON
MERGE OF VIRGINLd.

MERGE OF pIRGINLA.
Hon. 10 make STATE Investments Profitable and I
accomplish the desired end Commercial and P0
,l Mic0l Poar;r and Infuence.
In this letter we intend to scum up" or present
resume TO the present point of view in order to con
dense the facts established and bring them to focu
on the main argument-the true political economy
Virginia in regard TO internal improvement, and h,
development Of external, we'll as internal resources
and their bearing on commerce, wealth and intlu
encs. This We consider the first part Of our genera
subject the second part will relate particularly
our resonrces-agriculturnl, mineral and manufactu
ring-and their connection with our Improvement
and commerce.
| Strength, gehins, wisd0a or ccdNh, innate or &C
quired, were not given TO individuals, States or na
tions, to be despised neglected. but to advance thu
general interests Of ourselves and the human family
and to accomplish the great ends and aims of Cren
ton. Weare expected to improve our "talents" anc
means, and 10 be industrious and fruitful-indeec
every law and disposition of Providence prove that
industry, knowledge and enterprise are not only
tia but indispensable to our rel being, aud that a
unOn Of efforts, pursuits and requirements equal
y necessary to promote our happiness, usefulness
and general good.
We are not disposed to write homiIy. This di
gression is merely to show that we have other in
ducemens than selfaggrandizement, the requirement
of riches, political power influence, for Virginia
and the South to enlist our patriotic humane and in.
dusrious eorts and other interests to serve besides
those of the merchant, the farmer the manufacturer
or the miner.
1t does not need more assertions, or a greater
array of facts than have been presented to satisfy
Ourselves at least that Virginia has been peculiarly
best by nature in the distribution of her favors But
unfortunately, We have still more palpable evidence,
that hoRe wise provisions, however important to our
good have been, by us, neglected. to our serious oas
and injury; and in consequence of which, we have
been degenerating, while our neighbors have been
improving and advancing.
The commerce of Virginia-once the frat in the
Union-has diminished from seven millions to less
than four millions, while that of New York has
gone up from TO thres hundred mions'! New
York Pennsylvania and Ohio have increased more
in the last ten years than Virginia has during the
laat thirty years. and yet these States do not possess
the commercial or industrial resources naturally, to
10 great sn extent Virginia. consequently this as
tonshlng increase in the number, wealth and power
Of those States ia the direct results Of human eIer
ton. 1t is Just and right that labor and perseverance
should be 30 rewarded, since the reward may be me-
rited by all who will strive for it. And our State
more than any other Commonwealth, has the means
and the remedy in her power.
The majority, and, indeed, the most important OF
,ia 20 ,rh; oh 70
original with us; nearly century ago they were re-
cognized by the most arseeing aud powerful minds
the world ever produced, and yet, strange ta say,
they have besn neglected by brilliant ae of states
men and politicians who, in seeking national dis.
tinction in the footsteps OF Washington and Jeffer
son. have neglected to leesate for the support of the
necessary nAuenoe-to foster our home industry-to
provide numbers and wealth with which to be sus.
tanned.
Within the sst ten years Virginia has improved In
wealth, If not in numbers, more than she had .ncrsas
ed in the fifty years previous Her vGlustion in 1880
was according to the cengus othat year. ,0S2
her State ss.essllent ess-now her value to be
assessed is 800 900 OOU Within that time there has
been more than one thousand lies of rail roads built
| and nearly thousand miles more projected. These
results speak for each other and nothing stronger
can be said in favor or internal improvements. If
this great Increase in domestic wealth is not chiefly
the result OF rail road Improvement and the spirit of
enterprise which they have awakened, then why has
/ the growth of wealth been 20 sudden7 Otherwise,
it is phenomena. In 1882, were nearly million
in number and then Jefferson, in his Notes, estims
ted that Virginia would contain 900 inhabitants
| in ls35-or million more than the lousl increase
and his estimate would tsys been as much below, as
il turned or +. 6e, above the mark, had Virginia i'm
proved the golden opportunities which he saw then
as clearly as we see them now.
| 1t appears then, that the iapld strides which
our State has recently made towards the post of honor
and power, from which she fast drifting away
is due to the liberal policy she has adopted in fostene
and encouraging the improvement! and development
! of her internal resources. 6nd under such circum
stances il is against nature andincination to pen
word in condemnation Of measures which have result
ed in onuch general good; but in order to do our duty
faithfully we are bound Ia condemn measures which
are too general and indscrmnate to be effective, and
consequently, too waak to accomplish any grand
stroke of State policy, by which we could enjoy in
superior degree, the trade aud The wealth which
now poured into Baltimore, Philadelphia and New
York-which has hel ped TO build up those cities and
to sustain their rapid increase.
Had New York, like Virginia. endorsed every pet
ty rail road scheme that were broached, and aidod
them with the public funds, her grea. enterprises
which have become National ariairs, would, like
those of Virginia, have laid unfinished, and unpro
ductive Until this day. and it ia evident, too plainly
evident and papable, that, if continue to squaI
I = ALL hat and f<
ruin each other, investments will not only be un
productive, but will prove utterly abortive at the
end We know that sectional roads are required BY
the people to connect cities and towns; and We
know too that those roads tend to increase the va
ue of lands and property generally; but are also
too painfully aware, that they frequently deract
from each other, and that they never can be pro
6tsble az stock investments until the vast trade o
other States can be brought over them.
There can be no doubt that the Valley of Virginia;
that Charlottesville and Lynchburg and the Orange
and Alexandra, and Virginia and Tennessee Rail
Roads would be benefited to great degree by their
contemplated extension, but, on the other hand what
cities, and what roads would suffer! Ia it not "rob
bng Peter to pay Paul''
The same may be said Of the York River Road,
and the Alexandria, Loudoun and Hampshire Road
Some of them are, indeed, enterprises which should
bs carried out but they are private entcrprjses-
they are not great National works which confer bene
fl 10 all. The State does not suffer materially by
their dely and if they were Immediately demanded,
and could be made Immediately profitable can there
| be any want of private means to build those compa
ra,ivey small affsirs' Why should the State be taxed
beyond her strength 10 build up rival roads at home
and thus make their inability to pay even interest
certain when her great enterprises, on which our i'll
fueDce aa people depends, and on which all those
minor works depend, are thereby delayed for an in
definite period, ii not placed beyond our power eveI
to accomplish.
We do not make these remarks in hostility to any
private entsrprse-indeed, we have already express
ed ouraelf strongly in favor Of net work of rail
that what now say may seem paradoxioali hut tbt