Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-03-26
For the Enquirer.
LETTERS,
oNTHE IMPROVEMENTS, RES0URCESAND COM
MERGE OF YIRGINIA.
For the Enquirer.

MERGE OF TIRGINIA.
NOW.
PRo0REssivE DEVELOPMENT THE RESULT OF INTEL
| LiGEscE AND LABOR.
Capital is the result Of labor and economy, whether
Il be acquired by physical or msnta eIsr.ions, and
deposited in the vaults Of banks or private "sses
or invested In mines or manufactures, In commerce
or agriculture In houses or lands or in canals and
rail roads. The capital judciously invested at home,
remunerates the people and State and the individual
generally. at compound uteres-thst invested In I'm
provinHand developing our internal resources, gives
employment to additional labor, and thus increases
our means and ability to acquire. From the earth
her sols her mines and her wasrs-spring all origi
nal wealth, and the "open sesame" to her vaults is
labor. No great good il obtained; no perfection ar
rived at; no triumph secured, without comparative
eIeron. The scuptors skill is much the result Of
laborlous study a. Il IL of his genius; the poets
grace and beauty is as much the toll of art as the
force of innate are and zsal. After long years spent
10 laborous pursuit of knowledge, the sage must
ponder, the statesman must think, il they would
benefit Themselves or others and those who acquire
wealth, in whatever pursuit, obtains it by eIertion
snd toll, and preserve it by judioous Investments
The poorest laborer by industry economy and intel
ligenoe. may become the millionaire, for he holds the
talsman by which wealth is obtained, and there is
wealth enough in Virginia for millions of million.
hires.
Then let industrious labor be spotheoszsd and let
her hand maids be honored, for to them may be as.
cribed the growth and wealth and power Of nations.
Tie arts and sciences spring from this fostering care,
liberty religion and love are their virtues, and refine.
ment, elegance and luxury the osprings of their
bounty. They "teach us to pierce the bowels Of the
earth, and bring forth METALS which give strength to
our hands and subject all nature to use and plea.
sure" Without their aide, the most fertile valies re-.
man in Wilderness or become deserts the richest de-.
posits Of metals, the most extensive fields Of COAL are
worthless and unproductive.
II this be correct-and these are truisms that need
no arguments-is not our duty plain and evident !
for we possess the elements of strength, and will do
all that men have done-nay, more-for whefelse has
Nature been 80 prodigsl7 Where else are her beau.
Ties scattered so profusely Why then do we remain
inactive, in doubt and uncertainty What are we
waiting fort
Some will say, "let us alone to enjoy what we
have very argument of indoence-"a little more
prising are up early and late, gathering the fruits
which we have neglected. Our neghbors have
stretched their networks of iron around and through
our borders. and take home in triumph the harvests
of the West, whilst we pay them toll for our travel
and tribute for our wants.
Others are saying" Wait till we are stronger -
wait till we better able t) to finish our works
of improvement"
Why gentlemen, had Patrick Henry used such ar
guments, had the men Of rs such spirits, who will
say what might have been the fate of the Union
now in the front rank of pationsi
Virginia stands like "pillar Of FIRE "a mediator
between the North and South, to check the unfeeng
arrogance Of one and hold back the aggressive spirit
Of the other. 1t is due to the mother Of Ssges and
Statesmen, that her counsels should be heard with
reverence and consideration. But age do not always
command respect, since wisdom is not the infaable
accompaniment of maturity nor will wisdom always
govern where numbers and influence prevail. There.
fore to preserve our influence and respect amongst
the Confederaoy of States, where each one thrills,
with the strong and resstless spirit of energy, and
where the motto of all is progression" must
ert every nerve, and if necessary, even make some
sacrifices to sustain our poson and retrieve wane
ing influence Under such circumstances, it is the
duty Of every one iuterested In Yrgns's welfsre-s
duty which We owe ourselves and posterity-to cork
for the accomplishment of an end 80 much 10 be de.
| sired.
| AS our visitor Macksy, the poet, says
LET Us aid Il all we can,
Every woman, every man;
Smallest aids u rightly given,
Make the impulse stronger,
Twill be strong enough one day
| Work q little longer"
But we need neither rhetoric nor poetry to sustain the
position we have taken in regard to internal devel
| opement. Every one now knows, or should know,
the value of railroads apd canals. We need not say
the produce of the valley oftbe Mississippi s nearer to
the Atlantic markets than that Of many parts Of our
State, though in reality ten times as remote
Railroads snnihate distance and time-farming, and
particularly mineral lands, comparatively value
less to-day without cheap avenues to market. But,
need not multiply words on this point, for not even
| the opponents of our public improvement system,
have word to soy against the utility and convent.
ence of railroads and canals, their Importance and
value to the people and the State, or If they have,
it must be during moment of excitement. The ar.
guments used are those Of timdy, and want Of con.
fdeuce and bstray a small amour, Of practical know.
| ledge.
To illustrate, the State has begun system Of public
works which II 10 her intention and policy to complete,
and has invested about OaO but now that two
thirds of the work is done, with the most vital part
yet unfinished, 1t is proposed to "hold on awhile,
and psy the interest on 33OO0oOOO for twenty years,
perhaps, or more, until We are "better able" TO raise
OOO QUO in addition, TO complete the works-forbe.
fore that time srrves, of them will have to be
rebuilt.
Thus tits evident, if dilatory measures are adopted
we must pay interest large capital for long term
of years. and instead of fifty millions OF dollars it will
cost US one hundred millions to complete that which
must eventually be done.
But under sjudicous and liberal policy, the same
work could and can be done in Eve years. at saving
Of nearly, II not fully, fifty per cent!
Which osn the people bear with the greatest easel
In the Grst place they must rsiee the money without
deriving any benefit from it. Indeed the money
would be lost-the people dsheartened- perhaps
the work would be abandoned. But In the other cas-
the simple interest Of the capital would be required
for FIVE years only. Those works, when completed
will tax care of themselves and will give vigor ant
life to every branch of industry; and the labor of th
people will be rewarded by remuneration which the.
cannot now obtain.
The very fact that those improvements are wsnte
and must be done, are enough to urge them on to
speedy completion-for the longer they luger tb
more they will cost, and the more burdensome an
the less profitable will they become. If they canno
b. prosecuted with vgor and energy, let them be SOL
or given away 10 the frat specuator that Offers
The people may work forever and invest their sur
J plus capital in State improvements until they be
come discouraged and refuse to aid If such an uncel
tain and ruinous course is pursued.
Now, il the works are to be finished, as We have
right to suppose, let them be pushed on with vigo
and energy, and finished or made profitable as quicl
as possible. The people will regain their confidence
capitalists will see determination to succeed, sD
the State bonds will find ready market.