Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-04-02
For The Enquirer.
JAMES BARBOUR, ESQ, OF CULpEpER-

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. sc. &C.
Metsrs Editors: ,:-As an ever Jealous aud warm
friend OF liberal internal improvement policy,
on The part OF our good old mother, allow me 10
congratulate you. aud the friends of internal i'm.
provem-nt, upon the hopeful condition of policy
which has already been ioreshadowsd. and which, if
carried out, must build up Virginia and make her
what she is designed to be- the greatest State in this
grand conederacy.
We do not desire to draw invidous distinctions
My heart ewells with emotions of gratitude 10 the
gallant band Of liberal and enlightened public ser
wants, who in the last hard fought battle in behalf of
Virginia and Southern independence, go signally tr
umpned over our opponents in the present Lsgals
ture to any appropriations TO the great lines of rail
wayb begun, partially completed, and soon to languish
for the want Of the necessary means to complete
them. But We desire to call the attention Of the peo
pie of Virginia. and particularly the friends of
our internal Improvement policy, to the able, distin
guished and indeatigabe representative whose name
heads this article.
We truthtully declare, that in Mr.. Barbour we had
leader worthy 10 follow; general who made no
move only in the right direction and successfully,
too, did he and his forces triumph over well com
pscted, we'll drilled opposton-among whom were
leaders of more than ordinary ability and tact Mr..
Barbours talents. IS evinced in his Report, as the
Chairman of the Committee of Finance, together
with one of the most lucid, able eloquent and
pointed speeches ever delivered on the subject of
our Internal improvements and the financial policy
have stamped him, at once, as standing at the head
and front OF the great men of Virginia.
Modest retiring and unobtrusive, he yet pursues
the noiseless tenor OF his way, and, when satisfied
that he is right, with spirit undsun,ed and an en-.
crgy unflrng, coupled with great mind and m in
d: NJ h'n7 and .'und 10 suc""-d in the ends At
The u-Dple U Errul5, owe rt:. .'sis.v>-.,
more ihHn any other man IN H. Isst'lg debt oil grati
;ud.. Had Virginia altsred now in course OF duty
plainly marked out. abe would not have recovered
from her error ia quarter OF century If in life
time.
The tax paying people Of Virginia will sustain the
friends OF Internal Improvement in all they have |
done and said in the present General Assembly |
They are not dsheartened by the cry Of sIes taxes!
bank suspensions and repudistion but, cheered, by
the retrospect Of what hss been already attained,
they will grid themselves with renovated patience, |
relyng upon the great natural resources OF the Old
Dominion, and piess onward to renewed toing and
increasing energy economy and INDUSTRY bearing IKE
men and patriots, all necessary burdens TO sustain
our own State credit and develop her mighty and
uatchIess mineral and agricultural resources.
The time was when there were those who arroga- |
ted 10 themselves the divine right of holding the
KEYS Of knowledge, but. NIX God, It has passed
away never TO return. s.ileo now languiahes
in prison; no depot pre-u.-..a n this utaran or
enlightened age. that his edcts can cOse the avenues
10 the temple of science II is true, party now in
the Legislature of Virginia have endeavored 10
clutch the keys Of the treasury, and arrogafe 10
Themselves the tit OF guardians and bull dogs over
our purses and VINO are yet doing and have done
more to destroy the credit OF the Commonwealth
and strike her from the map Of States In this Union
than any other cou biuation Of men now living. We
will not assa their motives or their patriotism tbey
NAV be honest but we know they are misguided.
Why 10 il that Virginia has been gradually depopr.
atng for the las; fifty years. and at trlghtful geo
metric ratio for the hst ten or fifteen Because ofher
States have been ont stripping her in the march OF
empire. Her daughters. her offspring nave oeen
boldly seizing uponsl the resuts OF the progression
of precedent times, whilst they have added To- their
number and greatly augmented their thc'ency.
They have induced our population to emgr8te' oy
exhibiting to them prodises in the cause OF internal
improyements which, when compared with us, start
into prominence like mountains rising from the piain;
Our people are beginning to see thai an enhgntenen
and isdicous internal improvement policy more than
any other will be ,uch as to elevate and bless the
mssses rather than the few. The people are oeRn.
ming TO see and feel the revelation of our own physoh
and inpIhaustble resources and power. The empire
of mind has begun That Of Old Fogyism is waning.
Its snews are sbrivelug up heneath the influence
of the progressive spirit Of the age Our fathers too
as the halcyon mornings of their lives. have fingered
in their fond memories have told that the race in
their youth tar better and more Intelligent man
now Man has yielded too much 10 the opinion. out
he i. beginning IN discover thar his golden age Her
in the future not in the past Our people VIII refuse
70 bow down to the old order Of things, simply De-
cause they are old, can they eympathlse as
once with that feeling which prefers the duet and
cobwsbs Of the past TO the positive Improvements
and comforts of the present age.
good fght-have each acted we'll their part. They
have acted too, under IN abiding knowledge OF the
great progressive ep,r of the age. They have SEEM
and known it TO be indispensable in the field OF e1
! ertou-they have seen our danger OF being tram.
Piled b. meath an advancing column, or tfL behind ID
ibe onward march OF our sister States. They have
seen and felt their responsible position as Soma at hs
Old Dom iuton the vanguard of the south the mother
of the Union and they have acted well their part.
They have too around them. and WIN the ea'
liant Barbour in the Lead tet TINT We boast of an an
ceslry unexceed by that Of any country, whilst our
whole land plows with the lngeri"g g!"'es OF the
Revolutionary sfruggl-; and whilst our natural ad
van,aees are unsurpassed, our physcaI resources IN
.Ybsu-,ib,e. and our scenery lsnGscape Of glowing
beauty, hey have sskrd aud an.erea the qnery
nacs with other States ia the march of emf irel She
must, and shall b. in company with the rest OF the
world in the progress Of the times Her sturdy SOD.
| shsl deveope the vast resources Of her e1uberan
soil reap from her bosom the golden harvest which
che must produce; telling her gorgeous drapery o
fo,est, disclosing her vast mineral wealth and cover
ing her magnificent domain with net work OF inter
nal improvements.