Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-06-04
For TIC Enquirer.
LEIIERN,
ON n RESOURCES, IMPROVEMENTS, mi
MEhCE OF FYRGIyI4.

sen, our remarks on the mineral resources OF the
S;ate-exc-Ptiug some account OF sypsutn, salt and
marls-,hough We are aware that We have not inen-
toned many localities and many minerals which de-
serve notice. Thus the iron ores and fire clay OF the
Richmond coal field the various deposits OF ORES,
sIates, Goals, clays and stones of value, on the lines
of the james River canal. the Virginia Central, the
Orange aud Alexandria, the Manassa Gap, the Rich
mond and DsnvilIe, acd other railroads, except bya
general and iudiscriminste description; but it
is evident that a minute detail OF facts and clrcuIn
stances would be lar from answering our present pur.
pose which is u general exposition OF the re-
sources Of the Sta;e, ami the necessity and va
!ue Of our internal improvements as The only means
Of their Development, III order 10 promote the pollll-
cal influence OF Virginia and the South, and in order
to secure TO ourselves social position. wealth aud CON-
merciHl independence to enforce and advocate oy
every available argument, and every just conclusion,
that we eau arrive at, the vital importance OF hnish'
isling our great State works, in order to put us In
connection with our Western people aud the Weste
rivers, for the neglect of which, ws have sacrificed
half a century OF our political existence, as the fret
State in the Union; TO aid in building up u city on the
bay which shall rival in commercial and political
lullucHC6 tS great centre VI NOIiucIu pONci,
since il must be evident TO every impartial
thinker on the subject, that no other point, South Of
the Capes of the Delaware, can ever hope to compete
with New York for the trade Of the West, and at the
same time secure the import trade of the countries OF
Europe; to display the value OF manufacturing, me-
chanicsl and scientific requirements generally. in
connection with our agricultural pnrsu,.s, to our
wealth and prosperity; since Virginia, which Is es'
sentislly a mineral State, the yield Of whose lands
must continue to decrease, when brought into com
petition with the new and more productive lands OF
the West, cannot remain simply an agricultural
State, aud maintain her place and her distinction III
the great confsderacy of the new world in nue. 10
bring before tho :eople, a, far as our abilities will
admit, those great subjects cnd important enterprises,
in which we all have go deep an interest, and which
il is the duty Of every man who finds a home in Viz
GINA to aid and encourage.
In this connection, We may add, without seeming
to dictate or censure, thst tie public press has the
means aud the power TO bring about those desirable
results, by diverting popular attention from mere
party politics, "a generally discussed, 10 the wider
and more instructive subjects of political economy
generally; from the one sided and simple pursuit Of
llhliE tto StiNh W t"S NV I
BILE ones of combining and utilizing the various pro.
ducts Of the earth. The interest exhibited by the
public in every item or paragraph which relates to the
resources 9; the State, whether agricultural, manu-.
featuring, mechanical, mining or commercial, lie evi
dence enough Of the deep interest felt in every cub
stan,ial note Of information, whether iocsl or general,
which the newspapers may contain whils the long
parliamentary speeches and the barbed editorials, on
party doctrines, we ass sorry to say, are neither read
nor appreciated by one in a idcdred, simply because
they take but little interest in that which 10 not pro.
Guctiye or valuable, in a business sense, and which
only sgrres to disagree. But we digrese.
In our last We treated Of the precious metals in
connection with our reaources, more in reference to
tI.eir general utility and value "a a medium Of eI.
change, thsn especially To the localities where they
are iormed, or ne unimportant items OF our mineral
resources. But IA We eCEcider the pursuit of mining
or obtaining gold, le.s profitable iG communities than
most Of the other industrial pursuits-however it
might reward the operaives-we do not think proper
To devote much time Or attention to them. The rea.
saus why we come t. sCcii conclusions are simply
these: Iron can be o5.gHn.d Witt more prof, than
gold, therefore, VS. had batter make iron TO buy gold
than mine gold 10 buy iron. Iron remains with us
and untilisss labor: gold leaves us and inpoverishes
labor. Yet, though We advocate the development OF
iron and coal a. preliminary AID auxiliary 10 the
r.Insniug available metals, II IL certainly desirable
,Ea, c diversity of pursuits should he encouraged,
in order IL economist zach other. Thus ir"u AMI
coal enter largely INTO the operation OF producing
copper, gold, &C., and even themselves. Railroads
are required for the cheap transportation of the ores
and metals, aud in procuring otler facilities for
miu.ng; the produce o! the farmer aud the produc-
lions ut tic miner an the manufacturers are ccono.
missed, where tneJ EXIT in TIL same community; the
same area of ground will support q diversified popu'
!atiOn-that ia, q community where :he buying and
selling the producing aud consuming, are carried on
at home, of i've times the number it would support
of agricul,urists or farmers alone or, in other
words, q thickly settled farming district, if in a mine
raj region, though containing as many ageicClturlsts
az 1t could we'll support, would be in The very best
condition to support another population equally
as dense, Of miners, or producers CT Goals and ores,
and yet another AZ dense "a the two first combined OF
manufacturers; and all thess connected, would sup,
port another class OF merchants and traders, artists.
aud scho!ers, &c. Such q combination utilises the
labor or production Of each other, and, instead Of the
!snG being impoverished, i! would be enriched, since
It's produce would be returned direct instead oil being
sent to foreign countries; but instead Oh the produce OF
the farm being exported in the shape OF -four, cotton,
&C., il would be concentrated in the shape Of cloth,
copper, steel, iron, &c; gold would how IN without a
corresponding outward drain. The riches, which Ma.
tnrs has 30 generously given us, would minister more
exclusively to ou. own wants and prosperity. Yet we
IA .,ll no n,-g,,. ,b.s na, IS tho ,r,rII FrN,n attain
ing our staple., but would merely oblige them TO pay
a reInunerating price, or buy the manufactured article
OH our owa terms-it would make us eminsnt!y sellers
rather than buyers.
TO accomplish auch M end, we must show to the
world the abundance aud diversity OF our resources,
and furnish the means Of obtaining a market. Capi.
tQl, or lis equivalent, iahor, will concentrate where it
cun be most probably employed. Can there be any
doubt Of the immense advantage We should derive,
providing the manufacturers Ct Europe could be in
duced to come here, whence the raw material and
their sus!enoncc is derived aud where also their mar
ket exists? II would save the transportation of both
food and material-in feet, it would be bringing the
laborcr to the york, instead of taking the work to the
laborer, and it would also save the cost to us OF
bringing the work back, end the gold required TO pay
for the labor. 1t would, therefore, be more profitable
To the producer. the manufactured, end the consumer,
To combine, economist ar utilize their lebcr, and all
that could he saved be- IAN the producer and tn.
in this country, would be for sale in its
mcst convenient and valuable form, to the various !
nations of the earth-ths gold it would realise |
would not only be prof, but capital at inter
since it would add to our ability to obtain
,.r IuLt IA tb. ,-tJ ~ H. IL II 81
or as tn" gold deaefa Of New York add TO their stock
by the Influence Or dicia Of their present capital. But
since we cannot bring the manufacturers or laborers
OF Europe here in a body, the policy OF Our central
government must be sucE IA will encourage home