The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-03-12

Its PkOAOFioN THE BEST MEANS OF
RANNY-THE NORTH TRADING ON SOUTH
ERN cAplTAL-RES0URCES OF VIRGINIA
| ADVANTAGES OF DIRECT C0MMERCE-TIE
FRENCH STEAM LINE TO THE CHEsA-
PEAKE--yIRGINIA LAND LAWS OBSTRUCT-
ING POPULATION.
To lb, Members ef ne Legislature Of r1rginia:
viii the commercial and financial crisis which
! has just swept ruinously through all parts of
the Union, at last open the eyes Of those good
people who believe that all Is for the best 10 this
| hest OF possible worldss viii il prove to them
that complete commercial aud industrial centra-
iizaton Is as fatal TO the proper development Of
public prosperity a-politica Capitalization is to
liberty
The American people. and In especial, the great
Democratic party has ever studied to reduce and
,lifuse power. with view to check its tendency,
70 shake of responsibility and engross in its own
hands all the concerns of men.
Why should not that which we are careful to do
for our political independence. be done too, for our
commercial independence The two interests are
closely connected; when the latter sf all have
been secured can the former have anything more
/ to fear either from the ambition of men or from
| the preponderanee of parties. In the monarches
OF the old world political Capitalization is a me-
cessity. In circumstances like theirs. what pow
er has to Go is to watch over the well being of ALL
and distribute justly, amongst the vaTous portions
of the country, subject TO its Jurisdiction the
sources which form the Commonwealth and con-
tribute to the aggregate of the nations might
But, 10 the United States it is not Here where
each State, sovereign in its domestic concerns has
its distinct and separate interest il is the u-
~ aud the interest Of the citizens of each to see
that none acquires a pTeponderauce dangerous to
/ the rights ot the others, and particularly that
| none with such view should be allowed to wrest
to its exclusive advantage the fasors of the Fede-
| raj Government.
| If, then, in a consolidated and compact nation,
it ia the duty of Government to each por-
tion Of the national territory, the opportunity to
| develop these resources which proper 10 it, at
the same time that it partakes fairly in the enjoy
| ment of those of the whole country, with how
| much more reason, in the United States, ought
| those, upon whom the people have devolved their
authority, to be careful that at time these re-
/ sources should be monopolized for the exclusive
| benefit of any one of the States.
The Governor of Virginia, has shown 10 the clear
! est manner, in the first of his late messages to
| the Legislature, that the preponderancs of the
| State OF New York. that the despotism mot to
| mince terms) which it exercises over the rest OF
the Union, Is A consequence Of the concentration
| in that imperial city, Of all the commerce of the
| United States, both in imports and in ex xports IT
s surely not in any mood Of petty Jealousy nor in
| the spirit of narrow patriotism, that his Excel
lency has sought to put in the strongest possible
| relief, this great fact the immense copseauence q,
| which be has been at 30 much pains to display
| America is proud, and rightly 50, OF the power and
| grandeur of New York. No modern CITY has sc.
quired 10 so short time 80 prodigious u prosperi.
ty. Commercially it is much the capital of the
| United States Washington is Politically But
if the national pride has been satisfied. by what
sacrifices has it been that it has won that danger
ous honor
New Ycrk absorbs and engrosses everything In
vain the finest waters traverse and surround the
vast territory of the Union; in vain the ocean
bathes its sides for a stretch of more than 500
leagues; from points the most remote everything
| is drawn into this immense, ever pawning gulf
Is it in the nature of things that this is sof Is
there then no other way of dispatching the pro
ductions that America senas TO all the wofie? By
no means. But the force of habit in some a nd the
incidence of others, paraiZiDg all those energies
| which should have maintained a proper eouil;.
brum in the affairs of trade, has lett to New York
| supremacy no longer disputed. All the lines OF
ocean travel have been gathered TO that mort: ALI
the importation, all the expotatiou has been cen-
tered there. Like great maelstron il sucks into
its enguphng depths all the capital of the Union,
| and keeps in an absolute dependence the entire
| business of the country.
| Thousands Of brokers, agents innumerabIe are
| brought into being from that deporable influence
| Ever Sthng passes through their hands, alike buy.
aud seller, and each in his turn is forced to rel-
der to them d tribute of bis toll. Lured by the
| higher rate of interest held out to them there
capitalists have no eyes to that they are thus
| made the dups OF an ilusory profit. since what
they are made to lose in the sale of their staples
aud ia the purchase of their supplies il far more
than equivalent for any excess of interest that
may be realized from their in vestments.
| The greater part OF the production of the South
are bought at long credit by Northern traders
Dispatched almost immediately to the various
markets where they are consumed, their value is
realized by these traders. The whole transaction
| is conducted by means of bills of ladiug. The
money, left in bank at the meantime is turned to
use in all sorts of specuIations, MOST frequently
| the reckless gambling in those ephemeral values
of which every day seems there to bring forth and
busy its brood and when, from time to time
commercial crisis the result, all comes to the
gronnd capital and merchandise alike disappear
| engulphed in universal ruin, and, as it is the
south from which New York derives its power so
it is the South that ID always the victim of its per-
| turbatiODs.
| Periodical revulsions have now for thirty wears
! fur nished the painest proofs of the inevitable
consequences 1t is for the Legislature of Virginia
| 20 apply the remedy, to prevent the prepoutier
| ancs which produces such deplorable results from
| becoming perpetual through the folly or the
| weakness of those who submit to it, and finalyby
assuring its commercial Independence, to preserve
| the liberty and political Independence of the
| south. The question is not of dethroning New
York, not of taking from it its power, but rather
of destroying its tyranny and freeing the produc
tive States froiu its yoke.
| What thon are the means Of arriving at this
end?
| The message of the Governor has pointed them
out in clear and precise terms. 1t is to build up
upon the Atlantic shore other centres of COM
merce, to put the places OF production into direct
connection with the places OF consumption, to
the expenses of transportation, of lading and dis
charging, OF brokerage and commission which are
now levied both on sales and purchases, to the
great lOob aIho Oh SeIter ana OF DuyGf, TO OfiSf.
| finally, to the capitalists of the South invest
| ments at home as advantageous and more safe
| than those which have tempted them to New
| York.
Chesapeake Bay, placed midway of the United
| ,tates, bathing the walls Of the Federal Capital
fills to a marvel the picture which Gov. Wise has
drawn. The maj jestc waves OF ocean mingled ia
It's waters; railroads radiatng from it in di-
rectiou, connect it with all the centres of produc
ton; it is the point marked out by nature aud by
| fate for the new era which must henceforth be
inaugurated.
| 1t is not the creation Of monopoly that il
now in question, but the opening of grand out
| let through which wealth may be derived
| without at all imparing and that already exist
The construction of railways has given birth to
| Virginia aDdin the South to innumberable branch
| IS of industry which can send abroad their pro
ductions Only.. ..by this new outlet; how many 9th
ers to grow out Of it, which must remain
for mere schemes, if the necessity of having
recourse always to New York is not at length To
| be escaped!
Mines OF iron, of lead of copper are awaiting but
| the A ans OF cheap transportation 10 display wen
ierfui growth and development Coal, plaster, mar
bl SALT spread in protnsion over the face of vir
gina lie in deporabie state of waste for the
Of ftcilni,s Of transportation. The hour when our
rsilroad .hsl be inlshs and direct expectation
tablished will witness an increase of an hundred
fod ia all the sonrees of public fortune. 1t towards
this gcal therefore, that all the efJIts of the
| try should be directed.
| The great central lines OF improvement promise
| Virginia Central hailrnad aud the Virginia and
| rennessee kaiiroad will soon form powerful ar
| teries connecting the Mississippi Valley and the
St nth with the Chtsapeake Bsy, the paelti oceaD
| with the Atlantic, Norfolk with San Francisco.
| TO what destiny then, may not the central
States of this Union look forward if the nati5nal
start which has just been taken shall be continual
This must Of Lecessity, become the great highway
| of trade and travel between Europe and Asia Ly-
| lug entirely within the Territory OF the United
States it will have hing TO fear from the jealousy
OF rival nations or the weakness OF such people
| as those occupying the Isthmus Of Panama. that
.ppla Of 6iseord between the old world and the
| new.
| Memphis Cincinnati and st. Lons will be the
great stages upon this grand line of communication
| aud will give aud take, in turn The elements oi
wealth and business. Every day the horiz ~ ex-
rands. The vast country OF the Chinese Heretofore