Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-04-16
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LETTEHH,
RESOURCES. IMPROVEMENTS ANh'"A'
mrRcE OF FIRGkNfI.

LETTERS.
,vTuE RESOURCES. lMPRO'EMENf rs HN"'"' 4
mERcE OF TRGkSii' fr
NO. IIII. III
; +, C,roy ~ Norfolk rs q Commerce. O.
cunOc,nm-T TIE srGGe otthe South. Y
T., ~, latter, We Intend 10 stick 10 dry iacts, txc'l' "
u;yejy, il possible. but hope TO Mako theh 'u'e'e'"'- =
uarsr,b.lcss and here we may re'nsrk, that we cam il
no, SUPPOSE our readers TO be unaoquaIn'eu ~'H TIC o
aubis.,s generally, as va have brought them io'"''"' a
since many OF the faots herein expressed nave 'ee" I
reite, s,ed frequently, in The form OF the most power I
full and convincing arguments by some oil our m's' {
nrominspt citizens. Yet that great organ OF the peo' :
nile. the Press, We regret to say, has peen s'o" "
discuss those most vital questions and to bring 'ne"
before the public in their most attractive ana Denen' !
clal LIGHT. Had those measures-though endorsed
oeosrelly-been advocated with that talent and unre-
hitting attention which has been paid to our political
~interesls, we should not be required, at this late day.
TO urge them on the public mind neither would we
have cause to regret the waning OF our ibnusnce
in the national assemblies. But the Pre' OF VT'
ginia has the power still to hasten the time Wnen
she can assert, without the threat OF arms or
dir. union, an influence, equal if not superior to
her most formidable rival, New York. The pow
or of the Press, if properly directed, is omnipo-
tent. The pen is mightier than the sword, to help
Virginia.
Though Virginia contains more available ports for
shipping than any other State in the Union, che hs
only one which NAV be termed central, but this one ID
no, ONLY a central point to which nearly all orr rivers
canals and railroads t%epd-where all the strength OF
Virginia osntres-but it is likewise the central port
Of the Union. It commando tho trade of the lakes
eoua]ly with Philsdelphia or New York. Penney
vauis and Maryland might be made to depend as
much on the imports and exports Of Norfolk IS on the
trade of their own respective cities. Its Importance oil
the trade of the West cannot now be calculated. But
va have a substantial foundation on which to found
the most wonderful and tremendous estimates, and
vet remain within the most guarded linits.
We have shown that the Western trade which con.
yerges at Cairo and Cincinnati, including t"othlrds
Of the exportsble produce Of the crest interior, could
!, be shipped with pront to New York through uorfoiki
l and the very fact that much Of this produce 10 DOW
y y taken to New York, when the Northern rivers and ca
|; nal. ara open, proves oonolusively that Norfolk would
T have even more advantage over New Orleans than
Z aha hiss over New York; and we thus found the most
y substantial argument in favor of Norfolk beyond ar.
uumeut or dispute. We consider Baltimore and Alex.
8 andris a. we'll as Richmond and otnsr cities In this
a State az directly interested In the growth OF rortoE
&c a commercial city, and, therefore, all the lines Of
Q rails which terminate at those points, being connect
ed by water, are aids to the prosperity OF that city
as its prosperity will be a. cid to them-s'nce ii
will be a focus from whence their imports End exports
=. can STRIVE and depart with the mere cost OF transh'p
h. ment. The profits to the South generally OF a d'ree
II. export and import trade cannot be properly under
10 stood. or greater ex ertions would have been made Z
is establish it. Though the South exports a greater va
Ina than the North, she still derives no benefit froE
II. and che never will, until some port in the Chesa
~ peske Bay shall rise up to compete with Ne" York.
We prove 1t thus:
be New Orleans is the only port. South OF Norfolk
II where the trade of the South and West can possibl.
si concentrate. The ports between Cape Hstteras an
m Florida, may become greet and important auxiliarie
70 Southern commerce, as many of them will, but W
~ need not cay that It would be impossible for any on
is If them to compete with Norfolk. Such being tn
be c.a.. and New Orleans being nearly four thousan
u miles out of the way of European steamers, or to
of great trading lines Of merchantmen, the merchandis
ns or imports, as 6 natural consequence, will come
Is New York, and 20 by rail South aud West in spite
W fate. unless some city with equal advantages shout
OK arise at the mouth Of the Chesapeake.
u. In calculating the difference in distance betwee
y" 10 : New York and England, or New Orleans and Eni
ct. land, we must double tho distance, since it ia not onl
on two thousand miles further to g o,bat also TO come. w
en- will suppose that merchandise sbipped from Franz
no were destined for Cincinnati, would it be moi
see economical to send q valuable cargo around b
re New Orleans, or to take It by way Of Nortol
o.. the latter, and the time not less than te
nus dsya7 o., if we estimate the time Of returning doub
pet that distance and time, the came may he said
er. exports but since our exports are generally raw m
or. terisl, while the imports are manufactured they wi
led bear more time but less expense per ton for tranIpo
DIS tahon. Thus il is plain that no Southern port (e1ceE
ap Norfolkl can ever hope to compete with New Yor
it's for commercial greatness, since the merchants VIII
ne supply the wsrts snd demands Of the country OF tn
NJ Ohio and the Missouri, With their tributaries, and tn
lakes, command the greatest and laost impora1
trade of the United States. We have ahogn. !
previous letters, that Norfolk can control the trad
Of the Ohio and the Missouri, with their brsuche.
and that she may alec have the trade of the lake,
with Sc much profit and ease, aud with more economy
ut than any Northern city. II is then, evident, that th
establishment Of q Southern metropolis Tor centre a
Norfolk would give the South a vast preponderanc
9. of trade, whether of export or import, and woul
give US the control of two thirds of the Union, and
population of is, 900. 600. 1t would give US two grea
centres or emporiums-one on the Chesapeake AM
N the other at New Orleans-to counterbalance the In
auence of New York for we may justly place th,
ports Of the Carolnas, Georgia, Florida, Alabama
Mississippi aud Texas against those of the mino,
Northern porte.
' New York and her capitalists, are fully aware o
. the imminent peril in which their monopoly stands
and, indeed, the boldest Of her capitalists may vel
q tremble, at the certain prospects of the ultimate re
version of a great portion of their capital to the In
terests of Virginia and the South. They nave gen
orally been very careful not to give much aid or en-.
enlargement, to Southern enterprises, and have al
most invariably opposed every step Virginia or Mary
. land have made towards the West. They can zee
{ more clearly than ourselves, the interest they have in
r keeping ne back from the West, and our interest In
trying to get there. They feel, in the most sensitive
manner, the value Of the 300, OOO, 900 of imported
goods, with which they supply the South and West. Be.
sides the vast amount of home manufactured goods
which they supply US, our merchants need not be told
that one hundred millions Ia q hne business in the
wholesale line, particularly those who had to pay
srcs', and even ten per cent. a few months ago. on
Virginia bills, in order to meet the demands of North
!, srn importersi
Ii We 70 into our hardware stores, our ~druggistp
our book stores. our printing offices, and our stores
generally, and are told that nearly all the articles We
see are imported through New York, or made at the
North, We will be convinced that we could not get
along without the North, unless we have a Norfolk.
Indeed, With or without the North, We are, In duty
bound, to make the beet use we can, of the gifts Ma.
| fnra ho. r;,o., az II la-- l. e. III a - xl:....
long as strangers reap the profit Of our productions1