The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-08-17

U1op0teh fer she spring.. k.r,
sAs DsepA Scn ssaiIsf 10 them 10, aay kssM
sSsss. 81 ieassag their orders al fAe fosns
esl Ssysag ~ adsosss 70, the s'r'e no".-.
Commerce u Richmond FsiI ssaa
RtcNmond was land on ~ VOW, Aoo.s v"'
hundred and twenty years ago. :. may .A.a
fnrN ~ ciassed among the Oldest towHs !" tne
rnun,ry. or. we should rather say, among the
.,,a ,o,rn. Of the country. Possessing the great
u.tursl advantages which IL certainly does
v,o..e... and which are percept!ble to stran-
xers a. the first glance. II seems little strange
that we do not count our people by hundreds
Of thousands, instead of by tens Of thousands.
But the fsct is, Richmond was comparatively
stationary in the race Of progress until within
a very few years past, or, at least she increas-
ed 80 gradually, that her advance was scarcely
perceptiblc The additions 70 her population
were like the accrctions Of an island in the
river, or the low grounds on the shores. IT
went on from year to year, steadily bot slowly
at least for this "go-ahead" country, where
such marveis as Cincinnati and Chicago are
continually presenting themselves. Richmond
aeoulred a solid basis before she began 10 adj
vance, and perhaps she will be found to have
lost nothing by coming late into the field
The progress which Richmond has made
within the last ten years, has been quite equai
TO the general movement Of the age. Were II
any other country than the United States, her
prosperity would be regarded as miracle
Here however, she ceases TO be wonder, not
because her progress is less rapid, but because
everything around her moves so FAST as a
dozen steamboats, all abreast in a race appear
20 ha ntas sha - nj her Af hon
to be standing still, though moving at the rate
OF twenty knots an hour Her speed, more
over, does not stand at the same figure. 1t is
sort Of accelerating motion, every stepin adj
vance being longer and quicker than the one
taken Immediately before. Great cities are
like snow-balls. They must first have nu-
cicus. That obtained, every roll of the ball
adds TO their weight, and at every turn they
gather more than they did ut the turn before
The increase of Richmond has been owing to
a very simple cause-namely, the increase OF
facilities for getting to market Her railroads
and her canal have done the work. Wherever
they have gone they have opened new re-
sources, aud brought new lands into cultiva-
ton. The first resnlt of course, has been in
crease Of business in the mercantile world
The second, increase of persons necessary to
transact the increased business. The third is
a necessary sequence Of tho two last. 1t con-
sists In corresponding increase of buildings,
both for habitations and for business. Thus
activity is impaired to all departments oftrade,
and Richmond, long mere village dignified
with the name OF city by the afiectionate
pride OF her children, begins to be one in very
truth. The start she has taken cannot be
rested; she must In n short time become very
large city. We experience great satisfaction
in the reflection that the Dispatch has always
been Jealous advocate OF all the great mea-
sures whose effects are now apparent in the
prosperity of the city. 1 has com
batted ancient errors and Unborn preiudices
from the start. and has shown no quarter to
old fogyism or the let-alono policy. Not Il sim
gle step was ever taken for advancing the ma |
teriai prosperity Of the city, that was not OPP |
posed by parties possessing great influence |
even, in most cases, where 1t was certain to |
result in their own good The bitterest enc |
mics Of railroads were found TO be those who |
owned land through which they ran, or city |
the value of which could not fail TO |
be enhanced one hundred per cent. by their |
success. Such persons always appeared to |
us not great deal ahead, in point of in
teiiigence, TO the venerable KSIcKERBocKER,
who thought himself ruined by the passing of
L street through his cabbage garden, in what
Is now the very heart of the city of New York
Still they had votes and they had influence.
1t was the hardest thing il the world to over
come their passive resistance. They clung like
TO the bottom of the social vessel, or
lay like sawyers at the bottom OF the stream
IF progress. What was done was done in spite
a ,hau attb |
heir neighbors in profiting by the result.
A strong evidence of the rapid strides Rich
nond has made in the road of commercial
wealth, exists in the increased custom which
ier merchants enjoy with the merchants of the
country. But few years ago she had very
little, comparatively, Of this trade. A very
argo majority Of the merchants, living even |
n districts OF country that sent all their |
wheat and tobacco to this market, passed by |
Without condescending to stop, and went on |
irectly TO New York. AS our business in |
reased, wealth began to increase, and our |
lerchants set themselves to work to secure |
he country merchants. At first they were
little shy. A few came one season, and
ought few goods. Finding they made good
argains, they came again next year, and not
My took more goods but brought other mer-
hants with them. In few years, the trade
cyan to be large. The merchants finding it
n the increase, laid themselves out to please
heir country friends. A mutual good under
landing began to prevail. We are not able to
ny what has been the increase in the Fall
rade since 1919, but it has been enormous
his Fall it bids fair to be much larger than it
yer was before.
We speak OF fact which is notorious. The
,erchants in every department-dry goods, |
ardware, hats, shoes, groceries, &c.-are now |
aging in sach stocks Of goods as they never |
nd before. The importing merchants are far |
nore nesive than they have ever been. If the !
he fall trade is not larger, more comprehen-
i've, and more satisfactory this fall than it |
vas ever known to be, II will at least not be
he fault Of the Richmond merchants They
ave laid themselves out to please the coun.
ry. All they ask is to give them call. If
hey cannot sell as good bargains as can be
'ought anywhere else, they do not ask for pa-
ronage. They feel confident that they can
hord to sell every description Of goods upon
erms At least as good rs they can be sold on
n any ofher city The stocks, too, will be as
arge, and will present as great a variety us
an b. shown elsewhere. We are well aware
hat appeals 10 men, in business affairs, on the
core OF State pride, are quite nugatory-1
hey will 30 where they can get the most for
heir money. Friend or foe, they will buy of
i'm who can afford to sell them the best bar /
iins. We therefore ask no man to look at the
ocks OF goods because they are the goods OF
srsons living here hut we do ask them to |
'ok, for their own satisfaction and interest.
---s~------.Ds,------
The Rothschilds.
Tho retirement OF these eminent bankers, |
anounced In an extract from the London |
eay - certainly about to take place, is one OF |
- uost remarkable incidents Of this remark |
BILE year. Various causes have been imagin- |
4 to account for it. One Of them is, that as |