Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-12-24
Con MTNlCATED.
Commercial Observation-Disclosures of Virginia.

! The present commercial dependence Of the
State Of Virginia upon the Middle and New
England States, is the result OF causes which
have been in operation 10 Il greater or less eA-
tent from the foundation Of our Common
wealth. Those causes still exert their in
huemre ON our social system, and cannot he
cuuntcr>ailrd by legislation or even by rev
olution. unless We allow time for a change i'll
the habits. pursuits, and sentiments OF the
people.
We are vet. in the main. what we have
ever been, a community ot hnSbdndmen.-
A. il was with our fathers. and IN the old
time before them, 81 IL ii III our day. Free
hold suffrage has been abolished, hut still we
have II constituency cultiyatiny the sofia
legislature uf professional men. Commerce
aud manufactures have had but little repre-
sentatlou, nor has their VOICE been heard, ex-
cept when groauing under taxation. Federal
relations. and our peculiar institution
have received much more attention. Mer-
chants have always been regarded with
aundiccd observation-disclosures esteemed too
aristocratic Tor even the first families. -
i
muhs and vice. and treated as sores" om the
! body polite. \ great commercial centre
! for The accumulation and distribution Of the
products and wealth Of the State, would
! have leen antugonistic 10 the views Of Mr.
Jefferson, aud all those trained III hls school;
AMI whether for veal or for wu. his pupils
| still shape our State policy.
We speak from the book. Hear the words
Of the great "apost. Of liberty Those
rto iabor IN Me earM are tie chosen people
Of Goi." corruption of morals in
the mass Of cutivutvrs, is phenomenon Of
which 10 aye nor nation has furnished an
! example" "Generully speaking,
the proportion which the aggregate oi the 9th
cr classes OF citizens. bears IN any state to
that ot' it, husbundmen, is the proportion OF its
unsound to its healthy parts, and is u good
enough barometer, whereby u measure lis
degree Of corruption. While We have land
10 labor. them let as nsrpr IRISH IN see our citi
Gems occupiei at a Tork-Jench. or hcrliny
distdf" : = "Let om morkShops r.
muin IN Enyoye." . The mobs of great
cities add just 80 much to the support Of
pure government. Us sores do 10 the strength
Of the human body
Our present condition therefore. as to COM
merce and manufactures. is entirely normal.
adapted to our Legislation and the genius
of our people. NJ marvel then, that our
| rivers remain as nature made them-thelr
| grand waterfalls unlmprovcd. and the giants
which watch ut their sources still unemploy-
! ed. Our natural resources for commerce
and manufactures have been neglected, that
| our people might he uncGntaminated and
hence we see wurn-out and waste lands, and
| finished towns" if no ",fencei cihes - II
circumstances have made change desirable,
! it must he effected through the dominant
and prevailing class. Some Of our husband
men must become merchants and manutac-
turcrs.
NJ Legislation or policy which il designed
to operate exclusively upon u handful Of
| shopkeepers, taxed II, they are already out
of all proportion to other classes OF citizens
unaided by financial system. competed
! with at all times in the money market by
| farmers and by the State, can effect the or
ierts which all seem at present 70 desire
| They alone cannot give us foreign com
merce--thcy cannot establish manufactures,
| or make Us independent of the North
The whole number of mercantile houses
in Virginia is 6,634. OF these. 1903 sell
II 900 per annum, or less--2,56 sell $1,000
per annum or less--SSS sell Sl2 800 per an
| mum or less: and Of the remaining 900, 300
! -cll IN amount barely sufficient to pay their
taxes and expenses. fivc-sixths of the
whole number are very small traders. 1t is
| true. the aggregate amount of their purcha-
| SEES is quite large, and the withdrawal OF
their trade from its customary channels
| wonld have considerable effect upon ndiyid
| ual merchants, but we doubt if it would
| affect seriously any commercial towns. ex-
ccpting Baltimore. Northern tanaticism
would not be reached, because tho danger
| does not menac. rs from the commercial
| cities. but from the rural districts. Few Vir-
| gmiu merchants deal with Abolitonists but
| with natives Of the South, Southern in feel
ing. who have established themselves in
Northern cities. because Of the advantages
those cities afford TIE first Lior struck by
Mom-interconrss woHid taH upon Mcse NJ our
"rn biood, cbom tie poiicy NJ the STATE has
i,Icen from Me mi Dominion. No com
plant lies justly, either against those men
tor leaving the South, or against those who
trade with them. The interest of the far
mers has not sutfered-thev have, they say,
obtained their supplies AT sheaper rates
Why does not Richmond, at this time,
import for Virginia? Has she the requisite
capital? Doubtless; but she has not the
customers who are green enough to suppose,
that Inc always sells cheapest VIII" imports
for himself; and she is too smart Ia attempt
II competition with New York, should the
State Of Virginia remit the quarter Of one
per cent. now imposed ia a tax upon sales
over SlOU.OOO, or even allow bonus for di-
rect lmportations 1t will not De- denied that
Richmond might import, if YOU could COM
pei the 5000 merchants scattered through
the State to buy her goods. and could induce
the farmers to pay the small dealers profit
for distribution. Richmond then would soon
have her merchant princes" if not her
herring aristocracy." But until these things
can be effected, Richmond merchants Will
not attempt, what even So great city AZ
Philadcl phia has found she cannot wisely
do, importing for themselves.
Said Il prominent gentleman, "buy moth
ing from the North II our merchants have
not the spirit u do this, the farmers should
discourage them - There spoke the genius
Of the Old dominion The dominant class
must take the matter in hand Where shall
tiye-Sixths Of our mercantile houses 20 for
their supplies, il not 10 the North? Their
sales are almost exclusively made up Of
goods manufactured in the United States,