Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-02-02

Manufacturer In Virginia.

lHeiecsutNrs luc coubssat utuuA os oes "s~'~ f''G
ulation. caused by the unprecedented prices which
the cotton-planters Of the South src able to give
for negroes, must have the inevitable tendency to
withdraw many Of our citizens from the pursuit OF
agriculture, to which the labor Of the slave is pe-
culiarly adapted, and to compel them as it.wcre,
TO engage in manufactures. in which white labor IL
more appropriate and more profitable
We shall not regret the result, though we may
deplore the cause. Virginia will never be irpri
we'd Of enough slaves TO shake her fidelity to the
institution yet ii is not to be desired that We
should lose so much Of this element of conscrva-
ton in our midst. We are cpnsoled only in tho
idea that in respect Of material wealth aud pros
perity, We shall DO more than compensated in the
introduction Of manufacturing establishments
throughout the Commonwealth for whatever OF
loss or inconvenience we may sustain from any
diminution of our slave population.
No ono can takes topographic view Of the State
of Virginia without asserting. nnhestatiugiy, to
the opinion we expressed yesterday that there is
no other State in the Union so blessed IN the
means and facilities Of manufacture ms this. last
Of the mountains we have four magnificent rivers
the Potomac. the Rappnhannock, the York. and
the James, to say nothing Of their tributaries,
most of which supply unlimited water power for
the driving of machinery, besides furnishing
choap and easy mode Of access to the markets OF
the Atlantic coast. At Fredericksburg on the
Rsppahannock they hayc a water-power equal, II
not superior, to that Mt Lowell in Massachusetts
At Richmond, Petersburg and Lynchburg, the
supply could be made equal To any demand. In
truth, there is not town Of any consequence,
east Of the mountains. except Norfolk. that could
not probably engage in manufacturing pursuits
and Norfolk stands at the mouth Of tho Bay,
rcady to become the warehouse md tho entrcpot
of Virginia and to receive and distribute her man
ufnctures to tho markets of tho world
But If Eastern Virginia ENJOYS peculiar adsan-
tagcs for manufacturing, what shal We say OF the
magnificent Valley and of the splendid region OF
Trans, Allcghany? Ono can scarcely travel any
where there without being within sound of water
fall. lfthe unlimited water power of Western
Virginia were developed to the fullest capacity,
we should hear the clank of busy machinery re-
sounding from almost every valley.
Now with those advantages, we have every in
duccmcnt to embark in manufactures, TINT could
be offered. We have iron ore in our mountains
sufficient to keep up AS profitable a business ms is
enjoyed by Pennsy lyania--and the table we pub
lished yesterday shows the value of her manufac-
lures in 1850 principally iron--to be ona hund.
rod and fifty five millions Of dollars Think Of
that! 4 trade Of one hundred and fifty five mil
lions Of dollars year! Why may not Virginia
embark in it ms well as Pennsylvania
SO, also, with respect to WOODEN manufactures.
The mountain sides u Western Virginia will sus
tain ~ fine sheep--proiucins as fine WOOL as
Vermont or New Hampshire. Why should the
manufacture of either fine or coarse woolens DO
confined To the Northern States? If it be neres-
sary to import fine wool for certain kinds of goods,
may we not import it ut Norfolk equally us we'll
as they do at Boston?
As for cotton. we can assurcly procure it cheap
er than Massachusetts can. We cnn bring it
from Charleston into the harbor Of Norfolk Mt an
insignificant cost. We eau bring it from Georgia
and Alabama our Southw estesn roads at m
expense which would not be mn appreclablc item
in tho cost Of the manufactured goods. Raw cot
ton is one Of the few things which Gun bear the
costs Of railroad transportation fir long distances
In "A speech in the Senate the other day. MIR. Sim
mons of Rhode Island stated that his sons--who
IRE engaged in cotton manufactures in that State
had brought cotton last summer across the con-
tincnt from Memphis to Providence by ,ailroaI.--
II Rhode lsard manufacturer can bring cotton
to his doors, over twelve hundred miles of Rail
road, most assurelly II virginia manufacturer
could do the thing over four or i've hundred
miles. What then is to prevent Virginia from
engaging in the manufacture Of cotton goodsy-
II it be profitable for Rhode Island aud Massnchu-
sets to do 40, would it not Of necessity be more
profitable for Virginia.
There are other minor branches of manufacture
that might DO proitaby pursued in Virginia.
The manufacture of salt is already engaged in.
in different portions of the State. The manuac-
turcrc of shot Of bar lead and Of white lead mi sht
DO made profitable business. The manufacture
of Flour. already an extensive business. might he
almost indefinitely enlarged. We export every
year from Virginia. to New York, Boston, Bati-
more, and other markets, hundreds of thousands
bushels OF wheat Most of it il ground up and
sent off, in the shape of Flour to foreign and
domestic markets. If any one can show cause
why the wheat We raise in Virginia should not be
ground at home. and thus save the profits of man
ufacture to our own citizens let him now sneak,
OF else forever hereafter hold his peace"
We anticipate the day and we hope to live to SEQ
Iit, when the great CENTRAL WATER LINE OF NIR-
GINA, extended through to the Ohio, shall supply
the motive power for factories of different kinds
from Richmond to Kanawha--when its bank.
shall be resonant of the hum and clank of machin-
enry from end to the other--when old Viryin-
ia uniting the three great pursuits of Agriculture
Commerce, and Manufactures, shall enter upon