Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-06-04
NiHuInla EnterprIAe.

People are disposed to cling to old habits,
and communities have ever been found re-
~luctant to change those pursuits to Which they
have long been accustomed. ;Itis, perhaps, BY
this fact, more than any other, that We?can &C
count for the negligence Of our people In en-
rsripr in manufacturing and commercial enter
| urises.< Our fathers and torcta'hers' pisn'eo
| corn. wheat aud tobacco, and other aSricuilu'
| .ural productions; raised heel, horses, sheep&c,
md the concerns that they pursued, we also
have been disposed to follow. IF Firginians,
in their complacency, could sell their produc'
lions, very little cared they who bought them'
| who made the profits on them, or from whom
they bought their carriages. machines,
ploughs, wooden and cotton goods, hats, shoes,
hoes and tho various articles which 50 to make
| up the bill Of purchases Of the planter. Inc
scales, however, have now fallen from their
eyes-thanks to Abraham Lincoln and his de3S:s
potic dictators, whose blockade is working
wonders for u~s--andithey begin to see that by
allowing the North to be the carriers and SELL
ers of our varied productions, and allowing
them to sell to us'in return their own manufac-
lures, they have paid, at least twenty-five
per cent. 0 ftheir productions to the merchants
and manufacturers of the North, and that the
money thus obtained by them has been used
in equipping, ut the North, ncn to invade
virginia's soil; to burn, pillage and plumber our
towns, and to murder our people. True, the
lesson comes late, but the old adage, never
too late to do good" has now its application,
and we believe u pride in thinking that the day
of Southern commercial and manufacturing
freedom is st hand. ~...'., a'' n'.".: '"'
In every section we hear of new and extern
sive enterprises ispringiDg up; it is no sooner
asccrtained that We arc deficient in q certain
mandatory, than the ingenuity and energies
of our people arc enlisted TO make the very
article needed. But, happily, what we stand
most in need OF, is. not what should exercise
the ingenuity. IS much as the energy OF our
people. We have in our State the finest iron
ore and the best coal, and can furnish 10 our
Southern States the best iron in any quantity
wsnted-an. article for which we cannot fail
to have a large and increased demand from
OFF Southern sister States. With proper in
dustrv, we can soor establish manufactures
enough to supply the demand for shees-an
article. the manufacture Of which has contrlou-
ted to make So many Massachusetts men nch.
Instead of sending our hides to the North and
nsring them to tan them for Us and Tor bring.
ING them back, ne must erect our own Tan
ner;es and make our own leather. We must
build more factories fer the making Of WOODEN
and cotton fabrics; indeed, must make among
ourselves every article that We have heretofore
purchased of the. North. Let us pursue this
course and the war will not be without its
benefits. The war of 1872 was the birth of
Northern manufacturing enterprise let the
| war Of 1861 be the commencement OF ours.
But the commercial prospects OF Virginia
are even greater than her manufacturing. The
blockade cannot last very long-of that we ieel
assured; and so soon as it is removed, direct
shipments will soon be made from Virginia, IN
quantities never before known. We will then
import from Europe, and other countries, every
commodity we may desire. Our merchants
will become rich; business will be greatly ex-
tended; and, with the Increase Of prosperity,
we will heartily return thanks that we are no
longer Joined to the North.