Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1865-11-24
Baltimore Correspondeuce.1
BALTIMORE, Nov. 20, 1865.

Mr. Editor:
AS you are the representative of
public opinion IN your section Of Virginia,
giving expression to the views and feelings of
your people generally think it well worth
an effort on my part to acquaint you, and
through you a great number Of influential
and intelligent ladies and gentlemen of your
State, of the fact that Baltimore, whatt yer it
may have been heretofore, is now, emphati-
cally, your emportue IN commercial point
ofcieu. Geographically it always had the
FIRST claim upon your attention, but in former
years your merchants would simply stop at
Baltimore and stay over night, and next day
start for the Northern cities where they made
their purchases. 1t was in vain that the
merchants Of Baltimore would display their
goods and claim the patronage of Southern
merchants, for the very good reason, we will
admit, that our merchants bought of North
ern merchants and your merchants desired to
buy of Northern merchants or of first hands,
also Hence Baltimore was a sort of hale
way-house, place good enough for {, rest, a
yawn, or long breath But things have
changed. We have now direct trade with
Europe. Four irst-class steamships sail now
regularly between Liverpool and Baltimore.
Our merchants have become importers in
the full acceptation of the term and your
trsdcsmen need not any longer 90 to Phila-
delphia New ! ork or Boston for their sup
plies. Ifthcy do, for the additional expen-
ses Of freight and travel there will be no ex-
cuse. In other words your merchants can
buy from first hands here. Whatever may
have been the relative merits Of the two sides
to the great controversy which has unfortu-
nately terminated in blood but now happily
over. and we do not wish to make any pointed
illusions thereto, one thing is fixed fact,
Baltimore is geographically Southern, social
ly Southern, and commercially Southern. =
In other words Baltimore is part and par
Gel Of the South, and always has been, and
as Southern city, we extend cordial invi-
tation to our people in Virginia TO visit us,
see how much we have improved, and, if they
find 1t to their interest, to trade with us
In a speech delivered by Mr. GARRETT,
the efficient President Of the Baltimore and
Ohio Rail Road Company, that gentleman
said substantially, (what | never knew be-
fore that Baltimore has the credit of erect
ing the first water works, The first gas works,
and projecting the first railroad in the Uni
ted States; and that the inauguration Of d.
rect trade with Europe. was Justly cause of
great rejoicing. He might have said, also,
(what his modcsty and courtly and gentle
manly bearing forbid him to say,) that the
Company of which he was the head, did the
work, i. e.-inaugurated direct and regular
communication with Europe But had he
said tit would nevertheless, have been
strictly h'lte. Yes, gentlemen Of Virginia,
here il railroad company that has become
so powerful, that it is able to commence and
carry on the most gigantic enterprises, ont
side its legitimate sphere, with a president
fully alive to the requirements of the times,
and upon whose every feature is stamped
progress and improvement > who has de-
terlnined to make the world better for hav-
ing lived in it, and who, instead of regard
ing the position he occupies as sinecure,
performs more actual labor than score of
the old fogies who represent most Of the rail
roads in the country. He is enphaticajly a
man for the times and under his guidance,
/ the road will go on III its career of prosperi-
ty, and will be Of incalculatIo benefit to Bal
tlmore and the entire South
Thus with the aid of the great line Of i'm
proyement, referred to- we are fast becoming
a great people, and our future is to be glo-
rlous one. Buildings are going mp rapidly
in every portion of the city, our population
has lately greatly increased, more particular
~ on account of the accessions Of people
from the Southern States The crowd has
become dense, the cry is, give us better ac-
commodations, (for. be it known, in some
casesa dalf-dozen families occupy one house }
The g accommodations viii be forthcoming
as fast as brick and mortar can be thrown to-
gether.
But, at the risk of being charged with
breaking off abruptly, | will close this arti-
Gle, with the promise, however Of res;sning
the subject of our city's prosperity at q fu-
ture time.