The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-02-26
Richmond.

The triumph of Baltimore railroad interests
in the passage of the Lynchburg and Danviile
and the Valley Railroad bills will not prove
effectual for the injury Of Richmond If we can
secure the completion of the James River canal,
or the construction of the Covington and Ohio
railroad The former Of these works would
alone enable us to survive and triumph over
the competition of all the rival localities and
railroads in the State. We might even come,
in time, to be a rival of Baltimore Who
knows? New York, before the Erie canal was
begun, was almost as small and respectable a
CITY as Richmond. We can recollect, though
we do not profess to be very old, when the
west end of New York was at the east end,
when the fashionable world lived about the
Battery, and when the modest but commo-
dious mansions of the moderately wealthy
men of that time stood where now there are
only warehouses and shops. In those
days, steamboat was a rare spectacle
no canal existed, except in the capa-
cious brain of DE WITT CLINTON; q rail-
road was unknown; the population went to
bed at 10 o'clock; there were few robberies,
garrotings and assassinations the newspapers
were decent; the pulpits never preached poll
tics; the people were poor, and their morals
that New York would become the great, rich
attractive. dominating, wicked, and uproarious
city, that 1t is now. So there Is a chance fol
Richmond yet. The ol-boy Of to-day, by
the time his beard becomes frosted ind he has
one foot in the grave, may see as great .
change in Richmond as has occurred in New
York in the last fifty years. Therefore, even
IL we cannot have the railroads to our mind
let MS be patient and wait for the canal, when
we shall all ride to greatness together. But even
IL we do not have the canal, we have facilities
for becoming great manufacturing city, OF
which we cannot be deprived. Mr.. BROOKS,
Of the New York Express, in description given
Of Richmond many years ago, declared, with
reference to its natural advantages for be-
coming a great manufacturing site, that here
ought be population Of two hundred thou.
sand" Manchester and Lowell com bined. !"
An intelligent Boston journal remarked during
the war that, whatever the result Of the con
test Richmond was destined to be a place
Of Importance. Indeed, the sagacious manu-
featuring enterprise and skill Of New England,
which have only been kept out hitherto by the
difference of institutions, may be relied on rs
soon as the politicians have worked of their
snperfluous steam, to build up here every vari-
SS%$SS
heretofore unknown in the South. We can rs
sure the numerous friends OF Richmond In both
branches Of the Legislature that she is by no
means dead yet. In the language Of DANIEL
Wsss7sa. she "yet lives" She has survived
tae assaults OF four years war, and, sitting
npon net seven hills, clothed In the robes of q
eAassic lame, shs consempiates the mast with
pFiae' ana the fnture with hopsfuiness. aud
looks with compliment good nature upon those
svssi0us little towns In the interior which :,
pect, by the aid OF Baltimore railroads. "a co,n
pass her destruction, and 70 become themselves
in TINA. big Richmonds, or, perchance. ntt,s
Baitimorcs. We bclieyethat between thee IA II,
towns and Richmond there need bs no coliision
We may b able 70 do them favor some day
when, by tbs aid Of the canal and OF manu-
fsctusss, Wa shall have put II ont Of thei
power 70 do Nc much harm, and In the msai
iilne We ray 70 each Of thsp1, In the bensyoisn
sras1t Of Uneis Tesy - tlas ~: /" Go my it'll
! - sieal, there n roam enough In the world TO
. shee end me. = Il ~
Whilst o. the susjsct OF aichmond improve
menis, ~ quote ths following yssaSreph from
N tnfsllteeat Richmoad ccSrsspondeuto Of ths
New Teri KsvA, Hs y speakiag eS enc d