The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-11-22
4nl,u,oni plspatfh.
,...,sn. NOVEMBER %, ,s7o
Tnroush Virginia

Through Virginia. .,
49, .a,nn,erce between the Atlantic
- .ns mississippi, Virginia, WITH nef
hroad territory, has stood tor forty years
HE one Of the tallest peaks OF himaia!a'
o.ovuins and impossible. She has been a
.omn,ete barrier to all transportation, and
c,ually 50 to travel. Thus has she for tha'
neriod shut of the commercial world from
the advantages Of the shortest and pes,
ro,,.s between tho East and the West, ana
compelled the trading and travelling, -. ~
great inconvenience, to 90 arouho . -
even those who were compelled 70 e"me
vireinia had to go around her ana 'an ~, "
new departure from the East u ie"''' -
centre of the State. - ,,ro,r;,
Th,s obstruction has kept back Virgins
a half century in her progress 80. aor,.
states have had the benefit OF o'lso' eo ~
rnnn,cstson with the West, ana sne' VIZ
ths hos. Of all routes, has been postponine
sror, vsar to year, and decade to decaoe'
tho work which was to enable her 10 par
t;cinate In those great benefits. ,,-
She has fallen prey to schemes OF men
who were merely ambitious OF personal aa,
vantsges-who devoted their attention ano
their talents to lines that promised quick
return from the passenger business-who
supported village and neighborhood inter-
ests-and who had no conception OF the
true interests Of the State, and were
willing to sacrifice those interests that Ihey
might have little personal promotion ana
a little sectional aud village ectat. Ihese
representatives of small Interests chung
like leeches to the truly great WORKS Oh Inc
State. and impeded and crippled them os
forcing the Legislature to divide equally
between the schemes that were to make hef
great and the small enterprises which nave
resulted in nothing but injury to The State.
Therefore we stand, after forty years Oh
struggle and patriotic appeal from the men
who saw what were the true interests Oh
Virginia, but little advanced in the matter
of opening communication with the west
through the heart of the State.
Deeply do we feel the want OF this
communication now. The revolution
through which We have passed leaves the
commerce Of the State but poorly support
ed by her own resources. Our industry
RECEIVERS but slowly, and still the question as
TO what it will be is problematical. At sucn
a time communication with q great pro-
ducing country. like that of the Mississippi
VALLEY would indeed be blessing. what
would Baltimore now do without it! for
Maryhnd's richest section is, like ours,
greatly FRUSTRATED by the revolution, and
can do but little for the trade OF Baltimore.
One of the saddest views to be taken OF
the absence of all communication between
Virginia and the West, is the denial OF IN
tercourse between her and her children,
who have wandered away in search OF for
tune to the far West. We know that all
men love their native land, and we know
that in no breast does the noble sentiment
exist with greater warmth and sincerity
than in that of the Vsrgim'an. He yearns
for the happiness and prosperity OF
his native State, and would do all that he
could to promote her commerce and growth.
But what can he do? He cannot encourage
her, because commercially it is impossible.
1t is as much as he can do to perform his
yearly pilgrimage to her classic precincts.
Time lengthens the distance between these
visits, and after q while they cease alto
gerher, such is the tax of money and time
involved in the roundabout way to Old Viz
ginia.
1t is indeed painful that the love and
duty of the children should thus be OBJ
structed when they are SO anxious to prove
their devotion to their good old mother.
Therefore we may oil long for the DAY
when we can travel from the Chesapeake
TO the Ohio by railway through Virginia. 1t
will place the State in new relation to the
West and to the Union. 1t will give her
share i'm the vast commerce of the West,
and 1t will give her direct intercourse with
the western political world, and she will ex-
ert her due share ofinhuence in national po-
litics In q land where her name is respected.
These are certainly grand things to obtain
after the long years of obstruction Of inter
course between Virginia and that great
western world which she gave to the
Union, and which has beenand is the home
Of SO many of her children.
When these views are presented II
the minds of our people they can but fell
citate themselves that the Chesapeake ant
Ohio road is In the hands of very enter
prising gentlemen, and that it will, under
their auspices, soon be completed. The
bonus given that company, although large
is nothing compared with the blessings the
early conpletiop of the road will secure t(
Virginia. :, :. -