The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-02-04
Cut out the Work.


should not forbid their conception. If we
waited till the money was in hand before
forming plans which require great expen-
diture we should never accomplish any"
thing great. II IS the intrepid spirit that
SUGGESTS such schemes and the conssancy
aud fortitude that presses them on to COM
pletion in the face of encouragement and
the want Of means that distinguishes one
community above another and secures the
honors and solid benefits due to resolution,
sacscity, and heroic perseverance.
This city is singularly blessed. 1t has
rare advantages. Easy access to sea, fne
motive power, convenient access to the raw
material for manufactures, happy location
for interior trade with extensive and fertile
districts, and, with all these, enjoying o
salubrity and beauty of situation that can
not be excelled. With such advantages
nothing but apathy can prevent itstrom
being the greatest inland tidal city in the
United States.
Let the people Of Richmond set these
facts down as granted of oil men. With
this starting point they should not hesitate
TO look forward to undertakings worthy Of
TIE richly endowed city they inhabit.
There can be no failure in any proper en-
terprise they may with this view project.
There is enough of force in the great
natural advantages Of Richmond to sustain
them and crown their efforts with triumph.
The Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, we
have every reason to believe, will be
promptly completed. On yesterday we ex-
planned what we wanted in addition to
that-viz., that road Strengthened to Gov
ington and straight road to Lynchburg.
AS an indispensable part of the general
plan for the welfare of this city, we must
add to these the establishment of lines of
steamers or clipper-built fast sailers to the
West Indies and South American ports,
and, maybe, after time, foreign lines OF
greater magnitude. The former We had
before the war, and the latter we begun to
build Just as it broke out.
We want the river channel deepened and
buoyed, and lighthouses at some points.
This is work that we must look to Con-
gress for. Of all the millions expended by
the Federal Government for such improve
ments, Virginia, which gave the nation
empires, has only received tnenty thousand
dollars! She may, now that her theory
has been destroyed by force of arms, justly
claim some share of the vast appropriations
to such purposes.
We want free bridge or free bridges to
Manchester to widen the theatre of central
action to afford convenient homes for the
population employed in active business in
the centre Of trade and manufacturing.
We want such bridges, moreover, as re-
freshing promenades and breathing places
for the wearied workers in the city employ
ments for recreation end pleasure form
an indispensable part of the real prosperity
of n city. Manchester is really a part Of
Richmond, and will be ultimately incorpo-
rated with it. It's easy grades and fine
Landscapes admirably adapt 1t to city rail-
ways, pleasure drives, and fine residences,
while it's neighboring good lands ore COM
nended for the purpose of market gardens
and all descriptions Of ornamental improve
mont.
Here is work to arrange and prepare for
performance, we trust, at on early day.
AL that is enumerated in this article would
be esteemed by really enterprising COM
munity as quito within the range of &c
complishment in n term Of years of short
duration. Could it lot all be done in fifteen
years. Nay, in ten'
The main point with us is to secure CO.
operation amongst our citizens. What we
chiefly suffer from is the want of this CO.
operation. AS we have said repeatedly,
Eskhe people of Richmond ere the hardest
working people il tie Union; but .lhy
devote themselves too exclusively to
tAcir individual interests, forget
ting the collective interests and those
measures which, in this day of enterprise
aud far-reaching schemes for commercial
supremacy, cannot safely be neglected by
any commercial and manufacturing COM
munity. It was this zeal for individual
success and supineness with reference to
the general interests that caused this city
to be completely pretermitted in the inter
nal improvement schemes from '46 to $50
nay, go. We have groaned under the dis
examinations and expressions which have
grown out of the monstrous railroad system
and policy that have succeeded, and for oil
we have to thank ourselves
We tell the people of Richmond that
from their position and advantages great
things are expected OF them, and these
great things they cannot perform without
conference and consultation. They must
meet-they must have committees-they
must keep watch without and take care of
their general welfare. If they do not they
will find themselves receding in the strug-
gle for prosperity. They will find their
city checked in its growth, and that trade
and enterprise which should gather an i'm
mense community here, afording stimulus
10 agriculture, increasing the resources Of
the State, and dispensing prosperity in all
directions, carried away to cities beyond
our borders. Such result would, Of
course, be disgrace to US all.
We cannot too emphatically urge these
matters upon the people Of this city. This
is the time to look to the future, and educate
mrseIves To the work We have to nerfnrm to