The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-01-21
o11r Railroad system

turing community in the state ou' o''' VI
rect line to any important source OF prodnc-
s;on-yiz., the Danville railroad. Yet TINS
srs,em has cost great deal Of money ana
this city has been the largest taxpayer 70
It, although she has hccn-lcavlns oo' VAC
canal. which was obliged to take the Rou'e
II did take-about the least consiaereu o.
all the cities of the State.
Still, system or no system, it is the best
ve have. and must be regarded, with oil It's
blundcrs, MS one to do the best We can with,
and to modify as soon as We can, to make
il better conform to practical sense and the
general interests of the State.
A great error has been in overlooking
as it we're. the strongest city in the STATE
and so directing and twisting lines as 10 &C
cornmoiate smaller interests and neIghbor-
hood pre;udiccs. Thus the State IN It's
great battle for the commerce Of the west
has cut off her main force and gone INTO
the firbt with her detachmcnts and guerilla
nortics. many of which have ranged them
sclres in line with those interests an"
schemes adverse to the State. How mnch
stronger would be our own forces "a' '"'
nolicv been to make the most OF the means
we had and to keep in the 1icio Inc '''oo'
VIGOROUS agencies Mt our command. nun
nond was the only city in the State when
could I've serious competitor ior the .ra''
If the State with the outside communities
which have since the war carried OIL 80
n,,,cb Of it and the State has crippled her
right arm by helping to disable Richmond
in her struggle for her own and the general
welfare of our people.
Ficklencss has marked the internal I'M
movement measures. Local Jcalous'cs anu
ncttr rivalrics have been cngendered ana
fostcrcd among communities which shoulo
bovo been Mt peace. 1t was the interest OF
all that the whole commercial means Oh VIC
State should be exerted in the struggle 10
build up her commerce and establish alFec'
trade. That was the only way TO insure
the prosperity Of all.
This policy was 20 plain, 80 Important
that the wonder is that it SHOULD have occh
What docs it profit any other
town that trade once controlled hy Rich
mond should be sent 10 northern cities 2! II
that trade had been retained, ana the ag-
of the Richmond commerce hal
been multiplied many times, would 1t not
have Injured to the strength OF tile coil-
MERGE of the State and added rl1or to all
the cities near the central artery OF the
Commonwealth Look, for instance, at
Richmond before the war. BY her own I'M
,ided energies, with no help from other
owns. with no county or corporate sub
;criptons, and with no Boosting and NOISE,
she established q grand packet line Of ira
ling vessels to South America, and lad sent
IF one vessel upon direct line to LlyerToo
nad another OF the stocks, and was pro-
:celing regularly towards establishing
line with many vessels actively conducting
hat trade with Great Britain, which had
been and is still the subject OF go many
and windy essays. Docs any
man imagine that these enterprises CT Rich
mond we're to be of no advantage to other
Virginia cities? If there be q man 20
visionary, we tell him that he is egre@lonsly
mistaken. We tell him that Norfolk is the
seaport Of this State, and any successes OF
Richmond in direct trade would be merely
the laying of the foundations Tor the extern
s;re foreign commerce in which Norfolk
must inevitably be the principal actor
whenever it is established.
But measures have been taken to cripple
Richmond and deprive Norfolk OF the aid
of the little stream which Richmond was
directing in the proper line, Which would
have ultimately worn channel deep anil
broad enough to satisfy us all. However,
Richmond is not agoing to be crippled. But
that at another time.
Turning to Lynchburg, we behold city
beautifully located, admirably disposed for
the development Of the energies of man,
whose interests and sentiments are entirely
in sympathy with those of Richmond. The
two cities had always been in harmony, and
when the delegates from Lynchburg, head
ed by that able and philosophical citizen
Judge DANIEL, were addressing our people,
urging them to subscribe to the Virginia
and Tennessee railroad, there. was not a
man, woman, or child, in either city who
did not believe that the Virginia and Ten
nessee railroad was to be continued to
Richmond. We subscribed something
$500, OOO); no other city subscribed cent;
and our expectations have been frustrated.
We believe this was wrong, and has result
ed in no general benefit. JOHN ROBIN Nc
DANIEL, one of the most judicious and far
seeing men in .Lynchburg, understood the
true interests of the cities and the State on
this subject. He knew Lynchburg and
Richmond were as much in harmony of in
terest as Norfolk and Richmond. Not q
step forward can Richmond lake which docs
not ease the upward movement of Lynch
burg.
We desire to say, then, that al the James
River cities are rightfully in harmony, and
it is not wise, but suicidal, that there should
be any combinations or jealousies against
the largest of them ell, whose highest
prosperity will most assuredly secure that
of the rest.
We protest against parties and hosti'ities
amongst them. We demand, az q citizen
of Richmond, direct lines for her. She il,
in the view simply of comparative size,
more entitled to them than any other. She