The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-05-15
VIRGINIA Unity.

pnde were complete and vigorous. Men a'o
not travel far, but the neighborhoods "e'o
closely lnterlocked, like the scales oil tne
fish. and the State history and the sls'e ~.
ornamental economy especially III 'ne e,ut
tions and the conventions Of the reptesens
alive bodies, political and religious hop,
bright and hearty the State~devo'loh 'n''
the In,ersectional harmony OF the peop".
Tsave, yyas slow and diftused over l''n".e
,rass Travellers. making short stassS os
tween eating and sleeping places p 49,,
familiar with the people ana LII. oo :.
The country merchants ana ie" o.hei .n"
their way to the large cities, ana tue s'e"S
ana. ~ the people knew only little OF
ar.st markets for their AGRICULTURAL
.n.,s,,ot,ons. The villages had KIND OF
in.;s, Independence. They had their me
scho,,s. their churches Of course, lnelf
orators, their gala days. their balls, the'r
DANCING. master and fiddler. Few went IN,
ofs to be educated, and there was lie anu
o.yetv prevalent in the villages that were
necnliar to the day and time. The keen
rn,;sh al the unaffected and graceful though
simn,e reyels Of the day, was not marrea
NV fashion and the pufled-up vanity anG
conceit of smatterers in the "h'gher &C.
co,nplishments."
Tb,s were the social virtues ana the ma
tive attachments of the Virginia people fos-
tered and enthused, and at the same time
sheltered from the invading waves Of Pride,
Vanity, and Extravaganza. The unity Of
Virginia feeling was complete, ana d
banpier and purer society than that which
existed here was nowhere to be found.
Rut the railroad produced great revolu-
ton. We take it that it is to be for the
better : for our faith in Providence forblds
us to believe that so great an agency Is 10
he peryerted to the injury Of the world.
But we are of opinion that its chief bless
ings are yet to be manifested.
The railroad revolutionized society ana
metamorphosed politics. 1t set people
a.trayellinc-asSiSted fashion, and vice, ana
folly. TO invade the rural districts and beset
the village populations. Its tendency 70
concentration of trade and travel uifefted
the pubiic mind from local attachments ana
interests. and filed it with ideas and aspl.
ratious uniayorablc to simplicity and con-
tentmcnt, and not very friendly 10 virtue.
to virtue in its politico-social. sen e-espe-
cially in regard to that highest earthly dcvo'
ton, love of country. 1t Disconnected the
WAYS of frugality. simplicity. and honest
confidence. and drove them, like becgarS.
behind the hedges.
Virginia, in her political ASPECT, was
made to suffer serious injury. ucr noun
tain ranges, which traverSed her centre.
were great barriers to the construction OF
railroads as engineering was then practiced,
and the first lines that were built were
northern and southern lineS-lnes out OF
the direction for the transportation OF heavy
produce. which sought the sea at the near
est poiut which was in the direction east
ward. This mountain barrier has not YET
been effectively passed; but it is gratifying
to know that it soon will be.
Thus, while Virginia has had free inter
course by. railway north and south, her
eastern aud western divisions have been IL
great degree separated for the want o.
railway communication, which is now III
reality the only one. 1t was owing to this
separation of the two sections, CONNER
cially and socially. that new State was
formed out Of the western part during the
war.
But this was not i'll. While the.publc
funds Of the State'were frittered away on
short northern and southern lines, and in
some respects upon competing roads, Mary
l.. thc,., i,,sn
der to the Ohio with her great Baltimore
and Ohio railroad. That became the outlet
to West Virginia, aud the Inhabitants there
could only reach their capital at Richmond
by taking the roundabout Baltimore route.
This was q continual veXation to them, and
steadily alienated their attachments and
their commercial and social alliances from
their own State.
1t lisa painful recital but true. Virginia
unity as it was before the day Of railways
no longer exists. Men still talk about il
over their champagne after the manner IN
which the scholar at the convivial board
recalls the classic sentiment and wit OF au-
cient authors; but it is little more than
sentiment. Observe the orators when they
leave the festive board, SEQ how they sepa-
rate in their views and in their interests
relative to the physical welfare of the coun-
try. They have no unity of feeling or Of
purpose. The forces they are inaugurating
are centrifugal-they scatter the energies
and the resources Of Virginia, and reduce
her to the attitude Of tributary to the
wealth and greatness Of outside commune
ties, retaining only her present poverty and
her wealth of the historical past, printed
and legendary.
Under the influence of this great reyolu-
ton, social, political, and commercial, what
is the remedy? What will restore unity of
feeling amongst Vireinians? Increase of pro-
duction, increase of manufactures, and in
crease of commerce within Virginia. Vir-
ginia must become strong In her popul.-
ton aud in her wealth, and this can only be
done by the means we have recited. These
will concentrate the public interest and the
public sentiment upon Virginia. In these
days Of positive and practical economy-of
the solid forces Of wealth and numbers-tf
the concentration Of commerce and social
alliances through the speed and power of
railroad communication--nothing else viii
protect a State against decay, and the alien
alton of her population from herself.
Suppose Virginia had within her borders
great city-say Of half million of inhab.
itants engaged In commerce and the arts,
and giving a market at the very doors as it
were of the Virginia farmers for their pro-
auctions in the greatest variety-does not