The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-11-22
EEING INrEILLeENOEs WEDNESDAY, MORNING. NOVEMBER %

disasuously as regards their power to re-
cuperate Even as France lost Alsace and
Lorraine so Virginia lost one-third Of her
territory. And both States, along with
their vast material losses, lost also their
preponderating political and social power
among their contemporaries. Virginia can
never DO again in the Union what she
once was, any more than France can
again overshadow the European States.
Both lost their positions by arrogant and
aggressive war. Tho hand Of Fate was
laid upon both in an hour, as It were, and
both were utterly crushed, and to-day
there is no Power on either continent 50
poor as TO stand in Of either.
This contrast between the past and
present of Virginia brings me to speak Of
her as see and hear Of her from my
present standpoint Her Losses by the war
become more apparent as time passes on,
and in their enormous extent have no par
allel save in the country to which have
just compared her. tits not an exagger.
ated estimate TO say that her losses, direct
and indirect, foot up an amount equal to at
at least one-halt Of the present entire debt
olthe National Government, She lost half
million of slaves worth say four hundred
millions Of dollars. She lost %, 900 square
miles Of territory worth say another four
hundred millions Of dollars. And in de-
preciated and destroyed agriculture, man
uiactures and commerce, she lost say
three or four hundred millions more. And
hand in hand, with these frightful losses,
her debt has gone on steadily increasing
until il is now close upon fly millions OF
dollars. Such q debt naturally entails
high taxation.
In addition to all these odds against her
there are two other discouIagements that
loom up very seriously, the poor quality
Of very much Of her soil and the lack Of a
systematized and economical condition OF
labor. The Virginia people are unsulted
by their antecedents to their present
emergency, and with all their brain power
in certain capacities their productive In.
dustry Is sadly lacking both in this par.
ticular and in anything like concerted
energy Of purpose,
Just at this time many Of them are
looking forwardto their system Of public
improvements for relief and also for future
prosperity. There are those who think
that Virginia Is destined to become the
highway for an immense foreign and
domestic commerce. In Richmond here
the eDgrossing topic Is the approaching
completion Of the Chesapeake & Ohio
railroad TO the Ohio river at the mouth Of
Big Sandy. A gentleman Of intelligence
said to me day or two ago that the dust
from the wheels Of this railroad will make
Richmond rich. Ihope he Is not infatua.
ted as were those ancient Virginlans Of
Jamestown, further down the river, who
in their day mistoOk dust for gold, and
thought they had found royal way 10
wealth without labor.
Until Virginia receives large accces.
sion to her present population and divides
up her lands into small farms, and adopts
a more hearty and equalized system Of
labor, and 80 produces her debt as 10 dimin.
ish taxation, she can never realize her
present dreams Of sudden riches and com.
handing position. G,