The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-12-07

"
enough 10 satisfy the most scepticaI croa9ai
and the most responding pesstuaist netioni,
that !" there Is life In the old sand yet bs;l
that our State has bright future, and thai
the day; IL not distant when her vast and
varied resources win be made to substanfiatx
the stories that have so long been told of hel
latent strength in her aslumbering riches
The Governor tells us that Virginia mus,
inevitably become great manuiacturiue
State; and he gives good reasons for what
he says.
With manufactures here as they have them
tn northern and western States. compara,
lively poor in natura! facilities for nranufac.
turing, Virginia will be so transformed as to
i,cr industrial development that she will bear
but little resemblance to what she was OF
what she Is. Heretofore our people have
been behind, far behind, the requirements Of
ehe natural resources Of the State In their Ia,
difference to q grand, comprehensive system
Of Internal improvements. They have
changed their views on this subject. Every.
body Is now In favor Of railroads and canals
Everybody is In favor Of establishing lines oil
communication all over the State. Every.
body Is anxious to give a new impetus to
trade that already exists, and to create addi
tlonai trade by opening channels of com
merce from the sealed sources Of produce to
the markets. .@5@ ~
IaAIoRATIoN AND THE JAMES RIVER ANI
= KANAwHA CANAL:
Norfolk yirglnian, December g.
We are told that the message was written
with great haste and concluded at late hour
on the night before presentation but we fail
TO detect in it any traces Of that "easy writ
ing" which Is said to be "cursed hard read.
ing" This document has been given to the
public by us In extenso, and it is not neces.
sary to comment on it in detail now.
He expresses sound views, although incl
IDENTIFY, on the proper restrictions to be
placed on the Federal Government in regard
to appropriations for public works, and in
the course Of this discussion, he expresses the
opinion that the United States has no serious
idea OF constructing the James River and
kanawha canal, which, in the Governors
view, should be conveyed, on certain Condi-
tions, to private capitalists.
The Legislature took steps In this direc-
ton last winter. but the law, in the Cover
nor's opinion, was imperfect In Its provision
recurring the acts of the commissioners to
be referred to the Assembly for approval.
Without entering on this discussion ut pres.
ent, we may add that the law was conspicu-
ously defective in this, that it made no ap-
preparation for the necessary expenses OF the
commissioners, none Of whom, we think,
could afford to discharge the duties required
of them without compensation. To have
expected any such thing was absurd and I'M
just, and if the matter is taken up again this
winter we trust this fatal omission will be re-
paired.
On the subject of immigration the Cover
nor expresses some very sound opinions, but
the real point in his message, after all, is
found in the passage devoted to the ballot
and necessary qualifications for suffrage.
THE ONE SALIENT TOPIC.
Petersburg Appeal, December6.
After approving other recommendations
of the message the Appeal says:
"The Governors treatment of the great
subject of our central water-line across the
Alleghanies to the waters of the James at
Richmond we regret to dissent from wholly,
alike in its assumptions and its conclusions.
| The assumptions seem to be that the I'M
Droyement--1St, Is not deserving the aid
which the Government has been solicited to
extend it; I'd, that there is no prospect that
such aid will be afforded; and Sd, that 1t is
of questionable use whether such aid should
be received even if it could be commanded.
[The AppeaI here quotes the Governors
recommendation as to the completion of the
canal.l
Now, it may be very we'll argued, it occurs
to us that if this great work does not prom
Use any return for the outlay of public mo-
ney it does not hold out any ampler induce
ments for the investment of private capital.
Nor will any company of responsible gen.
temen of established reputation for probity
and financial ability be tempted to embark
their funds in an enterprise which, it is in
| timatcd, is not worth the patronage of the
| Government; the inference being obvious
| that the Government would complete the
work if the work was of adequate Importance
and value At all events, If the Governor,
as seems likely, has his eye on any such com.
panv Of gentlemen, let them be induced to
come forward and submit their proposition
for the purchase Of the clnal. Otherwise,
let what prospect we have, more or less re-
liable, that the Government will finish it, be
prosecuted with all possible vigor, and
through whatever proper influences and
agencies are to be commanded. If the re-
sponsibIe gentlemen are at hand, let US be
on with our new love before we are off with
our old. If they have no existence save in
fancy or fond hope, let us not grasp al
shadows to lose even a remote and perhaps
| tantalizing reality.
We appreciate the Governors depreca
ton of the canal being used for am bitlous OF
political purposes by interested persons, but
it seems to us that the plainsst method by
which we may prevent this being introduced
as a political issue is to go in us strong q!
anybody else for Government aid, If 1t cal
be secured in our favor.
For the rest, the message Of the Governor
eyinces the fidelity with which the Varlou!
public interests of the State Cover. 3ment arr
attended to by our Chief Magistrate, and j
| is well worthy the careful perusal o. all cltl
| zens, and the particular attention OF the LIE
gislature to its various recommendations.
ABLE AND LUCID--BUT--
from the Lynchburg News, 6th]
Like all the productions of the pen OF tn
| Governor, this document is an able and -luclt
one, and in brief space gives full and 'om
prehensive view of the affairs OF the State
and embodies important recommended on
for the consideration Of the General Asst IN
blv. We have not yet had time to fully ex
anime and digest these various Recommended
tions, and prefer to await another opportunity
| to comment upon their merits or dement's.
We take occasion to say now, however
that the portion of the message in which t2t
| Governor expresses opposition to the cont
pletion of the James River and kanawhu
canal by the Federal Government will justly
excite much adverse criticism, and 1t IS to be
regretted that he has assumed such a position
He speaks Of this project as ''the peculiar
and particular hobby Of aspiring politicians
| He says the General Government "might leno