The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-02-29
The Union Of the Two Shores.

Tho nroposcd union Of the two shores o.
:yamcs river at this point, as we have before
aid il in tho line Of enterprise and youth
fnl hope and generous feeling. 1t belongs to
the class OF measures that never fail. opposl'
tim. however earnest and active, is always
overcome. The public heart is ever reSpoh'
eiyc to such propositions even "heh not
fraught with any great physical bcn'n'. W.
peopie who want to be united cannot De "eI'
apart. c,:,,
Thcrcforc we know that the union OF hicil-
mond and Manchester is an event taaI WIZ
surely come to pass. II will be sustained ~
all classes. and especially by the young MEL
.ho ,,,,,ont vo,nr men--of Richmond. lhes
have proved their public devotion IN o''cflnS
,,n;r lives TO their country, and their man-
hood and zeal in sustaining the struggle ior
tha;r own welfare and the general good III
civil life reflect no less honor upon them.
T,hev look TO the future Of Richmond with
thc BRIGHTEST hopes, and will give all their
energy and influence to her ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
They perceive how vastly her dignity ana
mower will be promoted by giving her con-
troll of both shores, and by placing uhoei'
her direction the water power and general
facilities to commerce and manufactures
that are on the south SIDE OF tne
river and that cannot be Developed
under the auspices Of n separate ano
nntaronized government. 1hey hho" az
this. Their views are expansive. lhey arc
NOT restricted by ingrincd prcjudices ana
narrow views, and not warped by the ldlc
onnrchcnsions of avarice. They rise surc-
rior to all these influences, and look 'hls L"
the promotion of the general welfare ana Tue
mower and grandeur Of the city. GLORIOUS
Young men. Their country's hope ana stay
they will be right on all such questions a.
the union of the two shores.
Therefore it is not wise, it is not NATURAL
for the rising young man to oppose Sucn i
mcasure-one so deeply involving inc WEI
fare and comfort OF thousands. lie cannot
rise fighting the generous and expansive
spirit of enterprise which anmates the heai'
of the community. Annexation Is sood lof
all classes. For our trade il Is necessary lE''
,ve have both shores. Where are our vessels
to lie? Where to receive the heavy tonnage
Tint is to lie concentrated here: The Chesa-
peake and Ohio Railroad alone monopollzcs
n wharfage of four thousand feet. Where
shall we place aud conduct all the rest OF tlic
tonnage from all other sources! VIII the
narrow ribbon of shore on the north side
suffice. Nonsense. Where, too, shall We
make the slips and docks that Will be lnd!s-
pensabe in time to come? They can't be
made on the north side.
Say what we may the chief water power
that Is left is on the south side. In the hands
of Richmond it will be fully developed and
all disputes about proprietary rights will be
avoided. Thus we see how commerce and
manufactures are concerned in annexation.
For the good Of the wealthy the union
will promote the general prosperity and en-
nance the value of property everywhere
within the borders of the city-for the sood
of business men we will have Invaluable
commercial facilities added 10 those we
already possess-and for the good of the pco-
pie ut large we shall have new and confc-
niept access to homes and new resources OF
pleasure and recreation. All will be bcne-
flied, and all will gain new freedom. What
is wanted is freedom for the people of Rich
mond and freedom for the people OF Man.
chester. Freedom to come and to So-to
bask in the sunshine or to inhale the refresh
inc breezes of the hills of both shorcs--frce-
dom to live and to improve in health and
wealth OIL either shore, and no let or hin
drance to pass from one to the other--irce-
dom for these good people to do good to one
another, to Interchange kind offices, to help
to secure the greatest good to all, and to
abolish useless burthens and restrictions
everywhere. This is what we want. This
Is to live iu q civilized way. What con-
trast does such happy state Of the COM
munity present to its opposite condition ::
that of two separate communities living
on the opposite shores, fired by the
spirit Of antagonism, with their conflict
of rights and of authority. with their jca-
ouses and hates, with their schemes for mu-
tual injury, and their joys at mutual mis-
fortunes. This is the barOarous picture.
Who will not help to establish the former
and to avoid the latter condition of the peo-
pie Of this favored locality? The whole popu-
lation of both shores should unite Us one
man to secure the good and avoid the bad of
these pictures.