The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-06-05
RieI,ll,olltl lispatth.
,,,,,,r,ps,, AZ . I. JUNE 5. 1870.

WemaGe 4 rev TelaaIAs w = os-'e. =
rho suggestions recently presented Dy MT
q r. RLascnsRp upon the occasion OF nus
nnrr,ad visit to The James River and ha-
,,o,.aa line 10 view Its condition ana It's ap.
y,I,a.hi,,ty TO the purposes OF araiiroad. Af,
n,,srss .sp holds position as vice'pres'"
.sonf of the Erie railway OF very hsSh
srust, and enjoys the confidence ana iai'n
~ the gentlemen who ore the corfoTa'ofs
So the Richmond and Allegheny railroad,
and we VIII add deseryediy; Tor we are
convinced that he is man OF ability, VINO
has at hrs very fnSe--ends the decisive in-
formation relating to all matters OF enter
prise affecting transportation aad invest,
ments. He has just this informat'on anu
4hsx intellectual ciearness ana c'e'e.hess
which will enable bin to arrive OF prompt
a,a arcnra,e judgments, aud is the needed
man who is never out Of time TO enter upon
thc stage lust when the facts are to be az.
orerated and judgments to be based upon
them that are 10 form the ground OF ac''oh
and investment.
Vice. President BLANCHARD was the man
OF practical information and experience
that IL was wise in the corporaiors 10 eau 10
their assistance; and yet be was not. lie
was the man to a certain extent; but not
beyond that. The very school in which he
acquired bis information limited his power
TO use it; for in the absence OF the LIE anu
the wonderful energies OF that schooi nc
could not fail to be at loss. There were
in the very heart OF Virginia no such ener-
pies rs those with which he has been ac-
ouainted, and therefore no test by which
he could decide anything for the soul and
spirit OF Virginia. He has been necessa-
rily at sea. He has not had the data. and
could not have, by which to decide any
thing for Virginia.
But Mr.. BLANCHARD had more. lie had
The philosophy and the strong, practical
mind that could not leave out Of calculation
things which had not been brought into
trial. and which could not, in the nature OF
things, be in any manner put to the test.
Mir. BLANCHARD found The evidence OF
disposition to travel deficient in the James
River Valley. lie found the proof OF
frcichts and transportation unsatisfactory.
What else should he have found? Virginia
has been one OF the most unfortunate OF
States. With the finest Of geographical po-
sitious-with the most advantageous pEys-
cal conditions for the promotion OF health,
fertility OF soil, human happiness, and con-
tentment-she has been ali the time IN
condition Of discomfort. There has been
no decided state of things. There has been
hot
gan when all was in favor of canals, The
long war was waged, which only brought
upon the State the utter helPlcssncSs OF the
defeat OF the canal while in the feeble state Of
impecuniosty, imbecili.y, and the depravity
that comes from that state, so that there was
nothing in public energy or the scattered and
uniformed condition Of dlsorganlZed and
deranscd statistics to base any sensible and
intelligent calculations upon.
This IS the point winch we would desire
to bring Mr.. BLANCuARD's mind to. The
statistics which he can find now are lot
those which be would be delighted to have,
and he knows that he cannot give such
Judgment upon these as be would be proud
to give. Yet we know that Mr.. BLANCHARD
has the mind and the judgment that can on
able nm TO digest the physical and social at
tributes Of q land and tell what it is capable
OF. We know this, and we have no fear OF
trusting our dear Virginia, our darling James
river, to his investigation and his judgment.
He has already The ends OF the string that will
conduct him through the labyrinth OF Won
derful endowments which assure ali who
examine for themselves that Virginia occu-
pies the geographical position Of greatest
energies, greatest civil benefits, and greatest
political blessings that can be impaired to
mankind. This is what we know, and we
are not anxious.
We invite the reader to go back to the
long-undecided and intermediate condition
which Virginia has occupied. We invite
him to do more-to consider the monstrous
system OF internal Improvement which for
so many years prevailed in Virginia. When
legislators combined TO pass internal-lm-
proyement bills which appropriated millions
to build works which were not directed by
wisdom or patriotism, but whose patrons
were governed by the most selfish and
greedy purposes, and unguided by any sense
of integrity or economy, how could it be else
than that money voted with such purposes
and expended under such direction should
be extrayagantly spent and should fail to
realize anything that was otherwise than
disastrous. How could it be possible that
Mr.. BLANCHARD should find anything save
disastrous return? We think he has done
wonders. He has astonished US. He has
found all the weak points, and he has not at
all brought to damage our great strength
our Virginia moral and physical force, which
has not been in any manner impaired. BY
no manner OF means.
We wish to say very positively, and we
are sure Mr.. BLANCHARD will acknowledge
the truth OF what we say, that the State OF
Virginia is State without manifestation.
The first stage Of the national history show
ed her altogether absorbed in making re-
publican government. She did it well, and
won the applause and the honor Of the ma
tion and the world. Next came the war OF
slavery and abolition, together with the
conflicts about the physical forces-the
canals and the railroads--and the bor-
rowing and expenditure OF money upon
the very worst principles in the world,
which have led TO the most rnnous and
lk, Il