Staunton Vindicator

The spirit of the age demands increased facilities for reaching the great centres of trade. Countries and sections which were accessible, in the past, only by long and arduous journeys, are now, by the potent agency of steam, opened up to the traffic of the world. Others are anxiously looking to and preparing for the time when steam communication will bear their productions speedily to the great marts.

In the recollection of the youngest man, the vast prairies of the West were more inaccessible than trans-Atlantic countries, but to-day the steam-whistle is heard in every part of them, cities have arisen almost by magic, and are now the most progressive and prosperous on this continent--populous and powerful States have taken the place of the prairie and the wilderness, and surpass in prosperity their older sisters of the Union, while the productions of this comparatively new land now control the markets of the world. All this has been done by opening up rapid systems of communication with the world--in a degree annihilating time and space. Without steam communication, the great West would to-day be the abode of the wild Indian alone. The older States, especially the Southern states, might learn a lesson from this. Virginia would, particularly, be benefitted by adopting the progressive spirit of her Western daughters. Her rich mineral deposites will never be developed nor her fertile fields cultivated to their full extent, until emulating the example of her children, steam communication is extended into every available portion of her rich domain. Without it, the prairies of the past are nearer the markets of the world than some of her most fertile sections. Give us but the spirit of progress of the West and Virginia's prosperity will, in a few years, rival that of any State of our once proud Union.

While we look at the advantages of steam inter-communication, we should not forget that our common roads must be improved. Railroads can not run to the barns and granaries of every one, but our common roads can be so improved as to greatly expedite the transportation of productions. Both of these subjects are of direct interest to the people of this section and it behooves them to look well to them.

Thus much because our people to reflect and reason among themselves on this subject. Reflection and reasoning beget action and action is the only Aladdin's Lamp we need to convert the rich productions and resources of the "Old Dominion" into the yellowest of gold.

A subject now fitly commanding much attention in "the Old Dominion" and her promising young daughter, West Virginia, is the opening of direct railway communication between the Ohio river and Chesapeake bay. A good portion of the distance was long since traversed by the Virginia Central while much grading has been done, but (we believe) no rails laid, on the Covington and Ohio railroad, in West Virginia. Acts have passed the Legislatures of both Virginia and West Virginia providing for a consolidation of the existing corporations and completion of a through line on the route up the Kanawha and down the James, which, since the day of George Washington, has been regarded by Virginians as not only the shortest and most direct, but the easiest and most natural channel of artificial communication between the Atlantic and the Great Valley.

Negotiations looking to the legal consolidation of the existing companies into one, which shall be charged with the completion and operation of the "Chesapeake and Ohio railroad," are now in progress, and some divergences of views or of interests have been developed. One party proposes to cut the knot by the sword. General Stoneman, commanding the military department which includes Virginia, is solicited to issue an edict deciding that the required consolidation shalt be effected in a certain way and under certain auspices, and not otherwise. We presume him incapable of such an abuse of authority; but we shall nevertheless, record our protest against it. Civil authority was rightful conferred by Congress on the military arm for no such purpose as that here contemplated, but for the protection of personal rights and the preservation of order and peace. We trust all necessity for such authority will soon cease; meantime, let it not be discredited by glaring abuse. We understand that northern capital stands ready to supply the missing links in the proposed and much-needed chain so soon as the differences now existing shall be finally adjusted. Leave business arrangements to business men, and let the military power be satisfied with doing its whole duty in protecting personal rights and preserving the public peace.