The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-12-30

Letter. from Harrisonburg.

HARRISONBURG, VA, I
Dec Goth, 1865
Editors of the Register CttgyslEF,
This is Christmas week, the season
when heretofore, in accordance with all
the time honored customs of our fore
fathers, our slaves were given holiday
and each one was given nice present
and bid to go and spend the six days in
merry making and frolicking. In the
good old days when on Christmas morn
Jog "old aunt Chloe who had not been
in the house since Easter or the Fourth
| O f July previous, would hobble in and
bless God that she was rite well" ex-
cept the rheumatics in her foot and an
kles and a misery i'll her back winch
sometimes almost set her distracted, ana
ask and receive her present from the old
est member of the family down to the
Youngest. But how matters have
changed for these poor, miserable crea,
| lures They have no one now to attend
| to their little wants and provide tor
them in the days of sickness and distress,
10 kind master or mistress to look after
them. For the many happy, laug hing
! faces of our former christmases, we have
! the detected, melancholy, thoughtful
ones of freedmen, l suppose the people
| of the North thought they were doing a
| christian act of charity to these poor, ig-
norant people in giving them the enjoy
| ment of freedom, but to better their con-
dition as compared with their status OF
slavery, they must furnish them plenty
to eat and nothing to do as in that con-
sists a nepro's idea of freedom and su-
preme happiness
| suppose your readers would like TO
know what we are doing in this beautl-
full valley. We are rebuilding our barns,
fencing our farms, and improving gene
rally, and trying to etface as rapidly as
possible all traces of the late unhappy
war. Onr people, Notwithstanding
Messrs. Snmner, Stevens and Wade
assert to the contrary, have accepted the
result of the war as the final close OF
all the issues in relation to slavery, and
| have accorded to the Union the right to
claim their allegiance We despise the
man who can be so low as to attribute to
us ANYTHING but honesty in our asseveIa-
tons of loyalty.
Money is very scarce here, and | think
some OF your millionaires could find very
ready and profitable Investments among
us for some of their Surplus means
We are soon to have railroad running
the full length Of this valley. The Bal
| timore and Ohio road is about to take
hold of the work and run it from Har
pers Ferry through this valley and cross
| the Virginia and Tennessee railroad at
Salem, in Roanoke county, Va. The peo-
pie of Virginia and the Legislature seem
to have thrown off their old togyisms
and abandoned the idea Of building up
her cities and towns to the exclusion of
the country. Our people are to be no
longer forced into trading with Rich
mond, Alexandria and Norfolk, but trade
is to be allowed 70 seek the best market
You will sec we are waking up to the
Importance ofour surroundings. and ac-
cepting the theory of progression and ad-
vancement, the want OF which has
so long kept our State in the
background. She possesses the ma
tive elements of being one of the
wealthiest in the Union, and, my word
for it, a liberal course of legislation to en-
courage capitalists, and immigration to
our borders (Which / fear will not be
done) will bring happy results in the
development of all the hidden resources
of wealth and prosperity and greatness OF
Virginia. Yours truly, VALLEY.