The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-12-29

Letter from General Shelby-Mexico q Fine
Country-General Price and other Confede-
rates.
The following extracts from a letter from
General Joe Shelby will give the reader an
idea of the climate, soil and productions of
Mexico. The letter was written to private
friend, without any expectation Of it's being
published but it is none the less interesting
for that fact:
CoRDovA, Mexico, November IL, ls85.-This
is the best country l ever saw. The finest CHI
mate was ever in. am satisfied the climate
here would restore your health beside, know
the land would suit you. Everything under
the sun grows here to perfection. have seen
cotton, sugar, coffee and tobacco, corn, rice,
and every kind OF vegetables you have in Mis-
souri,, growing to perfection; fruit of every
variety that can be found on earth is to be
fact SO many varieties that this sheet of
paper would not contain half their names
The land lies as PRETTY rs any in La
very liberal; Il offers to foreign coionists
six hundred and forty acres, near here to
each man of family, at one dollar per
acre, on five years time. The lands too, are
not more than five to ten miles from the rail-
road, which will be completed in twelve
months to this place. am fully satisfied that
any good farmer can make fortune here in
If our people emigrate at all, this is the
place for them, and not Brazil. Any place
but Brazil. They make two crops OF corn
3 year here The seasons are regular and
fine, abundance of rain, and, unlike the
most of Mexico there is no irrigation
here. Corn grows beautifully plenty Of tim
Der and fine water. 1t is never colder here
than in September in Missouri, and it is never
ice here, and never out of sight of snow. You
will ask, how is this? will answer, that the
mountains ten miles off afford ice, and their
tops are always covered with snow. If our
people had this country it would he a nara
disc. A farmer ten miles from here, a Ger
man, told me he sold his coffee crop last year,
the proceeds of sixty acres, for sixteen thou
sand dollars. He only worked ten hands, ex-
cept while gathering, and then abont double
that number Labor here is from twenty five
to fifty cents per day; they board themselves,
and only get pay for the days they work.
have secured a section Of land for you, and
will hold to it until hear from you
Many of our old acquaintance are here ;;
among them, George Young he is perfectly
delighted is going to farming Immediately
see Frank Gordon has returned. Where are
Maury Boswell has returned. Tom is with me,
and doing well. Colonel Frank Mitchell is up
about San Luis Potosi has rented a large
hacienda, and is planting cotton largely. But
that is no snch country as this. Stay back and
General Price are here ; in ALL about one hun
dred COnfederates, who intend settling. Dr.
Terry is here, Dick Collins Charley Jones,
Bill Fell. A great many, who have become
their loved ones, have returned. Many come
back. Tobacco can be made very profitable
here. 1t grows as well here, General Price
says, as he ever saw it in Missouri or Virginia
Under the decree of the Emperor you can
make contracts in the United States with
your negroes for ten years, and it will be bind
ing here; the negro will have to stick so any
person coming here can bring their servants ii
they can get them to come.
10. O. SHELBY.