The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-12-16
The Immigrant Question.

The Immigrant Question.
The subjoined letter will be read by
all classes of citizens with deep interest.
Its suggestions are so simple and so
practical that they cannot fail to make
the right impression. Mr.. BLACK has
become SO widely and f,vorably known
in Virginia. that it is hardly necessary to
say anything about him. Everybody
knows that he will recommend nothing
which he will not undertake., and that
he will undertake nothing which he is
not tolerably confident of carrying
through. Mr.. GAIT is wealthy farmer
of the James River country, and is one
Of the most intelligent gentlemen, as re-
CARDS general subjects, with whom we
have the pleasure of being acquainted.
He has been for the last forty years
farmer on the largest scale known to
this part of Virginia; owning large
landed possessions, working large
number of slaves, making large crops,
and improving his land at the same time
that he derived from it the largest
amount of profit. We consider it Il for
tunate circumstance that a man Of so
much practical, good sense as Mr.. GAIT
should have been appointed chairman of
the Immigrant Committee, and that he
should have been enabled to fall in with
gentleman of such congenial charac
ter as Mr.. BLACK.
Mr.. BLACK has already identified his
Of NV f1,n
liberal expenditure of his capital in buy
ing and leasing large bodies of land in
several quarters Of the State. There
could, therefore, be no doubt of his 10y
atty of purpose, even were not his cha
racter, of itself, far above suspicion. His
Interest is our interest; and we hope his
suggestions will be acted on without de-
lay. The cheap cost at which it may be
done is another great recommendation,
! apart from their simplicity. 1t is, we
think, Of the utmost importance that I'M
migrants should arrive here, and not at
any Northern port t.; and this seems to be
the opinion Of Mr.. BLACK, since he en-
cages to ship them from the Clyde direct
to Norfolk. Acquainted, as he is, with
the character of his cOuntrymen gene
r(t{ly, and personally with so many of
them that are Of the description to make
good citizens, we may feel assured that
he will give us the best that can be in
duced to emigrate.
RICHMOND, VA, eth December, 1868.
Dear Sir,--ReferrinS to the conversation
which l had with you the other evening on
the subject of immigration, now lay before
you in writing the substance of my remarks:
The State of Virginia at present calls loudly
for labor and capital, and the only means to
obtain that element is by immigration. The
question how to attract migration at pre-
sent is the subject which wish to bring before
you Several of the Northern and Western
States have employed commissioners and State
immigration agents to aid them in that enter
prise, and some of them propose to supply the
Southern States from the surplus they obtain,
! thereby imposing tariff on the emigrant who
comes South. 1t is well known both in Eng
land and Scotland that the fearful struggle of
| the late war disorganiZed the whole labor of
/ the South, and that the opening to skill, indus
| try, and capital, presents a present more IA
| vOrable inducements than at any period OF
she history Of this country. The question,
| therefore, with the foreigner is. how to choose
| his location and from what source he is to OBJ
! tain information to enable him to decide, and
after having chosen it, to be protected from the
temptations on the way to his destination.
Now, the climate of Virginia is unsurpassed
in the world; its soil will bear equal compari-
son with the health of it's climate, and l think
l might truly say that its citizens are also
worthy subjects of the Commonwealth
Now, what appears to me to be the nearest
way to obtain the desired object is, viz
First, that the State should appropriate q
! small sum of money for the benefit of immi-
grafton, say $40, OoO to be applied in advertising
| in England and Scotland, through the various
| towns and country villages. A very small
sum would suffice for this object, say $500. An
Office should be opened in Richmond, where a
registry should be kept, where the emigrant's
name and description would be recorded, and
where the employers of labor could find sup
ply.
! / could then have the ships chartered direct
| from the Clyde and Liverpool, to Norfolk and
Richmond, where the emigrant would land
direct in this State. The fare or passage mo-
ney Of the emisrant is usually paid by the fol-
lowing mode, viz:
Either by the emigrant paying it himself
when he sails, or by its being paid by the party
who charters the ship, and repaid by the emil
grant when he gets employment.
Now, as it sometimes happens that employ
ment cannot be had for all the emgrants when
they arrive, the agent or commissioner should
be in a position to pay the freight, and receive
it back when he finds employment for the TO-
reignerS.
Such arrangements as are here indicated,
think, would add greatly to filling up the cOun-
try, and earnestly hope that some early &C.
tion will be taken in the matter.
am, sir, your most Obedient servant,
JAMES BLACK.
Honorable James Gut, ETC., ETC.