The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-11-02
OUR RICHMOND LETTER.

Very Iittle Immigration Arriving I'm
virginia thus mF-The Negroes Flock
RIelfmOndWaFtI.-The Enquirer News
paper Makes its Appearance once
MOre-IOhn MIteheII's RelenSes.-Hfs
Popularity I'm RlchmOnd---JOhn MI
nor Bolts ~ n United States senator
.-GOVernOr PeiFpOInt.
Regular Weekly Letter 70 ne Wheeling InteIt-
RIoHMoND, OCT. SOth, 1865.
Schemes for the promotion of foreign
immigration, eloquent and seductive
exposftions OF the mineral wealth OF
Virginia, and of the tempting induce
ments TO European labor TO settle inthe
Old Dominion, as explained and urged
by the newspapers, have not brought
among us the hosts of "Frugal Ger
mans, ftThrifty Danes, !" and i1ndustri-
Gus Irish, whom we have wooed with
such soft Establishments, since we have
lost control Of the labor of our- i1ititoiR
invaluable, and ever-faithful Sambo.
In truth the foreigners have not come
among us, except in very small num-
bers, and there are no Indications OF
that ceaseless tide of immigration,
which Is to push Old Virginia SO rapid
~ ahead in material developement.
Doubtless We shall have our share of the
foreigners after awhile, but not until we
prosperity to obviRte the natural
prejudIces OF foreigners against coun-
try so recently enduring the ravages of
a fierce and obstinate civil war. In the
meantime, while the foreigners and
other white laborers are scarce, the ne
groes are with US in abundance, and 1t
Is evident that for some time to come,
we must rely chiefly upon them, with
the limited supply OF white laborers
from the OVer-crOwtled cities OF the
North. The necessity of organizing q
system of labor from the relics OF the
old slave Bystemj demands at this time
our most serious attention, and prom
ises to occupy a large share OF the ut
tentiOn OF the Legislature which Will
assemble during the approaching VIM
ter. At present we have no system, no
organization, hardly even an establish
ed custom, for the regulation of labor;
and as a consequence, We are enduring
an ordeal of veXatiOn and uncertainty,
which reminds us frequently that we
are vet very far removed from IA settled
and permanent basis of social economy.
The disorganized and unsettled con-
dition of the negroes themselves, the
restless and rowing disposition which,
us a clan, they manifest, entails a vast
deal of Inconvenience and trouble upon
those to whom they must look for sup
port, noleSS than upon themselves
The cities and towns are especially suf-
fering from the vast crowds of lndolent
freedmen, certainly without visible
means of support" and apparently ut
terly Indifferent as to their future con-
dillon, who have flOcked from the
neighboring farms and Plantations
Richmond and Alexandria seem to be,
in the Imagination of the rural freed
men, the Mecca and Jerusalem to be,
sought as the goal of all African aspira-
ton. The negro population of Rich
mond is now much larger than ever be-
fore, and still the dark cloud of immi-
grafton sets steadily in from all the sur
rounding counties. Two-thirds ofthose
already here have no employment, un-
less to stand upon the street corners,
smoking cigars of doubtful flavor, and
singing or WhistlinR,