The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1866-08-01
immigration in Virginia.

The people of Virginia are looking to
foreign immigration for the development
of the agricultural and mineral resources
of that commonwealth. To this end, the
late Legislature chartered The Virgi-
MIA Immigration Society,"" and about
$4,000 have already been subscribed to
the capital stock of theAssociation, in real
estate, which is assessed at about one
half its value before the war. The plan
of the association is, to receive subscrip-
tons either in land or money. 1fin land,
it's value is fixed by referees-each sub
scriber receiving for his land a certificate
ofstock equal to the appraised value of
the land. Money subscribers receive a
certificate of stock, on the payment Of
their subscriptions, which makes them
Joint owners of the lands. owned by the
society the prospective value Of all the
stock being dependent upon the appre-
citation ofthe present value of the lands,
resulting from their settlement and i'm
proVement By colonists to be secured by
the society. An agent is about to- sail
for Europe, and negotiations have already
been made with a number of Scotch
families, who have sailed from that
country to take possession of some of the
land which has been placed under the con-
troll ofthe Society: The theory Of the So
elety is that with proper management,
and by holding out sufficient inducements
to immigrants to settle on the lands In
question, their market value will be
doubled in the course of few years.
Tor undertaking these operations in be-
half of the landowners, the Society
charges such fees as it is believed would
make the investment remuneratiFe if
there were no other source of profit In
the enhanced value of the land, in which
the Society also shares, and, which con.
stitutes its capital stock.
It's claimed that the stock subscrip-
tions in money viii constitute one of the
safest and most judieious modes of buy
ing lands in Virginia, and it is the inten-
ton of the Society not to allow the
amount Of money subscriptions to ex-
ceed the sum absolutely required for
CARRYING out the objects in view.
The capital stock ofthe Society, as au-
thorized by its charter, is three hundred
thousand dollars, bat it has the further
privilege ofholding, in addition to this,
five thousand acres of land, and as this
will be retained at points suitable for
villages and factories, it is assumed that
the actual authorized capital Of the So
cietY is about half a million of dollars.
Already two villages have been laid of,
one on the line of the Orange and Alex
andria Railroad, and another adjacent to
the James River Canal. ~. -
We have thus presented the pt2 of
this Virginia Association, otfor the pur-
pose of endorsing its details-though
they appear to be feasible and safe-but
to urge upon our Georgia readers the i'm
portance of some we'll defined policy in
reference to immigration. We are con-
stantly receiving letters from parties who
complain of their disgust with planting
under the new system, and express their
desire to sell out, but money is so scarce
in this country that it is evident that
they must look to the North or to Eu-
rope for buyers.
Northern and European buyers do not
generally want large tracts Of land, nor
are they properly advised of the real con-
dition of things at the South, and of the
advantages of this section over the great
West, toswhich the tide of emigration
has so long tended. We know Of no
proper effort being made. to secure buy
ers or tenants from abroad. A few emil
grants have been brought here, to work
as laborers,. but we have no faith in such
a system. We must give up the old
gang system, and lease or sell small tracts
to those who will become permanent
settlers. Hundreds of our farmers are
willing to divide up their farms, butthey
do not knoN how to secure the tenants
or purchasers. This must be done by
some such means as that adopted in Vlr'
giuia. Louisiana has adopted similar
plan, and we believe an agent is now on
his way to Europe. The ignorance and
prejudice which exist concerning the
climate and society and soil of the South
will prevent for years such accessions to
our population as are requisite for the
successful cultivation and development
of the country. Men ofintelligence must
be sent abroad-European residents
among US should accompany them-with
definite offers from land-holders, either
as individuals or societies, with maps of
districts in which lands are located, and
all the facts necessary to full negotla-