Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-13
Northern Labor and Capitalize South

A correspondent Of the New York Tribune,
writing from Gordonsville, Virginia, thus con-
cludes letter of three closely printed col
umnS :
This same bitterness of feeling toward the loyal
North deveopes itself in opposition to the introduce
ton Of Northern capital or labor. They do not
want to sell their farms 70 NOrtherners. real es-
tate agent admitted 10 me he could buy farms for
himself or his neghbOr twenty-five per cent. cheaper
than he could buy them for Yankee l did not
meet, in all my wanderings, with single person
who spoke kindly Of the North, or who desired the
Northern farmer to come and dwell among them.
They universally feared the introduction OF new
ideas They need the capital; there Is plenty oil
land for sale; but they don't want Yankees about
they fear his influence with the negro; they fear
that Yankee sharpness and negro suffrage may yet
revOlutiOniZe the State.
The conclusions TO which my wanderings thus
far in Virginia have led me, may be thus stated;
l. There is a large amount OF land for sale, but
the farms are mostly unimprOyed. They are gene
rally Of large size, and sell for half cash. the balance
within u and 24mOnthS.
Q Though there is much land in the market, it is
all held at a high price. Having always been told
that there would be q large immigration into Viz
GINA on the abolition Of slavery they are expecting
a large accession 10 their numbers the coming year
] think the price Of land will be cheaper IN 1907
than it is in 1866 They will then have tried farm
ing for year without stock or capital, and will be
more willing 70 sell.
O. Whoever CONES here should bring the means Of
support for the first year, and enough, in addition
20 the price Of land, 10 pay Tor all necessary build
ings and improvements
T. And unless he settles within a few miles Of a
shire town, he must expect to ind his church on his
own place and 70 give his children, by personal in
structiOn, all the benefits Of schooling they are
likely 10 receive. Neither churches nor school
houses are TO be found here.
s. Labor is plenty and cheap. Whoever has CAPT
IN VIII fai fraaf nj
the labOrer gives him their confidence can obtain it
much lower than he can North OF West.
6. Everything that can be raised here can be sold
at fair rates and just IS soon as 1t IS ready for the
market
This is the first letter from the South that we
have seen in the Tribune, which touched on
the feelings existing among SOutherners to-
wards Northerners, that did not represent it as
unsafe for Northern men to settle among US.
This writer contents himself with saying that
We do not want them to come, that We arc
afraid of new ideas, &c. While we are pleased
to see even this slight change Of tone, we can
not, without protest, permit the charge to be
made that the Southern people are opposed to
che d" introduction of Northern capital and Ia
bOr." They are not SO stupid and so blind to
their own interests as to oppose the introduc-
ten of labor or capital from any source. As
10 new ideas" all have been brought here
already that have been preached. fthere are
any more in reserve, we are not disposed to
Keep them back.
We have heard of vultures following diseased
and wounded animals with an instructive
knowledge that they would soon die We have
heard OF plunderers of battle-6elds who would
quietly sit down beside dying soldier in or
der to be ready to take off his boots as soon as
the breath should leave his body. This writer
manifeSts some of that same spirit, when he
says triumphantly that Southern land will be
cheaper in 81 than it is in &c, for SOutherncrs
will, by that time, have found out by experience
that farming without stock or capital is an un-
profitable business, aud will be willing to sell
az reduced prices. He advises those who con-
template purchasing to come prepared with
means to support them for a year. They can
then easily sit down and wait for '67 to come.
This is what the Tri5,me'S correspondent means
by " Yankee shrewdness."