The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-01-11
PETERSBURG, January 10, 1866.


The weather affords constant theme of
complaint to persons who are seldom satisfied
with it, and yet if the subject is considered
philosophically, it is profitable and interest
ing That il is liable to frequent, and now
and then violent changes-such as the one
that occurred two or three days ago-is appa-
rent enough. Hence it is abused by the un-
thinking as capricious wretched, horrid, and
such like epithets. But a candid examination
will suffice to convince all reasonable men that
its merit consists in its changeableness and
that our climate is probably one of the best in
the world. Let US make a brief comparison be-
tween this and some other countries. At the
North the winters are longer and much colder
than ours; at the South the summers are
greatly prolonged In the former case, pro-
lection against the cold necessitates the use Of
close and overheated rooms, seriously cor
rnpting the air, and inducing an amount of
pulmonary and infiammatory complaints I'M
known to this latitude.
In the South, the people are liable to bilious
affections, congestiye and yellow feyers, and
the whole catalogue of diseases growing out
of the arrangement of particular organs. The
effect of climate may be seen at a glance in the
forid cheeks of the former and the pallid COM
plexions of the latter. Does not the beauty of
our women and the manly yigor of our men
especially those little TO the west of our
meridian-fully confirm what has been said.
The limits of brief letter will not admit of
prosecuting the inquiry TO any length--a sin
gle Illustration, by way of anecdote, will suf-
flee. number Of years ago very intelligent
gentleman, a refugee from Portugal on account
of political offences bought property and set
tied in neighboring county, where he reared
a family of children, one of whom was in the
Confederate service ill defence of Petersburg
To q visitor who was INDUCING in some
asperity on the variableness of the weather,
he replied: The reason why you condemn it
Is the best reason in its favor. Suppose you
lived, as have done, in country where the
seasons were iii vided into only two six months
Of rain and six months of drought, what
would you say to that?
we come TO the conclusion, then, that the
climate Of Virginia and North Carolina is
among the finest and most salubrious in the
world; ana mat, with the exception of some 10.
calities, IL offers an induceInent to Immigrants
which should have great influence upon them
II Virginia 10 ever 10 be restored TO her former
prosperity, II must be through the agency of
aspecies Of labor different from what can he
commanded now /; and 1t would be well for
emigration societies to give the subject their
attention.
Cotton has been weaker for q day or two,
owing, doubtless, to the decline in gold. Blu.
siness Is reyiving, and ii is supposed by the
merchants that the usual activity will return
by next week. The great demand now is for
provisions, which the cold weather kept back
Tor some days. Pork is coming in, and sells
readily for sixteen cents. Some splendid lots
OF poultry have commanded full prices tur.
Keys readily bringing four dollars apiece.
Ss0wDgS.