Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-04-30
Letter from Richmond.

Correspondence baltimore GG*Cit".
RICHMOND, April IS 1S66.--Nowhcrc IS tic
utter stagnation Of business, of which so much
is heard, so apparent as in the principle city q
Virginia. On all hands there's every eYitic;:cc
Of desire to trade. Building has gone Oh in
the burnt district with astonishing rapidly. On
Main street many first class single stores, with
iron fronts and plate glass windows, have been
erected, and others arc in course Of crectiCn.-
Between Main street and the canal severa! line
blocks of warehouses; have been built up, and
more arc still In course of construction. Most
Of these stores and warehouses ere occupied.
Many Of them are reasonably well stocked
But the truth is there is no money in the South
to purchase goods, and no produce for which
they can be barc-cd The little specie thai
many people had stored away, and which at
the end Of the war constituted their available
fortune, has long since been spent, and until the
earth makes some return for their labor they
have in reality nothing which can be made
convertible They must dig thcr treasure
from the SOIL and, until they can do that, there
can be no activity in barter and no life in trade.
Some little money has OF course found It's way
to Virginia. Investments have been made with
Northern capital to small extent in coal
mines and in agricultural lands. Some money
has been advanced on mortgage, and some
has been invested in Railroad and State Sc
curitics Most of this, however, has again
gone North for the purchase Of goods and ma
teriaI. The surplus, together with the limited
supply Of notes Of the neW national banks,
forms the currency of the State. For the pre-
sent it is far too little for the wants Of 50 needy
community. and it is turned over and over
again in small sums at rates Of interest which
are ruinous to the borrower, and which must
hamper and harass him for some time to come
As a general rule the condition of the Virginia
tradesmcn is tar from prosperous.
Gov. PEIRpoINT AND STONEWALL jack
soN.-Gen. r.. E. Colston, Of the late Confcd-
crate army, arrived in Richmond On Wcdncs,
day, in pursuance of an invitation extended
him BY the citizens Of that place, to deliver a
lecture on the life and character Of Stoncwall
Jackson The General called on Gov. Peir-
point for the purpose Of securing the use of
the hall Of the House Of Delegates, and the
following is said to have been the result Of the
interview:
On entering the Governors room, General
Colston presented to him the letter Of invitation
which he had received from many Of our mos;
prominent citizens. which Was taken and read.
As the Governor returned the letter, General
Colston remarked pleasantly:
Governor, | suppose now that the war is
over, that every Eirginian feels pride in the
fame and character Of 'StoDewal Jackson"
Pelpoint.-'iNo, SIR / feel no pride in
Jackson as Virginian, and can see nothing in
his character worthy Of admiration.
After some further remarks, Peirpoint asked,
contemptuously, "What was there in the char
acter of Jackson to admire? He was Il kind
of crazy enthusiast, with 4 good deal OF the
bigotry Of Cromwell in him. That vas ALL -
General CozSt0n.-'l merely called, sir. to
ask you if | could get the use OF tile hall for
my lecture
Psirpoint. no sir!' very emphaicaIly.)
Il will not lend the hall Of the House Of Dele
gates for any such purpose =
And then he again asked, derisively, What
was there IN the character Of Jackson to ad-
mire %
General CoZston.-' TT is useless for US, who
differ 50 widely, sir, to discuss that subject
You must excuse me from doing 50. Good
morning" And the General departed.
d.. L olI,, 1or tho roct