New-York tribune., 1867-09-30
rJpcJyJA-LANDS and PEOPLES.
IN, r,,,,or Of The 7,-fbuRe

,ice from u.s. Us The TRBUNEs article was suggested
bya Catalogue of Virginia Lands offered by us Tor
sale which are glad to see has had the erect 10
produce the conviction that "the cry raised against
the bigoted tenacty wherewith virginians cling to
their ancestral acres unfounded After notice OF the
very low price at which valuable farms in Virginia
may be bought you say:
"Yet cannot advise solitary Yankees TO buy and ana
settle in Virginia, in few YankeeHed localities
The race which inherited domination there is NOT SeS
reconoiled to the new order Oh thlhSs anu I,,6red
Northerners hundred miles OIL rather than huuieU
rods"
and so advise the purchase Of large tract 10 Dc
divided and occupied exclusively by Northern settlers
During the continuance of the late war 1t was the poy
of both parties to excite the public mind OF each ag
the Government aud people Of the other Unior'u NM,
for the early restoration Of harmony land kindly io
and speedy reconstruction OF the Union Oh 80 time
basis. sectional uufIiendneSs continued io - %, tho
and, for many months, the correspondence ,,, n the
Northern papers represented the stalc "a sG 10 our
South az rtto short Of barbarsn Az ~ ai,o a. IN
lis,or,, was here so general exemption Iolh 0i &c
a., So,,,-, e,ocs after the first 80 days succeeus ~
surrender; yet uineteen-twehuethS Va -. ~" ,ho ruIe
neonle believed that violence ana cilme "o'o ~ ufo
"a rot tbe execution with us. and that 'h0 m
of n peoceful Northern man was ho' s"-o , ,a1o1
- of tbe South Happily these uniou,u~ ,
,,,,rtatjops are not now credited; ana ,Ho ,,,Io
publjc generally understand tEat tho s tboir
icfeatcc II battle have in good faith' I'u uo"I %
nuIo
oc o,l striving ~ good citizens, TO repair ti'ciI u"
, ,, rortuues and TO restore their States prosper
i,v few chiefly OF those who " were not IN tne ntn'
may not realize and accept the exigencies OF ho "
tom but with rare exceptions, the entire popu,""on
earnestly desire peace and rcpOse-rea suOS'h'la' i
fng peace aud quet-that they may repair the puoo ~
rriyate res Of war. Bitter as may DC the chaHc,
they hare become "recOnciled 70 inc le" oi"oi VI e
and would make the best OF it,
To most OF our people, little Is left Dut their huS
Our labor system has been subyerted and the aOores
demoraIized We all feel that there can be no material
change for the better that there can be no great prosper
tty i'll we receive capital and labor from abroad TO cult
vae our lands and develop the vast mineral wealth OF
the State These are the great wants Of Virginia Next
IN the sure establishment OF peace and Constitutional
Government the great desire of Vrginians is for an III
crease of their rhe population This must come ron
the Northern States, from Europe; ana we hazaru
little in saying nlnetenhs of people prefer tine
Yankees" TO Europeans They are more ,enterprlslng
and sluful and Will bring with them more intelligence
and capital, which Will appropriate for the oehe
fit of the State. Becoming Vrgnians their Northern
preindccs will soon subside and little while toA u.s.
will make them Of as.
SO far therefore from preferrng the Northerner
hundred miles or" earnestly invite him 10 become
a virginlan and will welcome him in our midst The
greater their number the moro cordial will be their well
come We only ask that, with capital and labor ana
energy and skill they bring honesty and good manners
Tho educated gentleman the man Of wealth. the lnteN
gent mechanic and the honest aborer from the Northern
States will be treated here with the same consideration
he would receive in any other wellordered community
All who will respect the proper laws of society," ana oD-
serve propretes of life rich or poor professional or
oborng man. will have no complain Of their re-
cepton 1t VIII depend on themselves entirely whether
they be received with poeneSs and treated Win khd-
uess or be rebulIed.
Some "Northerners" have come among who are
l.,afI InN fO de-
to cultivate the SOIL but TO foment BAD ieehhg Dc
tween the present cuvatos and the propetors OF the
land to array class Of the community against the
other and by appeals the bad passions of an ignorant
population, ito excite prejudice and unknd feeling be-
tween those who should be friends making the life oi AL
uncomfortable rctardngsScneral prosperity, and eHdan
gering tho public peace. Fortunately these bad men,
who have no permanent stake in the community, who do
not come eisens Of Virginia have yet been able
to little serious injury, but heartily wish them "a
hundred miles OF"
Our objection TO this class Of "Northerners" proceeds
from disposition interfere with the freedom OF
speech" The most unrecOnstructed Rebel" among us
will listen respectfully TO public private discussion
Of any StIec If the speaker does not mean to offend,
and will only the ordinary eourteses To sustain
This assertion, appeal to the observation aud
experience Of the Editor OF THE TRIBUNE. There are
few men in all the Northern States whose sectional
political opinions more obpOxiOus to the Southern
people than those Of Mr. Greeley and Mr. Gcrrit Smh
two men. perhaps, exerted greater influence in
defeating legislation deemed by the slaveOwDers essential
10 their projections and in creating public opinion at the
North, and building up party whose triumph resulted
the overthrow Of Slavery and the subverson of our
state Governments No two men We're before and during
the war personally Objectionable TO the Southern
people But the over its result had been fatal
to our theories Ct government laid down our arms
and with them, personal animosty and these gentlemen
few months ago made speeches in the City OF Richmond
which might have been delivered in Boston, and were
listened 10 with much courtesy and respect as they
would have been any part of the country They made
no compromise Of their opinions; but they expressed
those opinions respectfully and kindly; they did moi
intend TO be offensive and did not offend, though they
spoke as they might have spoken in the heart OF New
England. We respectfully submit 10 Mr. Greeley
whether independent action and free expression Of
opinion llustratedtin his have been more
tolerated in the North than in the South.
We have been visited by many gentlemen from the
North earnest Republicans" who have to
explore with expectation Of purchasing lands In the State
to these gentlemen confidently appeal do 10 all
who have not simply partisan agitators 10
lain assertion ibat Norherncrs who visit Virginia
with honest purpose and who do not violate the
ees Of life kindly received and politely treated
they would be In any other community.
There is soeiar especially in the intercourse Of
people with the army Of oee'pation-a feeling which
refined sensitive minds, everywhere, will respect To be
suspected of disposition TO fawn on those in power
Of paying court TO men having unlimited military
authority them is revolving to highmnded people
There cannot be social equality between prisoner and
bis jailor Give liberty and shall be free to
select associates but not till then Unlock prison.
ioors and the doors Of hospitality may be thrown open
There little disposition to hold the individual citizen
from the North responsible for all have suffered and
suffer by the acts Of his Government; but the bar.
ers TO unrescryed social intercourse cannot be entirely
removed long the Southern States held in sub
lection, and the property and liberty Of the Southern
citizens at the mercy Of military commander and