The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-10-28
LETTER FROM PETERSBURG.
Corresponds nce ofthe Richmond Dispatch.
Gloomy Forcbodings Dnty Of the White Race
Necessity of Getting White Labor-The To-
baCconist~ and Dray-OwnerS.

Gloomy Fore holdings Dnty of tho White Race
Necessity of Getting White Labor-The To-
bacconistS and Dray-Owners.
PETERSBURG, October &c 1867
The state OF feeling among the business men
of this city is exceedingly gloomy and they
no prospect of prosperous times as long
the present condition OF things continues.
With abundant resources of labor, il il could
hr proiitahly directed, there is little or no in
crease in the products of the soil and conse
Quently our market i i'll Il lanSuishlng state.
With M the activity and enterprise OF our
merchants, 1t is believed that few, if any, of
them are making any profit. If they can only
live through these trying times ii is rs much
rs can reasonably be calculated on. What is
needed now abovcal things Is that every able
bodied man should 20 TO work, and do his part
10 contribute To- the public relief But politics
has become disease, and labor Is repugnant
10 the feelings of those who have caught the
contasiou Unhapply, the blacks are nearly
all affected by it. For several days after the
election they could be seen i'll large numbers
lettering through the streets or basklnS III the
sunshine by the sides OF houses.
1t will, there can be no doubt, soon become
apparent that the blacks, as voluntary class
OF laborerS, will be almost worthless III de-
vcloping the natural resources OF the country
They have neither the industry nor intelh-
y,ncr TO make good farmers nor nave they
the mana gencnt TO turn their crops to good
account even if they had any skill in cultlva-
ton. If every negro family was provided
with Il farm, team, and implements, the num-
Der that would be able 10 pay their taxes
would be inconsidcrable The history of the
race shows plainly enough that this IS their
character; and Yet if the result of the late
elections in their favor is rightly interpreted,
II would doubtless be found that the secret
aim of each i 10 obtain Il tract OF land by
coutscatiou or some other means. They would
hardly have run in direct opposition 10 the
settled interests OF the country II they mao los
cherished some aspirations of this kind. The
j. to themselves and their postcrity to check
mate every scheme looking 10 that end. They
must bc ms united among themselves rs the
blacks are the other side; and ii can only
be by criminal neglect if they do not III the
end carry their point. not that we Wouiu
Cypress them by any means or do them any
injustice, but everything of an agrarin or
dwelling tendency must be resolutely resisted
We must, in short, preserve the purity ahu
integrity of our own race.
1t has been surmistd that the tobacconists
and others VINO employ large numbers of
freedmen would take The earliest opportunity
10 avail themselves of some other species OF
labor. The season is now coming on for the
factories TO curtail their operations, II not 10
suspend altogether, rs there is little or no pro-
tit in working tobacco during the winter.
This will necessarily throw Il great many out
OF employment, who will probably never ma
their way back again. Some OF the owners OF
draws also will make arrangements by the be
ginning of another year for hiring white
drivers instead of colored and the merchants
Will hcsiow all their patronage on such. Here
after white labor viii be i'll greater demand
than ever, and more strenuous efforts Will be
made to attract il from 4 distance. Ii men OF
business and means would set about THIS NAL
ter in earnest, an impulse might be gwen 10 II
which would tell risibly after few years.
Hitherto there has been no unity OF action,
almost every man decming ii best TO plod on
under our present system.