Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-10-15
Virginia Lands and Northern Settlers.

Sometime since the New York Tribune pub
lished notice Of catalogue of Virginia lands
offered for sale by the firm of Cabell & Wat
kins, of Richmond, in which notice the Tribune
took occasion to advise immigrants not to buy
and settle in Virginia ssave in few Yankee
lied localities" It gave as reason for this
advice that our people prefer Northerners
hundred miles off rather than hundred rods"
In reply to this Messrs Cabel & Watkins
wrote letter to the Tribune, which is publish
ed in that paper in full. 1t is an able defence
of the Virgnians, and caustic reply to their
slanderers.
"After reviewing the history of our society
since the war; and thereby exposing the I'M
| founded charges of bitterness and hostility,
Messrs. G. & w. say that the Virginians have
all along seen the necessity of increasing our
white population, and welcome enterprising and
skillful immigrants from the North, who bring
among US their intelligence and capital, to aid
us in developing the resources of our State
They very properly say that when such North
erners come among US their Northern preju
dices will soon subside and little while with
us will make them Of us, "a fact which is il
Illustrated in score or more instances in this
very city. They add:
''We only ask that, with capital and labor,
and energy and skill, they bring honesty and
| good manners. The educated gentleman, the
man of wealth, the intelligent mechanic, and
the honest laborer from the Northern States,
will be treated with the same consideration he
would receive in any other well ordered COM
munity. All who will respect the proper laws
of society," and observe the proprieties of life,
rich or poor, professional or laboring man, will
have no cause to complain Of their reception
1t will depend on themselves entirely whether
they be received with poiteness and treated
with kindness, or be rebuffed."
That we do not welcome the universal Yam
kee nation" is certainly true, but the reason for
it is found in the following extract from the
| letter referred to:
"Some 'Northerners have come among us
who are not welcome. They come not to build
up but to destroy; not to cultivate the soil, but
to foment bad feeling between. the present cul-
tivators and the proprietors of the land; to ar
ray one class Of the community against the 9TH
err; and by appeals to the bad passions of an
| ignorant population, to excite prejudice and un-
! kind feeling between those who should befrends,
making the life of all uncomfortable, retarding
general prosperity and endangering the public
peace. Fortunately these bad men, who have
no permanent stake in the community, who do
not come to be citizens of Virginia, have as yet
been able to do little serious injury, but we
heartily wish them "a hundred miles off,
There is a social reserve, especially in the
intercourse of our people with the army of &C.
cupation-a feeling whicm refined, sensible
minds, everywhere, will respect. To be sus-
pected of disposition to fawn on those in pow
er, or of paying court to men having unlimited
| military authority over them, is revolving to a
high-minded people. There cannot be social
equality between prisoner and his jailor. Give
us our liberty, and shall be free to select our
associates; but not till then. Unlock our prison
doors, and the doors of hospitality may be thrown
open. There is little disposition to hold the in
dividual citizen from the North responsible for
all we have suffered and now suffer by the acts
| of the Government; but the barriers of unre-
| served social intercourse cannot be entirely re-
| moved, so long as the Southern States are held
| In subsection, and the property and liberty of
the Southern citizens are at the mercy of mil
itary commander and his subordinates.'