The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-10-17

North and South Piedmont. 10000 loo, 900
| Blue Ridge. 2,rU An."o
| Valley. ey........................ s.upo oVJ'VV
Allegheny Range............ l2, 800 10000
Southwest Virginia, Trans
Allegheny ................. 1,Vr Jrl,Vuo
Valley of kanawha .......... 80 5000
Northwest Virginia, Trans .
hlleEnany y................. IU'VVo i,V'V'pvv
$4,000 100000
Tho total number of square miles g., ,OOO-is
capable of containing six and a half millions
for agriculture alone: and this would support
for commerce, mining, manufacturing, the
mechanic arts, professions, and other avoca-
tions at least twice that number in addition,
making in all nearly -. .0oo, 900 of people
Lest any suppose this view exaggerated,
however, General Wise presented another,
more practical and more likely soon to be veri
fled.
The number of acres in the State is $4,000
SQUARE miles bv 6+0-40, 900 900: deduct one
third for woodland and waste-l3, ,65}. .353
number Of acres for cultivation, 1896, o61
This gives TO the present population 81 acres
per c0pitn, or to each family of five 10 acres.
Reduce the average number to each family TO
~ acres, the territory would nave mhch
greater number of familtes-5l6, l:S}, which
multiplied by five, gives population OF
>, 40 66j
The whole population does not now exceed
Loo, 600 white and black, so there is ab,in-
dant room TO admit at least 1000, 900, II they
come? The dsproportion, however, is not
surprising when we consider the facts. The
plan tion system. want OF direct communi-
cation with Europe, keeping Europeans in ig-
| norance of our people and country, and tho
price OF public lands in the old States, have
all operated against lis in the past. Specula-
| tors OF the North in the lands Of the West
keep 4 steady guard upon the arrival of i'm
migrants in the northern ports. They are
caught by those interested in the settlements
| Of the Northw west. none enter the South, and
| they are thus nearly all turned away from us.
They poisoned by the information that Fir-
gina is exhausted and worn out III sell and
| resources that Il lazy ariS tocracy dominates
| in the South that manual labor Is deSplScd,
| and that the freedmen are striving TO exclude
| the whites from place and power, being en-
couraged By the Government and the 5u-
reau that 4 war OF races Is imminent; that
| the whites are enslaved by their unsettled
| state in conquered provinces, and that
socially we are ruillanS. worse than savaGcS.
These SANDERS rppel the tide of Immigration
The first thing 10 be done IS 10 give cncour-
| agpmant to o,tr olrn Tiits MbUrers and To turn
The attention of young men 10 agriculture
| under Il system of small farms. More OF our
| own whites must hold and drive the plough.
| The applied science of agriculture must be
| trusted 10 men Of the best intelligence rather
| than TO ignoramuse> and dolts. They should
| study domestic and agricultural economy
| and procure, instruct ana encourage opera
| lives of their own race. This is far better
| than 10 skuk into the professions by the back
door, or 10 seek soft places in clerkshlps drum
| ming and kindred pursuits.
| The General then made an earnest appeal TO
| the manly brave, and strong young men OF his
own mother State who have no settled pur-
suit 10 turn their attention TO learning prac-
| tic;,l agriculture. The life OF the enlightened
farmer must be scientific stndious, obSerrant,
and practical and Is rs dlguliled ana emo
bling as il is necessary and useful. Colleges
| should institute schools Of the applied sciences
| for agriculture.
| For these things, however, time is required,
| and until white Ia Dor can be secured wc must
con linIic TO employ our late slaves, under Just
| and wise regulations, and upon ncw plan OF
| employment. Heads of families must b" en-
| couragrd 10 live with their families, ana he
| com mppusa,ed in kind by shares in crops. We
| must cease TO engage them by the day, month,
and wear for wages in money and If those
| without families must be employed, let 1t be
| done bv our courpd tenants who are entrusted
| with The crops and who are HciIpy Ujh TIER
| fi,oili.s on the ip7,d. The tenant and family
| system, under well defined contracts OF lease
| or shares, and OF superinteudence by rrorrie-
| tors and the employment OF operatives BY the
| Joint cultivators Will ensure the most certain
! and steady labor. They must be allowed to
| lake rs large an interest in the crops rs Is
| liberal and just: but the right of resembling
| contracts must be reserved, III order TO insure
| strict performance of their duties.
| But after all, these eXpedlents muSt be re-
| rardcd as temporary until we can Introduce
| the best tChts ftniiiieS, from home or from
| lh their tIfJDT
| y,.ut DT i,ttrchUSe H"HL. he main obstacles To
| these three distinct ide:lS that our own
| laburing white families have not been sufli-
| cirutly trained 10 farming III its ne" sense
| and, secondly, the ignorance abroad OF our
| pronle ani;their condition. What, then. Is to
| he done If we must pause 10 educate our own
! rising generation, il immigrants from Europe
| hesitate. and if we cannot rely upon negro
| labor. Wnmust invite aud tempt tn. people OF
| the uenSely populated portions OF the Jnlteu
|
| armies, but To repair the desolatons OF war
| TO come with their knowledge OF farms,
| dairlcS, and orchards, and purchase or rent our
/ brond but idle laudS-iO come with their ma
| chinery and take the sites OF our water power !;
| With their trained habits and arts, and make
| our mines yield oils, ores, and salt; 10 come,
tempted by gain, 10 save the country ana
| their own white race from the unnatural pre-
| tensions of negro social and political equality.
| Let us smooth the wrinkled front of war,
dash from us all its acerbltlcS, and welcome
| them to come and pitch their tents and plant
their household gods in our pleasant places.
| Let US conquer them by kindness, to make us
| strong in the arts of peace. This will be
| s.recons truction - worthy of 4 great people.
In this we viii be generous, just, and wise,
and Caucasian and Ethiopian will be made
10 know ana keep ms place III inc sc;tIe OF
being dccreed by God.
The General then urged that when immi-
grafton should come, the lands must be di-
| ylded and Sub-divided To accommodates them.
|
condition of the Virginia farmer o.day, with
haukruntcv staring many III the face, with no
other refuge before them The whole land
| system must be changed. II we cannot sell
or rent, We must even give away parts 10 make
| the remainder worth more than the whole.
Then the planter viii lind himself Il Baron
indeed compared 10 the owner OF Il thousand
slaves scourgng thousands of acres. Out OF
his !, 900 acres he can sell, rent, or give every
alternate fifty, and he proprietor or superin-
| ,f h,. u'h pf T.
hundred families of thrifty, frugal farmers,
| with labor abundant TO cultivate and adorn
. | his homes tead.
The speaker then painted q glowing picture
of the future OF Virginia under such Il system
. | rs he proposcd, ami uttered Il spiri ted and i'm
: prussiye apostropne 10 his native Stated land
| Of loyeliness, land of memory, land OF
hope-too well loved, too bright, too beauti.
fui TOO bountitul, 10 bear oppression, TO be
tramped by conquest, TO be taxed and reXed
and yililiied BY Intestine foes. Bright, beau
/ | tiful mother, thou shalt not be enchained eN
ccpt BY links of love, if thought, and study
, and labor, and sacrifice, and fortitude, anC
! patience, and prudence, and industry, anc
. art and unceasing vigilance can redeem thy
losses redress thy wrongs, restore thy health
and wealth and strength, and make thee more
than thvSef again-ntver more conquered
, but uuconquerabe, and bravely free a. beau
tIfully bright and fair.
In conclusion, he quoted the lines
: Ss,sr desDair-,he darkest cloud
Thai ever loomrd TiLt pass nlc1y;
Tn. longsst night Will yield TO dawn,
tn S;awn tciI kiude into ddy;
What IL around thy lonely bark
, Break nerce and high the waves OF sorrow,
Stretch every car There, iotd ahead,
and thou wilt gain III port 10 morrow.
The farmer knows not II mis- fields
with Hood, or drought, or DiiSht must cope,
Hequesrons not the tckle skies,
But tJlDughs and SOtCS and 4" as IN nope
Then III, aud strive, and Oar AID do,
Nor doubt harvest thou wilt gather,
.,Tis time IL hbOr dHd 10 cat,
y,,,st in I.i g..llal weather