The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-05-10

/ anle. Inc war having impo'siishou
her people, the Sonth needs capital tode-
velop her resources. Her former happy
and useful working classes having been
transformed by the philanthropists in
to beggars and vagabonds, she wants
industrious and reliable laborers to aid
in upbuilding her waste places. Espe-
cially does she require such legislation
as will restore confidence, secure the
people against the evils of confiscation,
and convince men of means and enter
prize that their investments and labors
in the South will not be brought to
naught by the reckless measures of Rad
ical agitators. The following extract
from letter to the New York Herald,
from Meridias, Mississippi, deserves
the consideration of every careful bnsi,
ness man in the country:
The measures of Congress continue
to be acknowledged topics of conver-
sation. Here, in fact, there is no un-
willingness tn consider any subject that
the political situation Of the country
makes interesting. All discussions
have been so far in q remarkably calm
spirit; but there is 10 expressed favor
for the reconstruction law-that Is, no
admission that there is any humanity
or Justice in it. Congress is charged
with being unwilling to encourage even
the good disposition of the South in
view of reconstruction. 1t is urged
that the Southern people have no GER
tainty that, if they reconstruct on the
prescribed form, they will he again re-
ceived. They expect new e1actions-
new humiliations. Still they aceede to
the law in effect. They are so far ad-
vanced rs to feel that they cannot get
by it, and the best policy is to meet
their fate. But the new law is not, iii
this vicinity, SO interesting o consider
alton as that of eOn6scation. They do
not view the military bill as affecting
their material prosperity Immediately;
while the fear of confiscation is an ac-
tual destroyer Of confidence. People
who have gold or money deposited
abroad, as some have, will nat invest 1T
here and render it liable to the Provi-
sions of the proposed cOnfiscation act.
This is q great blow to the lately reyiy-
ing trade, and comes fatally to those
who were struggling in embarrassed cir
cumstances before, and adds to the num-
Der of tho absolutely destitute, which
has been so great since the close of the
war. The peace was too late in 1860
to admit ofa proper cultivation Of the
farms and plantations for that year.
Then came the failure of the crops in
the year following. Meanwhile they
who had expectations more than an-
ticipated them, and when they had real
| lied their crops were still in debt. Now
credit is harder than before on account
of the confiscation panic. 1t seems,
also, that the destruction of the fruit
prospects by the late frosts is going to
be sorely felt, as one means OF subsis-
tence gone, although in prosperous
times it was not an important consider
alton. Particularly will this he felt
with bereaved families, women and
children made widows and orphans by
the late war, of which there are many
living in this neighborhood, and still
farther back, away from the rontes OF
travel. Many of these are quite destI-
tute, and depend on charity alone,
while Others had little to expect but
what their fruit might afford; and now
the hope of that is gone.